Dear Parents and Carers,

We would very much like to welcome the addition of student teachers from Deakin University and Swinburne University to our staff over the next two to three weeks.

The student teachers are Amelia in Year 4B, Caitlin in Year 2B, Gemma in Year 2A, Marika in Year 1A and Morgan in Year 3A. It is always of great benefit to the students and classroom teachers to have an extra pair of hands in the classroom to provide targeted support for our students’ learning. Last year, it was extremely difficult to be able to have trainee university students in the school due to the Covid pandemic. If you see a different adult face in your child’s classroom, please introduce yourself and make them welcome to our school.

During 2020 the maintenance of the school grounds was challenging, and as a result our grounds are looking somewhat unkempt- even though we had scheduled working bees where possible. As a result, we have hired extra grounds staff to weed our gardens over the next couple of weeks, as well as hiring a local community member Ben who lives in Somers Street to help out in the grounds on a Monday. Ben will be commencing on Monday for a couple of hours. I’m sure many of our school community will already know Ben. Ben will be completing tasks similar to our previous groundsman Gavin Cass who retired in 2019.

This Wednesday I met with our new specialist Stephanie Alexander Kitchen gardener Nikki Browne. Nikki had a tour of our school and met with chef Carolina Trantino and some of our Year 4 students. Nikki has worked for a number of years as a specialist Stephanie Alexander Kitchen gardener previously at St Kilda Park Primary school. Nikki is currently moving back to Melbourne from the country and will commence work in a couple of weeks. In a future newsletter we will include a personal profile of Nikki so that if you spy her in the garden- you will recognise her. Nikki is very much looking forward to meeting the wider school community and having them volunteer in the garden. We are certainly blessed with the size of our grounds but they do demand considerable attention. Many hands will make light work!

Stay tuned for an update on canteen. I am meeting with a potential candidate for the canteen manager today.

On Sunday the school will host its traditional ANZAC Day dawn service commencing at 6:00 a.m. Last year this event was sadly missed. As it is a predominantly outdoor event there are no restrictions on numbers of attendees, nor a requirement for mask wearing according to Department of Education regulations. This year we have a Wattle Park Primary alumni, William Crump playing the trumpet and after the service you are invited to join others in a cup of tea/coffee/milo and a delicious ANZAC biscuit made by the Year 4 students.

Even though this has been only our first week back at school lots has been happening! Our Performing Arts teacher, Mrs Sylwia Michalska is practising each lunchtime on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with instrumental bands, auditioning students for this Year’s production and teaching songs for those students involved in State Schools Spectacular. Digimaker, our coding club has returned on a Thursday after school. Mr Watts is conducting a gardening club with interested students. Year 6 House leaders are proposing to introduce a morning running club again. Online NAPLAN practise tests for Years 3 and 5 have taken place this week.

Term 2 is sometimes my least favourite term as the weather becomes colder and mornings and late afternoons are dark. However after last year, every day is to be celebrated! It’s important to remember that the same week last year was the week where teachers prepared remote learning resources and the state went into lockdown with an 8:00 p.m. curfew!

A special thank you to those parents who completed the online parent survey and spoke so positively about how well the school had dealt with remote learning, and the making of student health and well-being a priority.

Today, while on yard-duty it was a delight to watch Year 3 to Year 6 male and female students play AFL football and soccer happily and collaboratively on the oval. It was a busy space but students were respectful and careful of one another’s safety.

Students have settled well back into school after the holiday break. Congratulations to the Wattle Park Primary parents and community for the manner in which you navigated through last year. There is a real sense of happiness and excitement of being back at school for a normal year of teaching and learning.

Warm Regards


Gayle

Wattle Park Primary School with the permission of ANZAC House, holds a linkage (by ABC broadcast) to the dawn service on the school grounds.

We invite any interested persons in our school and community to join us in this opportunity to remember our fallen servicemen and women.

We shall be following the order of ceremony as directed by the ADCC (Anzac Day Commemoration Council).

We ask those interested to gather at the School Administration area by 5.45am for a 6.00am start, concluding at 8.30am on Anzac Day, Sunday, 25^th April. 

The Ceremony is an important occasion, so that future generations of young Australians do not forget the horror of war and the importance of ANZAC Day in Australia’s history.

Please join us in remembering and giving thanks to the men and women whose love and sacrifice in wartime has enabled all Australians to live in peace and freedom.

We encourage any children who may be in possession of their grandparent’s medals to wear them on the day, noting protocol; medals should be worn to the right side

The poppies can then be placed on the memorial as part of the ceremony.

2021 Parent Contributions now overdue.  Final Parent Contributions were due on the 14^th March 2021.

Wattle Park Primary School purchases, and has paid for, every student’s stationery requirements for 2021. 2021 Parent Contributions are reduced due to the school’s ability to buy in bulk and save GST costs, passing on the saving to our students.

At the moment nearly 25% of families have not paid their Parent Contributions and the school is now out of pocket. Family statements will be sent home early next week and your prompt attention would be greatly appreciated.

For a confidential discussion about accessing any of the above options these services, please contact Ms Gayle Cope, Principal, on 9808 2165 or gayle.cope@education.vic.gov.au

School Council understands that some families may experience financial difficulty and offer a range of support that may assist:

• CSEF Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund - Families with current Health Care cards - See school office - Applications by 25^th June 2021
• WPPS Second Hand Uniform Shop
• State School’s Relief responds to School Principal requests for assistance for students. Eg school uniform/shoes
• Individual Payment Plans

Payment Methods

• EFTPOS
• BPay – contact the school office for your individual reference number
• Cash/Cheque

In 2021 many parents will still need to make decisions regarding their child's education for 2022 and beyond.

To assist your decision making in relation to your child's education for 2022 and beyond, please find below a link to the 124 page April 2021 edition of the Government Schools Guide.

CLICK HERE: https://victoriaschoolguides.starcommunity.com.au/government-schools-guide/

https://www.anglicarevic.org.au/our-services/family-and-parenting-support/parentzone/