Thursday 15th August - STEM Family Night

Saturday 17th August - Working Bee, 9am to 12noon

Tuesday 20th August - Fathers' Day Stall

Wednesday 21st August - Book Week Celebrations / Dress Up Day

Friday 23rd August - Pupil Free Day / SKATERZ Fundraising Day Activity

Monday 26th August - Remaining Production Tickets Go On sale

Wednesday 28th August - JSC Daffodil Day (free dress - gold coin donation)

Monday 2nd September - The Resilience Project (parents)

Thursday 5th September - School Production VMTV (matinee and evening)

Friday 6th September - School Production VMTV (matinee and evening)

Tuesday 17th September - Walkathon Fundraiser

Friday 20th September - JSC Footy Colours Day / Special Lunch Order Day

Friday 18th October – Student Disco

Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th October - Vision Portraits

PUPIL FREE DAYS

• Friday August 23, 2019
• Monday December 16, 2019
• Tuesday January 28th, 2020
• Wednesday January 29th, 2020
• Two extra days yet to be confirmed in 2020

TERM DATES

• 2019 TERM 3: Monday 15th July - Friday 20th September (2:30pm finish)
• 2019 TERM 4: Monday 7th October - Thursday 20th December (1:30pm finish)
• 2020 TERM 1: Tuesday 28th January - Teachers start (All students start Thursday 30th January) - Friday 27th March (2:30pm finish)
• 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 3: Arrabri Lodge Camp (Mon 05Aug to Wed 07Aug 2019)
• Year 5: Lady Northcote Recreation Camp (Tue 08Oct to Fri 11Oct 2019)
• Year 6: Canberra Camp (Mon 14May to Fri 18May 2020)
• Year 4: Anglesea Recreation Camp (Wed 27May to Wed 29May 2020)
• Year 3: Arrabri Lodge Camp (Mon 27July to Wed 29July 2020)
• Year 5: Lady Northcote Recreation Camp (Tue 06Oct to Fri 09Oct 2020)

SCHOOL PRODUCTION It is now just three weeks today until the first matinee and evening sessions of this year’s school production, VMTV, take place, and rehearsals are ramping up, and final alterations are being made to costumes and choreography. Scripts are being rehearsed and stress levels are rising just a tad, too, but as has been the tradition, I am certain that the performances of our students will make you proud. Many thanks to Renee Davey and Jen Hall, in particular, who have put in an inordinate amount of time and effort, and a very high level of skill and creativity to ensure these performances will be a success and I know that they have been supported strongly by staff and buoyed by the enthusiasm and energy of our star performers – the students! Don’t forget to order your tickets through Try Booking and I am sure I will see you at one or more of the performances on Thursday and Friday, September 5 and 6. Who knows, we might even see The Beatles, Beyonce, Molly Meldrum and Elvis Presley, but then that would be giving it away!

WORKING BEE Don’t forget that the Term 3 working bee is scheduled for this Saturday, August 17, and as always plenty to do regardless of your skill set. We hope to see you there, even if just for a short time.

SCHOOL COUNCIL The August meeting of School Council is scheduled to commence at 7pm in the staffroom tonight.

STEM NIGHT And in a busy school night, the Family STEM night, Destination Moon, is scheduled for 5.30pm in the School Gymnasium. The cost is a gold coin donation and the reward is a number of fun, stimulating science challenges to be enjoyed with your family.

FATHERS’ DAY STALL Don’t forget that the Fathers’ day Stall is scheduled for August 20. Many thanks to the Parents and Friends for coordinating and implementing this event with their usual thorough planning. Much appreciated by all dads!

PUPIL FREE DAY And a further reminder that Friday, August 23 is a pupil free day to enable the staff to work on our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support program. Full day care is available through OSHClub.

That’s it for this week. I hope you enjoy your weekend.

Kind regards,

Bill Kersing

Principal

UNIFORM UPDATE In recent months, we have met with our uniform supplier and requested an improved fabric for our school polo tops. Our school polos, both short and long sleeve, will now be made from a double knit fabric with improved texture, breathability and wear. These garments are coming into the store now and will be available as stock turns over.

The grade 6 polo tops are currently in production and will be instore by the beginning of term 4. This season there we will be both the current lactose fabric and the new double knit fabric available.

A new order of skorts are due into the store at the beginning of term 4.

SCHOOLS' PRIVACY POLICY All Victorian government schools are required to adopt the Department’s standardised Schools’ Privacy Policy. The Schools’ Privacy Policy informs the school community that information about students can be shared to fulfil the schools’ core functions of educating and supporting our students.

The Department of Education and Training (which includes all Victorian government schools, central and regional offices) values the privacy of every person and is committed to protecting information that schools collect.

All staff, service providers (contractors) and agents, (whether paid or unpaid) of the Department, and this Victorian government school (Viewbank Primary School), must comply with Victorian privacy law and this policy.

In Victorian government schools the management of ‘personal information’ and ‘health information’ is governed by the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) and Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) (collectively, Victorian privacy law).

This policy explains how our school collects and manages personal and health information, consistent with Victorian privacy law.

The Schools’ Privacy Policy establishes a clarified ‘need to know’ framework, where school staff share information about students with other staff who need to know as part of their role. This is consistent with Victorian privacy law.

Further information for parents (including translations for culturally and linguistically diverse communities) and the Schools’ Privacy Policy can be accessed using the links provided below. A link will also be available on the school’s website.

Schools’ Privacy Policy

Information for Parents – Schools’ Privacy Policy

ASSISTING YOUR CHILD’S LEARNING

Helping your child to read – Birth to Year 2

Reading together Reading together is a valuable thing to do. Reading increases your child’s vocabulary, expands your child’s understanding of the world, and gives them confidence when using language. Reading is also an important way to make the link between spoken words and written words.

Here are some general tips:

• Visit your local library to select and read books together, and to attend story time sessions. Library story time sessions are a great way to share the joy of reading with your child in a group setting.
• Encourage your child to select books, magazines, catalogues, or multimedia stories according to their interests.
• Set aside time for reading every day. Reading before bedtime is a good habit to get into.
• Position yourself so your child can see the words and the pictures.
• Run your finger across the page with each word to help your child identify and remember words and sounds.
• Share wordless picture books to develop imagination, ideas and vocabulary by naming and describing things in pictures.
• Look for rhyme, rhythm or repetition in books. This will help develop your child’s love of language.
• When reading to your child, read stories with expression, or try putting on the voices of characters. This will help make reading fun.
• Point out important features about a book – for example, the words and pictures, the front cover, the spine, the contents page, or the title.
• Explore words using a dictionary.
• Encourage your child to take over some or all of the reading if they feel confident.
• If your child is confident with their reading, allow them to read without interruption. Fluency is gained with confidence. Mistakes can be discussed after a block of reading, or in subsequent readings.
• Allow your child to read at their own pace. Model good pace when you read to them.
• Give your child the opportunity to re-read books.
• Encourage your child to join the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge, which runs each year from March to September.
• Join the 1000 Books Before School program at your local library: State Library Victoria 1000 Books

Helping your child work out difficult words When your child begins to read to you, they will often have difficulty with long or tricky words. It is important to give your child time to work out difficult words themselves. This helps develop their reading skills. You might, however, help them if they are stuck by asking questions like these:

• Look at the picture. What word makes sense?
• Look at the picture. What object can you see in the picture that might start with that letter?
• What letter (or letters) does the word start with? What sound does that letter (or letters) make?
• What letters are in the middle of the word? What sound do these letters make?
• What letter (or letters) does the word end with? What sound does that letter (or letters) make?
• Can you put those sounds together to make a word?

Another good strategy is to ask your child how they worked out the word. This helps reinforce reading strategies they learn from you and from school.

Book chat Discussing the content and meaning of books is an important part of reading. Chat about the book before, during and after reading, and encourage your child to share their ideas and to ask questions about the book.

Here are some questions you can ask before, during and after reading the book:

• Look at the cover. What do you think this book might be about?
• How would you describe the character at the beginning of the story?
• How does the place the book is set in make you feel?
• What is happening in the pictures?
• What do you think is going to happen next?
• Why might a character have done this? What would you do in the same situation?
• Who was your favourite character in the story? Why did you like that character?
• What was your favourite part of the book?
• Can you retell the story in your own words?

Making the most of screen time You can use the same questions you might ask your child during Book Chat (see above) to discuss TV programs (such as cartoons) or films that you watch together. Understanding visual media is a key element of your child’s literacy.

There are also a number of great games on the internet to help engage your child in reading.

These games include:

• Phonics games that improve reading and letter sound awareness. Phonics involves sounding out individual sounds in a word, and then putting these sounds together to make the word.
• Grammar, punctuation and spelling games.
• Vocabulary games.

Here is a short list of good websites to help begin your online search for games and other resources:

• Home Page - FUSE - Department of Education & Training (select Early Childhood or Primary Students tabs)
• ABC Education
• ACMI Story Monster
• Play School Story Time ABC TV

Taking Small Bytes (Taking Small BYTES Card Deck - FUSE - Department of Education & Training) is also an excellent resource. It contains 100 digital technology activities for you to do and discuss with your child. It also contains tips about using digital technologies wisely and safely.

Reading the world together The world is full of letters and words you and your child can read together.

Activities could include the following:

• It is important to show your child the value of reading for everyday purposes. Include your child when you read recipes, greeting cards, calendars, shopping lists, food labels, instructions, maps, newspapers, emails, signs, weather forecasts and websites. For example, you could read a recipe together and follow the steps to make your child’s favourite meal. Or you could ask your child to read and tick off each grocery item on a shopping list as you buy or unpack them.
• Cook alphabet soup and say letters together as you eat them.
• Play a word hunt. Write random words on bits of paper and place them around a room. Say one of the words and ask your child to find the right word.
• Put post-it notes on objects around the house so your child can read and learn new words every day.

Next week: Helping your child to read – Year 3 to Year 6

Have a great week,

Gill Nicholls

Ooshies We have had a number of reports about missing ooshies. Students are bringing them to school and then leaving them out or, in some cases, being picked up by others. As with anything personal brought by students to school, these are not covered by school insurance and are the responsibility of the student and parent. We strongly encourage you to ensure that your child does not bring anything of monetary or sentimental value to school.

School Values Update The students of Viewbank Primary School are currently having their say on what they believe should be our school values into the future. As mentioned previously, the results of the staff survey and the student survey will be published in due course and the parents will be able to have their say as well.

The Resilience Project By now you would have seen the flyers on Compass and Facebook for The Resilience Project parent session on Monday 2nd September. We realise that this is also in concert week and is an extra night out. However, we think that sessions such as this, and the work done at school, is vital to the mental health and well-being of our students. While much of the session is the same as the students, there will be some ‘adult-only’ content (not said to the students). To help ensure we have catered for all who would like to attend, we are asking you to ‘book’ your spot. Please go to https://www.trybooking.com/BESGC

Thank you for your support!

Psychology service for students at Viewbank Primary School Just a reminder that the external psychology service (DBT in Schools) has begun. If your child does require some assistance in any of the below areas, please contact me for more details.

Areas that DBT in Schools can help with (from http://dbtinschools.com.au/individual-therapy/):

• emotional stress such as depression and anxiety
• grief and sadness
• bullying
• sexuality issues
• substance abuse issues
• trauma
• family breakdown or parent problems, or
• friendship and relationship issues

Up to 10 (6 + 4) sessions are funded by Medicare, with sessions conducted discreetly at school during school hours. If you would like any more information and may like to access this service, please call me (9459 1512) or send me an email at viewbank.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

Parent Tips This week, I have listed a number of organisations to help parents. Please note, this is not a recommendation of any one of the services, rather just a starting point if you need help. You can also see your GP as they may have access to other support networks.

https://www.anglicarevic.org.au/what-we-do/supporting-families/parentzone/

https://www.relationshipsvictoria.com.au/services/childrens-services/

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/serviceprofiles/parentline-service

https://www.mackillop.org.au/our-services/child-youth-family

https://raisingchildren.net.au/grown-ups/services-support/local-services/vic-services

https://orangedoor.vic.gov.au/

Have a great weekend everyone!

Patrick

​

TICKETS NOW ON SALE - 2019 Viewbank Primary School Production - VMTV

Tickets for this years school production "VMTV" are now on sale via TryBooking

Venue: Planetshakers Theatre, 360 Main Road, Lower Plenty

Cost: All tickets $20.00 *Please be advised that there is a 50 cent Trybooking fee per seat

Dates:

• Thursday 5th September, 2019 - 12.00pm (A - K)
• Thursday 5th September, 2019 - 7.00pm (A - K)
• Friday 6th September, 2019 - 12.00pm (L - Z)
• Friday 6th September, 2019 - 7:00pm (L - Z)

For all ticketing enquiries, please contact the school office on 9459 1512

Tickets are limited to 2 per family for the evening performances. Matinee tickets are unlimited.

All remaining unsold tickets will go on sale on Monday 26th August (unlimited)

All performances will go for approximately 2 hours

https://www.trybooking.com/BEIWY

​

We had our meeting on Tuesday evening. We reviewed a number of events including:

• Disco Bingo
• Election Day BBQ / Cake Stall / Book Stall
• Mothers’ Day Stall

We discussed some ideas to get more involvement from parents in the Parents and Friends. Some ideas included allocating an event to a year level (with guidance from a P&F member), different hot lunch days and more. We would love to have as many people to join the committee as possible.

We will be publishing a fund raising target (think of a thermometer!) and with money being directed towards our oval redevelopment and new building project.

We discussed a few new ideas such as a Master Chef night (cooking demos), a car boot sale, bees wax wraps amongst other ideas.

We also discussed some of the results of the P&F Fundraising Survey. Thank you to the Communication Subcommittee for putting this together and to everyone who took the time to complete the survey.

Save the Dates!

• Tuesday 20th August – Fathers’ Day Stall
• Friday 23rd August - Skaterz Curriculum Day (more information later in the newsletter)
• Friday 20th September – Footy Colours / Pie Day
• Friday 18th October – Student Disco
• Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th October - Vision Portraits

Next meeting Our next meeting is ‘pencilled’ in as a dinner meeting on Tuesday 10th September at Kai Mook Thai Restaurant in Lower Plenty. All are welcome to join us.

2019 Fathers' Day Stall - Tuesday 20th August This year’s Fathers' Day Stall will be held on Tuesday 20th of August, 2019. Children are asked to bring no more than $10.00 to purchase some quality goodies for their Dads, Grandparent, Uncle or Special person. Please remember to bring your money and a carry bag with you on the day.

For this to run smoothly Parent helpers are required to assist with the setup, selling of gifts and packing up the stall which will run throughout the entire day…. so if you are available please contact Carol Seneca & Sarina Sherlock via email cazstar@optusnet.com.au (Mob: 0410 039 554)

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.

STRINGS, DRUM KIT, GUITAR, UKULELE, FLUTE, SINGING, KEYBOARD AND PIANO

Information and “Expression of Interest” forms are available at the general office. Alternatively, you may contact Gabriella on 0413 676 733 or gabriella@the.inter.net.au

Daffodil Day at Viewbank Primary School Daffodil Day at Viewbank Primary School Sadly, cancer affects us all. This year the Junior School Council have decided to continue to support the Cancer Council and Daffodil Day. We will be holding an out of uniform day on Wednesday 28th August when we would encourage students to wear something yellow to school! We will be asking for a gold coin donation and all proceeds will go directly to the Cancer Council. We will also be selling merchandise in front of the gymnasium on the day for a gold coin donation. The money that we earn will go towards making breakthroughs in lifesaving cancer treatment.

Thank you

Junior School Council

Dear Parents,

In order to keep our students safe whilst on line, we will be attaching some resources for your information. We encourage you to discuss these with your children - particularly the grade 5 and 6 students who have their own iPads. We have obtained the Information sheets from The Carly Ryan Foundation. The Carly Ryan Foundation is a certified online safety program provider under the Office of the eSafety Commissioner and delivers online safety and healthy relationship seminars to students and parents. The organisation also provides a range of services and support in the areas of internet safety and crime, cyberbullying, connection to resources and counselling and contributing to law and policy reform.

The Carly Ryan Foundation have very generously allowed us to use their Information sheets on a variety of apps that our students may or may not be aware of. The information sheets point out the concerns/challenges surrounding each app and give information on how to set up each app so that our student’s information is completely private. Of course if you are concerned about any app your child is using - DELETE! We will attach a couple of information sheets each week for your information. We are organising for The Carly Ryan Foundation to present to our grade 5 and 6 students and parents in 2020 so keep watching for more information on this.

For more information please use the attached link: https://www.carlyryanfoundation.com

BANYULE CITY COUNCIL - SAFETY AROUND SCHOOLS

Foundation — Michelle, Kate & Whole M Class

Year 1 & 2 — Rory, Cory, Luke, Jason & Mandy

Year 3 & 4 — Zara, Chloe & all Year 3 Students

Year 5 & 6 — Louis, Anishan, Phoebe, Dsanny, Jenzel, Ava, Ryan, Ally & Luthika

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

SCHOOL BANKING Don’t forget to hand your bankbooks into your class teacher every Tuesday for banking.

RUNNING GROUP Every Thursday from 8:15am on the oval, for any students in years 4-6. All abilities welcome. Pack a spare pair of socks/shoes in case the oval is damp. Hope to see you there!

SCHOOL CHOIR Every Wednesdays, 8.30, in the Music room. Everyone from Year 2 to 6 are welcome!

SAKGP are currently looking for donations of trellis, pallets and foam boxes, Thank you.

The program is scheduled on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Of course, volunteers are essential to the success of the program, so we are always looking for anybody willing to work with a small group, in the kitchen or garden. You do not need to be a ‘masterchef’ or have a green thumb! Enthusiasm is the only requirement. If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the Volunteer Information form and return it to the school office. Once you have completed the form please book in to volunteer via one of the program staff.

Rosanna Library - every Monday from 4pm-5pm

Just4kids - Finished primary school for the day and looking for something to do? Enjoy craft activities, puzzles, technology or games.

NOTE: This does not run during school holidays.>Ages 5-12