PUPIL FREE DAYS

• Monday 1st November

TERM 4 PARENT AND FRIENDS BAKERY LUNCH DAYS - All Term 4 dates are now open for ordering via Compass Canteen.

• Thursday 11th November (Orders closing on 8th November, 3:00pm)
• Thursday 25th November (Orders closing on 22nd November, 3:00pm)
• Thursday 9th December (Orders closing on 6th December, 3:00pm)

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

RETURN TO FULL FACE TO FACE LEARNING Everyone was very grateful to hear the news last Sunday that as of next week, all students will be returning to face to face, full time learning at school. The earlier return of students to full-time onsite learning is great news for our school community and families.

We look forward to interschool sport, excursions, school assemblies, music, singing and performances taking place (in line with the community settings and vaccination requirements). We will advise of these in due course. Face masks will no longer be required outdoors by teachers but will remain an important part of our classrooms, and in the community. At this stage parents will not be allowed on site without an appointment and proof of vaccination.

It will be an unfortunate part of our world in future months that there will remain the potential for single day school closures if a Covid case attends a day on site – as we found out on Tuesday. The impact, however, will very likely be restricted to the grade of the person affected, with the remainder of the school to return within 24 hours. As we found out on Monday night, Compass remains a very reliable means of communication, particularly if the advice to close down comes during the evening.

With regards to dismissal arrangements, the photograph below indicates the gates we ask all grades to leave through for the immediate future, to minimise congestion. Foundation students will continue to use Gate 3 (Winston Road), Grade 1 will use Gate 2 (the ramp on Lascelles Avenue), Grade 2 will use Gate 1 (the main gate on Nevin Parade) and Grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 will depart via the gates leading on to the school oval. As on previous occasions, discuss and clarify with your children (if more than one attends our school) which gate ALL siblings will leave through and where they will meet to make that happen!

Finally, we continue to ask that all students arrive between 8.45am and 9.15am – no earlier please.

PUPIL FREE DAY You will have noted in last Thursday’s newsletter that for our school Monday, November 1 is a pupil free day. We cannot change this as a major power upgrade is commencing on Saturday, October 30 (previously postponed from the school holidays due to the construction shutdown). These works are expected to take four days, meaning our power would not be reconnected until late on Tuesday. OSHClub supervision is available at neighbouring schools on Monday. Please contact OSHClub directly for details.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR GRADE PLACEMENTS 2022 Each year at this time, we seek input from families with regards to the placement of students into classes for the following year (if that is necessary). We do recognise that there might be some limited circumstances initiating a parental grade request, but please think carefully about this and if you really do feel a need to inform us of these circumstances then do let us know.

At this stage, we have not assigned teachers to grade levels for next year, and in fact still need to select a few teachers to fill those roles next year. There are no guarantees that teachers currently teaching at certain grade levels will be teaching there next year, as leadership needs to take into consideration a range of factors including the development of our teaching staff and teacher preferences before this allocation is completed. We have also not settled on a grade structure for 2022, with the possibility of one or two composite classes in the Grade 3 to 6 area of the school to keep class numbers down. Having said that, if there are special circumstances that we need to know about, you are welcome to let us know of these. Such special circumstances might include but are not limited to health, emotional or learning matters, peer or sibling relationships or changes in the home situation. Selecting a particular teacher does not fit within the realm of special circumstances, and if your request includes that information it will be denied. Information requiring our consideration needs to be addressed to ‘The Principal’ and emailed to the office by Friday, November 12. Please title the email “CONFIDENTIAL – GRADE REQUEST’. Please note that emails received after this date will NOT be accepted.

INTENTION TO LEAVE As mentioned last week, it would be extremely helpful to us that if any family intending to leave our school community in 2022 because of relocation or other reason, advises us as soon as possible. A phone call to the office, or an email to the school or my email account asap would be most appreciated. Thank you to those who have already done this.

I sincerely hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and Melbourne Cup Day. I suspect some families may avail themselves of the opportunity to visit family and friends in regional parts over the next few days which will be wonderful.

And to our wonderful teachers – Happy World Teachers’ Day tomorrow!! It is a day of recognition for the amazing job all teachers have done this year, and especially our wonderful staff.

Kind regards,

Bill Kersing

Principal

There is so much to celebrate this week!

It was so lovely to see the return of our Year 3 and 4 students on Wednesday. Their patience finally paid off and there was great excitement across the day as they caught up with friends and classmates and got back into the swing of onsite learning.

Are you Red, Red, Ready? Day for Daniel - Friday 29 October

The theme for the 17th annual Day for Daniel is Help-Seeking and Reporting, reinforcing the responsibility of adults to keep kids safe while encouraging kids to report abuse and seek help from an adult safety helper.

Red has become a colour to represent child safety. Please wear something RED on Friday 29 October to recognise the day.

Day for Daniel is a great opportunity to start the conversation with children about their personal safety.

WORLD TEACHERS DAY Please join with us to celebrate and thank the teaching profession on World Teachers’ Day on Friday 29 October 2021. It is an opportunity to take a moment to recognise the passion of teachers and how teaching has extended beyond the classroom in maintaining connections through remote learning.

Teachers (with support from parents and carers) have ensured education continues across the country this year, despite major challenges. It’s reinforced the significant role teachers play in the lives of children and students, their families, and communities.

All our teachers at Viewbank are highly valued and deserve a HUGE thank you. We certainly appreciate their professionalism, dedication and the energy and commitment they bring to their role.

We are proud to celebrate being part of teaching and its bright future.

Please take the time to say ‘thank you’ to your child’s teacher.

Have a great week and enjoy the long weekend.

Look forward to seeing everyone back on site next Wednesday.

Gill

Remote Learning: 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

Bakery Lunch Orders - Every Second Thursday - All Term 4 dates are now open for ordering via Compass Canteen.

• Thursday 11th November (Orders closing on 8th November, 3:00pm)
• Thursday 25th November (Orders closing on 22nd November, 3:00pm)
• Thursday 9th December (Orders closing on 6th December, 3:00pm)

Lower Plenty Bakehouse will be to providing the school with fundraising Lunch Orders every second Thursday. 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.

CLASSROOM CUISINE provides lunch orders to our school on a MONDAY, WEDNESDAY and FRIDAYS. RESUMING MONDAY 8TH NOVEMBER

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.

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

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