11-Nov-2022
Dear Families
We are now only 5 full weeks from the end of the school year. It is an exciting time for our students and staff and we are committed to making the run in to the Summer break – fun, safe and joyful.
Next week we have a school-wide focus on KINDNESS to celebrate World Kindness Day which is this Sunday, November 13th.
We will acknowledge and celebrate this day by running a school-wide kindness challenge over the course of the week. We are hoping to complete a goal of students receiving 1000 kindness tokens throughout the week. If students achieve this goal, there will be a prize for all students.
Kindness comes in many forms and there is an attachment with some suggestions and examples of how we can all work together to be KIND to each other.
Staffing
Our staffing profile will look very different next year. We have staff returning to their home country, retirements x 2, family leave and an extra specialist role.
Joining us in 2023 will be Maddie Heller (who joined us for our Foundation information evening last week, Lauren Kight, Sophie Brown, Laura Cecil and Nicole Buchanan. All of whom have had experience teaching and working in schools previously. It’s exciting to welcome all new recruits and we hope to have them available for our Transition Days (Step Up Program) in December.
We’re not finished with our hiring yet. We have advertised for a second Assistant Principal role and are currently in the process of short listing. Pleasingly, there have been more applications than expected.
THANKYOU Kerri Harridge
Today we say farewell and good luck to a huge contributor to our great school. Kerri Harridge is stepping away from education for the next 12 or so months to undertake further study and has accepted an internship with parks Victoria. Kerri has been an incredible Disability Inclusion advocate this year and previously headed up a strong and vibrant Wellbeing program. Kerri will be sorely missed by our staff and many students and families with who she has worked closely with over the last 5 years. I hope you can join me in wishing her all the very best for whatever the future holds.
Election BBQ
We have had a really pleasing response to our earlier request for a few extra volunteers to assist us run this community focussed event – and we are very grateful to all those who have reached out to support this.
As is Edithvale tradition, we will again be running a BBQ (8am-4pm) to help raise funds to purchase equipment and resources for our exciting NEW Performing Arts program in 2023, and provide voters with their much needed democracy sausage.
The Election BBQs have been fantastically supported by our Edithvale community, with May’s Federal election raising over $2k to help subsidise some of our buildings and grounds works this year, including last Friday’s working bee.
Everything required for a successful event will be organised and provided so if you’re able to assist, please sign up to a shift using the link below:
https://volunteersignup.org/WK9ED
Parent payments 2023
Our School Council Finance team have developed parent payment plan for 2023. We understand the pressures associated with current cost of living expenses and as such, have made very minimal changes to this year’s plan. We believe that the plan will help our families feel connected to the targeted outcomes that these contributions are allocated to. It ensures that we can continue to provide students with the best possible opportunities for future success and it is through our programs and initiatives that Edithvale Primary School can proudly offer a learning experience beyond the basic curriculum. This has translated to an incredible improvement in NAPLAN testing outcomes over the past 5 years and sees Edithvale Primary School compare favourably to both overall state results, and those of similar schools.
Our payment plan and family statements were sent home this week and I encourage you to take a read through each of these and see how important and highly valued your contributions are to our great school.
Specifically, your support has helped to fund a range of initiatives that help underpin the education and experience we can offer students, including:
- Expansive wellbeing programs
- Robotics and aids to enhance STEM learning
- Digital learning and devices
- Decodable readers
- Installation and maintenance of our new synthetic oval, shade sails and various gardens,
And in 2023 these contributions will help us to launch our new Performing Arts program We thank you for all you support, whether that’s through fundraising or volunteering your time. This has made a huge difference to our school and the programs we can offer.
A list of key dates can be found below and an updated Calendar is on our website Term-4-calendar-2022.pdf (edithvaleps.vic.edu.au)
A new addition to the calendar is the Community Christmas Picnic Concert.
We are eager to celebrate the festive season with our school community with a Christmas Picnic Concert on Friday December 9th from 4pm – 6pm.
All Year levels will be represented by students who will lead you through some Christmas singing from a stage at the back of the oval and we hope that you can bring your singing voices and a picnic.
We are proud to be partnering with OzChild through their Wishing Tree initiative as part of our celebrations and desire to spread the magic of Christmas as far and wide as possible.
OzChild is a leading child welfare organisation committed to improving the lives of at-risk children, young people, and families for over 170 years. OzChild works hard every day to provide a better future for those in their care, with the
belief that every child and young person deserves the chance to shine. The team are focused on providing support for children and young people in foster or kinship care and keeping families together where possible through the delivery
of evidence-based programs and evidenced-informed services aimed at strengthening and repairing relationships.
Each year they conduct the OzChild Wishing Tree – seeking donated gifts for children and young people in our care to help brighten their lives and put smiles on faces at Christmas time.
While Christmas is usually a time of excitement and delight for children and young people, often the superheroes (foster carers) struggle to make Christmas a special time as they face difficulties trying to make ends meet.
The OzChild Wishing Tree initiative allows us to spread the magic of Christmas to children and make it a day worth looking forward to. So, this Christmas we would love for you to be part of Wishing Tree and help us make their wishes come true!
We will be collecting our school’s Christmas tree on November 25 and we will share further information about how our families can get involved with the Wishing Tree at that time.
There will be a raffle held with money raised being directly reinvested into purchasing a Defibrillator and new Shade sails.
We hope that you can join us for plenty of singing and laughter and possibly even a visit from a special guest
Families are encouraged to bring a picnic blanket, snacks and refreshments
Mobile Phone Policy
Thank you to all families who have helped support this policy after this week’s focus.
This policy outlines the requirements of the Minister for Education relating to students using mobile phones during school hours. It can be found on the Department’s website https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/students-using-mobile-phones/policy
A summary is included below.
- Students who choose to bring mobile phones to school must have them switched off and securely stored during school hours.
- For the purpose of this policy, a mobile phone is a telephone with access to a cellular (telecommunication) system, with or without a physical connection to a network.
- Exceptions to the policy may be applied if certain conditions are met. Exceptions can be granted by the principal, or by a teacher. Exceptions must be documented.
- Where students bring a mobile phone to school, the school must provide secure storage.
- Schools are required to develop a local policy on students using mobile phones, which must include how this ministerial policy will be implemented and may include other personal devices in addition to mobile phones.
- Schools will manage non-compliance with their local mobile phone policy in accordance with their existing student engagement polices.
Working Bee
It was wonderful to see so many families and staff members at last week’s working bee to make a positive difference to our school. Many hands do indeed make light work and we managed to build a new sandpit (that has been the source of much excitement for many students this week), plant some fruit trees and a couple of banksias, create a new Science garden and spread some mulch around a couple of playgrounds.
Sincere thanks to the School Council Buildings and Grounds team to help make this event so successful and for the resulting improvements.
Coffee Van
Each Friday we will have Jackson and his coffee van back onsite. Jackson ‘The Coffee Chief’ is a local and has offered to serve our school community coffees and other hot drinks from 8:30- 9:30 am. It is a great opportunity to catch up and connect with other families and we’re hoping that this can become a regular feature on Friday mornings and at other school events in the weeks and months to come. Jackson will be set up on the basketball courts.
Invitation to families
Disability Inclusion Survey (family survey)
Disability Inclusion is increasing support for students with disability to ensure every student at every ability thrives at school and in life. Disability Inclusion is being rolled out to Victoria’s 1500+ Victorian government schools between 2021-2025, delivering:
- A new strengths-based Disability Inclusion Profile
- A tiered school funding model
- Increased workforce capability to provide inclusive education
The Department have engaged Deloitte Access Economics to undertake an independent evaluation of Disability Inclusion.
As part of this evaluation, Deloitte is conducting a short online survey (no more than 15 minutes) of families in Victorian government schools implementing Disability Inclusion.
The survey aims to capture family awareness and understanding of Disability Inclusion, any adjustments made at a student-level and attitudes towards inclusion of students with disability more generally.
As part of this evaluation, Deloitte is surveying all families with children enrolled in Victorian government schools. This includes families who have children with disabilities and those who do not.
Please note, participation is entirely voluntary, and families are under no obligation to participate. If you wish to provide input, you can complete the survey here: family survey. We want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate.
If you would prefer an alternative way to share your experiences and perspectives (such as completion via phone) please email: diproject@deloitte.com.au.
Student Preferences
Thank you to the families who have submitted requests to help us create our 2023 classes.
Determining the composition of classes for 2023 is a comprehensive process undertaken by our teaching team each year. It involves many hours of consideration, and the overriding goal is to achieve a balance of competencies across each class at each Year level. The factors that are analysed to achieve this balance include a spread of academic abilities as well as a mixture of social skills and behavioural characteristics.
Edithvale Primary School recognises the importance of fostering and maintaining friendship groups. We also understand that it is equally important for students to mix and learn with peers who have different interests. However, in some cases friendship preferences of students may not be facilitated if teachers feel that it is in the best interests of a student to separate him/her from another student. This is to help us ensure all students maximise the stimulating and engaging learning opportunities that we provide at school.
Students are guaranteed ONE friend. It may not be their ‘best’ friend, but it will certainly be one the student has indicated that they would like to work with next year.
Another consideration, when working through this process, is our school’s focus on student resilience. While every effort will be made to ensure the smooth transition into the new year for all students, we will continue to build a community of resilient learners with a positive outlook and a ‘growth mindset’. This will accompany our School Wide Positive Behaviour work. We encourage parents and guardians to use similar language when working with your child throughout this process.
If you would like to request that your child, be placed in a class with a particular friend or friends, please ensure that
you make this request by Monday November 14 so that we can consider your request in organising our classes for
the following year.
Requests for class placements need be made in writing each year, noting that circumstances/friendships change, outlining who you would like your child to be placed with and why. Requests can be addressed to James Whitla and Hayley Grindley via the school’s email edithvale.ps@education.vic.gov.au We will not always be able to accommodate class placement requests but will endeavour to take your wishes into consideration where possible.
In previous years, though rarely, we have received conflicting requests from families where some families have requested students to be placed in class together while at the same time the same family has requested students to be apart. Our professional judgment will ultimately be used to decide the best composition of classes.
Please take a moment to read the attached letter that includes further details about our philosophy and process.
Kind regards,
James Whitla
Key dates:
- November 14 to 18 – Year 5 Bike Education
- November 24 – Melbourne United Basketball Clinic- whole school
- November 25 – Foundation to Year 2 Athletics Fun Day
- December 1 and 8 – Year 5 and 6 Life Saving
- December 2 and 9 – Year 3 and 4 Life saving
- December 9 – Community Christmas Picnic 4 – 6 pm
- December 15 – Year 6 Graduation
- December 16 – Welcome to Country and Smoking ceremony at 9:15 am Assembly
- December 16 – Class parties and School Colour Fun Run
- December 19 – Students’ final day of school and dismissal after a 1:30 pm Assembly
- December 20 – Student Free day, TeamKids in operation
I wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which we meet, the Bunurong- members of the eastern
Kulin Nations – and pay my respects to elders past present and emerging. I wish to acknowledge all First Nations
people in the room and pay respects to them. I note further that these lands were never ceded and are, and always
will be, Aboriginal Lands.