Wednesday 26th June - Variation to School Hours Day, Student-led three-way conferences
Thursday 8th August - The Resilience Project (students)
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)
PUPIL FREE DAYS
- Monday December 16
- One extra day yet to be confirmed
TERM DATES
- 2019 TERM 2: Tuesday 23rd April - Friday 28th June (2:30pm finish)
- 2019 Term 3: Monday 15th July - Friday 20th September (2:30pm finish)
- 2019 Term 4: Monday 7th October - Thursday 20th December (1:30pm finish)
CAMP DATES
- Year 3: Arrabri Lodge Camp (Mon 05Aug to Wed 07Aug)
- Year 5: Lady Northcote Recreation Camp (Tue 08Oct to Fri 11Oct)
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE LAST WEEK OF TERM The last week of term is traditionally a busy one, and we aren’t the type to break with tradition!! Whilst Monday’s assembly will operate as normal, we also have an end of term assembly commencing at 2.05pm on Friday, with students dismissed from the assembly to mark the end of term. Mr Cai’s string players will be performing for our listening enjoyment on Friday, so we hope you can make it. As you will be very much aware, Wednesday is our three way conference day, with 15 minutes set aside for the three way conferences throughout the day. These will operate from 11am until 7pm.
STAFFING CHANGES FOR TERM THREE We wish Lisa May all the best as she commences an extended period of leave in Term 3. With Fiona Wright also leaving in early in Term 3 to commence maternity leave, it would appear the Art Department is down on numbers a tad!! I am happy to advise that Nicole Baillargeon has been appointed to fill the full time art position as at the start of Term 3, and I know you will join with me in welcoming her to Viewbank Primary School. Please pop in and say hello if the opportunity avails itself. We also wish Maralyn Lamb and Judy Course all the best as they, too, take leave for all of next term. We are just finalising replacements as I write so watch this space next week for information and advice!
REGIONAL CROSS COUNTRY Congratulations to Tabatha Medina-Diaz, Zoey Ryan and Ryder McMurray who all competed yesterday at the Regional Cross Country at Bundoora Park. The Regional level is one shy of State level, so a tremendous achievement!!
TERM THREE EVENTS It is set to be a very busy Term 3, so please take note of all of the events that are scheduled to take place. Our Grade 5s participate in their Family Life program via Interrelate, and parents wanting to know the content covered by the educators should set aside the evening of Thursday, July 18, for an Information session. I have previously promoted the Resilience Project parent session on Monday, September 2, and can now advise of a STEM Family night on Thursday, August 15. Plenty of opportunities to be involved! With the VMTV School Production on September 5 and 6, the Grade 3 camp in early August, and our transition program for Foundation 2020 ramping up during the term, we will be busy!!!
Have a great weekend,
Kind regards,
Bill Kersing
Principal
ICAS UNSW ENGLISH AND MATHEMATICS ASSESSMENTS 2019 Each year we offer students from Year 2 to Year 6 the opportunity to participate in the UNSW ICAS Assessments in English and Mathematics.
This year there have been several changes with all tests being completed online by students as well as the parent payment for the tests being completed online.
ICAS Assessments are online assessments, designed to recognise and reward academic excellence.
The assessments are based on the curricula for the relevant year. Students are asked to demonstrate a deeper, integrated, and thorough level of learning. The ICAS Assessments series is designed to assess a students' ability to apply classroom learning in new contexts, using higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills.
To ensure an engaging and beneficial experience for all students, new ICAS assessments are developed annually for each subject in every year level.
Each participant receives a printed certificate of achievement. Students with the top score in each subject in each year level are also awarded a medal and a medal winner’s certificate at a presentation ceremony.
ICAS Test Dates at Viewbank Primary School
- English - Monday 16 September
- Mathematics – Thursday 19 September
Parent Payment System
The cost of each ICAS assessment is $14.50. If you wish your child to participate please complete the online payment by WEDNESDAY 31 JULY. Parents will be notified shortly, via Compass, of the ICAS Parent Payment System link and instructions.
Using the new ICAS Parent Payment System, parents will be able to make direct online payments for ICAS until the end of July 2019.
FAREWELL TO OUR VIETNAMESE VISITORS
It has been very quiet this week without our Vietnamese visitors. On Sunday, they flew to Sydney for a few days before flying back to Hanoi on Wednesday. Before our Vietnamese visitors left, the students were asked by their teacher to reflect on their stay. They wrote their reflections in Vietnamese and then kindly translated their writing into English so that I could share their thoughts with our school community. I hope you enjoy reading about their experiences and thank you to everyone who helped to make their stay so memorable.
Have a great week,
Mrs Nicholls
Traffic and Student Safety We have been made aware of a number of concerning incidents around the school regarding car parking, crossing roads safely and general respect for each other. We understand that as we receive more wet weather, particularly at pick up time, parents would like to park as close to the entrances as possible. However, this has led to some road safety issues such as double parking, stopping on the other side of Winston Road and encouraging children to run across the road (instead of using the crossing), blocking neighbours’ driveways and parking in ‘No Parking’ zones or illegally too close to corners and traffic crossings.
We have been made aware that from time-to-time, a crossing guard is absent and has not been replaced. The crossing guards are employed by the Banyule City Council and we are not responsible for their absences. If there is no supervisors at the crossings, please feel free to let us know, however, it is most important that you let Banyule City Council know as well. There are contact details in the attached ‘Safety Around Schools’ document that has been produced by Banyule City Council
The above traffic behaviour is not acceptable. It is putting students, your children, at risk of injury or death. There have been too many close calls and we are all responsible!
Reports and 3 Way Conferences Reports will be available on Friday 21st June at approximately 4:30pm. I would like to thank the teachers for the huge amount of thought and work that went into providing these reports. For those of you who do not know, teachers are not given any extra time to complete these and are generally done after hours and on weekends. From time to time, errors can slip through into the published document. If this is the case, please speak to your child’s teacher.
The staff and students have also been busily preparing for 3 Way Conferences and are looking forward to Wednesday the 26th June. You will not be able to make or change a booking after 4pm on the 24th June. Please ensure you have booked a conference time.
Please note: 3G will be having 3 Way Conferences in Term 3 and will be a hybrid of ‘Getting To Know You’ Interview and 3 Way Conference. See the below table for details.
There is no school for any student on the 26th June and OSHClub will be running (please contact them for details) however, your child is expected to attend the conference with you.
Please ensure you check Compass and any notifications you receive via email or the app.
School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) - Essential Feature 7 Essential Feature 7 (EF7) looks at our procedures for record keeping, decision making and ongoing monitoring (data)
- The key elements of a Behaviour Referral Form (BRF)
- Use student data and PBS data for monitoring, decision-making and evaluation
- Use a range of tools to monitor and review implementation
Update:
The staff are currently looking at a list of school values and are coming up with ‘top ten’. The process from this point on is likely to be:
- Results to be discussed at the first staff meeting (Week 1 Term 3)
- A refined list of about 10 to be provided to students to have input
- An updated list (number of values to be confirmed) to be provided to parents to vote on as well as an opportunity to be involved in a workshop
- A final list to be provided to staff at Staff Meeting (mid Term 3)
- A final list of approx. 4 to be presented to school council towards end of Term 3 for discussion and ratification.
Psychology service for students at Viewbank Primary School This is just a reminder about our new psychology service that may be of use to you - DBT in Schools.
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
Dear Parents/Carers,
Term 3 Expenses will be posted on Compass on the last day of term, 28 June.
Just a reminder that any students arriving late must come to the office to collect a late pass before going to class so they will be marked as present otherwise parents will receive a text message asking to explain their child’s absence.
Thanks
Lucy Addati
Business Manager
Foundation — Sophie, Royce, Zarah, Eli & Callum
Year 1 — Annabel & Milla
Year 2 — Oscar
Year 3 and 4 — Jacob
Year 5 and 6 — Elise, Abishua, Charlie, Liam, Daniel, Phoenix, Oliver, Elijah & Chloe
SECOND HAND UNIFORM SALE (Every second Friday), 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.
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
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!
Facility Hire Viewbank Primary School provides a venue for hire with kitchen facilities. Please submit a written application to the office, outlining the details of intended use via email at viewbank.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au Please note that conditions do apply. At the discretion of the school, venue costs may also be waived in some instances. All applications will be considered on a case by case basis