FLAT CHAT | 4th August 2021

Filter Content

FLAT CHAT | 4th August 2021

LATEST LOCKDOWN

Thank you to all families who supported their children in remote and flexible learning from home. Thank you to teachers who quickly responded to the sudden lockdown and were ready to swing into action with Google classrooms and Webex meetings. Teachers and support staff were able to provide a great program for on-site learners here at school as well. Many families received packs which were hand delivered by staff as well.

If you have feedback (good or bad) about how we manage during lockdowns and what you’d like to see if it becomes necessary again, please feel free to email me. Suzanne.Kinnersly@education.vic.gov.au.

NAPLAN ONLINE – SCHOOL READINESS TEST

Next year we have been asked by the VCAA NAPLAN test administrators that our students submit NAPLAN tests online, using a secure website. In order to ensure the school’s capacity to participate, we are testing the system later this term. All students in Year 2 and Year 4 will be given the chance to try the online system. The emphasis is on technical readiness. Any test questions and answers posed will have no bearing but will give children the opportunity to experience how the test will be conducted. Once again if you have any concerns please contact me at Suzanne.Kinnersly@education.vic.gov.au.

FEEDBACK-PARENT OPINION SURVEY

Many parents and carers were invited to participate in the Parent Opinion Survey. Please complete the survey as soon as possible. The feedback is very specific to our school (as opposed to the wider Department of Education) and we take the feedback very seriously. It informs school procedures and policies and shapes our strategic plan.

2022 ENROLMENT REMINDER FOR SIBLINGS

If you have a child enrolling for Prep next year, please come and collect an enrolment pack from the office as soon as possible. We are having many enquiries for 2022 and we are keen to secure places for families already here at school.

2022 YEAR 7

2022 Year 7 Placements have been distributed today. Please contact the office if you did not receive the placement or have any questions.

BIRTHDAYS

Ava M – 9 in the first week of August

Zeno – 11 in the first week of August

Peggy – 8 in the second week of August

Amelia – 11 in the second week of August

Hip Hip: Hooray

Hooray: Hip Hip

.
Suzanne Kinnersly

Principal

School Calendar

Monday August 23rd-Friday August 27th- Book Week. More information to come via XUNO.

Friday August 27th- Wear It Purple Day. Students to wear purple and bring a gold coin donation to raise money for support and awareness of LGBITQA+.

Prep Bag Surveys

At the beginning of the school year, the Department of Education and Training provided every Prep student attending a Victorian government school with a red Prep bag.

The Prep bags contained 14 items, including children’s storybooks, flyers, stickers, and stationery items, all designed to help Prep students and their parents and carers thrive from the start of Term 1.

The Department is now inviting families of current Prep students to participate in a short survey, closing Sunday 29 August.

Feedback will help inform what Prep students and their parents and carers like about the Prep bags and what can be improved in 2022.

To have your say, complete the survey through SurveyMonkey.

The survey takes about five to ten minutes to complete.

For more information on this year’s Prep bags, refer to the Prep Bags 2021 web page on the Department’s website.

Wanted

The school is seeking a chest freezer. If you have one, or know of someone who is getting rid of one, can you please contact the school office. We are willing to pay a small amount for it.

Thank you for your support.

Student uniform

Please ensure students are dressed in warm clothes and layers (e.g. school long sleeve under school jumper) to keep them warm in the cold weather. As a part of our school's sustainability policy, we aim to develop an environmentally conscious culture and wish to reduce our heater use.

Honey and Coffee for sale

Remember we have some delicious Honey and Coffee for sale in the office.

Honey

250ML - $4.00 500ML - $7.00 1KG - $14.00

Castlemaine honey is produced in a simple, natural, age-old beekeeping process also using a modern, HACCP Quality Assurance program.

All honey is 100% pure and Australian, extracted and packed on site in Castlemaine.

Coffee

$10

100% Arabica.
Small batch micro roasted.
Premium plantation & estate.
Rainforest alliance.
Swiss water.
Roasted right here in Castlemaine, at Coffee Basics.

.

Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund Applications- closing next week

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you have a valid means-tested concession card, such as a Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. There is also a special consideration category for asylum seeker and refugee families.

Payment amounts this year are $125 for eligible primary school students. Payments are made direct to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions and sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

If you applied for CSEF through our school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.

If you would like to apply for the first time, you can download the form here. Forms are also available at the office.

You can also download the form, and find out more about the program and eligibility, on the Department of Education and Training’s Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund web page.

Please return completed forms to the office as soon as possible.

Karen Mahoney & Renae Irwin

Office

P/1 J | Atticus A-K

For showing Care for Self by having a positive attitude and participating in all parts of our day. Keep up the great thinking Atti!

P/1 J | Freya D

For showing Care for Self by participating in all parts of our day and working hard to finish activities. Super effort Freya!

2/3 A | Ava G

For showing Care for Environment by washing so many dishes during our cooking session last fortnight. Thanks a lot Ava!

2/3 A | Lola G

For showing Care for Others by continually asking what else she could do to help in the kitchen. What a fantastic effort Lola!

3/4 W | Noah N

For showing Care for Others by being a great reading buddy to younger students.

3/4 W | Haylee Y-W

For showing Care for Others by always being friendly and helpful to everyone around her.

4/5L | Sam G

For showing Care for Self by challenging yourself and rising to the occasion. You should be very proud with that you have achieved this year. Great job Sam.

4/5L | Jazmine W

For showing Care for Self by being an amazing leader and having an awesome attitude. Well done Jaz and remember to keep sharing that awesome smile with everyone.

BEST CLASS ATTENDANCE (CUMALONG CUP)

The class with the best school attendance for the past fortnight is: P/1J

THIS WEEK IN THE KITCHEN & GARDEN...

What we are cooking in the Kitchen...

Patatas bravas

Guacamole

Soft taco shells

Chilli 'non' carne

Seasonal fruit muffins (blueberry)

Remember, all our recipes are available on our school website, so you can try them at home.

And what we're harvesting from the garden...

Parsley

Salad leaves

Shallots

All herbs
..

Rosie & Terry
Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden

Hi all!

The Preps, 1s and 2s have heard and discussed the music of Melbourne band Teeny Tiny Stevies in class recently. Teeny Tiny Stevies make content for children filled with cheerful folk-pop tunes covering topics that explore important social messages in a fun and relatable manner. Some awesome news is that they are coming to play a show at Castlemaine! Here’s the link to get tickets: https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/9e3da03b-9772-4f0a-b5b0-72cdb14382ba or you can simply check out their cool songs and animations here on ABC iview: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/teeny-tiny-stevies

Finally, I wanted to share an episode of the Emerging Minds podcast I listened to recently. It has been rereleased due to the continuing lockdowns. The episode is called ‘Children’s mental health during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic’ and goes for just 27 minutes. In this episode, Brad Morgan, Director of Emerging Minds, discusses some challenges that might be coming up for families at this time as they navigate spending more time at home together. Tune in to this discussion to hear about what infants, toddlers, and children are needing from their parents right now and some suggestions on how parents can have child-centred conversations about coronavirus that are supportive of their mental health as well as what’s important to consider in relation to maintaining routines during home isolation.

Listen here: https://emergingminds.com.au/resources/podcast/re-release-childrens-mental-health-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/

The mental health support system is under immense pressure since Covid-19 began last year. If you are having trouble accessing any services please contact me on hannah.okeefe@education.vic.gov.au. I am available for a chat/meeting on Tuesdays and Fridays between 9:30 and 2:30.

Hannah O'Keefe

Wellbeing Officer

*If you wish for your child/ren to participate in sessions with Hannah, please ensure you provide permission on XUNO or sign a hard copy of the permission form available at the office.