PUPIL FREE DAYS

• Two extra days yet to be confirmed in 2020

TERM DATES

• 2020 TERM 2: Tuesday 14th April - Friday 26th June (2:30pm finish)
• 2020 TERM 3: Monday 13th July - Friday 18th September (2:30pm finish)
• 2020 TERM 4: Monday 5th October - Friday 18th December (1:30pm finish)

CAMP DATES

• Year 5: Lady Northcote Recreation Camp (Tuesday 6th October - Friday 9th October 2020)
• Year 3, 4 & 6: As Camps are closed due to COVID 19 we are looking at rescheduling these 3 camps to later in the year. If this is not possible a full refund in term 3 will be provided to families who have already made a payment.

RETURN TO SCHOOL – GRADES 3 TO 6 After the first stage of return to face-to-face learning with our Grade Foundation to 2 students, we are all looking forward to the successful and safe return to school on Tuesday, June 9 of our remaining Grade 3 to 6 students. Drop off arrangements remain the same – students will be able to access the school grounds from 8.45am until 9.20am each day to ‘stagger’ arrival. Pick up arrangements won’t change for Foundation to 2. Our Foundation to 2 students will continue to depart at 3pm each day, having the same instruction time as the older students but a shorter (30 minute) lunchtime.

Grade 3 to 6 students will depart at 3.30pm each day as follows: Grade 6 – Winston Road (Gate 3b), Grade 5 – Lascelles Avenue (Gate 2), Grade 4 – Gates beside gym leading on to the oval (Gate 4), Grade 3 – Gates beside gym leading on to the oval (Gate 4).

Some parents may wish to collect all of their children at the same time, and you have been asked to advise us of that via a COMPASS notice and a Google Form earlier this week.

Our Foundation to Grade 2 students cohort and our Grade 3 to 6 student cohort will have separate recess and lunchtime sessions outside to further minimise the numbers in different spaces at different times.

We are extremely grateful for the support and compliance of all of our families to these new measures put in place for the safety and protection of everyone. I am equally proud and grateful of how all staff and each student has reacted to these changes to our routines. We were certainly tested earlier in the week by a downpour right on dismissal time, and want to reiterate that if you wish to collect your child between 2.30pm and 3.00pm on such days we can arrange that – please contact the office on 9459-1512. It’s ironic that just after the wet day dismissal I received a ‘House Of Golf Storewide Sale’ message with some excellent specials on golf umbrellas!!!

2021 ENROLMENTS I wish to reiterate that once an enrolment has been accepted at our school that we remain committed to the enrolment of all younger siblings. We have had queries from a couple of families who have moved location/house in recent times and no longer reside in our ‘zone’, but continue to have a student/s attending. We will continue to honour requests in those circumstances for sibling enrolments. And whilst on that note we would love to have as many ‘sibling’ enrolment forms completed and lodged with the General Office as soon as possible. Thank you.

BUILDING WORKS Not too long now until 12 modules will be delivered on site (potentially the last week of term) to be craned over the rotunda at the front of the school (Nevin Parade) and placed in position. Guaranteed that there will be considerable interest from everyone on site that day, and a significant decline in work output from our students. The ‘tiger turf’ will be timetabled carefully that day as it will be most likely the ideal vantage point for the construction.

I hope you all have a peaceful and safe long weekend.

Kind regards,

Bill Kersing

Principal

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Return To School Over the past 2 weeks, I have spent every morning from 8:45 to 9:20 at the Gallipoli Oak entrance or at the Foundation entrance on Winston Road, as well as each afternoon. I thought that I would share a few observations before all students return on Tuesday.

1. Please be safe on the roads. Too many parents are parking on the opposite side of the road and are not making use of the School Crossing Supervisors. Some, but not all, cars travel well in excess of the speed limit on Winston Road. We understand that you may be late, but you will be much later if you or your child are hit by a car. PLEASE be safe and use the crossing!
2. Your children are amazing. We know that for some children, anxiety about leaving home and being at school can sometimes get the better of them. As a parent, this can be heartbreaking and your natural instinct is to be with them, to comfort them. However, what appears to work best for most is a quick kiss and hug, and then walk away. Walking along the fence line while your child is crying can make things worse. For those of you who do have children who struggle, rest assured that we will call you if it appears your child will not settle.
3. The F-2 parents are to be congratulated for respecting the intent behind the guidelines provided, and for being flexible when we have had to make some changes. You have waited patiently at gates before school and after, kept your distance from gates at home time, and have been key in ensuring a smooth start and finish to each day – thank you!

For our Grade 3-6 parents who will be dropping off and picking up children from next week, we hope that the next 3 weeks will run as smoothly as it has for the F-2s. The success of drop offs and pick-ups will largely depend on your cooperation, patience and flexibility.

Please note, as I was leaving school on Wednesday afternoon, I noticed 2 cars on the other side of Nevin Parade with parking tickets on their windscreens. With the return to school next week, please ensure you obey all road signs and road laws.

Navigating The Return To School – Free Webinar on 9th June at 7pm I have attached a flyer from Drummond Street Services regarding a free webinar (via Zoom) on how parents can support their child’s return to primary school and address the anxieties they may be experiencing.

This free webinar will offer you ideas and strategies to help your children with their worries. You will have a unique opportunity to hear from and ask questions with a family support worker, a primary school teacher and a child practitioner. You can find more information here: https://ds.org.au/course/navigating-return-school-primary-school-children-couch-chat/

Have a great weekend everyone!

Patrick

Updated Policies In recent weeks, many of our school policies that have been under review have been finalised and will shortly be uploaded onto the school website so that they are accessible to the school community.

Most of the policies have been developed using the policy templates for Victorian government schools. Instead of starting from scratch and writing our own policies, we can modify these templates to suit our local circumstances.

The templates provided by the Department have been checked to ensure they are consistent with:

• Department policy requirements
• Minimum Standards for school registration (where applicable)
• any legal requirements

These school policies help to build an inclusive and respectful school community, communicate important issues transparently and establish a framework for good decision-making for common school-based issues.

Welcome Back Our Foundation to Year 2 students have had a very positive return to school and we are counting down the sleeps until our Year 3-6 students join them next Tuesday.

Thank you parents for the positive attitude and resilience you have modelled and the wonderful support you have provided for the students as they return to school.

Be kind and caring

Gill Nicholls

Late Arrivals The gates will be locked at 9.20am, if you arrive after this time please go to the top of the ramp at Gate 2 on Lascelles Ave and call the office and a staff member will meet your child at the gate.

Early Leavers If you need to collect your child early please call the office and a staff member will arrange for your child to meet you at the top of the ramp at Gate 2 on Lascelles Ave.

New School Email Address Viewbank Primary School’s new email address is viewbank.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Classroom Cuisine Classroom Cuisine lunch orders will not be offered at school for the remainder of term 2 and all of term 3.

Thank you

Lucy Addati

Buisness Manager

Hi everyone!

This week is the last week of remote learning for the grade 3 - 6s! Hopefully everything will be all right when we get back. This week we have a sudoku, maze colouring in and mind benders. Hope you enjoy!

Luke, Phoebe, Joel and Annabella

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PHONE NUMBER: 0448 075 422

EMAIL: viewbank@oshclub.com.au

Uniforms can be purchased online at www.aplusschoolwear.com.au with one of three delivery options:

• Free collection in store during trading hours
• Postage to address of customer’s choosing, at $12.50 for two items or less, or $17.50 for three items or more
• Free delivery to school, to an existing student at Viewbank Primary. Please note, this option is not available if the customer does not already have a student at the school

Viewbank Scouts is supporting BANSIC (Banyule Support & Information Centre), who provide emergency food relief to those in our community who may be struggling. http://www.bansic.org.au

You can support this initiative by dropping off a bag of groceries to the Viewbank Scout Hall, Rutherford Road, Viewbank, between 10am – 2pm on Saturday 13 or Sunday 14 June.

Please bring non-perishable items in a shopping bag and make sure items are within the best-before-date.

We will be following recommended social distancing and hygiene practices.

SUGGESTED ITEMS

• Milk (Longlife)
• Cereal
• Pasta
• Pasta Sauce
• Coffee
• Spreads
• Sugar
• Biscuits
• 2 minute Noodles
• Cat and Dog Food
• Tuna
• Tinned Fruit
• Rice
• Baked beans/ Spaghetti
• Toilet paper
• Toothpaste
• Soap
• Deodorant
• Tinned Soup
• Instant Meals

Brought to you by the Group Support Committee, Viewbank Scout Group.