Heany Park Primary School Newsletter

January 28, 2021 Edition 1

From the Principal’s Desk

We welcome everyone back to school, especially our new Prep students who are starting on Monday. For them this is a particularly momentous week, marking the beginning of their school education. It marks the next step in their lifelong learning journey. Irrespective of whether a student is entering Prep or commencing in Year 6, the start of the school year is a period of anticipation, excitement and sometimes apprehension.

We thank you for entrusting the care of your children to us at Heany Park. All staff work as a team to ensure the schoolyard and the classrooms are safe, nurturing places where students can thrive and learn. We create a learning environment that peaks curious minds while cultivating respect for others. We understand we have a great responsibility in our work as educators and set high expectations. It is a privilege to be in such rewarding work.

All students will be involved in creating ‘Essential Agreements’ in their classrooms and learning spaces to ensure that each student and teacher can be the best they can be. Look out for these as they will be sent home when completed.

Welcome to New Staff at Heany Park PS

We have one new staff member this year, Mr Bambang Murtjono who will be teaching

Indonesian across all levels of the school. We know you will make him feel very welcome.

International Baccalaureate - Learning Goals at Heany Park Primary School

This year we are going through an evaluation

process with the IB in Term 2, after four years

of being an authorised IB PYP world school.

This will help us form new goals and plans to

focus on for the next period of development.

We also will be going through a review process

with DET in term 3.

Our Annual Implementation Plan for 2021 is

focussing on core work:

Goal a: Learning, catch up and extension

priority

KIS: Increase teacher skill in formative

assessment to identify area of student need to

plan for differentiation

Goal b: Happy, active and healthy kids

KIS: Empower students to be metacognitive and have agency in their learning

Goal c: Connected schools priority

KIS: To create connections between learning at school and at home to build an effective

partnership to enhance wellbeing, achievement and engagement by focusing on student needs

To this end we are working on developing our students to have agency.

What is agency?

Agency is the power to take meaningful and intentional action, and acknowledges the rights and

responsibilities of the individual, supporting voice, choice and ownership for everyone in the

learning community.

Students with agency:

Have voice, choice and ownership; and a propensity to take action

Influence and direct learning

Contribute to and participate in the learning community

The Annual Implementation Plan will be presented to Council at the next meeting.

Student Leadership Roles/Captains Our four School Captains for 2021 were announced at a virtual

assembly on the last day of term in December. Congratulations

to Nicole Pranjic, Arien Manuel, Ben Miller and Madison Teh.

The process for the selection of other student leadership roles

will take place on Monday 1 Feb. All students in the senior

school are viewed as leaders and we thank them all for their

enthusiasm in applying for the positions and their willingness to have a voice at Heany Park PS.

We also have Peer Mediation training and roles still to be allocated.

The roles were redesigned by the current year 6 students last year:

Role Possible Responsibilities

School Captains 2 Boys 2 Girls

Assemblies, tours, announcements, teacher help, excursions, displays, meetings

Sport Captains 1 Boy each house 1 Girl each house

Equipment, level sport set up, lead level sport, storeroom, house athletics, cross country, class sports equipment, games at lunch time, PMP, hoop time

STEM Captains 4 Captains

Isea Icare, turning off lights at lunch time, assemblies, computer care, recycling, nude food initiative, rubbish patrol, gardening, maths club

Visual Arts Captains 2 students

Set up activities for classes, art club at lunch, celebrations (ANZAC day), newspapers, displays, cleaning

Performing Arts Captain 2 students

Concerts, ipads, dance stars, plays, instrument care, cleaning, choir, song choice

Media/Newsletter Captains 4 students

Write and edit newsletters, facebook, photography, internet safety,

Wellbeing Captains 4 students

Help students in yard, set up activities in library during lunch, yoga club at lunch, help teachers, weekly library activity timetable, story time in library, peer mediation timetable, assist all peer mediators

Language Captains 2 students

Set up for LOTE, English awards, book week, assemblies, library help

Tutor Learning Program:

Ms Wheeler and Ms Ketheswaran are working this year as tutors as part of the Tutor Learning

Program funded by DET to ensure catch up for students after the period of remote learning.

Children may be selected to receive two or three sessions of 45 minutes each week for a period

of 5 to 8 weeks on specific identified skills or concepts. If your child is selected you will be

notified. Ms Panton will also be tutoring some students this term.

Congratulations to Ms Panton:

From Term 2 Ms Panton will be taking family leave. Our whole staff

wish Ms Panton and her husband the very best for the upcoming

birth of their first child.

Safety

Please do not drive into the staff car park and do not walk your children through.

Please use the other entrances to the school that are for pedestrians. This is to

protect all of our students.

Timetable for 2021: 8:50 to 9:00 First bell, organise for start of day 9:00 to 10:50 Learning time 10:50 to 11:20 Recess. 11:20 to 12:50 Learning time 12:50 to 1:00 Eating time in class or outside with class and teacher 1:00 to 2:00 Lunch play 2:00 to 3.30 Learning time 3:30 End of school bell

Getting to Know You Interviews 2 & 4 Feb

Parents of students in the Junior, Middle and Senior School (Years 1 to 6)

are invited to book a time to meet with their new teacher on 2 or 4 Feb

after school. A compass alert and booking in opportunity has been sent to

families. We strongly encourage this opportunity. I have attached a form

at the end of this newsletter that you may like to use to help you to plan

for this meeting and prepare information that may be of use to assist the

teacher to have helpful information about your child that will ensure we

cater for their needs in the very best manner possible.

School Council We thank our School Council for their wonderful committed work over last year.

The last meeting for this Council will be on 17 Feb 2021. Further information regarding recruitment of School Councillors for the next term of office will be sent home separately next week.

Chris Parker, Tracy Baulman, Damian Ware and Gilliam Poulton have been elected on to School Council until February 2021. School

Councillors ending their term may also renominate.

Alan McKinlay, Nilupa Dediwalage, Jacquie Nicholson and Diana Yousry are on Council until Feb 2022. Computers in school:

Staff and students are very excited to be starting the year off with a trolley of 16 computers in each class in Year 1 to 6. The Prep students have iPads. This is double the number of devices and supports access when required by students in their learning. This was a big investment by School Council approved at the end of last year.

School Council Meeting dates for 2021: 17 Feb, 17 March AGM, 12 May, 9 June, 4 Aug, 1 Sept, 27 Oct, 24 Nov Councillors are also expected to be on a subcommittee which will involve one other meeting prior to the Council meeting. Community members are welcome to attend meetings. If you are interested please contact me to make arrangements.

School Canteen:

School Canteen resumes on Friday 5 Feb. Orders can be made via

QKR on line or by placing order and cash in a brown paper bag. The

canteen will be open on Wednesdays and Fridays at recess and

lunch. Over the counter purchases can be made at recess and the

first part of lunch for items on the canteen price list. All items on this

list have been approved by School Council.

DIARY DATES FOR 2021

Term 1

27 January Curriculum Day – student free, staff focus student wellbeing

28 January First day of school for term 1, 2021 for students in Years 1-6

1 February First day of school for term 1, 2021 for students in Prep

2 & 4 February Getting to know You Interviews 3:40 to 6:45pm

12 February Senior school excursion – Life Saving Victoria at Mother’s Beach,

Mornington

16 February School Photos

17 February School Council

25 or 26 February tbc District Swimming – Kilsyth Centenary Pool, Years 2-6

4 March ISeaICare Dolphin Swim – STEM and School Captains

5 March Curriculum Day – student free

1 April Last day of term 1 early finish 2:30pm

Term 2 19 April

Curriculum Day – student free

20 April

First day of term 2

11-21 May NAPLAN

28-30 May International Baccalaureate Evaluation process

31 May – 11 June Middle School intensive swimming program

22 & 24 June Three Way Conferences

25 June Last day of term 2 early finish 2:30pm

SCHOOL CAMPS for 2021 We have booked camps for this year hoping that these can go

ahead. I am notifying you of dates for these so you can note them in

your calendar.

Middles School camp to Phillip Island – 25 – 27 October 2021

Senior School Camp to Sovereign Hill – 29 Nov to 1 December 2021

We hope your child has an amazing year at Heany Park PS. Please always let us know if you have any questions or concerns. We are only a phone call or email away. Phone 9764 5533 Email: janet.evison@education.vic.gov.au Kind regards Janet Evison Principal

Victorian Chief Health Officer message to schools and their communities

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome back the Victorian school community in 2021.

Following an incredible effort by students, staff, teachers, parents and carers last year, Victorian

schools are well placed to safely commence the new school year. Schools will return to a

largely normal program of activities, including welcoming parents and other vital members of the

school community back into their grounds.

Throughout the pandemic, Victorian schools have rapidly adapted and successfully

implemented measures to reduce the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission in school

environments. By embedding COVIDSafe principles in all its operations and reinforcing good

behaviours throughout 2020, schools have created safe spaces, and are in a strong position to

quickly respond to any coronavirus (COVID-19) risks that may emerge.

Given the current very low risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission in the community,

continued high rates of testing, wastewater monitoring, and continued observance of health and

safety measures in schools; those with medical vulnerabilities or their carers can feel reassured

that they can safely return to working and learning on site.

While we have seen outbreaks emerge over the summer break, we have also witnessed our

capacity to respond quickly to limit the impact of these outbreaks. Should community cases of

coronavirus (COVID-19) increase again, I am confident that with COVIDSafe plans in place,

alongside our ability to quickly identify and respond to cases – schools remain safe places for all

staff and students. I also continue to be reassured by evidence that children are less impacted

by the virus and are less likely to develop severe illness.

It is crucial, however, for everyone to remain vigilant – to stay home when unwell, get tested,

perform regular hand hygiene, wear a mask when required and maintain physical distancing

from others when practical. Schools should consider how they can continue to pursue strategies

that contribute to reduced transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Schools and parents continue to have an important role to promote and ensure testing when a

child or staff member has any symptoms, no matter how mild, and then stay home. Getting

tested and staying home until results are known, remains critical to limiting community

transmission.

Prof Brett Sutton

Victorian Chief Health Officer

Getting to Know You Interviews 2021 Name of Student: ……………………………………………………………………. Name of Parents: .……………………………………………………………………

Does your child have any siblings (age, if at school - grade)? …………………………………………………………………………………………. What are your child’s strengths? …………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………….. What is the main language spoken at home?........................... Are there any health concerns, allergies or medical information I need to be aware of? ………………………………………………………………………………………….. Has your child had any recent assessments (e.g. hearing, vision, O.T., speech therapy, ADD)? Please bring a copy of the report. …………………………………………………………………………………………..

Do you have any concerns about your child’s learning or behaviour? ………………………………………………………………………………………….. Are there any circumstances at home that may affect your child at school (e.g. parent who often travels, death/illness of a relative, family issues)? …………………………………………………………………………………………..

Does your child participate in any extra-curricular activities? ............................................................................................................................. Preferred method of communication: As a sustainable school we use electronic communication using Compass

Insurance Please note that school does not have personal accident insurance or ambulance cover. Personal Accident Insurance Parents are reminded that the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), does provide personal accident insurance for students. Parents and guardians are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment of injured students, including any transport/ambulance costs. Reasonable low cost accident insurance policies are available from commercial insurers. To find a suitable personal accident insurer, contact your insurance broker or search on line.

Personal Property Students should be discouraged from bringing any unnecessary or particularly valuable item to school as the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development does not hold insurance for personal property brought to schools

and it has no capacity to pay for any loss or damage to such property. Personal property includes such items as mobile phones, calculators, toys sporting equipment and cars parked on school premises. Second Hand Uniform Shop Two parents have already volunteered to run the Second Hand Uniform Shop for 2021, we thank both Meagan and Jana. Days of operation will be the First and Third Tuesdays of the month, commencing Tuesday 2nd February. Book Club Book Club brochures will be coming home either tomorrow or early next week. Please note that orders will (at this stage) be delivered to the school and come home via your child, just as we did in 2019. Payment is via Loop only (see back of catalogue for details). NO CASH will be accepted. Book Club Volunteer For many years now Claire, one of our lovely parents has been the Book Club coordinator but she leaves us at the end of 2021 as her son goes off to secondary college. We are looking for someone who may be interested in taking over this role and Claire would be more than happy to show the ropes. If you are interested, please let the office staff know and thank you.

LINEN ROSTER 2021

Thank you very much to the parents

who have volunteered to help out with the

First Aid Linen Roster.

We would love to have a few more helpers and you will

most likely only be rostered on once a term.

Please call the office on 9764 5533 if you can lend a hand.

Thank you

The HPPS Admin Team