BERWICK LODGE PRIMARY SCHOOL Phone: 9707 1766 Fax: 9796 2198 E-mail: berwick.lodge.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au Visit our Websites : www.berwicklodgeps.vic.edu.au, http://berwicklodgeps.globalteacher.org.au
NEWSLETTER N0.34
20TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY
DIARY DATES Friday 6th November Tuesday 10th November Wednesday 11th November Wednesday 11th November Thursday 12th November Thursday 12th November Monday 23rd November Tuesday 24th November Tuesday 24th November
5TH NOVEMBER 2009
NOTICES DUE BACK BY Gr 5/6 Summer Sports away Beaconhills CSIRO Gr 12K,12M,2P,2J CSIRO Gr 1C,1W,2V Preps Myuna Farm CSIRO Gr 1M,1B,2N Gr 5/6 Family Life Gr 1/2 Joffas Toonschool Gr 3/4 Joffas Toonschool Second Hand Uniform shop 2.30-3.15pm
Friday 6th November Friday 13th November Wednesday 18th November Thursday 19th November
Preps Myuna Farm Fete wrist band order Gr 1/2 & 3/4 Joffas Toonschool Gr 6-2010 windcheater/t-shirt
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT WORKFORCE PLANNING FOR 2010 This is one of our very important areas of activity during term 4 of every year. Personally, I find it to be one of the more rewarding professional activities in the school calendar. That’s because it is about the future – putting in place our staffing and grades for the next year. The process includes the allocation of leadership responsibilities, making decisions about the programs we will be offering and for the children, who their classmates and teacher will be for the next year. In saying that I relish this part of my job, which is not to say that it doesn’t bring with it the probability of significant stress. Decisions are made which affect people’s careers and choices are made with regard to classmates and responsibilities with which not everyone agrees. That of course is life! My approach to doing the best I can is to provide stakeholders with the chance to have input into the decision-making process. Of course having input does not guarantee that everyone ‘gets what they want’. There is that time honoured cliché – the big picture, that as principal, I must keep in mind. Next week, in the newsletter I will be inviting parents to have input into our grade selection process for their child if they believe that there are exceptional circumstances of which we should be aware when allocating children to their grade for 2010. This is a process that we have honoured since our school opened. Over the years it has served us all well. Nonetheless there have been years when it has created a lot of problems. In particular, several years ago we reached the stage where I was receiving over 250 special requests from parents for the placement of their child for the following year. As a result, I clarified our guidelines so as to exclude nonexceptional circumstances.
In next week’s newsletter I will provide you with the guidelines under which we currently operate for parent requests. The timeframe this year for forwarding me with your requests for grade placement is Friday 13th November to Monday 23rd November inclusive. ECHOES FROM OUR FIRST 20 YEARS In an early edition of Echoes From our First 20 Years, I spoke of our school’s long involvement with community campaigns. In doing so I recalled the successful campaign that we supported to have Casey Airport closed in the early 1990’s. People have since inquired about the others. In summary they are: Cyril Molyneux Reserve – we led a consortium of interested parties for several years in the early 1990’s to have the adjacent Melbourne Water Retarding Basin and City of Casey paddocks developed into what we now call the Cyril Molyneux Reserve Mobile Phone Tower Campaign – in the early 2000’s we ran a successful national campaign to prevent Hutchison –Orange from building a 30 metre high mobile phone tower within 300 metres of our school. In addition, our campaign led to the City of Casey rewriting their policy on the location of mobile phone towers in the City of Casey. I received death threats during the campaign. Monash Freeway Sound Barrier – in the early 2000’s we successfully campaigned to have VicRoads install the existing sound barrier adjacent to our school. Installation of the Collins Crescent Pedestrian Crossing – this was another 1990’s campaign, whereby we eventually convinced the City of
Casey and VicRoads to install the existing pedestrian crossing for our student use. Cyril Molyneux sealed car park – many of you can probably still remember the time just a few years ago when we had a pot-holed gravel car park there. This campaign took four, often frustrating years to be realised. On several occasions we thought we were there only to have the project deferred at the last minute. In some quarters we are criticised for becoming embroiled in politics, yet I would argue that the achievements we have won speak for themselves. Hopefully we will be able to add the BER campaign to the above list in due course! FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’s) Q. What’s your view on composite grades? A. That’s a question that tends to crop up at this time of year. My short answer is that the more important focus should be the teacher, not the grade structure. Composite grades can require more organisational planning than straight grades, but this shouldn’t be a problem for a well-organised teacher with a sound theoretical and practical grasp of personalised learning. Different grade structures provide differing challenges and differing benefits. It still comes down to the teacher at the end! QUOTABLE QUOTE ‘If there is such a thing as political opium, then populism would be the front runner.’ HENRY GROSSEK
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL’ S REPORT TOILET REFURBISHMENT PROJECT This week work has commenced on the refurbishment of the student toilet blocks funded through the National School Pride project. Under this program the student toilet blocks in both the main building and the gym building will be renovated. In turn, each block will be gutted and then refitted with new toilet pans, dual flush cisterns, auto flush urinal systems for the boys’ toilets, refurbished sinks, new flooring, new partitions, resurfacing of the walls and fresh paintwork to the walls and ceilings. Currently the work is being undertaken in the main building toilet blocks and the students have the use of the gym toilet blocks. To accommodate the increased usage of the toilets additional cleaning has been arranged to ensure that the toilets are clean and well stocked with both soap and toilet paper. Teachers have also been asked to monitor students visiting the toilets during class time and recess breaks. The prep staff are taking their classes to the toilet before recess and lunch breaks to reduce the traffic during breaks. Visitors to the school need to be mindful that access to the main building adjacent to the toilets has been blocked and they will need to enter via the administration area of the corridor next to the Library. AFTER SCHOOL PICK UP ARRANGEMENTS Last week we received information from our local milk bar proprietor regarding student behaviour at their premises. Some parents have made arrangements to meet
their children at the milk bar and other students appear to be loitering in this area longer than necessary. The proprietors have observed some students placing themselves at risk by playing and congregating in the busy car park area. They have also raised the concern of the children’s usage of inappropriate and occasionally abusive language. Parents are requested to be mindful that the milk bar car park is privately owned and provided for the use of patrons. It is safer for students to wait in the school grounds which are supervised until 3:45PM. Students walking home should also be reminded that they should make their way home directly from school. We would appreciate your support in discussing these issues with your children. INTRODUCTION OF THE VICTORIAN STUDENT NUMBER (VSN) Our school is working with the DEECD to allocate a Victorian Student Number (VSN) to each student at the school. The VSN is a student identification number that is being assigned to all students in government and non-government schools, and students in Vocational Education and Training Institutions. The number, which is unique to each student, will be used as a key identifier on a student’s school records, and will remain with the student throughout his or her education, until reaching the age of 25. The VSN is nine digits long, randomly assigned, and tied to stable information about the student (name, gender, date of birth).
INDONESIAN FESTIVAL REPORT On Saturday the 24th of October, one child from each grade six grade was going to the 2009 Indonesian Cultural Festival at Federation Square in Melbourne. I was chosen from 6D, Mark from 6K, Maddy from 6Z, and Hayden from 6W. We were guided on the day by Bui Daely. At the start, there were some dances, with the dancers wearing very intricate and effective costumes. The festival was full of white stalls, each stall representing a town or a ministry (e.g. East Kalimantan, Ministry of Youth and Sports). It was much neater than I thought it would be. After the dances, there was a cracker eating competition, without our hands. My friend Kristen and I, Mark and Hayden and some of their family all went the first time, Maddy and some of their families went the second. After that we went on to look at all the stalls with their beautiful products. We had been given $10 from the school to spend. After we had a look around, we went to the food stalls by the river and had lunch on the grass. When we went back to the stalls, we were allowed to start buying souvenirs. I got lots, like a fan and a statue of an elephant for my class. We had green-screen photos put on a bookmark to make it look like we were with an orang-utan, and we tried our hand at batik painting (which didn’t work well) and bracelet making (which worked very well). I had a fantastic time at that festival, and I would like to thank Bui Daely for guiding us on the day, and giving me and my friend the chance to go to the festival on that day. By Alana 6D
The introduction of the Victorian Student Number will provide the capability to accurately detect patterns of student movement through, and departure from, the Victorian education and training system. It will greatly improve the collection and analysis of timely and accurate data about education in Victoria. The Department collects information to track improvements made to the education system, identify areas that require further improvement, and to analyse trends and identify future needs. The VSN will improve the accuracy, reliability and completeness of this information, providing a better basis for assessing needs and developing policies to meet them. You will see the VSN appear on student report cards, enrolment confirmations, and exit confirmations. If you want to know more about the VSN please see http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ management/governments/vsn/ overview.htm A brochure for each family will be forwarded to the school shortly and they will be sent home with students when they are available. MISSING USB Julie Cripps, an integration aide at our school, yesterday lost her personal USB device in the school grounds. The USB is purple in colour and has Cripps engraved on it. If found please return the USB to the office. LYNNE BRENNER & DEBBIE CUSACK
SCHOOL AWARDS Congratulations to the following students who received awards over the last week.
Seth PC Apryl PC Drew PC Amber PL Sabrina PL Lincoln PL Simone PO Daniel PO
COMMUNITY NEWS Narre Warren—Berwick Blue Light Disco This Disco commences our 30th year Berwick Leisure Centre Manuka Road, Berwick Saturday 7th November Now for students in years 5 to 8 only Times 6:00pm to 10:00pm Cost $10.00 Any enquiries to Narre Warren Police Station 9705 3111
UBBC Crèche Enrolments for 2010
At the Upper Beaconsfield Community Centre Crèche (UBCC Crèche), enrolments will be taken the week of November 30th. Our registered 1 child care crèche has everything that your child will need. Places are available from 6 weeks to school age and you can drop children off for a couple of hours or a full day. Our flexibility means your flexibility - our hours are 8:30am to 4:00pm and you only pay for what you use. The staff at our centre are highly qualified and experienced childcare workers. The environment is relaxing and safe, where the children play amongst the native surroundings of Upper Beac. Please feel free to drop by and pick up an enrolment pack, say hello as our hidden gem is waiting for your child now. Enrolments close Friday 11th December
FOR SALE White IKEA childs study desk ex cond 1 drawer and cupboard $50.00 ono Contact Sue at BLPS. 9707 1766 7 week old bunnies 2 white, 1 brown $20.00 each or best offer. Please contact Bernadette 0401 614 359
Upper Beaconsfield Community Centre Crèche. 10 – 12 Salisbury road, Upper Beaconsfield or call us on 5944 3484 or crèche@ubcc.org.au
FOUND Ladies watch found near Prep T. Please contact the office.
BUSINESS ADVERTISING Prestige Home-Works ABN 9509 3530 115
Specialist in Rendering Sand & Cement Trowel and roll on finishes Foam supplied and installed External mouldings
High quality workmanship Complete satisfaction guaranteed No job too big or too small Free quote Phone Louie on 0433 255 616
BUSINESS ADVERTISING The Party Food Shop Your one stop party shop Paul Stemson 0418 141 946 Phone 9704 6940 Fax 9704 6214 New Bigger Shop, Factory 3/12 Deblin Drive, Narre Warren 3805 1300 1 PARTY or 9704 6940
REMEDIAL, RELAXATION MASSAGE $60.00 PER HOUR HEALTH FUND REBATES AVAILABLE PHONE 0458 497 764
Staycool Heating & Air Conditioning Pty Ltd For all you heating and cooling needs phone 24 hours Call us to get ready for summer 9703 2500 www.staycool.com.au A New Fence before Christmas?
Member of Master Builder Fully Insured & Quality Work “Working Up to a Standard Not Down to a Price” Call 0439 588 600 Email: fencinglim@gmail.com
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FRAMING BY BRAD Specialising in Scanning of negatives & slides, Restoration of photos, Framing of photos, All types of photography Brad Norton Chief Framer/Photographer 0417 953 199 Web: Www.aarp.com.au Email: brad@aarp.com.au