Hello Everyone,

On Tuesday night this week the Wattle Park Primary annual extravaganza returned to the Besen Centre at Mt Scopus College.

Due to COVID restrictions, this production has not been staged since 2019 so last Tuesday’s return was a triumph! Thank you to all of you who attended, got the students ready and there on time. Thank you also to our Performing Arts teacher, Ms Sylwia Michalska who coordinated everything during the preceding weeks onsite. I’d also like to acknowledge all other support staff including, our office girls who handled bookings, the PFA and the President, Anthony Hall, from Hark Media, who created all key art and our marvellous Learning Assistants who made sure all students were able to participate in rehearsals in a constructive manner. And of course, our classroom teachers, who keep everything running and fit in rehearsals too. Following we have a random selection of pictures from our teachers backstage:

 



 



 

  

 

Our Students

Student of the week

From this week on, all parents and carers are invited - hooray!

  9.15 - 9.35 F- Yr 3 Assembly 

  2.35 - 3.00 Yr 4-6 Assembly

FA	Anika S		FB	Gemma S
1A	Ollie R		1B	Austin H
2A	Abdul S		2B	Lily A W
3A	Ethan C		3B	Isabella B
4A	Joshua P		4B	Abby F
5A	Isabella C		5B	Callum W
6A	Alyssa B		6B	Charlotte A

Maths Olympiad

Maths Olympiad is a Nationwide competition that occurs in Term 2 and 3. It involves a maths lesson every week, 5 of which are considered ‘Tests’. In the lessons the students explore various high level maths concepts. In the test sessions the students work individually on 5 questions. Here’s an example:

What odd number between 300 and 350 is not a multiple of 3 or a multiple of 5, and has digits that add to make 16?

WPPS students are nominated by their classroom teachers based upon an evidenced ability in Mathematics. This selected group of students met with me each Wednesday for their weekly lesson.

Wattle Park Primary received results this week and we came in the top 20% out of all schools across the nation- a terrific result! This result is cumulative, taken from the results of each of the tests the students completed over the term.

There are individual awards, trophies, pins, patches and certificates to be presented at Assembly on Friday 4th November:

Ishan M	Top 10 %	Highest Score
Liam S	Top 10 %	Highest Score
Eloise I	Top 10 %	Pin
Rhys C	Top 10 %	Pin
Nelson S	Top 10 %	Pin
Trent Z	Top 10 %	Pin
Joey L	Top 10 %	Pin
Patrick P	Top 25 %	Patch
Shreshth B	Top 25 %	Patch
Yasara S	Top 25 %	Patch
Isabel Z	Top 25 %	Patch
James S	Top 25 %	Patch
Charlotte A	Top 25 %	Patch
Zune P	Top 25 %	Patch
Ivy H	Top 25 %	Patch
Ray L	Top 25 %	Patch
Henry C
Eva B
Raynard L
Quan T D
Edwin Y
Leila B
Sumayyah S
Liam C

Well done everyone. Congratulations also to Mr Feather who not only teaches 6B but is also our Maths Specialist each Tuesday. The rich learning experiences in Mathematics he provides for our students across the school has no doubt contributed extensively to this result.

(BTW… the answer is 349)

Maths Specialist

A message from our Maths Specialist, Mr. James Feather:

Over the past two weeks the Year 2 students have been learning all about Multiplication. They have learnt to represent and solve multiplication equations using different strategies, including groups, repeated addition and arrays. The next step for students is learning to choose their preferred and most efficient strategy that will allow them to solve increasingly challenging multiplication equations. 

Our Staff

Continuing our series introducing staff at WPPS, we have Cynthia Tuck:

Hello Wattle Park families,

This will be my 11th year working at Wattle Park PS and during this time I have mainly taught in the senior school. This year I am working with Mr James Feather and together we teach 6B. 

I have always enjoyed working with Year 6 students as we work to prepare them for their journey into secondary school education. Year 6 is an exciting time for students, not only because these students are the leaders of the school but because Year 6 presents lots of exciting opportunities for our students. Year 6 students look forward to school camp, leadership roles, leading school assembly, running school tours, buddy program, bike ed, sporting opportunities, Big Day Out and graduation just to name just a few!   

Below is a photo of the circus performers from 6B (including teachers), who entertained us on stilts at the school production! I’m sure we can all agree that it was a fantastic night of entertainment! 

Thank you

Gardening Equipment

Last week you may recall the overwhelming response we had to our call for replacement equipment for the items stolen from our gardening shed. This week we took delivery of 3 x  wheelbarrows - courtesy of Hanson Building  via Naomi Levin, one of our School Council members. Here we see Ella and Max with their Dad Daniel enjoying the process of delivery:

World Teachers Day biscuits

Thank you to Sjaan Keen who whipped up a batch of biscuits for all our teaching staff.  As you can see, these were artfully created for World Teachers Day which is today! Thank you Sjann.

Ivy plants

Thank you to Kellie Baird who acquired some ivy (with roots!) and planted it in the bed outside after school care. Planting ivy there, in the shade, as a ground cover, is part of the overall plan to create low maintenance garden beds that require very little weeding.

Notices

The Great Big Working Bee! Sat 12th November 2022 - 10am  - 1pm

Our mission is to clean up the Banksia Street side of the school. We want clean, broad, mulched mass planted beds with defined edges. 

We need people with chainsaws, whipper snippers, shovels/spades, brooms and blowers!

This will make the place easier to maintain and provide a sense of order and calm. What better way to have a safe learning environment! Click on the link below to see what, with your much appreciated assistance, we are going to achieve. We can use our newly donated tools!

Sat 12.11.2022 - The  Great Big Working Bee! 10am  - 1pm

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.

2023 Classes

Teachers will shortly begin discussions relating to classes for 2023. A number of factors are taken into account when placing students in class groups including, medical needs and educational requirements and student generated friendship preferences.

It is not acceptable for parents to request specific teachers or friendship groupings for their child. 

If you feel your child has specific educational needs in relation to class placement, please communicate this via email to steven.donohue@education.vic.gov.au by Monday 31st October. 

2023 Enrolments

2023 school planning has commenced. We are having quite a few families who are asking to enrol from outside our zone due to various factors - all of which are inherently a very positive reflection on WPPS!  So, if you have a child/children due to commence school in 2023 please complete a school enrolment and forward to the school office along with a copy of their Birth Certificate & Vaccination Certificate ASAP. A  2023 School Enrolment form is available HERE on the WPPS website or the school office.

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, long weekend.

Steve Donohue

Principal

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The Student Representative Council have Remembrance Day commemorative items on sale from Wed, 2nd November until Remembrance Day, Wed 11th Nov. If you would like your child to purchase the items, prices are $2 for poppies, $3 wrist bands, $4 poppy bags/key rings, $5 ANZAC slouch pin. We would appreciate your child having the correct money to not have to give change.

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Please scroll through to see all of our latest notices!


1. Second Hand Uniform Shop
2. Remember September - No Hat No Play
3. School Council Dates for 2022
4. Banksia Street Parking - Please avoid driveways!
5. Volunteers Urgently Needed for First Aid Room

1. Second Hand Uniform Shop

Monday, 14th November, 8.30 - 9am

2. Remember September - No Hat No Play
 

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.
New hats are available from the office $15.

3. School Council Dates for 2022

Tuesday, 13th December, 7pm

4. 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.

5. Volunteers Urgently Needed for First Aid Room

We operate a first aid room at Wattle Park Primary school. In order to keep our First Aid Room clean and tidy, we require parent volunteers to assist us each Friday. We'd love 40 families to help - so you only have to help once a year!
For only around 15 minutes we appreciate you checking the area, changing the sheets, and returned washed sheets the following Monday. 

How to assist

• Click on the link below, choose the date you can assist, and sign up.
• You will not require an account or to keep a password. 
• If you would prefer not to use your email address, please email the school and your details can be entered manually to include you on the roster. 
• To assist with tidying the First Aid room please sign up here: 

https://signup.com/go/bpUzddO

 

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Planning has began for 2023 classes. To help us in this process, if your child/children will not be returning to Wattle Park Primary School next year, please complete the Exit Form and sent it back to school as soon as possible.
Thank you.

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Support our local business!!!

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