Monday 11th June - Queen's Birthday Public Holiday

Tuesday 12th June - Pupil Free Day

Friday 15th June - Popcorn Fundraising Orders Due

Wednesday 20th June and Thursday 21st June between 3:40 & 7:00 pm - 5C Three Way Conferences will be held.

Friday 22nd June - Special Lunch Day Orders Due

Tuesday 26th June - Special Lunch Day - Sausage in Bread

Wednesday 27th June between 11:00am & 7:00pm - Foundation to Year 6 Three Way Conferences will be held (Variations to hours day).

Annual Working Bees — Saturday August 11 (Term 3), Saturday November 3 (Term 4)

PUPIL FREE DAYS — Tuesday June 12, Monday December 17

TERM DATES — TERM 2: Monday 16 April - Friday 29 June, TERM 3: Monday 16 July - Friday 21 September, TERM 4: Monday 8 October - Friday 21 December

CAMP DATES — Year 4 Anglesea Camp 30 May - 1 June, Year 5 Lady Northcote Camp 9 - 12 October, Year 3 Urban Camp 10 - 12 December.

CAMP ANGLESEA Congratulations to all students, staff and parents who attended last week’s Grade 4 camp in Anglesea. The weather was kind, with any rain confined to the evening, and the activities including canoeing, crate climbing, giant swing, archery, hut building, indigenous trail and talent quest were eagerly undertaken and enjoyed by all. Congratulations to Sophie Noakes and her team for a well planned and implemented camping experience.

PUPIL FREE DAY A final reminder that Monday, June 11 is the Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday, to be followed on Tuesday, June 12 by a pupil free day at Viewbank Primary School. Staff will be working with renowned maths expert, Michael Ymer, to continue to develop our maths teaching skills with a day’s professional development activities. Michael will return in early term 3 to consolidate the day’s activities with staff in classrooms. A reminder that Oshclub offers a full day’s care on Tuesday, June 12.

THREE WAY CONFERENCES All Victorian government schools operate under a four year cycle with the implementation of a Strategic Plan, and then a review at the end of those four years. An outcome of our last review was to create greater opportunities for student voice and empowerment and one of the strategies we implemented last year was for three way conferences (aka student led conferences). These replace the more traditional parent-teacher interviews, because our students lead the conversations on their learning and progress. Once again, these are scheduled on a day where we have a variation to normal school times – approved by School Council. This year, this day is scheduled for 11am-7pm on Wednesday, June 27. Students attend for the purposes of their conference only and are marked present as a consequence. Freeing the day up in this way affords greater time for discussions – 15 minutes per student. You will receive information re booking up a suitable time for your child’s conference in upcoming weeks. Please jump on line as quickly as you can to select the most suitable time, and please do not ask to exclude your child from any part of these conversations when the time comes on June 26. A reminder that day care is available from 6.30am until 6.15 pm on that day via OSHClub.

CHESS TOURNAMENT Each year we host two Regional Chess Tournaments, the first of which is scheduled for next Thursday, June 14. We wish our own chess players all the best as they compete on this day.

DIVISIONAL CROSS COUNTRY As a result of great performances at a District level, eight of our students have earned the right to compete at a Regional level next Wednesday at Bundoora Park. I would like to take this opportunity to wish Caitlin Basham, Liam Dunn, Mia Ferguson, Jovina George, Tyler McCrae, Ryder McMurray, Tabatha Medina Diaz and Charlotte White all the very best to next week and we know that you will do yourselves and our school proud.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. Looking forward to the big game on Monday!

Kind regards,

Bill Kersing

Principal

Parents Helpers It is imperative that all parents/guardians assisting in the classroom or anywhere on the school grounds to please sign in/out at the office and wear a parent helper badge/lanyard. This is especially important if there is an emergency so that we are aware of who is at the school.

Late Arrival to School If your child is sick, absent or late, you are required to notify the school before 9am on the day of absence, via Compass. Please do not telephone the school. It is a legal requirement that the school receives an explanation from a parent/carer for all absences, late arrivals and early departures via Compass.

If your child is late to school:

• All students who are late to school MUST report to the office before going to class.
• The office staff will enter the late arrival time and parent explanation.
• If students arrive late to school without a parent/caregiver, an unexplained absence note will be generated on Compass which then the parent/caregiver must provide an explanation.

Changes to ‘Early Leavers’ Procedures Parents are required to come to the office when collecting their child early from school and fill in the ‘Early Leavers’ book at the front desk. The Office Staff will ring the classroom and ask for your child to come to the office with their bag. Children are only to be collected by their parent from the front Office (not the classroom). This will minimise disruptions to the children's learning.

Student Absences If your child is sick or absent, you are required to notify the school before 9am on the day of their absence via Compass. Notifying the school of your child’s absence either prior to, or on the day that they will be away, helps ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and will fulfil your legal responsibility.

Please ask the office if you require any further assistance in entering your child's absences on Compass.

Kind regards

Lucy Addati

POPCORN FUNDRAISER - Orders due back at school by 15th June. 30% of all sales will go straight back to the school for the next fundraising project. Correct money only, no change given.

ENTERTAINMENT BOOK AND DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP Purchase your Entertainment Membership NOW to help Viewbank Primary School raise much needed funds! Viewbank Primary School are again fundraising with the very popular Entertainment Book or Digital Membership. You'll receive hundreds of valuable offers for everything you love to do, and help our fundraising at the same time. Hurry, Entertainment Memberships sell out quickly.

ICY POLE FRIDAY Students are able to buy icy poles over the counter at lunchtime. All icy poles cost $1.00 each. We are asking for parent helpers to assist with the sale of these icy poles on Fridays from 1pm to 1:30pm.

SCHOOL COUNCIL UPDATE School council pays a key role in Victorian government schools, and being a member of the school council is a rewarding and challenging experience. Acting as a team, council supports the principal to provide the best possible educational outcomes for students. One of the key functions of councils is to contribute to the establishment of the broad vision and direction for the school. As such, there are various sub-committees available to assist council in setting the strategic plans. Have you ever wondered how you could become involved and help out at school? Viewbank Primary School has a number of parent led committees that are always seeking new members, or volunteers to assist with various projects:

Interested in Finance? Then come and join the Finance sub-committee once a month (total of 8 meetings a year), to assist in guiding financial decision making for the school. Next meeting: Thursday 21st June at 6.30pm. Venue: Mr Kersing’s office. Chair: Sandra Vander Pal

Interested in maintenance of the school grounds? Then come and join the Buildings and Grounds sub-committee for a once a term meeting to assist in projects to better the school environment for our students. Next meeting: TBA. Venue: Staff Room. Chair: Nicholas Deane (parent)

Interested in policy development? Then come and join the Education sub-committee once a term to assist in policy development and revision for all aspects of the school curricula and council requirements. Next meeting: Monday 18th June at 7pm. Venue: Staff Room. Chair: Claire Kielty

Interested in fundraising and social events? Then come and join the Parents and Friends Club sub-committee once a term to assist in planning and development of fundraising activities. Next meeting: TBA. Venue: School staff room (opposite the school office). Chair: Serena Sherlock(Parent)

Interested in communication and marketing? Then come and join the **BRAND NEW** Communications sub-committee once a term to assist in planning communications strategies for better flow of information between school administration and the school community. First meeting: Thursday 21st June at 6.30pm. Venue: School staff room (opposite the school office). Chair: Kate Ryan (Parent) for first meeting

If you would like to become involved with any of the above committees, please contact the school council president on ryan.kate.k@edumail.vic.gov.au for further information, or you are welcome to attend the meetings as scheduled above without prior notice.

What is the next big fundraising project for VPS? With the successful completion of the resurfacing of the asphalt, the VPS school council would like to ask for assistance from the school community to decide where our hard-earned fundraising money should be directed next. If you would like to have your say, please complete the following survey by the 18th June. School council will then review the feedback and make plans for our next exciting project(s). Please click on this link to take the survey and have your say: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VPS_Upgrade_Ideas

THREE-WAY CONFERENCES Three-Way Conferences will be held on Wednesday 27th June between 11:00am & 7:00pm for all Foundation to Year 6 students (except for 5C). This day will be a variations to school hours day. 5C's Three-Way Conferences will be held on Wednesday 20th June and Thursday 21st June between 3:40 & 7:00 pm. Students attend for the purposes of their conference only and are marked present as a consequence.

BOOK CLUB Issue 4 catalogues have sent home this week. All orders are due by Wednesday 13th of June. Every dollar you spend earns points to buy more books for the Library. Thank you for your support.

If you are interested in purchasing the below pictured cabinets please make us an offer at the office!

The next batch of Anniversary books have just arrived. Get in early as when they are gone there will be no more printed. Don't wait! Contact the school office now to secure your copy. Don't miss out!

TRANSITION DATES Please download the below timeline for your future reference.

HATS ON From 1st September until 30th April school hats must be worn outside during all outside activities.

All Big Group Hug donations can be left in the Grade 3/4F classroom.