Acting Principal`s Report - Greenvale Primary School

Thursday, 16 May 2013
Values:
Purpose:
To develop confident and resilient students through the provision of a diverse range of learning experiences and challenges
which encourage curiosity, excitement for learning, thirst for knowledge and connectedness to their community.
This is underpinned by a whole school community whose moral purpose is committed to promoting success for all students.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR
School Website: www.greenvaleps.vic.edu.au
MAY
Friday
Monday
Tuesday
17th
20th
21st
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Thursday
22nd
23rd
24th
30th
Dance-A-Thon – Whole School Event
Mr Payne returns from Long Service Leave
Somers Camp commences for selected students
School Council Meeting – 7:00pm
Education Celebration School Open Day Tours – 9:00-10:00am & 2:30-3:30pm
Grade 1 Melbourne Museum & IMAX Theatre Excursion
Grade 3 Sovereign Hill Excursion
Prep Bundoora Park Children’s Farm Excursion
Greenvale Primary School - Follow us @Greenvale_PS
Acting Principal’s Report
Jane Greig-Hancock
Principals Word of the Fortnight
Years P - 2
Years 3 - 6
Exhilarate
Ambidextrous
Vocabulary Winners
Porphyrophobia
Joshua Sabato:
James Scebri:
Is the fear of the colour purple.
My dad has porphyrophobia but he likes the colour black.
Immense
Ravindi 2EB:
Rachel Borg:
Kaan 2EB:
Grace Hoffman:
Sienna T 2EB:
Caden:
Ruby Rose 2EB:
Joseph Luca:
Elis 2EB:
Robbie 2EB:
Sethuli:
Tara 2EB:
Zoe Wynd:
Daniel 1MP:
The Brachiosaurus is immense.
We are learning about immense dinosaurs.
T Rex is immense.
I was walking along and I saw an immense Brontosaurus eating the leaves.
The Sydney Harbour bridge is immense.
Brachiosaurus has immense weight.
The Brachiosaurus was immense.
The Brachiosaurus had immense weight.
2EB is learning about the immense dinosaurs.
T Rex was immense.
Pterdactor had immense wings.
The Argentinosaurus was immense.
Charlie was in immense pain because she fell over and there was blood everywhere.
I went into my room and a spider bit me and it was immense.
Mother’s Day Stall
Our Community Events Team again organised another great Mother’s Day Stall last week with a wide variety of presents for
students to purchase. Many hours of preparation go into such events by our hardworking parents. A big thank you to Jodie Howitt,
Sharon Matuauto and Sarah Hosking for organising the gifts and the parent helpers. We are always looking for more assistance; if
you can help at future events please leave your contact details at the office.
NAPLAN
Our Grade 3 and Grade 5 students have this week been undertaking the NAPLAN tests for Reading, Writing and Numeracy.
Although these tests can cause some anxiety for students (and parents) it is important to remember that they are only a snapshot of a
student’s ability across a whole year of learning. In many instances the test questions cover areas that are still being embedded in
their learning. Teacher judgements about student learning take into account the abilities of their students across the year using a
wide range of data to inform their decisions. NAPLAN results are only a small part of these decisions.
Dance-A-Thon
Don’t forget that our Dance-A-thon is this Friday. Money raised from this event will go towards the installation air conditioning in
the school hall.
We have JB Hi Fi vouchers for students who raise the most money and icy poles will be given out to the grade in each level who
raise the most money. Ms Marcucci will be assisting in organising the dances across the morning; there is a combination of modern
dances and cultural dances. Thank you to Mrs Anna Wuchatsch and the Whole School Events Committee for organising the fun
event.
Somers Camp 21st - 29th May
Mrs Felicia Lalor and Mr Brett McGinniskin will be attending the Somers Camp. Their replacements will be Mrs Eleanor
Schembri 4FL and Mrs Helen Mandikos 5BM.
Somers Camp is a 9 day camp run by the Education Department. It offers Victorian students in Grade 5 and 6 the opportunity to
attend this camp. The camp is held every two years, this year Greenvale Primary is sending 9 boys and 11 girls to the camp.
The students were selected for by the Grade 5 / 6 teachers and Mrs Lalor, they were selected for a number of reasons including
excellent behaviour, developing their confidence and as a reward for effort. Overall there will be 160 students attending, 80 boys
and 80 girls from our district as well as 9 teaching staff from the area.
Mr McGinniskin will be in charge of a hut of 20 boys at night and a group of 10 boys and 10 girls during the day. He will be
providing pastoral care to them while participating in the activities and at night. Mrs Lalor role as the District Secretary is to
organise the camp for the district. Mrs Lalor liaises with Somers Camp and the schools in our area to ensure we have students and
staff attending. When on the camp Mrs Lalor is in charge of looking after homesickness or concerning behaviours as well as
providing release time for all the visiting teachers.
Baby News
Mr and Mrs Symons are the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl Lyla Alice Symons, born on Friday 3rd
May. Mr Symons has enjoyed some parental leave with his family over the last 2 weeks.
Hume Principal Conference
Mrs Rosemary Agnew and I attended the network conference at Creswick for 2 days. The conference focus this year was
on Positive Psychology and dealing with mental health issues in our school community. The presenters were Psychologist Maria
Ruberto and Eve Ash.
Positive psychology seeks to understand positive emotions such as joy, optimism and contentment. Positive psychology is interested
in the conditions that allow individuals, groups and organisations to flourish. We both enjoyed the collegiality and networking,
resulting in arrangements being made for our prep team to visit Roxburgh Rise PS to observe their iPad and Discovery Learning
Program.
Mr Payne returns from his leave next week. I would like to thank Mrs Rosemary Agnew for her magnificent work as Acting
Assistant Principal during the 10 weeks of Mr Payne’s leave. It has been a great opportunity for us both to step outside our comfort
zones and lead the school during Mr Payne’s absence. We look forward to resuming our roles on his return.
Acting Assistant Principal’s Report
Rosemary Agnew
Parent Teacher Interviews will be held on Thursday 27th June 2013. We shall once again be using an online booking system for
parents to book their appointments over the internet. Parents will be able to login and select the times that suit their family best.
Parents who do not have access to the internet will need to contact their child’s teacher to arrange a suitable time. Further details
will be provided in the following newsletters.
INSTRUCTIONAL TRIADS
As a follow up to the professional development session on curriculum day, our teaching staff have recently participated in our first
Instructional Triads. Each teacher has set an individual goal related to an area of their teaching practice in which they wish to
improve. Mrs Hancock or myself along with one other colleague have worked together to observe and then discuss the teacher’s
lesson. As you can appreciate, this process can be quite confronting and challenging. Our staff have been extremely supportive and
professional in providing and receiving constructive feedback which aims to improve their practise and ensure that we provide the
highest quality teaching and learning experiences for our students at Greenvale Primary.
Having the opportunity to be involved in the Instructional Triads has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me personally.
Observing my peers in action has not only confirmed how very hard our teachers work but also how fortunate we are to have so
many dedicated teachers who are prepared to challenge themselves to improve their capacity as instructional leaders and continue to
grow as professionals.
As my time as acting assistant principal comes to an end, I would like to thank Mrs Hancock for being an amazing mentor and for
teaching me so much about a very new and complex role. Whilst I have loved all the new challenges, I am really looking forward to
going back to working with my year 2 students whom I have missed tremendously.
EDUCATION WEEK 2013 - Wednesday 22nd May
We will be celebrating Education Week at Greenvale Primary
School by opening our classrooms to all parents and members of
the community. You are invited to come along and see our
classrooms and specialist programs in action. If you have ever
wondered what your child does in a LOTE class or Art class, you
will be able to see these along with all other classes during your
tour. Mr Payne, Mrs Hancock and Student Voice members will
take parents on tours between 9.00 – 10.00am and 2.30 -3.30pm.
Please complete the reply slip on the ‘Education Week
Invitation Notice’ that was sent home on Monday via your eldest
child or collect one from the School Office if you wish to
participate in the tours.
Return Reply Slip By Monday 20th May For Education Celebration School Open Day Tour
Student Banking - Dollarmite
Suzanne Leahy – Business Manager
Our student Dollarmite banking program is continuing to grow with our 100
student deposit into their account this week.
We do however have a few issues which are happening each week •
•
•
Money not placed in the folder pocket – please put your money in the
folder pocket. Loose money is easily lost or misplaced.
Deposit slips not filled out at all / filled out incorrectly – please make
sure that you fill in the deposit slip with the correct amount that is to be deposited.
No deposit - but folder still sent to school - you should only send your yellow deposit book if you are deposited money.
Thank you to those who have opened accounts and again to our volunteers Dianne, Cathy and Sam for the continued support of the
program.
Performing Arts News
Heather Foletta
School Concert - Change of Dates
Please note that the dates for the school concerts have changed. The new dates are:
Thursday August 15th and Friday 16th August. Also a reminder to please pay the $5 costume fee as soon as possible.
Victorian Sate Schools Spectacular
Twenty five Senior Choir students will be participating in this year’s ‘Victorian Sate Schools Spectacular’. They are currently
practising the songs during lunchtimes at school and will begin rehearsals at Dallas Brooks Hall on May 29th with many other
schools from around Victoria.
The State School Spectacular will be performed at the Hisense Arena on Saturday 27th July 2013. There will be two shows; 11:00am
and 5:00pm. I highly recommend you see the show as it showcases the incredible talent of many students without any form of
competition. Everything is professionally staged and well worth viewing for adults and children.
If you would like to get the ‘Earlybird’ tickets, they are on sale from Monday 13th May until Sunday 26th May.
The price is Adults $20 (normal cost $28.50) and Children under 15 years $12 (normal cost $15). To purchase these, simply visit
www.ticketek.com.au/spectacular and ENTER CODE: SPECTACULAR.
Greenvale Primary School Walk to School
THURSDAY 23RD MAY
Well it’s that time of year again when our school seriously starts talking about walking!
Walk Safely to School Day asks that we all consider our transport habits and try to incorporate more walking as part of a healthy,
active way to get around. And although walking all the way to school isn’t realistic for many of us, it’s quite easy to figure out how
you can build a walk into your family’s daily routine.
You can teach your child the healthy habit of walking more by:
Walking with them the whole way to school
If they get the bus or train, walk past your usual stop and get on at the next stop
If you have to drive, park the car a few blocks away from the school and walk the rest of the way.
Regular exercise like walking with your child not only helps them (and you!) beat chronic problems like obesity, heart disease,
behavioural and mental health issues and diabetes. It also gives you a great opportunity to teach your child safe ways to behave
around roads and traffic.
Remember, Active Kids are Healthy Kids so get planning your own Walk Safely to School Day journey for! Greenvale Primary
School – Thursday 23rd May For more information, visit www.walk.com.au
Canteen News – Health Lunch Day
Mary Spiteri - Canteen Manger
In order to promote the nutritional message taught in class we are holding a Healthy Lunch Day on Tuesday 4th June. No other
lunch orders will be available on that day other than the two options specified in the flyer which will be sent home to all students on
Friday 17th May.
Window sales will be provided as normal. Help your children make better choices for lunch and snacks by encouraging them to
include as many healthy options as possible from the menu. You can view the canteen menu on the school’s website to see the
latest meal deals and other foods available at the canteen.
Once again I value any feedback, ideas or suggestions that you might have. You can visit me at the canteen between 8:00am and
2:30pm, or simply send them to me via the front office. Thank you for your support.
OSHClub News
Before School / After School Care Program
Dear Parents / Guardians,
Welcome to OSHClub Newsletter. We are proud to announce we are hosting the Biggest Afternoon Tea next week on Thursday
24th May and Friday 25th May. We would like to invite all families for this noble cause and donate a gold coin. Children are really
enthusiastic to participate with lots of cooking activities and tea and decoration set up.
We also would like to announce that we are hosting the Australia Reptile Incursion on Wednesday 5th June. This incursion is being
organised as children wanted to learn a bit more about the reptile world and this event would help children to gain a unique
experience.
To participate to the Australian Reptile please make your bookings online or contact Bernadetta or Fiona on 0423782000 for
further information.
OSHC program phone: 0423782000
Coordinator: Bernadetta
Assistants: Fiona and Sheen
OSHClub Head Office: 03 85649000
All families must be enrolled to attend the program, remember this is Free!! Please create an account online at
www.oshclub.com.au all bookings and cancellations can also be managed via your online account. For on the day bookings
please contact the Coordinator direct at the program
School Camps & Excursions: Asthma
If your child has asthma, attending school camps and excursions can introduce them to new asthma triggers
especially if they are going into new environments. It is essential that your child can participate fully and safely
in all school activities. The following is a list of considerations to make for your child before they go on school
camp or an excursion:
• Is your child’s asthma currently well controlled (e.g. no symptoms at night, reliever use less than 3 times per
week)?
• Has your child had an asthma attack or asthma symptoms recently?
• Does the school have an Asthma Action Plan for your child?
• Has the school asked you to complete a School Camp and Excursion Medical Update Form?
• Does your child have their reliever medication and spacer on hand at all times?
• Are they attending with any other medications to be taken on the camp/excursion? If so, are there sufficient
instructions to staff for use/dosage?
• Does your child self-administer their medication? If so, has their technique been checked recently?
For more information please contact The Asthma Foundation of Victoria on 1800 278 462 or
www.asthma.org.au.
Asthma and Complementary Therapies
Complementary or alternative therapies are becoming increasingly popular in Australia, and many people seek
out complementary remedies to support their health. As with any health condition, if you or a family member
have asthma and are considering using complementary therapies, we strongly advise that you communicate
with your doctor about your asthma treatment. They may even be able to suggest safe therapies to try! It is
equally important to communicate to any complementary therapists about your asthma so that they can avoid
treatments that are known to potentially make ones asthma worse.
Complementary therapies considered safe for asthma are: exercise programs, vitamin D, low-salt diet, some
Chinese herbal medicines, some Indian (ayurvedic) herbs, music therapy, tai chi, buteyko (breathing
technique).
Complementary therapies considered potentially unsafe for asthma are: inhaled salt (small risk of a fungal
respiratory infection), echinacea, bee pollen or royal jelly (propolis), and products containing aspirin.
Remember, response to treatments and medications differs between people. Make sure you or your children
continue taking any asthma medications prescribed unless otherwise instructed by your doctor. Stopping
asthma medications suddenly can result in worsening asthma symptoms and even an asthma attack. For more
information regarding complementary therapies and asthma please refer to The National Asthma Council (NAC)
http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/ or contact The Asthma Foundation of Victoria for your free copy of the new
NAC Asthma & Complementary Therapies brochure
For more information please contact The Asthma Foundation of Victoria on 1800 278 462 or www.asthma.org.au.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Community Advertising Section
Extensive range of children’s clothing, footwear & accessories
(Newborn – Size 14)
Labels incl: Lonsdale, Fred Bare, Mossimo, Lost Girls, Guess, Levis,
MTK, Chino, Rock Your Baby, Pure Baby, Eco boo, Bardot Jnr
(coming soon)…
Shop 40
Shop G096a
Gladstone Park Shopping Centre
Broadmeadows Shopping Centre
Gladstone Park VIC 3043
Broadmeadows VIC 3042
Ph: 03 9330 3866
Ph: 03 9302 4144
www.littlegumnut.com.au
50 Shades Of Nails
Jeniene Van Dort
Nail Technician
14 Paringa Blvd,
Meadow Heights VIC 3048
Ph: 0403271051 for appointment
Specialising in Bio Sculpture Gel
Special Introductory price if you mention
this newsletter
Montessori Marvels Preschool
Greenvale
Located in the Original Historic Greenvale Primary School at
Somerton Road and Section Road
Educational Focus based on Montessori Principals and
Early Education Philosophies
• Early Learner Program for 2 year olds, 4 hours
weekly
•
Preschool Mixed Class 3 & 4 Year Olds,
9 – 15 hours weekly
Come for an observation and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at
the potential for your child to learn in this environment!
For further information call 0411 339 991
Established in 1991
Modern Jazz, Tap,
Contemporary, Ballet, Hip Hop,
Break Dance, Latin, Belly Dancing,
Acrobatics, Competition Classes,
Kinder Dance, Singing, Private lessons
available, certificates in dance
offered & interstate competitions
Space available for advertising
Studio Locations:
Greenvale Recreation Centre Barrymore Road Greenvale
&
53 Quinn Drive Keilor Park
Phone: (03) 9331 7287
www.rominasdance.com.au
Space available for advertising
Space available for advertising
The above sponsors are not endorsed by the Greenvale Primary School