• Thursday 17th December - JSC Free Dress Day (Christmas) - Gold coin donation
• Friday 18th December - Last day of Term 4 - Early 1:30pm dismissal

PUPIL FREE DAYS

• Wednesday 27th January, 2021
• Friday 5th March, 2021

TERM DATES

• 2020 TERM 4: Monday 5th October - Friday 18th December (1:30pm finish)
• 2021 TERM 1: Wednesday 27th January Teachers start (All students start Thursday 28th January) - Thursday 1st April (2:30pm finish)
• 2021 TERM 2: Monday 19th April - Friday 25th June (2:30pm finish)
• 2021 TERM 3: Monday 12th July - Friday 17th September (2:30pm finish)
• 2021 TERM 4: Monday 4th October - Friday 17th December (1:30pm finish)

2021 CAMP DATES

• Year 3: Arrabri Lodge Camp - Wednesday 4th August to Friday 6th August
• Year 4: Anglesea Recreation Camp - Monday 17th May to Wednesday 19th May
• Year 5: Lady Northcote Recreation Camp - Tuesday 5th October to Friday 8th October
• Year 6: Canberra Camp - Monday 24th May to Friday 28th May

Dear Parents,

These are busy times!! Lots to cover this week, so straight into it!

STAFFING 2021 Our final appointments to vacancies were made last week so I am now in a position to announce the staffing profile for 2021. The full list of staff for 2021 is as follows:-

Classroom Teachers

• Foundation M Kelsey MENTIPLAY
• Foundation E Amanda ELLIOTT
• Foundation R Colleen OTTREY
• Foundation Y Kirsten YATES
• Grade 1D Suzie DOUMAS
• Grade 1WS Ashleigh WALKER (M,T,W) Emma SARGEANT(Th,F)
• Grade 1P Paige DEERY
• Grade 1/2R Jamie RUDDOCK
• Grade 1/2G Bessie GRANT
• Grade 2M Kim MOUCHA
• Grade 2K Claire KIELTY
• Grade 3M Blair MORTON
• Grade 3T Rhys TEGG
• Grade 3C Dana COHEN
• Grade 3K Kylie KIRKWOOD
• Grade 4N Sophie NOAKES
• Grade 4T Narelle TAYLOR
• Grade 4B Michael BETSON
• Grade 4M Ellen MAXWELL
• Grade 5M Karli MOOY
• Grade 5L Kara LANE
• Grade 5F Sandy FARLEY
• Grade 5D Tara DEAN
• Grade 6B Bonnie BONESS
• Grade 6M Jane McLEOD
• Grade 6P Phil BYRNE
• Grade 6W Pete WALKER

Specialist teachers

• Visual Arts Lisa MAY
• Performing Arts Renee DAVEY
• Japanese Angela ROCCASALVA
• Phys Ed Sharon GROVES, Kori STUCKEY and Bec ANDREW
• STEM Jen HALL and Nat CARR

Support Teachers

• Judy COURSE Literacy Support
• Andrea CLEEVE English As An Additional Language (EAL), Other Support
• Bec ANDREW Literacy Support
• Sally RUDDOCK Tutoring Support
• Marina GOURZELAS Tutoring Support

Administration

• Lucy ADDATI Business Manager
• Sue WRIGHT General Office
• Georgeina FISHER General Office
• Fiona CROWE First Aid

Education Support

• Louise BUISSINK
• Thelma RIGONI
• Sarina SHERLOCK
• Bree BUSZARD

Principal Class

• Bill KERSING Principal
• Gill NICHOLLS Assistant Principal
• Patrick WALSH Assistant Principal

You will notice just a few changes this year, as we have endeavoured to provide stability and consolidation with our staffing profile across the school. There are a few names missing, and a few staff returning. Firstly, I wish to take this opportunity to wish our departing staff members all the best. Showji ITO is leaving us to take up a Japanese teaching position closer to home and will be based at Brighton Beach Primary School, whilst Lauren BERIMAN has picked up a position at Kew Primary School. We wish them both all the best in their new positions and thank them for their contributions to our school.

Kori STUCKEY and Marina GOURZELAS return to us from Family Leave, whilst Meredith KEARNEY will be with us for just a few days next year before commencing her maternity leave and starting that exciting new phase of her life. Welcome back and good luck all round!

SCHOOL CAPTAINCY It gives me great pleasure to formally announce the Grade 6 Leadership positions for 2021.

House Captains:

Yarra:

• Captains: Elena Katuforis and Rhys Muir D’Orazio
• Vice Captains: Eliza Coleman and Nikhil Thomas

Diamond:

• Captains: Rebecca Lehman and Rory Martin
• Vice Captains: Zeynep Kurtoglu and Cathal Finn

Plenty:

• Captains: Kiara Spinks and Liam Ricardo
• Vice Captains: Adele Harris and Harley Cook

Darebin:

• Captains: Tilly Carr and Gary Lei
• Vice Captains: Milly Fernandez and Lucas Suckling

Japanese: Lammy Tran and Alex Carpenter

Environment: Amelie Bonaccorso, Ved Nimbalkar and Aranee Santhan

Performing Arts: Cara Hansford, Kaylee Selwood, Jopi Imlach Lima and Zara Flight

Visual Arts: Emily Nelson, Ashlie Richter and Madeline Jeannot

As you will recall we previously announced next year’s school captains

• GIRLS - Charlie HEMINGWAY (Captain), Bethany CADUSCH (Vice Captain)
• BOYS - Austin IREDALE (Captain), Jess XU (Vice Captain)

Congratulations to all Captains. These are important positions of responsibility, but we know you will all do yourselves, your school and your families proud.

SURVEYS Thank you to the families who have completed our school based survey so far. The data and comments are of great assistance to us moving forward, and in framing our Review documents for February next year.

FINAL WEEK AHEAD We have nearly made it! The Grade 6 students have had their Graduation Ceremony at school and undoubtedly you will be impressed and a little emotional when the streamed ceremony comes to your screens next Wednesday night! We are so very proud of the whole Grade 6 cohort, led and taught so well by a very dedicated and professional teaching team.

A reminder that whilst the student end of year celebrations are a little more subdued this year due to Covid, nevertheless it is still important to check Compass regularly for updates or advice. Grade 6 students are heading to Funfields on Thursday, December 17 with their ‘traditional’ clothing signing taking place on Friday, December 18 (parental permission required).

A further reminder that we dismiss for the last day of the school year at 1.30pm from classrooms.

Have a great weekend – Christmas shopping anyone?

Kind regards,

Bill Kersing

Principal

Foundation 2021 Transition Sessions It was wonderful to be able to welcome back our 2021 Foundation students to a second classroom visit on Tuesday and Wednesday morning this week. Covid restrictions have certainly altered our usual transition events but our new students are still smiling and taking the changes in their stride. They have met their teacher, visited their classroom and are feeling much more ready to begin school in the new year. Next Wednesday and Thursday after school we will be holding school tours for any family who is joining our school community in 2021, whether at Foundation or another year level. Please check Compass for the booking link.

A huge thank you to our wonderful Foundation team of Kelsey Mentiplay, Kirsten Yates, Amanda Elliott and Colleen Ottrey for an amazing effort with Transition. Their attention to detail, commitment and innovative approach has ensured a successful transition for all our incoming students.

2021 School Leaders I would like to extend my congratulations to all our 2021 student leaders that have been announced by Mr Kersing. It was such a privilege to hear the school captain speeches from all those students who nominated and I know the speeches for the other positions were also of a high standard. I look forward to supporting these students as they move into their roles.

Enjoy your week and keep smiling

Gill

Mental Health Support During The Holidays As we draw close to the end of what has been an incredibly hard year, the Department of education and Training (DET) has released some fact sheets for students and parents – ‘School holiday mental health and wellbeing support’. The student factsheet is primarily aimed at secondary school aged students, so we will leave it to your judgment whether you would like to share it with your child/ren. The below webinars may also be of interest to you.

DET Supported Webinars for parents DET has partnered with Headspace to run two parent information sessions.

Supporting young people – Notice, Ask, Connect

• Date: Thursday 10 December 2020
• Time: 7pm — 8:15pm
• Platform: Online
• Cost: Free

For more information and to register visit Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/supporting-young-people-notice-ask-connect-registration-131554845083

Supporting young people transitioning from primary to secondary school

• Date: Tuesday 15 December 2020
• Time: 7pm — 8:15pm
• Platform: Online
• Cost: Free

For more information and to register visit Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/supporting-young-people-transition-from-primary-to-secondary-school-registration-131556845065

The above registration links are also in the parent and carers factsheet.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Patrick

Instrumental Music Term 4 Remote Instrumental Music Lessons fees are now due. Please make payment via Compass.

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) The Government assisted Fund provides payments for eligible students to attend camps, sports, incursions and excursions ($125 per child). Applications for the Governments ‘CSEF Fund’ can be accessed by filling in the application form and returning it to the office with a copy of your current Health Care Card. Families holding a valid means-tested concession card or temporary foster parents are eligible to apply) i.e. a Centrelink Health Care Card or Pension Concession Card or Veteran Affairs Gold Card.

If you applied for the CSEF at your child's school in 2020, you do not need to complete an application form in 2021 unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.

You only need to complete an application form if any of the following changes have occurred:

• new student enrolments; your child has started or changed schools in 2021 or you did not apply in 2020.
• changed family circumstances; such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing at the school in 2021.

Funds are paid to the school and will be automatically allocated to the Term Expenses unless otherwise stated by the parent at the start of the year.

2021 Parent Payment Charges/Arrangements Viewbank Primary School is looking forward to a new year of teaching and learning and would like to advise you of the 2021 Parent Payment Charges/Arrangements.

Parent Payment Charges/Arrangements are paid on Compass from Saturday 19 December 2020. Please check 'Course Confirmation/Payment' in 'My News' on your homepage and follow the prompts. If you are having issues with Compass, have forgotten your password or have no access please contact the school office as soon as possible.

Payments are due by Monday 27 January 2021. A Compass Payment Plan Option for Essential Student Learning Items is also available on Compass: Four even payments of $75.00 to be deducted on 01Feb, 01Mar, 01Apr & 01May 2021.

Please be advised there are alternative payment options for families who may be experiencing financial hardship or who would prefer a personalised payment plan. Please contact me if you wish to discuss these arrangements.

Late Arrivals The gates will be locked at 9.00am, if you arrive after this time please go to the Main Gate, Gate 1 on Nevin Parade 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 Main Gate, Gate 1 on Nevin Parade.

Thank you

Lucy Addati

Business Manager

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JUNIOR SCHOOL COUNCIL FREE DRESS DAY Thursday 17th December. Come to school dressed in Christmas colours or wear anything your family celebrates. Gold coin donation on the day for the Royal Children's Hospital.

Instrumental Music Enrolments 2021 Can all students who would like to join or continue to participate in our school instrumental music programs in 2021 please inform the relevant teacher below of your expression of interest.

SINGING WITH GABRIELLA - Gabriella

• Email: gabriella@the.inter.net.au
• Phone: 0413 676 733

STRINGS WITH MR CAI - Gabriella

• Email: gabriella@the.inter.net.au
• Phone: 0413 676 733

GUITAR/FLUTE/UKULELE/CLARINET - James

• Email: jameshmac22@yahoo.com.au
• Phone: 0425 730 643

PIANO/KEYBOARD - Ella

• Email: ellac.blackburn@gmail.com
• Phone: 0410 938 840

DRUMS - James

• Email: orangejimmy@gmail.com
• Phone: 0405 845 628

Cybersafety Webinars Last week, we were very fortunate to have the expertise of Jayne Crossling from the AFP, representing the ThinkUKnow national program, run two webinars on Cybersafety. It was aimed at year four parents, but anyone was welcome. It was great to see so many people attend and arm themselves with some ever changing knowledge on Cybersafety. One evening, and one afternoon session were held, thanks to all of the people who were able to attend. If you missed out, we are planning on running a session or two during term one. It is highly recommended that parents of students in year five (2021) attend as their child/ren will be partaking in the school’s 1:1 iPad program. Some great resources can also be found on the ThinkUKnow website, including two versions of a 'Family Online Safety Contract’. Please click on the link for more details: https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/resources.

Nat Carr and Ange Roccasalva (ICT Coordinators)

There are some similarities between the symptoms of hay fever or allergies and coronavirus that may make it difficult to distinguish without a test. If you are experiencing ANY of the below – no matter how mild – get tested ⤵️

🤒Fever

😰Chills or sweats

🤧Cough

🥵Sore throat

💨Shortness of breath

💧Runny nose

👃Loss of sense of smell or taste

Don’t assume your symptoms are ‘just allergies’ – get tested and know for sure. Find your nearest testing location: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/getting-tested #EveryTestCounts

More info about hay fever and coronavirus (COVID19): https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/seasonal-hayfever-and-asthma-covid-19

PHONE NUMBER: 0448 075 422

EMAIL: viewbank@oshclub.com.au

A PLUS SCHOOLWEAR Our uniform supplier is A Plus Schoolwear which is located at 41-43 Northern Road Heidelberg West. Open hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday’s from 9am to 4.30pm (closed on weekend and public holidays).

They will be closed from Friday 18th December 2020 to 13th January 2021 for the annual Christmas break. From 13th January until the first week of February My Uniform will be open 5 days a week from 9am to 4.30pm.

You can also purchase your uniform online at www.aplusschoolwear.com.au