AN IMPORTANT REMINDER TO FAMILIES

We kindly remind members of our community to not enter the school grounds before or after school hours or on weekends.  There have been some examples recently where our Department-employed Security Team have informed us that students, families and members of the general public have been on school property outside school hours. Given the current climate and the restrictions in place to manage COVID-19, the only people allowed on site (as per signage) are school staff and school-employed contractors.  If you notice any suspicious activity or people on school property who should not be there, please report it to the Police on 000.  Thank you for your understanding.

A Message From The Principal

NEWSLETTER – Term 4, Week 1 2020

What a buzz there has been around the school! It has been wonderful to welcome the students and teachers back into on-site learning. We would like to thank everyone for being so supportive during drop off and pick up times. It has been so easy for our staff and the flow of the students. We will continue to monitor the staggered start and end times and may adjust them throughout the term.

We continue to ensure that we are following all Operational Guidelines set by the Department of Education. Cleaning continues to occur throughout the day, including all touchpoints and the playgrounds.

During this unprecedented time there have been many disappointments for our students as they have missed out on many ‘normal’ school experiences.  We understand this but need to ensure we are mindful of the Guidelines. In saying this, we are planning some exciting excursions/incursions for December and activities for the students. We have planned our Prep 2021 Transitions and we are trying to finalise plans for our year 6 graduation. We will continue to share our plans as we move through the term.

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL 2021 – Over the holidays we advertised and interviewed for an Assistant Principal to replace Mrs Helen Weston (who started at Coburn PS this term as substantive Principal). We completed the process and we are pleased to announced that joining us as Assistant Principal in 2021 will be Mrs Abbey Loney. Abbey will join Mr Raidme in the Assistant Principal role.

We have also appointed our Learning Specialists for 2021. Ms Heather Grass will be our Prep -2 Learning Specialist and Mr Ryan Normington will be our 3-6 Learning Specialist.

We look forward to sharing more information regarding our staffing structure later in the year.


Suzanne Prendergast – Principal



Prep – Year 2



Year 3 – Year 6



Mr Ben Raidme – Assistant Principal

Ms Heather Grass – Learning Specialist



Mrs Abbey Loney – Assistant Principal

Mr Ryan Normington – Learning Specialist


PREP 2021 – In week three we will be releasing a digital information presentation to our Prep 2021 Parents. In this presentation, we will answer questions and discuss the transition plans. Obviously, we are not going to be able to run our normal transition sessions, however we are excited to be able to ensure every child will be able to visit their 2021 Prep classroom and meet their teacher prior to the end of the year. More information to come!

PARENT OPINION SURVEY – WE WANT OUR PARENTS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK!

Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents think of our school. The Parent Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is conducted amongst all parents. It is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of parents’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, student engagement and experiences of remote and flexible learning. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies.
All parents will be invited to participate in this year’s survey. All responses to the survey are anonymous. This year, the Parent Opinion Survey will be conducted from Monday 12th October to Friday 13th November.

The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the fieldwork period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The online survey will be available in a range of languages other than English. These include: Arabic, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Chin (Hakha), Hindi, Japanese, Somali, Turkish, Punjabi and Greek.
Further information will be sent to parents on Monday – including the link to complete the survey.

Thank you for your support.

SAMARITAN HOUSE – Samaritan House still need our help, arguably more than ever to support their residents through these challenging times.  This non-for-profit charity provided much needed food and overnight accommodation for those in our community sleeping rough.

Over the coming weeks until the 16 October, we are encouraging those in our community that are in a position to help to make either an item or financial donation.  Every little bit counts and makes a genuine difference to the lives of homeless men in the Geelong community.

Items in need this year include tinned goods, biscuits, tea, coffee, sugar and toiletries.

We will have tubs within our Learning Communities that students can place donations into, as well as in the front office.

Suzanne Prendergast

Principal

Whole School News

Wellbeing

Ben Raidme

Assistant Principal

Community News

Term 4 Fundraising – Mangoes are BACK!

2020 Parents Victoria Online Conference.

Parents /carers, school leadership / staff and school councillors are invited to attend the 2020 Parents Victoria Online Conference.

The theme of the forum is A Brave New World: Changes, challenges and opportunities for families and schools.

This year’s conference program includes presentations from expert speakers and groups on mental health support for students and parents, connecting school communities and engaging families.  Deputy Premier and Minister for Education James Merlino will open the conference and answer questions submitted by schools and families.  To submit a question email office@parentsvictoria.asn.au by Sunday 11 October.  Details on the conference and how to register are provided below.

Date: Monday 19 October 2020

Time: 10am to 1.15pm

Cost: The conference is free but registration is essential.

Registration: The conference will take place on Zoom. Participants will be emailed a Zoom link on 18 October.

For more information visit the Parents Victoria website.

Find out more

For more information contact Parents Victoria via:


Rovers Basketball Club is desperately seeking girls and boys who are interested in playing basketball. The new season is scheduled to start 23 November and runs through to Easter. If your child is interested in playing please contact Craig Cole on 0418 325 251 by 30th October.


Library

Scholastic Book Club Issue 7 is now available for families to order from.  Visit the Scholastic Book Club Website to view catalogues and order via Scholastic LOOP or the LOOP App, and your books will be delivered to the school free of charge, ready to collect in Term 4.  To view the catalogue, click on this link:  Book Club Catalogue

Orders close on Friday 30th October.

Important Phone Numbers During This Time

Kids Helpline 1800 551 800

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 224 636

Students of the Week

PLU

  • PAG Esme B

  • PHP Lilli L

  • PJB Harrison M

  • PKE Isla

  • PSP Grace G

JLU

  • JCM Tess B

  • JCR Isla N

  • JDD Aara P

  • JDJ Arley O

  • JKO Harry E

  • JLS Clara D

  • JMF Hugh P

  • JNL Ben T

  • JTM Maive M

MLU

  • MAT Aston G

  • MJC Sei N

  • MLD William C

  • MLR Owen G

  • MMC Yang Yang X

  • MRN Oskar V

  • MTS Luca P

SLU

  • SAW Rasmus W

  • SDP Mikylah Z

  • SGB Milly M

  • SKR Capree J

  • SML Harvey M

  • SRM Cillian O