Issue 7 – 15th March 2018

Friday 16th March Years 3-6 Mindfulness Session 5Friday 16th March State School Spectacular Dance RehearsalFriday 16th March Year 5 & 6 Interschool SportFriday 16th March Scholastic Book Club Orders DueMonday 19th March Responsible Pet Ownership for Foundation to Year 2 Wednesday 21st March Breakfast ClubThursday 22nd March Years 3-6 Mindfulness Final Session Thursday 22nd March Year 5 & 6 Tee Ball Round RobinThursday 22nd March Hot Cross Bun Orders Due Friday 23rd March Years 3-6 Mindfulness Final Session Friday 23rd March Year 5 & 6 Interschool SportMonday 26th March School Photo DayWednesday 28th March Breakfast ClubWednesday 28th March Year 3 and 4 Excursion to the Immigration MuseumWednesday 28th March Hot Cross Bun DeliveryThursday 29th March Last Day of Term 1 – Students finish at 2:30pm

PRINCIPAL REPORT

Hello everyone,

This Friday Whittlesea Primary School will host our first ‘Friends are Fabulous’ day. This coincides with the national day of action against bullying and violence. The focus for the day is reinforcing our school’s strong approach toward positive behaviours, caring for others and respectful relationships. In the morning, parents are invited to attend our year Foundation to Year 4 classrooms and contribute to collaborative activities.

Today I commence one week of paternity leave after we received the good news that our son, Benjamin was ready to come home. During this leave of absence, Rae Gittos will be Acting Principal of Whittlesea Primary School. Thanks, once again for all the well wishes I have received from across the community.

Until next week,

Ty HogginsPrincipal

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL REPORT

Hello everyone

Your child would have received a home reading diary in the last few weeks. The ‘My Home Reading’ diary can be used at home to support and record your child’s reading progress throughout the week. This diary is easy to use and contains incentives such as stickers and certificates for you to use with your child. If you have not received a home reading diary, please speak to your child’s teacher or alternatively you can email your child’s teacher using the Compass Parent Portal. Replacement diaries are available at the office for $5.

Years F-2 Years 3-4

This year, the Year 5 and 6 students are using an online platform, DB Primary, to record their reading. All of the students have received their individual logins and teachers are regularly setting tasks for the children to complete both at school and at home. If you would like more information about how your child can access DB Primary, please contact your child’s teacher. If any students from year 5 or 6 would like to purchase a home reading diary, they cost $5 each and are available from the school office.

Thank you to those families that have already returned their Ferguson Plarre Hot Cross Bun order forms, supporting our fundraising efforts for Term 1. If you would like additional order forms, they are available from the office or alternatively, you can print them directly from our website under the Parent tab.

NOTE: Hot Cross Bun orders due Thursday 22nd March for delivery on Wednesday 28th March. Order forms, with correct money (or credit card details) need to be placed in a clearly labelled envelope (child’s name, class and amount enclosed) and handed to your child’s classroom teacher or the office by the due date. In order to meet our delivery date, please note that no late orders can be accepted.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone in their colourful dress tomorrow as we celebrate ‘Friends are Fabulous’ day. As an SWPBS school, we proudly unite with schools across Australia to mark the eighth National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (NDA).

Best wishes for a wonderful weekend with your family

Rae GittosAssistant Principal

SCHOOL PHOTO DAY

Our school photo day is fast approaching and will be held on Monday 26th March. Last week every student took home a MSP Photography envelope. These envelopes are to be returned to school on photo day, please do not send them in earlier.

The payment options are online through MSP Photography’s website or cash. If you choose to pay cash please ensure that the correct amount of money is included in the envelope, unfortunately the school or the photographers cannot give change.

If you are interested in having sibling photographs taken of your children, please request a family envelope from the school office and return with one of your children on photo day. If you choose to order online, remember to note your order number on the envelope. 

PARENT HELPERS TRAINING

We would like to thank the parent and caregivers who attended one of the two Parent Helper training sessions held at Whittlesea Primary School last Tuesday. We value parents and caregivers supporting us in the classrooms. It is important for students to see that there is a partnership between families and school. All volunteers must have attended a Parent Helper training session this year or last year, hold a current Working with Children Card and have signed a Confidentiality Agreement before assisting in classrooms.

For those parents and caregivers who were unable to attend last Tuesday, we will be running two more Parent Helper Training sessions in the early weeks of term three. One session will be conducted during the school day and another session will run in the evening for families that prefer out of school time. Childcare will be available at both sessions to support families to attend. We greatly appreciate Carli Starkey providing this service for families last Tuesday.

Just a reminder to show Toni in the office your Working with Children Card and to sign a Confidentiality Agreement before you are eligible to volunteer.

Regards

Debra Armstrong Matt DunstoneLeading Teacher Leading Teacher Mathematics Literacy

WPS SPORTS REPORTS

Last Friday our interschool sport teams played their second home game for the season vs Hazel Glen College. The girls cricket team showed great improvement in both their batting and bowling, winning their match 90 – 53. The boys cricket team won their match 170 – 145, which means they remain undefeated with 2 rounds to go.

SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB

Issue 2 of the Scholastic Book Club went home with students last week. Orders and payment are due back at school tomorrow, Friday 16th March.

We receive 20% commission in reward dollars on all orders received; these rewards are spent on Literacy items for all students at WPS. We thank you in advance for your support. Books start at $2 and Posters are $1.

FRIENDS ARE FABULOUS CELEBRATION

Let’s get ready to celebrate on Friday 16 March 2018.

Our school will proudly stand united with schools across Australia on Friday 16 March to mark the eighth National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (NDA).

At Whittlesea PS we have a number of programs and initiatives in place that empower our students to be the best they can be. As a School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) school we foster our school values and expectations through positive acknowledgement and recognition. We pre teach the expected behaviours and use consistent language throughout the school that highlight our school expectations. Our behaviour matrix supports students to make good choices and work within our school expectations. Our PATHS curriculum targets the development of social and emotional competence in order to build students protective factors and decrease the risk of behavioural and social problems. It is designed to promote social and emotional competence, prevent violence, aggression and other behavioural problems, improve critical thinking skills and enhance the classroom climate. Each week our students are involved in a PATHS lesson with their peers and class teacher. Each day a student is selected to be a PATHS student, and each week at assembly, we have a PATHS adult of the week. Receiving compliments and acknowledging our own strengths is a key component of the PATHS program.

PATHS covers five areas: Self-Control Emotional Understanding Positive Self-Esteem Relationships Interpersonal Problem-Solving Skills

Come and visit the F-4 classrooms from 9:15-10:00

Classes will work together across grade levels for some of the sessions. It will be a great opportunity for everybody to practice our school expectation of Helping Others Succeed. Some sessions will involve classes from different year levels. Please see the attached map for class locations during our Open Morning.

Students are invited to come to school in free colourful dress, and the SRC will use this as a fundraiser to collect money for the Kids Help Line. We would appreciate your support of a gold coin donation.

Betty Tzelepis – Student Wellbeing

FRIENDS ARE FABULOUS CELEBRATION

Friday 16th March, 9:15-10:00Class Activity Location 0S and 2L

Rainbow Fish In Foundation S’s classroom

0B and 2T

How Full is your Bucket? In 2T’s classroom

0P and 2C

To the Big TopFriendship Bracelets

In Foundation P’s classroom

1C Franklin’s New FriendFind a friend who…

Own classrooms1M1P

1F3O How Full is your Bucket? Own classrooms3J3W

4V4K4L

Compliments CirclesHow to Fill a BucketFriendship ChainsShrinking Vessel

Own classrooms

WPS LUNCH TIME CLUBS

CLUBS: TERM 1

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday FridayBefore School

Breakfast ClubPeter(Gym)

Break 1

ICT Club Mrs Fordham (Library)

ICT Club Mrs Fordham (Library)

ICT Club Mrs Fordham (Library)

ICT Club Mrs Fordham (Library)

ICT Club Mrs Fordham (Library)

Wood Craft Peter/ Mr Maxfield(Intervention Room)

Sports ClubMr Leslie (Gym)

Drawing ClubPeter(Library)

Netball ClubMr Maxfield and Miss Perry(Gym)

Break 2

Knitting ClubMrs Gittos(Music room)

Crossover ClubMr Hough(Gym)

Board Games ClubMr Gordon(Library)

Lego ClubMrs Kaur(Library)Everyone welcome

Chill Out ClubMiss Betty(2T Classroom)

Music ClubMr Wright(Music Room)

SEEKING TRAVELLING BEARS SPONSORS

During 2017 our students were involved in a Vacation Bears Program. Each student in year 4 was given a toy bear. The bears were then sent on a vacation. They travelled with their own homemade passport and a journal. Friends and family (and some teachers) took the bears on vacation and sent back a photo and postcard to the child and wrote in the bear’s journal. The students then researched the bear’s travel destination(s). It was a way of connecting the world to our students, many of whom have not been outside of Victoria. This real life authentic project allowed our students to better understand the world around them.

This initiative was so successful in 2017 that we are looking for another sponsor for 2018. We require 70 toy bears around 20cm tall or sponsorship to purchase them at approximately $10 each.

Sponsoring businesses will be featured prominently in our school newsletter and could also be featured within the bear’s journals.

If you would like any more information about our Vacation Bears Program please don’t hesitate to contact us on 9716 2140.

Debra ArmstrongLeader Teacher (3/4 Team)

SCHOOL CHAPLAIN REPORT

Twilight MarketThe Committee that supports the Whittlesea School Chaplaincy Program at the College and the Primary School is hosting its first ever twilight market fundraiser this coming Friday (16 March 5pm-8pm) at the Whittlesea Community Activity Centre (the big hall in the front part of the library). I have heard that there will be around twenty-one stalls and no more than two having the same items for sale. That means there will be plenty of variety to look over.

A sausage sizzle stall with cold drinks and a coffee/beverage stall with hot drinks will be outside by the entrance. That means school families and friends could make their evening into a family outing by rocking up to see how the market goes and supporting it in some way. The Electrix Dance Studio will be performing there at 6:30pm. They will have an information table for any enquiries. I think there will be something special for everybody. I know I will be interested in the braided leather guy. I’ll also be checking out the tie-dye t-shirts. For other people it will be something different. The picture above offers a tiny sample of what is in store. I hope to see you there.

Peter Ackland - School Chaplain

COLES SPORTS FOR SCHOOLS

Please start collecting your vouchers from Coles and drop them into the school office. The more vouchers we collect the more

equipment we can receive for our students!

CAR PARKING

The Church kindly lets our school families use their car park. Please reverse park, and keep to the actual car park area and do not park on any grass or lawn area. Driving beyond the front car park is not permitted.

Also, please do not use the disabled car park in the church car park or in the staff car park unless you have a disability permit, we do have parents that require the use of this space. Thank you.

MINDFULNESS

~Week 5~ Resilience~ This week the Life Skills Group class plan focused on perseverance and resilience. We also sent kind thoughts to the people and animals we love and ourselves. Students learned a new breath and really noticed what that breath felt like in the body. On a physiological level, mindful breathing exercises help calm the body and mind, self-regulate and achieve concentration. Sending kind thoughts create greater resistance to illness and increased well-being. All students related the values of perseverance and resilience with what we have the ability to do, be or achieve. Children expressed their extended knowledge of resilience and perseverance by relating the values back to real world experiences they have had. Students were challenged with increased levels of strength and balancing activities in games. The physical movements enabled the children to see a greater performance from their bodies and showed the students what they are really capable of. Students discovered that when they were really focused they could stay balanced for longer and were more determined in games. These skills are carried over into the class, while working on projects, learning an instrument, playing a sport or creating a new friendship. This week’s class plan gave students the opportunity to discuss and propose a range of alternatives and test their effectiveness when solving movement challenges. The activities aligned with this week’s value, explored effective communication of ideas, listening to one another, encouraging one another and striving to carry on. Students shared responsibilities and made decisions that would benefit the whole team. Through engaging games and incorporating fundamental movements, students were able to put their ideas into practise! Parents/carers: Practice sending kind thoughts to your loved ones or pets together and see how it makes you feel. To do this, sit quietly with one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly. Begin to breathe and think of a loved one you see every day. Say quietly in your

mind may you be healthy, may you be happy, may you be loved. Then say the same of yourself. May I be healthy, may I be happy, may I be loved.

Family self-care tip: Listen to a meditation together before bed.

2018 BOOKLIST FEES, EXCURSION LEVY & CSEF

The Booklist Levy this year is $230 and the first instalment of $55.00 was due on 28th February followed by payments due on 27th April, 29th June and 31st August.

The excursion/incursion levy for 2018 is $80.00 per student. This levy can be paid in full or by two instalments of $40 each. The first instalment of $40 was due on 28th February 2017 and the second is due by 29th June 2018.

Please note that families who hold a current health care / pension card may be entitled to claim the Camp Sport & Excursion Fund (CSEF) payment, forms are available at the school office. If you applied and received the CSEF payment in 2017 you do not need to reapply this year, it will be automatically done for you.

SCHOOL BANKING NEWS

The School Banking Program happens every Tuesday morning. If you would like to volunteer, please sign in at the school office and then head over to the staffroom.

When your child has 10 tokens, you can redeem your tokens for a reward item.

COMMUNITY NEWS