2021 TERM DATES

• Term 4: 4th October - 17th December (1:30pm finish)

2022 TERM DATES

• Term 1: 28th January (Students start 31 January) - 8th April (2:30pm finish)
• Term 2: 26th April - 24th June (2:30pm finish)
• Term 3: 11th July - 16th September (2:30pm finish)
• Term 4: 3rd October - 20th December (1:30pm finish)

2022 SCHOOL CAMP DATES

• Year 3: Arrabri Lodge Camp - Monday 8th August to Wednesday 10th August
• Year 4: Anglesea Recreation Camp - Wednesday 18th May to Friday 20th May
• Year 5: Lady Northcote Recreation Camp - Tuesday 4th October to Friday 7th October
• Year 6: Canberra Camp - Monday 6th June to Friday 10th June

DISMISSAL Dismissal time for the last day of the school year in 2021 is 1.30pm. Thank you for being understanding of the arrangements for drop offs and pick ups since our return to school – it has helped minimise the potential for Covid outbreaks especially with the all important family time of Christmas just around the corner.

SCHOOL COUNCIL School Council met for the final time for 2021 on Tuesday night and whilst many of the items for discussion were routine, we did discuss at length our school’s Master Plan and the major works which will commence around the middle of 2022. I have reproduced our School’s endorsed Master Plan below for your interest.

REPORTS AND GRADES By now you will have received information about your child’s grade placement for 2022 after we conducted our transition sessions on Tuesday. A reminder that reports will be available to download from Compass on Monday.

WELCOME I mentioned in last week’s newsletter that we were busy last Friday interviewing for the two vacancies created by the departure of Paige Deery and Bonnie Boness in 2022. I am happy to report on, and announce, the appointment of Renee Deeth (1R) and Tayla Mason (2T) to Viewbank PS and hope that their stay with us will be a long and successful one. I know our school community will welcome them with open arms.

FINAL WEEK EVENTS As well as the virtual Graduation organised for our Grade 6 students on Wednesday, December 15 we have also managed to organise an end of year excursion for our Graduates to Funfields in Whittlesea on Thursday, December 16. Our Grade 1s have a picnic scheduled for Price Park, Grade 2s are heading to Bundoora Park (rescheduled for the third time), Grades 3 and 4s have Fitnessworx visiting school and our 5s have a disco at school to make up for a missed school camp. A busy week. Today saw the filming of a large part of our graduation ceremony which was a wonderful celebration of seven years of education for this lovely group of children.

Have a lovely weekend. Shopping, I assume?

Kind regards,

Bill Kersing

Principal

2022 Transition Sessions It has been wonderful to welcome our 2022 Foundation students onto site over the last couple of weeks to participate in two classroom sessions where they have been able to meet their teacher and classmates and visited their classroom. Hopefully they are feeling much more ready to begin school in the new year. A huge thank you to our wonderful Foundation team of Kelsey Mentiplay, Amanda Elliott. Ellen Maxwell and Bessie Grant for an amazing effort with Transition.

Tuesday saw approximately 25 new students visit Viewbank for the day to participate in our school transition morning, along with all our current F-5 students. I’m sure the morning began with many nervous tummies but by 9.35am all students had navigated their way to their new classroom and it didn't take much longer for bodies to relax and smiles to begin to form as students met up with familiar and new classmates, settled into their new classroom and got to know their teacher.

And well done to all our Grade six students who also participated in their secondary school Orientation Day on Tuesday. This is certainly the beginning of many new experiences for our graduating students.

Enjoy your week,

Gill

Thank you I would just like to thank everyone for their warm welcome back for me. It was certainly an interesting time to dip my toes into a principal role. It is always interesting going to another school – everything is ‘same, same, but different’. I definitely have a renewed appreciation for how hard staff in small schools work (they do in large schools too – just ‘same, same, but different’).

Winston Road and Drop Off I have been helping out at the Foundation gate in the mornings this week, giving me a front row seat to some of the parking and driving issues on Winston Road. It is incredibly busy and can be quite dangerous, even when all road rules are being followed. There is very little space to pass when there are cars parked on both sides of the road, a bus or two and cars edging out of parking spots. Wednesday morning was particularly challenging as some ‘Kiss and Go’ areas on Lascelles Avenue and Winston Road were blocked off as we were waiting for buses to arrive.

In the attached image, I have highlighted a number of local streets that may be a safer option for you, and hopefully cause much less stress at drop off time (and pick up for that matter).

Regardless of where you park, please remember to follow all road rules, be patient, and think of the safety of all around you.

Patrick

Face Masks Please remember to provide masks for your children as the school only has a limited number of disposal masks available.

2022 Parent Payment ArrangementsThe 2022 Parent Payment Arrangements letter was emailed to families yesterday.

We continue to value your contributions in supporting our school’s programs and resources. These contributions assist us to broaden the educational experience for our students. Without your contributions some of these may not be possible.

Please note: All classroom supplies will be provided directly to the classrooms in bulk, we are no longer providing individual book packs. Teachers (including specialist teachers) will distribute stationery and other supplies to the students as they are needed.

Payments will be able to be made on Compass from Saturday 18 December 2021.

If you did not receive the Parent Payment Arrangements letter please contact the office asap.

Limited Access Access to school grounds is limited to:

• school staff
• students attending on-site learning
• contractors, including cleaners and maintenance workers
• outside-school-hours-care (OHSC) staff, enrolled children and their families.

If you need to collect or drop off anything at the school please call the office and a staff member will meet you at the main gate (Gate 1) on Nevin Parade.

Thank you for your understanding and stay safe.

Lucy Addati

Business Manager

Foundation Edendale Farm Excursion All our Foundation students had a wonderful time at Edendale Farm on Wednesday.

STRINGS WITH MR CAI - Strings Orchestra Performance

Chicken Duty If anyone is available during the school holidays and would like to volunteer to help care for our chickens could you please email the school at viewbank.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Bakery Lunch Orders - Every Second Thursday Lower Plenty Bakehouse will be providing the school with fundraising Lunch Orders every second Thursday in 2022. These lunches will be implemented via our Parents and Friends Committee and all money raised will be used towards our major school oval upgrade.

Orders need to be placed in advance via Compass Canteen. Ordering will close the Monday before the lunch date at 3pm.

Please see attached a Parent User Guide on how to order via Compass Canteen. Please note a 35 cents order fee will be charged at check out.

​​ICY POLE FRIDAY Students are able to purchase icy poles over the counter at lunchtime every Friday. All icy poles cost $1.00 each. Due to COVID-19 Guidelines, this event has been cancelled until further notice.

Lunches must be ordered online using the CLASSROOM CUISINE website.

Extra Curricula Clubs We have a range of weekly extra curricula activities that students are invited to participate in. Some are free and others require parent payment. If your child wishes to join please encourage them to go along on the scheduled day or you may like to contact the school office or the classroom teacher to discuss participation.

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SECOND HAND UNIFORM SALE - Every Friday 8:45am to 9:15am, next to the music room. Jumpers with the school logo, long and short sleeve school polo tops and school dresses will be $5.00 and all other items $2.00. We are currently asking for donations of any unwanted reusable school uniform items to sell at our stall. Due to COVID-19 Guidelines, this stall is closed until further notice.

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

SINGING WITH GABRIELLA - Gabriella

• Email: favrettogab@gmail.com
• Phone: 0413 676 733

STRINGS WITH MR CAI - Gabriella

• Email: favrettogab@gmail.com
• Phone: 0413 676 733

GUITAR/BASS GUITAR - Alec

• Email: alec.stalder@gmail.com
• Phone: 0422 690 842

PIANO/KEYBOARD - Ella

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

DRUMS - James

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

PHONE NUMBER: 0448 075 422

EMAIL: viewbank@oshclub.com.au

My Uniform Christmas /New Year Trading Period

• The Store last Trading Day for 2021 will be Wednesday 15th December.
• The store will reopen on Monday 10th January 2022. It will be open from 9am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday for the remainder of the school holidays.

Wishing you and your whole school community a very Happy Christmas and a safe and healthy New Year.

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).

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