NEWSLETTER N0.13
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
STUDENT MATERIALS CHARGES (FEES) 2012 Many thanks to the many families who have paid their 2012 Student Materials Charge ($200.00 per student). This charge is a compulsory school council levy that schools can charge parents. Unfortunately, a significant number of families are still to pay this charge. I understand that some parents have the view that state education is or should be ‗free‘ and choose not to pay this charge. Unfortunately, this is a short sighted approach that in an overall sense doesn‘t benefit all students including their own. We have no way of making up the shortfall except for cutting school program budgets in other areas to ensure that all students have their basic learning materials. We do well with what we have in the way of finance, but we certainly are not a
‗rich‘ school that can afford to have significant numbers of parents not paying their child/ren‘s materials charge. Please consider this carefully – it does make a great difference to our school in having all parents pay this charge. Should you be experiencing financial difficulties at the moment, please contact me and I am only too willing to arrange a confidential meeting with you discuss a suitable payment plan if that would help.
10TH MAY 2012
inaugural city for these productions and Melbourne is in fact the fourth city to participate. In essence 100 Melbournians who statistically represent our city demographically and who have a link of some kind with two other members – creating a chain effect, participate in an entertaining 90 minute program that reveals their views about a wide range of social issues. In addition, individual stories about the lives of some of the cast are told, often highly evocative in nature. We 100% MELBOURNE practised in for 3 hours a night and Our school has been honoured to 4 hours on the weekend in the have 6 school community members fortnight leading up to the concert. participating in the 100% Melbourne It was a gruelling schedule, yet it was production at the Melbourne Town a lot of fun and very much a Hall over 3 nights last weekend. privilege to be involved. Jolene O‘Halloran, Noah O‘Halloran, Fascaole Lokiru, Sean & Continued... Shahara Weerakoon and I were cast members for this unique international concert. The concept for such a production emanated from Europe – Berlin was the
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT COMTINUED…... FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q . Is it essential that I attend parent/teacher information meetings? A. No, but I highly recommend that you do. I was discussing this with a parent the other day and they told me that they didn‘t attend these meetings because everything was going well. They didn‘t see the need. I suggested that there were other benefits – I recall from my own childhood that my parents always attended these meetings, though I was doing well at school. The important point from my perspective as a child then was that mum and dad were taking a very active interest in my education and when they relayed good news (mostly!) back to me after chatting with my teachers, I was very chuffed. QUOTABLE QUOTE ‘A sense of entitlement is a very personal thing – very personal indeed .’
HENRY GROSSEK DIARY DATES Thursday 10th May Friday 11th May Wednesday 16th May Friday 18th May Wednesday 23rd May Thursday 24th May Tuesday 29th May Thursday 2nd August
St Margaret‘s Netball Competition Second Hand Uniform 3pm - 4pm PFA Meeting 9.30am Room 31 5/6 Interschool Winter Sport (home) Fun Maths Activity Day Prep basil Safety House Sprinter & Friends Australian Mathematics Competition
Thursday 10th May Friday 11th May Monday 14th May Friday 18th May
5/6 Non Participation Forms 5/6 Camp Forms Social Club Books Fun Maths Activity Day Year 7 Transition Forms Australian Maths Competition Prep Basil Safety House Sprinter & Friends Power of One Prep - 2 Swimming 5/6 Camp Balance Somers Camp
NOTICES DUE BACK
Thursday 24th May Wednesday 30th May Friday 1st June Wednesday 6th June Thursday 7th June
SCHOOL AWARDS
Congratulations to the following students who received awards over the last week: Justin PW Rad PK
Joshua PM Hayley PS
Kyra PM Jack PS
Chad PK
Jacob PK
Adam PW
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS’ REPORT SUPERVISION BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL Recently we have noticed that many of our students are arriving at school very early and remaining in the school grounds until late in the afternoon. Parents are reminded that the yard is supervised by staff between 8:45 and 9:00am in the morning and 3:30 and 3:45pm after school. Students in the playground outside of these times are at risk. If it is necessary for children to be at school either early or late, then parents should consider enrolment in the OSHC Program or make other arrangements.
Robyn Renahan-Miles. If you are interested please contact Robyn by email at rmiles@accessministries.org.au or phone 0418357925. Robyn is also happy to organise training at different times to suit volunteers.
STUDENT HEALTH This week we have been notified of a case of chicken pox in 4K. For your information the following advice about chicken pox has been sourced from the Department of Health website: Chickenpox generally presents MOTHERS’ DAY STALL with a low-grade fever, malaise On behalf of the whole school and a rash. community we extend a big thank you The lesions usually appear in to our hard working PFA and their three to four crops. They are helpers who ran a most successful most numerous on the trunk Mothers‘ Day stall today for all of our and less so on the face, scalp, students. There were many very limbs and mucous membranes satisfied customers, and we do hope of the mouth. that all of our Berwick Lodge mothers The infectious period is usually enjoy their gifts and have a wonderful for one to five days before the day on Sunday. onset of the rash, continuing Also to all of our BLPS staff members until all the lesions are crusted. Children are welcome who do such a great job balancing The incubation period is from to play on their their role at school with their two to three weeks, although allocated playground important role as a mother at this may be prolonged for when they arrive at school in the home….Happy Mothers‘ Day. immunosuppressed persons. morning, or if they are waiting to be PARENTS VICTORIA ONLINE School exclusion differs according to picked up after school. They should CONFERENCE case or contact status: not be playing on the playgrounds of Parents of primary and secondary cases should be excluded until other levels unless their parents are students are warmly invited to take full recovery or for at least five supervising them. part in the sixth annual online days after the first eruption In the coming weeks we will be taking conference to be appears. Some remaining scabs note of students who regularly arrive held by Parents are not a reason for continued at school early in the morning and Victoria. The exclusion parents will be contacted to discuss conference will be any child with an immune and resolve this issue. If for any held non-stop on deficiency or receiving reason your child has not been picked the internet during chemotherapy should be up by 3:45pm they will be directed to Education Week excluded for their own the front office area and parents will (Sunday 20th May to protection. Otherwise contacts be contacted. When parents arrive to Saturday 26th May). No special are not excluded. collect their children after 3:45pm we software is needed, other than an INSIGHT EDUCATION request that they come in to the internet-connected computer and a admin area and inform our office staff browser. The online discussions will CENTRE FOR THE BLIND AND that they have arrived. These be very easy to join in, and guidelines VISION IMPAIRED Insight is an independent school measures are not meant to cause any about how to participate will be established to provide viable and inconvenience. They are for the provided. Join in for all days, just important educational placement safety and security of all of our some days, or even a few hours, students. depending on your lifestyle and other option for Victorian students who are blind and vision impaired. Insight commitments. CRE TRAINING Primary School is due to open in July The conference will feature hosted There is always a need for volunteer 2012. They are seeking enrolment of ‗live‘ daily discussions on seven key teachers and helpers for CRE classes blind and legally blind students who educational issues, with one issue – in local primary schools. All may be struggling academically and/or school payments/school funding – volunteers are required to undertake socially in their current schools, or open for discussion all week. training to prepare them for their who would benefit from intensive Registration is free. The Parents involvement in delivering the CRE instruction and support in literacy and Victoria Online Conference 2012 program. For interested parties a numeracy, using alternate formats website will be open from 6AM on training session will be offered in the (Braille, large print, tactile) and using 20th May at http:// Hampton Park area on Saturday 26th assistive technologies to access www.cybertext.net.au/pv/ May. This session will be taken by curriculum.
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS’ REPORT CONTINUED‌. Inquiries can be made by contacting Kay Berry-Smith via email at Kay.berrysmith@insightvision.org.au or phone 0452449663. COMMUNITY WORKER TRAINEE We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with a community worker trainee who will be completing his final work placement at our school. Francis Nimaya has been undertaking a community worker course at Chisholm Institute and will be placed at our school for three days a week over the next three months. During this time Francis will work under the supervision of our staff with small groups and/or individual students and may contact families of students who he is working with as part of his role. The focus of his work is the development of social skills and provision of support for students with social and emotional needs. If you have any queries regarding the work to be undertaken by Francis please contact Debbie Cusack.
LYNNE BRENNER & DEBBIE CUSACK
SCHOOL BANKING The School Banking program includes an exciting Rewards Program designed to encourage children to get into the habit of making regular saving. Every time your child makes a deposit at school they receive a silver coloured Dollarmites token. The first token will be received upon the first deposit at school. Once your child has individually saved 10 tokens they can redeem them for an exclusive Dollarmites reward item. Students will have lots of fun saving their tokens for these cool rewards items. School Banking is also a great fundraiser for our school. The school receives $5 when children make their first deposit at school and a commission on every deposit made through the School Banking program. Taking part in School Banking is easy. If your child has an existing Commonwealth Bank Youthsaver account they can start banking straight away. They just need to bring their deposit in every week using their Dollarmites deposit wallet. If your child has misplaced their Dollarmites deposit book or deposit wallet, they can request a new one from either the local branch or contact the School Banking Co-ordinator. If your child does not have a Youthsaver account, you can open one at any Commonwealth Bank branch, no forms to fill in! Alternatively, if you are an existing Commonwealth Bank customer with access to NetBank you can apply online. Another option is to download a paper-based application form from commbank.com.au/schoolbanking. Please note this option may take up to 2 weeks before a Dollarmites wallet and deposit book is sent to your home address to start banking at school.
CANTEEN IS ONLY OPEN MONDAY, THURSDAY & FRIDAYS HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER? Please ensure you let the school office know if you have changed address or updated mobile phones with new numbers. This information alleviates stressful situations on students when they are ill and we cannot contact parents
SCHOOL COUNCIL PRESIDENT’S REPORT Welcome everyone to my School Council President‘s Report. SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING Our School Council May meeting was held on Monday night. Some of the items that were discussed and tabled at council include: Junior School Council Presentation. We had two members of our Junior School Council Team, Jackson 6N and Kayla 6P, attend our School Council to present the JSC fundraising ideas for Term 2. It was great to hear their ideas for raising money this term for our sponsored World Vision child. National Buddy Day—1st June, 2012. This is a national community day being held supported by the Alannah & Madeline Foundation‘s Better Buddies Framework and the NAB. To help support them with this day and promote and participate in National Buddy Day, the AMF have appointed an Ambassador School in each state. It is wonderful to announce that Berwick Lodge Primary School has been selected to be the Ambassador School in Victoria. We are going to have lots planned in the lead up to and on National Buddy Day including the ―secret handshake‖. Please keep watching the newsletter for further information. Mandarin Chinese After School Classes. We currently have 15 students enrolled in this voluntary program and everyone involved, staff, students and parents are very pleased with how the program has begun. If you would like to enroll your child into this program for Term 3, please leave your details at the office. Annual audit of the playground equipment was conducted at the end of April. The verbal report at the time indicated there were no urgent requirements and the written report will be forwarded in the next two weeks. Any recommendations will be acted upon. Endorsement of parent helpers for Grade 5/6 Camps in June. WHAT DOES OUR SCHOOL COUNCIL DO? As previously mentioned our school council consists of eight parent members including a PFA Co-optee and four DEECD (staff) members including the principal. The team is listed in the directory below and I will again be profiling the team in future newsletters. A school council is a legally formed body that is the major governing body of the school. It plays an important role in school accountability and improvement processes as well as endorsing key school planning, evaluation and reporting documents. It is important to note that a school council does not manage the running of the school. The Principal and his team manage this area of operations. Some the of roles that school council participate in are:
Establish the broad direction and vision of the school
Develop, review and update school policies
Approve the annual budget and monitor expenditure
Maintain the school‘s grounds and facilities
Report annually to the school community and DEECD
As always if you wish to discuss any issue, please feel free to contact me or any of the other members of the school council. I can be contacted via the school office or you can email me at norton.jodie.j@edumail.vic.gov.au. Jodie Norton School Council President
SCHOOL COUNCIL DIRECTORY President: Vice-President: Minute Secretary: Correspondence Sec.:
Jodie Norton Michelle Sarjeant Lois Smethurst Prashad Sujenthiran
Principal: DEECD Members:
Henry Grossek Lynne Brenner Sue Naismith
Parent Members:
Craig Benedick Carolyn Mehr Karen Tsekouras Heather Cross
PFA Co-Optee:
Carly Baker
Contact Details: Phone: 9707 1766 Email: norton.jodie.j@edumail.vic.gov.au
Fax: 9796 2198
AUSTRALIAN MATHEMATICS COMPETITION The Australian Mathematics Competition Awards is a competition open to any student in Grades 3 - 6. Following our successes in past years, we are pleased to announce that we will once again be offering the opportunity for Grade 3 - 6 students to participate in this competition. All students who participate will receive a certificate showing their level of achievement and a detailed report of their performance on each problem with comparative statistics. The competition will be undertaken at school on Thursday 2nd August 2012. The cost for entering the competition is $5.50 per student. If you are interested in having your child/children participate in this competition, please complete the reply slip below, include the registration fees and return to your child‘s class teacher by Friday 18th May 2012.
Thank you to the 5/6 parents who have been paying for the Sovereign Hill Camp. A reminder that the forms are due back by tomorrow (Friday 11th May 2012). The final camp payment is due by Wednesday 6th June 2012. Thank you Jackie Pope Event Coordinator
Should you have any further queries about the competition please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Paul Whitehead in Room 18. Forms are available from the office. Participation in the competition is NOT compulsory! (Only children in Grade 3-6 are eligible to enrol).
DEFINITION OF ORGANISATION: Young children who are organised plan to do their best in attempting new tasks and activities. They listen carefully to what their teachers and parents want them to do. Children who are organised use their time carefully by getting their work and chores done before they play. Organisation also means that children take care of their things and put things away where they belong after they have finished using them. They also try to be tidy and clean.
2013 YEAR 7 TRANSITION NEWS All Year 6 students have now received their Applications forms for Year 7. Please read the information carefully before completing the application form.
All forms MUST BE RETURNED to your child’s class teacher BY FRIDAY 18th MAY 2012. If details are incorrect on the top part of the application form please contact the school office to update your information. Any queries can be directed to Mrs Sue Naismith, Rm 24 or by phone on 9707 1766. Many local secondary schools hold Information Evenings for prospective families at this time of the year. All Grade 5 and 6 parents are strongly encouraged to attend these information sessions to find out about their local secondary schools.
Parents & Friends Association Mothers Day Stall
The Mothers Day Stall on Wednesday was a great success due in large part to the wonderful parent helpers who gave up their time to assist on the day. Big thanks go out to all the wonderful Mums and Dad who were there manning the stalls, your energy and enthusiasm was fantastic!! Equally big thanks go to all the volunteers who were not called upon this time. Once again we were overwhelmed with support and simply could not use everyone. The helpers where randomly selected from each year level and we had great representation across all year levels. I endeavored to get in touch with everyone prior to the event, if you were overlooked please accept my apologies and appreciation. Thanks also to the classroom teachers. We are aware these events can be disruptive and your support is invaluable!! Any children who were absent on Wednesday will be given an opportunity to select their gifts when they return to school. There are still a number of gifts available to purchase and these will be on sale at the Second Hand Uniform Shop in room 31 this Friday 11th May 2012 from 3-4pm. There is a wonderful selection to choose from and at only $3 per gift you can't go wrong :)
Second Had Uniform Shop
Huge apologies for the mix up with the dates in the last newsletter. Clearly my proof reading skills are very low at 11.30pm and I failed to pick up the mistake before the newsletter went out!! The uniform shop will be open this Friday 11th May in room 31 from 3-4pm (for sure this time)!! Don't forget Mothers Day Gifts on sale, $3 per gift ;)
CALENDAR Dates
Many of you have noticed that some of the dates for PFA events have been different to those published in the 2012 School Calendar. The dates in the Calendar were published in good faith by the outgoing PFA of 2011. As the 2012 PFA is essentially made up of new members with different work and home commitments, we have had to make some adjustments. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns, your feedback is very valuable and welcome. Next Meeting is Wednesday 16th May 2012 in room 31 at 9.30am Carly Baker PFA President ph: 0417 126 138 or catch me outside room 7 (Prep M) most afternoons!!
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