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Tuesday 28th November
- 2024 Prep Transition 2 - 2:15pm - 3:15pm
Sunday 3rd December
- Working Bee - 10:00am - 12:00pm
Tuesday 5th December
- 2024 Prep Transition 3 - 2:15pm - 3:15pm
- International Day of People with Disability - activities with Eliza Hull - 9:30am - 12:30
Tuesday 12th December
- 2024 Prep Transition 4 - 10:00am - 12:00pm
- Whole school Step Up Day - 10:00am - 12:00pm
Thursday 14th December
- Year 6 Graduation Evening - Details to come
Friday 15th December
- Year 5/6 Bike Hike - will be on XUNO soon
Wednesday 20th December
- Last day of school 2023 - 1:30pm finish
‘BEST IN SHOW’ YOUTH SLOW-FASHION PARADE THIS SUNDAY 26TH NOVEMBER
Unfortunately we do not have volunteers to do the set-up & pack-up for the event on Sunday.
We have made the decision to cancel our stall and look forward to participating next year.
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SCHOOL REVIEW COMPLETE
Last Thursday reviewer Julie Myers met with Jill Prior (SC President), Helen Weir, Kim Saddlier (Senior Education Improvement leader) challenge partners Alisa Burdett (Maldon PS principal), Kerry Hammond (SWPBS coach) and me, for the final wrap up of the review process.
Importantly we set goals, targets and Key Improvement strategies for the next School Strategic Plan spanning 2024 – 2027. Those are attached in a separate document covering both Teaching and Learning and Wellbeing. These are to be measured as always using data from NAPLAN, Teacher Judgements, Attitudes to School survey, Staff Survey and Parent Opinion Survey.
Thank you again to the parents who gave feedback to the panel last Tuesday.
The full review report once available, will be tabled at our December School Council Meeting.
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STOLEN PUMP AND GRAFFITI ATTACK
Police were called to school twice last week for theft and criminal damage to school grounds. Our new water pump was stolen, despite having a protective cage cover last Wednesday night.
On Friday night at around 11:30pm offensive graffiti was sprayed on various surfaces at the front of the school, including the fire hydrant box, solar boxes, Creekview panels, walls around the basketball court, bus shelter, traffic sign and power pole.
I spent some hours on Sunday trying to remove and cover the most offensive bits. I understand from comments on Facebook, that other sites in Castlemaine were also targeted at the weekend.
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SNAKE SIGHTINGS AT SCHOOL
There have been two confirmed sightings of brown snakes in the past few weeks. We try to minimise the panic for students, with adult eyes watching the snakes as they traverse the school grounds. If practicable we call the Snake Guy to come and collect, as happened last summer. When there’s no other safe option, we evoke a soft lockdown to keep students out of harm's way inside the buildings.
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GRAND FINALE WORKING BEE – 10AM – 12PM SUNDAY 3rd DECEMBER
We’re hoping it’s a great turn out for our final Working Bee for the year. Brush cutting, weeding, painting the junior playground are just some of the jobs on our list which will set us up for the long break before the new school year. We will fire up the BBQ again. If you can make it please let us know here and place your orders for sausages or veggie burgers.
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EARLY YEARS READING
Fiona has attended training from Little Learners Love Literacy - the program being used by Castlemaine North and Campbells Creek primary schools. All teachers attended an introductory session with local Science of Reading advocate and presenter, Jacqueline Sansom. We have committed to increasing the intensity of phonics teaching as part of our reading program and additionally will be purchasing more decodable texts for early readers in Prep and Year One.
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BIKE HIKES
Year 3 & 4 are riding to the Botanical Gardens and back on Monday 11th December. Year 5 & 6 will be riding to Muckleford and back on Friday 15th December. Both events are subject to favourable weather conditions. If too hot, they will be cancelled.
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SHADE SAILS
Shade N Sails have begun scoping to start work on our shade sail for the junior playground and shade umbrellas for an outdoor learning space.
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NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS CONTINUED
Lockie – turned 7 last week
Rory – turned 6 this week
Louisa turned 9 this week
Willow will be 9 this week
Jaya is turning 9 this week
Georgie (ES) had a birthday this week
Hip Hip: Hooray
Hip Hip: Hooray
Hooray: Hip Hip
COVID, FLU AND FREE RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS
With continued case numbers in Mt Alexander, please be aware that we have plenty of free rapid antigen test kits available at the school office. Schools are seeing a new rise in case numbers with some schools facing multiple staff absences.
If your child is symptomatic we request they be kept home as even the spread of colds and flu has an impact here at school.
Testing is strongly recommended for students and staff who are symptomatic.
After doing the tests at home, if it is positive, you are advised to:
- let the school know
- keep your child at home for 7 days
If you feel unwell, please call a GP or the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.
For more information on how to manage your symptoms at home, please visit https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/managing-covid-19-home
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Suzanne Kinnersly
Principal.
Stolen item & Vandalism
Over the past week we have had two disturbing incidents that have occurred at school. Last week our brand-new water pump which had only just been installed was stolen. Not only this but on Friday night a group of youths were here at school spray painting and tagging obscene words within our school grounds. Ms. Kinnersly spent Sunday cleaning up and painting over this obscene graffiti, so our students were not exposed to this. Luckily, we have a vigilant neighbour who rang the Police on our behalf. If anyone happens to be around over any weekend and you see something that is not right, could you please contact Suzanne on 0438 908 344.
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Salvation Army Christmas Cheer
Winters Flat will be supporting the Salvation Army Christmas Cheer Program through a toy drive. If your family is in a position to donate a toy/s, there will be a collection box in the office until Friday the 1st of December. Please ensure that the toy/s are brand new and in original packaging.
This year we at Castlemaine Salvos, want to ensure that those who have done it tough, have a really lovely Christmas. We are working towards supporting at least 100 families/ individuals with a Christmas food hamper and toys for those with children. We are really passionate about ensuring that this will be a joyful, non-judgemental space. Families will be welcomed into a fun festive environment, provided with a general Christmas hamper, and will have opportunities to select items that they want to add to make their Christmas dinner special. Parents will be guided around a selection of Christmas toys, so they can be given the dignity of choosing presents for their children.
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Summer Holiday Garden Roster
We are seeking volunteers to help water the garden and feed the chickens over the summer holidays. Please contact the office if you are available to help.
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Beleza Uniform Shop Information
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Karen Mahoney & Kitty Ward
Office
AT SCHOOL
Intergenerational Connections
We are in our second week of our Castlemaine Intergenerational Connections program! Led by School Captain Evie O’Sullivan, we have planned a 4-week program aimed at increasing connections, giving participants a sense of purpose, creating learning opportunities, and increasing empathy and mood. Each Tuesday for one hour, eight Grade 6 students have been visiting Ellery House Residential Aged Care Facility to meet with residents and get involved in some simple tasks such as interviewing each other, creating mini-gardening pots, drawing, sharing cherished objects and playing games. So far, it has been a heart-warming and uplifting experience that we look forward to each week and we look forward to our final 2 weeks before the year ends.
International Day of People with a Disability
To celebrate International Day of People with a Disability, Winters Flat parent and Disability Advocate Eliza Hull will be visiting our school on Tuesday December 5th. Check out her amazing video clip Running Under Water. Also, start a conversation about disability, accessibility and inclusion with your family by watching DisRupted - And Then Everything Changed written and directed by Eliza Hull: Happy go-lucky Louis wakes up to what he thinks is going to be just another normal school day, but for some strange reason the world around him just isn't working. Great for families!
Until next time!
Hannah O’Keefe
My work hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:30-2:30 and Thursdays from 8:30-4:30. Write me an email (hannah.okeefe@education.vic.gov.au) or give me a call via the school office or on 0475 800 377.
RESOURCES
Please find a list of Wellbeing helplines and support services on the Winters Flat website.
NEWS | Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program
This week in the Kitchen and Garden..........
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What we're cooking in the kitchen this fortnight...
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Olive bread rolls
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Spring minestrone
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Broken lasagne with pumpkin, fennel and chilli
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Broad bean, beetroot and feta salad
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Carrie fritters
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Lemon meringue pie
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Chefs of the week:
3/4H: Nova & James
4/5C: Persephone
5/6B: Freya, Saskia, Georgie, Aurora & Levi
Remember the recipes are available on our school website, so you can try them at home.
Kitchen volunteers
We would love some kitchen helpers in our cooking classes. They are held fortnightly on Mondays (even weeks), and every Wednesday, between 11:25am & 1:25pm.
What you can expect from a class: Students work in six groups to make six different dishes. Once a group finishes their dish, they clean up their bench, do dishes, and set the tables. Around 1:00pm, we all sit down together and share the meal.
Volunteers will need to sign in via the visitors log in the office and show their WWCC and Vaccination Certificate. Please contact the Karen or Kitty in the office if you would like to volunteer.
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In the Garden:
We are loving the birdlife in the garden at the moment. 5/6B were in their lesson today and we had a cacophany of Rainbow Lorikeets and Wattlebirds enjoying the gum blossoms above us. Check out the video on our Instagram.
Cath & Terry
Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden