Hello Everyone,

You may be aware, there has recently been a new 2022 Victorian Government Schools Agreement. The last one was in 2017.

There are many aspects to this new agreement but perhaps one to be carefully considered as we move forward in 2023 is the new  ‘time in lieu’ arrangement now being implemented for all State Government Schools.

In brief, this means any activity that requires a teacher to be responsible for students outside of normal ‘face to face’ teaching hours requires the school to ‘pay back’ hours spent doing so. This is considered ‘time in lieu’.  

An example of where a school activity attracts ‘time in lieu’ is a school camp that is held overnight/s,  where the responsible teacher’s attendance at the camp is required in addition to their 38 hours of attendance.

The result of this aspect of the new agreement is yet to be played out at WPPS but from talking to various other schools in the area the effects include camps being shorter to accommodate for ‘time in lieu’ hours that must be paid back to teacher when they return and more events occurring between teacher’s normal classroom hours rather than out of hours.

For information please go HERE

Carols 

Wed 14.12 5.30 - 6.30pm

I’ve often made requests from our community via the newsletter and it is always incredible to see what comes back. This request is different - I need a Santa.

Each of our year levels will be singing a Christmas Carol so there's only 7 carols in total. It would be great to start the show off with a Santa and wrap it up with a Santa - perhaps throwing lollies out to the crowd..? Know anyone who might fulfil that role..? No, I don't have an outfit to lend you but I’m sure we could find one. 

Thank you!

Thank you to Ashburton Meats (and Laura Adamson for her coordination) for their donation of 100 sausages towards our Democracy Sausage extravaganza!

Thank you to Ms. Kelly, our Year 2A teacher, who implemented the ‘Touch of Green ‘ day earlier this term. By initiating this day, our students, with Ms. Kelly's organisation, raised $310.20 for the  National Youth Mental Health Foundation.

Our Students

Yr 1 Cultural Day

A message from our Year one teachers, Ms Skantzos and Ms. Duong about this week's Year 1 Cultural Day:

This Term, Year Ones have been learning about celebrations and traditions from different cultures. On Monday 28th November children participated in a Cultural Day to celebrate our diverse backgrounds. The students were encouraged to come dressed up in any traditional clothing from their culture and to bring a small plate of traditional foods to share. They enjoyed many appetising dishes which included sushi, gimbap, Swedish meatballs, pretzels, challah, kotlet, lamingtons, hallongrotta, pavlova, cucumber sandwiches and spanakopita. Students participated in various activities throughout the day ranging from Aboriginal dot painting to Bollywood and Scottish dancing. What a fabulous day of celebrating our shared values of inclusiveness, respect and belonging.

Election Day 

Our gym was chosen by the Australian Electoral Commission to be a voting centre early this year. As you are no doubt already aware, voting for the State Election occurred on Saturday the 26th of November.

Our PFA provided a range of goods for passing voters to purchase as they exited the gym including, donuts, coffee, bacon and egg rolls, a selection of produce from our garden and of course, the quintessential ‘democracy sausage’.

We have never been a voting centre before and according to our voting centre representative, we had just over 1000 people come through our gym to vote. Although this was well short of the number we expected, the PFA did an admirable job of not only organising and selling all of the above but also preparing and advocating for our school. Particular mention must be made of our students who did a spectacular job of actively persuading the unsuspecting public to make purchases.

A message  received from our AEC Representative who we collaborated with on the day, reproduced with permission:

Hi Steven,

I just wanted to drop you a quick note to say what a pleasure it was to have the school host one of the VEC voting centres.

The school property was clean, well maintained and more than we could have hoped for. All your working bee sessions really paid off, I heard many people while standing in the queue comment on how lovely the school was.

The PFA were also lovely. Such a pleasure to work along side. They kept the voters in good spirits and represented your school spirit with great pride. To say the vibe through out the day was that of a school fair rather than a compulsory political exercise would not do them justice. Nothing was too hard, or an inconvenience to any of them. The students were all so lovely and well mannered too.

I look forward to having our paths cross again in the future.

Melanie East

Swimming

A message from our PE Teacher, Nic Lindsay;

Dates: Tues 6th to the 16th of December (Year 6 not attending on the 7th and 13th. This will be reflected in the cost for your program)

Time: The times below are the time that these year levels will be in the pool swimming

9:20am               Foundation

10:05-10:50am   Years 3 & 5

10:50-11:35am   Years 1 & 2

11:30-12:20pm   Years 4 & 6

If you are walking  with your child's class (or catching a bus for the Year 1 and Foundation students) you will need to arrive at school 20 min prior to the start of the swimming lessons. 

Cost:  Refer to COMPASS pay

Spectators: Spectators are allowed to come and watch their children complete their lesson

Walking Helpers: We require a ratio of 1 adult :10 students for supervision purposes when walking to and from the school.  Classroom teachers  have communicated to their parents/guardians to request assistance. 

Nicholas Lindsay

Assembly

Due to swimming beginning on Tues 6th of December, we need to make some changes to Assembly times: 

Wk 9     Friday 2.12  
9.15am Whole school Assembly

Student Class

Wk 10  Friday 9.12 

2.35pm Whole School Assembly

Wk 11   Friday 16. 12

No Assembly

Wk 12   Mon 19.12 

2.35pm Final Whole School Assembly - No Students of the Week

Running Club - 8am every Thursday morning

Running Club began this week and was a raging success. Thank you to Ben Bear, James McGinnes and Rachel Crilly who possess unrivalled training and running abilities and made it all happen. 

Session Outline

• 8am arrival @ top oval
• Group warm up /activities
• Course running - along school boundary, 3 groups including adult supervision
• Group warm down

Running Club is open to students of all ages and abilities. 

Any students that arrive late are to wait at the top oval for collection.

Final session for the year on Thursday, 15th December.

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program

Please note program changes due to the commencement of the swimming program:

Year 3

Kitchen has concluded for the year

Year 4

Monday the 5th of December will be the final Kitchen session for the year and it will be a practical lesson

Carols

Yes! Weather dependent, we will have carols this year. Each year level will perform a Christmas Carol and you are invited to join us, out in the open on the grass outside the gym.

Wed 14.12 5.30 - 6.30pm

Our Staff

Continuing getting to know our staff at WPPS, we introduce one of our regular Classroom replacement Teachers, (CRTs), Ms Julie Hobson:

After teaching at Gladesville, Mimosa and Old Orchard Primary School, l now feel welcomed as a regular CRT at Wattle Park.

With 40 plus years of teaching experience l still embrace the vibrant energy and anticipation on eager faces as l enter the classroom. 

Especially, l enjoy sharing stories, my love of writing, venturing outdoors for a game or just bringing a spark of fun to the day, after completing the designated planned work of Wattle Park Staff of course!

My four grandchildren love hearing of Nanna’s days at Wattle Park.

Julie Hobson

Notices

Chicken Pox

A case of Chicken Pox has been reported in Year 5

Just for your information and to be aware that there is a case of confirmed Chicken Pox, also known as Varicella, at our school. Chickenpox is a highly contagious viral infection. It causes well defined small red spots which blister and can be both incredibly itchy and uncomfortable.

The symptoms of chickenpox can include:

low-grade fever, general discomfort, illness or lack of wellbeing (malaise), intensely itchy skin rash – appears as small blisters surrounded by irregularly-shaped patches of inflamed skin. The blisters first form on the body and later on the head and limbs. Ulcers may develop in certain areas

For chickenpox, the time from infection to the appearance of the rash (incubation period) is around 14 to 16 days. A few days before the appearance of the rash, the person may feel feverish and have a sore throat and headache. The skin may be marked for some months after the rash has cleared.

Any student with a case of Chicken Pox is to remain at home until all the blisters have dried up, possibly 5 days after the eruption.

See your doctor if you suspect you or your child has Chicken Pox.

COVID 19 

If you require RATs please make a request to the school office. HERE is information from the Victorian Government about ‘Managing illness in schools and ECEC - information for parents and carers’ . HERE is information regarding facemasks.

A summary below:

The Victorian Government has announced the end of the Pandemic Declaration and associated Pandemic Orders. The following settings, based on advice from the Department of Health, will apply from 11.59pm Wednesday 12 October 2022.

It is strongly recommended that students:

• who test positive to COVID-19 stay home and isolate for 5 days

• should not attend school after 5 days if still symptomatic

• who are symptomatic but have not tested positive should not attend school

• advise the school of the COVID-19 positive test result

• students who wish to wear a face mask should be supported to do so, and schools should continue to make face masks available for staff, students and visitors.

Where students become symptomatic at school they should:

• be collected by their parents/carers

• undergo testing for COVID-19

• Parents and carers will therefore be asked to continue to report positive student COVID-19 cases using the VicED COVID Tool.

Hats on from September!

This term all students must wear a WPPS school uniform hat when outside. This is part of our Sunsmart Policy to protect our students against UV radiation and the ravages of cancer - ugh! More information can be found on our website HERE. 

School Calendar

Please refer to the calendar on the School Calendar to find details about Term 4 dates, finish times and term holidays dates etc.

One more thing!

We are padlocking shut the gate to Warrigal Road after 9.15am every morning. It opens again around 3pm. We are doing this because we have a student who has a penchant for running out of the class and out of the school grounds. There are processes in place to ameliorate this issue but the safety issues are abundantly evident. Thanks for your understanding on this one.

Have a great weekend.

Steve Donohue

Principal

Our last fundraiser for the year with the WPPS PFA is a beauty!

Our Super Seafood Lucky Ticket is a chance to indulge or have friends and family over.  

Thanks to the Walta families connection we have had the prizes donated by KB Food Co

and it's a great chance to get some more valuable funds into the school's programs.

We ask that you reach out to your community and friends to sell the book of 10 ($50) if you can and make this our most successful project fro the year. As an added bonus if you sell the book, your family goes into a draw for a special sellers only Christmas Hamper.

If you would like extra tickets (and chances) please get in touch with the office or PFA president Anthony Hall 0409 806 478 for more tickets.

We thank you all again for the support we have had this year.

Anthony Hall
PFA President 2022

on behalf of the Committee & School

Wattle Park Primary School

M: 0409 806 478 E: pfawattleparkps@gmail.com
wattleparkps.vic.edu.au

A massive thanks to our school community for the effort and spirit that went

into last weekend's Election Day event.

This was the first time that we had held an election at the school and from the feedback, we had our venue was well received, Especially with the work that was done in the lead-up to get the gardens and grounds into shape. 

The voting turnout itself was surprisingly low with pre-polling and we had less than 1000 votes cast at our school.

Ours thanks to the parents, students and suppliers who made up a great day at our wonderful school. Special thanks to 

Food Drinkery Cafe - Loan of the much enjoyed Soft Serve machine.

Ashburton Meats - Donation 100 Sausages

Rachel Crilly Billiecart Novated Leasing (Lolly Bags) https://www.billiecart.com.au/

Kitchen Garden - Nicky & Kids

45+ helpers who took roles on the day.

Anthony Hall
PFA President 2022

on behalf of the Committee & School

Wattle Park Primary School

M: 0409 806 478 E: pfawattleparkps@gmail.com
wattleparkps.vic.edu.au

 

It’s that time of year - September, when all students are required to have on a hat for outside play.  Children will be required to play in the shade if no hat is worn, and being a Sun Smart School its important to have sun protection from now till May.

2. School Council Dates for 2022

Tuesday, 13th December, 7pm

3. Car Parking, Banksia Street

Parents, out of courtesy to our neighbours please do not park across their driveways in Banksia Street, when dropping off or picking up your children. Whitehorse Traffic Officers will be patrolling during these times.

https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/94c429