4th April, 2019

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

TECOMA TIMES Tecoma Primary School Newsletter

1536 Burwood Highway,

Tecoma VIC 3160

Tel: 9754 2354 Fax: 9754 2049

Email: tecoma.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

Website: www.tecomaps.vic.edu.au

Principal : Rohan Thompson

Assistant Principal: Di Double

DATES TO REMEMBER

APRIL

Friday 5th End of Term 1

2:00pm Assembly 2.30pm Finish

TERM 2

APRIL

Tuesday 23rd Start of Term 2 No Assembly

Wednesday 24th

Whole School ANZAC Day Service 9.00am

Thursday 25th

Anzac Day Public Holiday

Tuesday 30th

Youth Leadership Course Grade 6

MAY

Wednesday 1st ANZAC Service

1000 Steps 11.00am Choir & Grade 6

Thursday 2nd Whole School

Cross Country Run 9.30am - 11.00am

END OF TERM ALREADY! It’s hard to believe that we are at the end of Term 1. Time just seems to fly by. It has been a very busy one for students and teachers with a range of incursions and excursions linking to the students’ learning, training for Athletics, Swimming competitions, a welcome BBQ for new families, parent/teacher meetings, school review forums, extensive initial assessment of students by teachers as well as all the everyday activities that are part of school life. Our Preps are now attending school full time. It is amazing how much they have grown over the past 10 weeks, they are now truly part of the Tecoma family. They are still learning the routines and boundaries but it is wonderful to see how engrossed they are in their learning activities and how enthusiastically they approach their work. EASTER EGG RAFFLE Many thanks to all of you who donated Easter eggs that went into our 48 hampers that were made up as raffle prizes. Thank you also to those of you that sold tickets, the school raised $937!! Thank you to our wonderful Parent Network & mum’s, Danielle O, Kate M, Jodie M, Wendy P, Kelli W and Tanya H, who spent a few hours putting together the hampers. They were well worth winning! FLEXI BUZZ As a result of feedback from our Parent Network meeting, you can now look at the calendar on the Flexibuzz App. We are now populating that with dates for you to remember. As a result of last week’s newsletter piece, it’s been great to see so many more people using the ‘contact’ section of the app if you want to send messages to teachers or the office. You can also send your absences through as well via the app. Please keep using Flexibuzz, it’s a very convenient way of keeping in touch with what is happening.

END OF TERM Timetable for the last day of Term 1, Friday, April 5. The timetable will look as follows: 9.00am – 11.00am Students in class 11.00am – 11.30am Recess 11.30am – 1.00pm Students in class 1.00pm – 1.10pm Students eat lunch in class 1.10pm – 2.00pm Lunch play 2.00pm – 2.15pm Students in class 2.15pm – 2.30pm Whole school assembly 2.30pm Students dismissed OUT OF SCHOOL HOURS CARE NEWS Just a reminder that After School Care closes tomorrow at 5pm due to the school’s early finish for the term break. We ask that all children please be collected by 5pm. Parents will also have received a notice regarding Out of School Hours Care fees. After much consideration and meetings with our Out of School Care Committee and School Council, we have made the decision to change our Fee structure to a ‘flat fee’ for Before School Care and After School Care. This was reached due to the time-consuming administration that our co-ordinator Chris Dykes has been undertaking, going in and changing the charges manually for each family as the software developers had not been able to build this into the QIK Kids program. This has taken away from her ability to do what she is employed to do; be with the children as they go about the activities set. We researched other OSHC organisations within our area, and are pleased to advise that these fees are still far lower than other neighbouring services. The new fees will be as follows: First enrolment fee: $15.00 (when you first register with our program) Mornings: $10.00 per session (breakfast included until 7.45am) Afternoon: $14.00 (including snack) Users of the service will note the reduction in price from the current fee of $18 for a full session. The fees apply regardless if you use the service for only part of the time or the full session. Payment Options: Due to the new Government Ministerial Order (as of 1st February 2019), all Government Departments are only allowed to operate 2 Bank Accounts. We therefore have to cease operating our current designated OSHC Bank Account with Bendigo Bank (This account will be closed by April 30, 2019). All payments for the service can now be made via our QKR APP This would be our preferred method Or you can deposit into our Official Bank Account making sure you enter the following reference with your payment……”OSHC (child surname).” We apologise for the change of banking arrangements but unfortunately School Council have no choice in this matter. CRAZY HAIR DAY Our thanks for your support with the World’s Greatest Shave. Through the drive of Mrs. Connell and the Junior School Council, we raised $800 for the Leukemia Foundation. Mrs. Connell now has very bright blue hair as voted by the children which I’m sure she is proudly wearing!

ANZAC DAY For ANZAC Day, we will be conducting a whole school ANZAC Day assembly on Wednesday, April 24th from 9.00am – 9.30am. This is the second day back of the term. Our children will be leading this very important assembly as we recognise and learn about the importance of ANZAC Day. We encourage community members to attend this special assembly. Any children or community members that would like to lay a wreath or flowers at the base of our flagpole are invited to do so during this service. PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE

The 2019 Premier’s Reading Challenge is now open. It would be great to see all our students participate and complete the challenge. What a wonderful achievement this would be. This week, we will send home some information about this. If you would like to participate, please login using your user name and password that will be attached to the information sheet coming home this week. Then you can really get off to a flying start during the holidays. The Challenge encourages students to develop a lifelong love of reading as well as developing important literacy skills. Students in Prep to Year 2 are challenged to read or ‘experience’ 30 books and students in Years 3 to 6 are challenged to read 15 books. If

children are just learning to read, you can help them to ‘experience’ books by reading to, or with them and talking about the story, text and pictures. For more information about the Challenge, please contact Ms Tuvey in the library or visit the website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/prc/ 2020 PREP ENROLMENTS We are currently experiencing strong interest in our school with parents booking tours, even at this early stage of the year. We are taking enrolments for 2020 (56 at present) and remind parents of students with siblings who will commence Prep next year to enrol as soon as possible. Thanks for your assistance. LOST PROPERTY At the moment we have a very large collection of unnamed, misplaced or lost articles of clothing overflowing from our lost property bin. This bin sits at the east entrance to our administration block, so please feel free to visit the school and browse through our collection. Uniforms are not cheap to replace! HEAD LICE Head lice remain a frustrating issue for all schools. The holiday period is a good time to try and get on top of them. We once again put an alert out this week. There is lots of helpful information online about head lice. The following was taken from the Health Department website: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/headlice/

Head lice have been around for many thousands of years.

Anyone can get head lice.

Head lice are small, wingless, blood sucking insects. Their colour varies from whitish-brown to reddish-brown. Head lice only survive on humans. If isolated from the head, they die very quickly (usually within 24 hours).

People get head lice from direct hair to hair contact with another person who has head lice. Head lice do not have wings or jumping legs so they cannot fly or jump from head to head. They can only crawl.

When treating head lice you must ensure that you repeat the treatment after seven days. You should also ensure that you continue to check your child’s hair after these two treatments just in case all eggs were not removed. If everybody is diligent in treating any head lice thoroughly then we are likely to be able to minimise the problem. We ask for your support with head lice infestations at the school and spending time during the school holidays, ensuring there are no head lice in your child’s hair, is time well spent. THIS WEEK AT ASSEMBLY WE:

Handed out Student of the Week award winners

Reminded all of our Parent Network and asked any parents who could help out with Parent Network activities to join our email distribution list

Announced that we had raised $800 for the Leukemia Foundation.

Heard some wonderful weekend achievements. HAPPY HOLIDAYS I would like to wish all staff, students and families a wonderful holiday. It has been a great Term 1 at Tecoma Primary School and we look forward to this continuing in Term 2. We welcome the community using our facilities during the holiday break as it is great seeing children and families being active and playing outdoors, however, if you see anyone acting suspiciously or inappropriately around the school grounds please contact the Belgrave Police Station on 97546677 or the Emergency Management area of the Department of Education and Training (DET) on 9589 6266. We look forward to seeing you all back at school on Tuesday, 23rd April. See you around the school. Rohan Thompson Principal

UNIFORM SHOP

Please note that the Uniform Shop hours have changed!

Tuesday Morning 8:30am to 9:15am

Thursday Morning 9.00am to 9.30am

Thursday Afternoon 3.15pm to 3.45pm

MUSIC LESSONS AT TECOMA P.S.

PRIVATE TUTORS

Drums/Singing/Other Instruments

Jordan Scotney 0408 881 395

Guitar

Juan Aravena 0402 688 836

Piano Violin

Amanda Collins 0478 166 709 Lore Burns 0431 224 262

OFFICE NEWS

NOTICES Grade 6 Excursion to The Shrine of Remembrance is due back no later than today. Grade 6 1000 Steps & RSL is due back by Wed April 24th.

T2 LEVIES Prep Rhyme Rocket Music Incursion Chesterfield Farm $37 Grade 1/2 Rhyme Rocket Music Incursion Leadership (Science & Enviro) Science Connections MCG Tour $50 Grade 3/4 Rhyme Rocket Music Incursion Melbourne Zoo $47 Grade 5 Rhyme Rocket Music Incursion Interschool Sport Parliament & Treasury Building $28 Grade 6 Rhyme Rocket Music Incursion Interschool Sport Parliament & Treasury Building Public Speaking $83

ABSENCES If your child is not well or going to be absent, please notify the school via FlexiBuzz by 10.30am on the day of their absence. This DOES NOT incorporate the OSHC. A separate message to OSHC service will also need to be sent to them within the required time frames.

OFFICE TRANSACTIONS Will only be taken up until 4pm.

Thanks so much and enjoy your holidays,

Karin, Heather & Anthea

The Office Gals.

Irish Dance Classes Tecoma

New Beginners Welcome

Thursday & Saturday classes

Pre-school, Primary &

Adult Classes

No compulsory uniform,

costumes, or performances.

No registration fees.

Contact Kate: 0434 517 636

kate_bilton@hotmail.com

www.victorianirishdance.com

Tel.03 9752 6789

Shop 2/1567 Burwood Highway

Tecoma VIC 3160

Special Take Away Offers

OFFER 1 - Spend $50 or more on a takeaway order from Sommai Thai and you will receive a free entrée. Choose from either Vegetable Spring Rolls, Chicken Spring Rolls or Vegetable Curry Puffs

OFFER 2 - Spend $90.00 or more on a takeaway order from Sommai Thai and you will receive a free meal of your choice to the value of $13.90

Terms & Conditions:

Promotion valid until 30 June 2019 and not combinable with any other offer

This promotion is available on Tue, Wed, Thu and Sun only from 5pm-9pm

At the time of purchase please mention the promotion code:

“School promotion”