Week 9 Update

As I write this today, there is a hive of activity outside with final arrangements being made for our first ever Twilight Market. We’re excited to be able to open our school site up to our community once again and have our collective fingers crossed that the weather holds and everyone has a great time.

Earlier this week the Victorian Government announced more relaxed COVIDSafe settings to take effect from 6pm this Friday. The Department is working to update the School Operations Guide, and we will provide our families with an update as soon as we get this information

A reminder also that the coronavirus (COVID-19) website gives us all access to COVID-19 information through a single destination.

Mobile Phones
All schools were reminded this week of The Ministerial policy that requires schools to:

• provide secure storage for mobile phones that students bring to school
• ensure students have their phones switched off and securely stored during school hours
• manage non-compliance with their local mobile phone policy in accordance with their existing student engagement polices

Why schools need to have a local mobile phone policy
Research on the impact of mobile phone use on student learning, health and wellbeing shows that mobile phones can weaken students’ ability to think, remember, pay attention, and manage their emotions, when their use is not linked to classroom learning activities.

The mobile phone policy was introduced to:

• help students to stay focused in class
• reduce cyberbullying during school hours
• encourage students to play and chat with one another at recess and lunchtime.

Tip of The Week– Reading with Children
Reading with children is one of the most enjoyable things a parent, grandparent or carer can do, and as a bonus it helps their language development.

Shared reading is different to guided reading – listening and helping your child practice read aloud.
While it is not the case that children learn to read simply by being read to, shared reading is one of the essential literacy experiences that contribute to children becoming good and willing readers. Books contain words, grammar and language structures that are different to conversational language.

Shared reading activities is largely about nurturing a love of reading and books but there are some things that will make the experience especially beneficial for children.

The attached PDF is provided with thanks to the FivefromFive team

Final Assembly
Next Thursday April 1 is our Final Assembly of the term and will be held at 2pm. Following this, students will be dismissed at 2:30pm for the start of the school holidays.

Parking
We understand and acknowledge that Parking is limited around our school and particularly so with Roadworks and the Level Crossing removal Project being undertaken close by. In noting this, please be conscious of the Council and VicRoads traffic signs and avoid parking across our residents’ driveways. This has caused some angst recently and we’re eager to continue to have positive relationships and communications we have with our neighbours.

Progress reports that reflect the learning and teaching undertaken over the first 8 weeks of the school year and should now be accessible on COMPASS. These reports provide a brief point in time description of student achievement, progress and growth since the beginning of the school year. To access these please follow the steps below:

Compass App

1. Open Compass
2. Click on your child’s photo
3. Scroll across right on the top menus (under your child’s name)
4. Click on Reports (the very last menu option)
5. Select Semester 1 Progress Report #1
6. Your child’s report will download and open in PDF

Desktop

1. Log into Compass
2. Under your child’s names select ‘View Academic Reports’
3. Select Semester 1 Progress Report #1
4. Your child’s report will download and open in PDF

Cycling to and from school

It’s fabulous seeing our bike enclosure so full each day. With the (pleasingly) increased numbers of students riding and scooting to school, we have added some information from the DET policy handbook below that is aimed at keeping our students and families safe.

Parents or carers are responsible for their children travelling to and from school. This includes all forms of travel to get to school.

Children under the age of 12 may ride on footpaths, as can a supervising adult. They are required to give way to pedestrians and to wheel their bicycles over pedestrian and children’s crossings.

Children aged 12 years or older are required by law to ride on the road.

Road safety authorities recommend that children under the age of 9 are supervised by an adult when riding on the road. Depending on their cycling skills and experience, some children over this age may still require supervision.

Parents and students should be reminded that the law requires that all cyclists wear an approved bicycle helmet.

Approved helmets have the Australian Standards Mark TM (AS/NZS 2063) and will be marked as suitable for cycling.

Have a great week

  FIVE from FIVE resources reading with children
  Mobile Phones Policy

 

James Whitla