School News

19th April, 2018

Values:

Respect Excellence Co-operation Responsibility School Mission- The community of Glenroy West Primary School works in partnership to inspire every child to do their best and encourages them to grow and achieve excellence

School Vision - Inspire, Grow, Achieve

IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR

School Website: www.glenroywestps.vic.edu.au

Term 2 April Monday 23rd April-Grade 1-2 Excursion to the Werribee Zoo Tuesday 24th April-Parents and Friends Group Meeting Wednesday 25th April-Anzac Day Holiday- No Students at School Thursday 26th April-School Photos May Tuesday 1stMay-Grade3-4 Excursion to Immigration Museum Thursday 3rd May- Grade 5-6 Excursion to Museum of Australia Democracy Ballarat Wednesday 16th May-Prep Information Night 6.00pm-7.00pm Wednesday 23rdMay- Book Fair-Book Sales Thursday 24th May-Prep Incursion Responsible Pet Education Program Pet Incursion TO CELEBRATE EDUCATION WEEK- 21st- 25th May Thursday – 24th May- OPEN DAY Education Week- 9.00am-3.00pm Wednesday June 6th OPEN DAY 9.30am- 12.00pm OPEN DAYS 2018:- SCHOOL TOURS FROM 9.15am- 3.00pm

THURSDAY 24TH MAY & WEDNESDAY 6TH JUNE June Monday 4th June- Prep Excursion Museum

Principal’s Report Pamela Streete

Welcome back after our Term 1 holiday and Easter break. Hopefully families were able to have some quality time together and enjoy some happy experiences. We find ourselves ready to head into term 2 and here are some up and coming dates for the diaries as stated above. Sun Smart In keeping with our Sun Smart policy children are required to continue wearing their hats until the end of April and then again from Term 3.

School Mission- The community of Glenroy West Primary School works in partnership to inspire every child to do their best and encourages them to grow and achieve excellence

School Vision - Inspire, Grow, Achieve

Teaching and Learning at Glenroy West Primary School GWPS aims to deliver best teaching and learning practice which supports and develops learners who are knowledgeable and seek to display an international perspective. Teachers, students and the wider community assist in the development of lifelong learners who contribute responsibly to the global community.

Naplan Testing I have had quite a number of parents asking how they can help their child: I would suggest-

Daily silent reading – build up from 10-15 minutes to 20-30 minutes. This will assist

your child to read the test paper quickly and to concentrate for over 30 minutes

Daily Mathletics for quick revision of a range of numeracy questions.

At school we will be working on writing skills and familiarity with the test format. Sample tests are available on the Naplan site. Five tips to make the most of reading to your children Reading to your child is one of the most successful ways of instilling a love of reading in them. Children enjoy being read to, and see educational, social and emotional benefits to the practice.

1. GIVE IT ALL YOUR ATTENTION- Whatever the time, it’s important to give the book

and your children all your attention. Phones and other devices are switched off.

Where possible, we strongly suggest reading to your child becomes part of the

daily routine. The more often children are read to, the more substantial the

benefits. Reading to children is both an opportunity to model how the written

word sounds and a chance for family bonding.

2. ENGAGE WITH THE STORY-Sharing your response to a book and encouraging

children’s responses stimulates critical thinking. These techniques enhance learning

and comprehension, but they shouldn’t upset the fluidity of the reading

experience. Beneficial for a range of reading skills, such as reading comprehension,

word recognition and vocabulary building.

3. THERE’S NO AGE LIMIT- You can begin reading to your child from early infancy. The

skills infants and young children develop through shared reading can set them up

for literacy achievement in their subsequent schooling years.

4. PICK A BOOK YOU BOTH ENJOY-We suggest a book that interests both you and

your child. Reading together is a great opportunity to share your passions while

broadening your children’s horizons through making diverse book choices. It’s a

good idea to take your child to the library and model how to choose a book for

shared reading.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT YOUR STYLE-Not all of us are destined to be award winning

voice actors and that’s ok. It’s great to use expression and adopt different voices,

but not everyone will feel able to do this. Being taken in to the virtual reality of a

story is a memorable, pleasurable experience that stays with us forever. Reading

aloud provides parents with a valuable opportunity to slow down, relax and share

the wonderful world of books with their children.

PYP LEARNER

PROFILES

ATTRIBUTES

Inquirers

Knowledgeable Thinkers Communicators Principled Open-minded Caring Risk-takers Balanced Reflective

School Mission- The community of Glenroy West Primary School works in partnership to inspire every child to do their best and encourages them to grow and achieve excellence

School Vision - Inspire, Grow, Achieve

Premiers Reading Challenge The Premiers’ Reading Challenge has been launched for 2018. Glenroy West is taking part in the challenge from now until it closes on 7th September. Since the challenge began 14 years ago, more than 2.5 million students have turned the pages of nearly 45 million books. Regular reading from an early age is vital for success at school and has lifelong benefits. The Challenge encourages children to read more and promotes a love of reading, as well as supporting the Education State target to have more students reaching the highest achievements in reading. We hope you can encourage your child/children to read as many books as possible to foster the enjoyment and love of reading.

SCHOOL UNIFORM AVAILABLE ONLINE Please be advised you can also purchase school uniform online on our school website under Student, then click on Uniform and go to essential Clothing on their website. FREE DELIVERY AVAILABLE IN LOCAL AREAS ONLY. Mobile: 0409 185 524 Please Note: Uniform Shop will be opened on Monday 23rd April, 2018 at 8.30am-10.30am as Wednesday 25th April, 2018 is Anzac day and public holiday.

OSCH PROGRAM- BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL CARE Please phone OSCH Coordinator Donna Kirby for any bookings on her Mobile 0422 584 965. If your child is attending OSCH School Care please ensure you have completed the application form. All bookings need to be communicated to Donna via the mobile above 0422 584 965.

ABSENCES When your child is absent or late to school we are required to present a reason for the absence to the Department of Education DET. You are welcome to write a note to the class teacher brought to school by your child on their return. There are other avenues you can use to inform us of your child’s absence. A phone call or via Compass is extremely helpful. It is very important that children attend school daily except if they are unwell or in extreme circumstances. We know that every day at school counts! There are a few bugs around again and as winter approaches we can expect more. Our teachers also get sick from time to time and need time away. It is just as important that a teacher does not come to school sick, as it is for a child. Please explain to your child that this

is part of life and the school will cover the grade internally or with a replacement teacher who will operate the teacher’s program. Thank you for your understanding.

PYP ATTITUDES

Appreciation

Enthusiasm

Cooperation

Creativity

Confidence

Commitment

Curiosity

Integrity

Empathy

Tolerance

Independence

Respect

School Mission- The community of Glenroy West Primary School works in partnership to inspire every child to do their best and encourages them to grow and achieve excellence

School Vision - Inspire, Grow, Achieve

EVERY DAY COUNTS- ATTENDANCE It is DET policy for parents/carers to be contacted on the first day of absence from 2018. At Glenroy West Primary School we are committed to providing your child with an excellent education. The building blocks of an excellent education begins with all students coming to school each and every day. Regular school attendance is vital and missing school days can have a big impact on a child’s future. Missing one day a fortnight will equate to missing four full weeks by the end of the year. Each day a student misses school puts them behind and can affect their educational outcomes. Some of the reasons for student absence at GWPS

Staying home to celebrate a birthday

Going shopping

Looking after a sibling

Spending time with a relative

Extended weekends

Overseas travel

Dental and medical appointment

Illness

If for any reason your child must be absent from school, parents or guardians are required to provide written notification, stating the reason for their child’s absence. Parents/carers will be contacted on the first day of absence from the beginning of 2018. This information will be retained by the teacher and archived by the school. This is a DET requirement. Please be aware from March 1st 2014, new federal government laws will mean that parents can be fined for not sending students to school without an acceptable reason. If you are having attendance issues with your child, please inform your child’s teacher so we can work together to get your child to school every day. Kind regards and enjoy your week, Pam Streete Principal …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

ICAS TESTING DATES

Subject School Year

Official Sitting Date

Digital Technologies

Yr 3-6 8 May 2018 - Tue

Science Yr 2 -6 29 May 2018 - Tue Spelling Yr 2-6 13 June 2018 - Wed

Writing Yr 3-6 14 June 2018 -Thur

English Yr 2-6 31 July 2018 - Tue

Mathematics Yr 2 -6 14 Aug 2018 - Tue

Glenroy West Primary School

York Street P.O. Box 547

GLENROY 3046 Phone: 9306 8955

Fax: 9300 1028

19th April 2018 Demolition of Middle Building Dear Parents/ Carers, The demolition of the middle building began on the first day of Term 2 as you may have noticed. As required all OH&S precautions are in place and the necessary fencing provided around this area. We are expecting the demolition to be completed by the end of this week or early next week at the latest. We do acknowledge and understand this is a temporary inconvenience and we thank you for your patience and ongoing cooperation. Kind regards Pam Streete Principal

…………………………………………………………………………

Dear Parents/carers,

Just a reminder that school photos are on Thursday 26th April,2018. Please ensure that all students are in their full school uniform.

Please ensure that all money is correct and handed to the School Pix representative on that day. Can you also ensure that the correct order form is for your child.

No money will be accepted at the school office for school photos.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

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Helpful Parenting Tips

Below is an excerpt from a web page on parenting that I found very interesting with some great tips for

parents. Here is a snippet from it.

"You Can Fake Like You Care, But You Can't Fake Being There." By Mac and Barbara Bledsoe Source: www.parentingwithdignity.com

In the lives of our kids it is often easy to become caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life and forget to "show up" in our kid's lives. It is common, in the hurry of the day to speak much more cheerfully to the person serving coffee at the Quick-Stop on the way to work than to those in our family that we love. It never hurts to stop and develop a plan for SHOWING THAT WE CARE, and not just assuming that others know it.

Here is a list of 20 ways that we can show our love for our children: (and remember that spouses can benefit from the same loving actions!)

1. Notice them... get caught staring at them-even throw in a wink.

2. Answer their questions with full attention at eye level.

3. Create traditions and fight for them.

4. Laugh at their jokes.

5. Include them in your jokes.

6. Smile a lot.

7. Acknowledge them with a heartfelt "Good morning!" and a "Hi!" when you see them.

8. Discuss their dreams (nightmares included.)

9. Be relaxed in their presence. Just sit with them.

10. Say their names.

11. Contribute to their collections.

12. Hide surprises for them to find.

13. Kneel, squat, sit so that you are at their eye level.

14. Go and find them at unexpected times.

15. Play outside together.

16. Surprise them.

17. Remember their birthdays and other significant days in their lives. ("This was the day that you

took your first step, trip to the doctor, etc.)

18. Ask them about themselves.

19. When they ask your advice give them options.

20. Listen to the answers.

Remember that you can fake like you care but you can't fake being there. The common element to each item on the above list is time. Kids spell love "t-i-m-e!"

Enjoy your children. 20 more tips next week.

Anne Kyriacou

Assistant Principal

Road Safety – Everyone’s responsibility Keeping our kids safe as they get to and from school is everyone’s responsibility. As kids come to and from school it’s important for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to be aware and take extra care during these busy times. Even a small reduction in speed could save a child’s life.

To help keep our kids safe, it’s important for drivers to:

slowdown in school speed zones during school times

be extra cautious around schools

be aware that young children can be unpredictable and difficult to see

Kids can stay safe by:

learning about road safety – resources include Kids on the Move and Bike Ed

practicing crossing the road with parents

School speed zone signs

Keep an eye out for the following signs and make sure to travel within the speed limit shown. Advance warning signs

Prepare to slow down as you approach as school speed zone. Many of these signs will have a yellow background. Permanent School zone sign

Slow down to 40km/h at all times. Time-based school zone sign

Slow down during school times to keep kids safe as they travel to and from school.

Keep our student safe! Anne Kyriacou Assistant Principal