Remembrance Day Thursday 11th November
Remembrance Day falls on the 11th of November each year. On the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, a minutes' silence is observed and dedicated to those soldiers who died fighting to protect the nation. Today the loss of Australian lives from all wars and conflicts is commemorated on Remembrance Day. Our Senior student leaders will lead the school in a minute’s silence today over the PS. Remembrance Day marks 103 years since the end of World War I (1914–18). The commemoration will run in all classes from 10:50-11am.
What do Remembrance Day poppies represent?
The reason poppies are used to remember those who have given their lives in battle is because they are the flowers which grew on the battlefields after World War One ended. This is described in the famous World War I poem “In Flanders Fields”.
Pupil Free Day: Monday 6th December
COVID Safe Arrangements
We are now able to hold face to face meetings with parents onsite depending on vaccination status, please see below the guidelines as issued by the Department of Education.
Vaccination requirements for parents and carers attending schools
All parents and carers attending schools, including for drop off and pick up must also adhere to physical distancing, density limits, face mask requirements and practise respiratory etiquette and good hand hygiene.
Parents and carers who enter school buildings must check in using the QR code.
Parents and carers who enter school buildings must also have had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and must have had two doses of COVID-19 vaccine by 29 November 2021 or have a valid medical exception with the following limited exceptions:
Parents and carers attending any event or activity inside a school building including, but not limited to tours, graduations, kindergarten transition, whole of school events are required to show evidence of vaccination.
Meetings and other discussions (such as Student Support Group meetings) with parents and carers who do not meet vaccination requirements should be held virtually.
Parents and carers attending school sites for drop off and pick up who do not enter school buildings do not need to comply with vaccination requirements.
Any parent / carer who needs to access an early childhood education and care service (including OSHC) via the main entrance of a government school building is required to check in using the Victorian Government QR Code Service but do not need to show their vaccination status.
Information to the school community
To better support schools to manage COVID-19 cases, the Department of Education and Training (DET) and the Department of Health (DH) have revised how COVID-19 cases will be managed in schools and I wanted to share some information with families to let you know what will happen if we were to receive a positive case at school. I thought that it was important to provide more information on what occurs during a school closure so that you can be prepared for this scenario should it happen. Much of this information is changing rapidly and schools are only provided with some information after a confirmed case is reported. This makes it hard to be fully prepared for such circumstances. Please note the information below is guidance only and is subject to change in the event of a positive case.
What happens if a child tests positive?
If the school is closed what happens?
Are we prepared?
As always throughout the past 18 months the staff at our school have been preparing for this. There will be challenges and glitches, but as a flexible and growth mindset-orientated community, we will be understanding, patient and forgiving. We receive regularly updated guidance from the Department of Education and have developed our own school plans and CovidSafe actions to keep our staff, children and wider community as safe as possible. These school guidelines will continue to be communicated to families via Sentral and includes things such as drop off and staggered pick up, limiting movement and visitors onsite and as is practical limited mixing of students onsite.
What can we do at home to support your child/ren in the event of a school closure?
The best thing that you can do is to remain calm and be supportive of your children. Just like adults, they will go through a range of emotions and be challenged by these times. Remind your children to bring home their belongs daily. Practice and encourage them to uphold high levels of hygiene, social distancing and mask wearing where possible. Resources from organisations such as Emerging Minds and Raising Children Network are very useful to support you to have some of these conversations at home. We are hoping that we do not have to experience a school closure or positive case, but the reality is that it is quite likely that we will. I ask that if you get notified of a school closure that you remain calm and be assured that we will contact you personally if your child is a PCC. Please keep in mind that our focus during this time needs to be on contact tracing and if you have a non-urgent issue, we ask if you could please wait until after the school re-opens.
I hope that this has provided some clarity and allows you to have some level of preparedness for a future school closure. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding during these complex times.
Support for your kids to get active
Does your child love sport and being active? Does your family have a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card? You may be eligible for up to $200 to put towards the cost of your child’s participation in physical activities.
As children return to sport over the coming months, the Get Active Kids Voucher Program helps eligible families get their kids involved in organised sport and active recreation activities.
Under the program, children may be eligible to receive up to $200 to help with the cost of membership and registration fees, uniforms, and equipment.
The program also provides a special consideration stream to support children residing in care services as well as temporary or provisional visa holders, undocumented migrants or international students.
Applications for vouchers in round three of the program close at 5pm Tuesday 30 November.
For eligibility requirements and to apply, visit the Get Active Victoria website.
| IMOGEN BFor being friendly and inclusive when working in groups and out in the playground. You have shown good leadership and kindness to others. Well done Imogen! |
| SERENA HFor making a great start at a new school. It’s great to see you have taken on the challenge of making new friends within our classroom. Welcome Serena. |
| WILLOW GFor coming to a new school and getting to know all of your classmates as well as making some new friends. Keep smiling Willow! |
| HEATH MFor joining in all our class activities, you have shown great resilience when challenged and when having to work in different groups. Well done Heath! |
| ABEL BFor always being flexible and inclusive with who you are partnered with in class activities, and bringing out the best in whoever you are working with. Excellent leadership and resilience Abel! |
| FRED RFor being able to play with a range of different people in the school yard. Well done on making great choices and having fun with lots of friends. |
| JOEL MFor being kind and caring to your other classmates and always making sure they have the necessary materials for each lesson. Keep it up Joel :) |
| KALEC DFor joining in all the activities for the week. Kalec you showed good resilience in the school yard and chose lots of friends to play with. |
| EZRA TFor remembering to use your resilience strategies when working with others and facing challenges in the classroom and outside. Well done Ezra, I am very proud of you! |
| ALEX MFor being able to work with a range of different people in the classroom. Well done on all of your hard work this year. Keep up the good work! |