
August 2nd, 2023
'The Puggle Post'
OUR SCHOOL VISION:
"Wandong Primary School...Making a difference by developing confident, independent and resilient learners who strive for personal excellence."
What's on What's Due
AUGUST | 2023 |
---|---|
Wednesday 2nd | Foundation 100 Days of School |
Friday 4th | Dance Club/Choir Consent & Payment Due |
Wednesday 9th | Crumbs & Co orders close today |
Thursday 10th | Second Hand Uniform Sale 3pm - 4pm (North end of hall) |
Friday 11th | Foundation 2024 - Written Enrolment Confirmation |
Friday 11th | Working Bee - 5/6C, 3/4M, FI |
Monday 14th – 18th | National Science Week |
Tuesday 15th | Curriculum Day – Network Student Free Bookings now available at https://theircare.com.au/ |
Friday 18th | CRUMBS & CO DRIVE - Orders to be collected from school in the afternoon. Details to come. |
Wednesday 23rd | Book Week Parade 9.10am - Dress up as your favourite book character (Weather permitting) |
Wednesday 23rd - Tuesday 29th | Book Fair |
Monday 21st – Friday 25th | Book Week – Read, Grow, Inspire |
Friday 25th | Mitchell District Athletics - Meadowglen Selected students - Grades 3 - 6 |
Wednesday 30th | Father’s Day Stall |
SEPTEMBER | 2023 |
Friday 8th | Working Bee - 5/6E, 3/4N, 1/2E, FK |
Wednesday 13th | Wandong Gratitude Games #tabloidsportsday Consent & Payment Due |
Thursday 14th | R U Ok? Day |
Friday 15th | Wandong Gratitude Games #tabloidsportsday |
Friday 15th | Last day Term 3 – 2:30 Dismissal |
Saturday 16th – Friday 29th | School Holidays |
OCTOBER | 2023 |
Friday 13th | Grade 5/6 Surf Camp - Consent & Payment Due |
Friday 13th | Grade 3/4 Camp – Consent & Payment Due |
Friday 13th | Grade 1/2 Camp – Consent & Payment Due |
Friday 13th | Foundation Day Camp – Consent & Payment Due |
NOVEMBER | 2023 |
Wed 8th – Fri 10th | Grade 3/4 Camp |
Mon 13th – Tues 14th | Grade 1/2 Camp |
Wednesday 15th | Parent Event – Susan McLean – Cyber Cop, Keeping our Kids Safe Online. Please email or call the office to book in for this event. |
Friday 17th | Foundation Day Camp |
Mon 20th – Wed 22nd | Grade 5/6 Surf Camp |
DECEMBER | 2023 |
Monday 4th | Foundation 2024 Meet the Teacher |
Tuesday 12th | 2024 Foundation Transition Day |
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Modernisation and Upgrades
As our school community would be aware, Wandong Primary School received $10.1 million as a part of the Labour Government’s commitment to modernise and upgrade Victorian schools. Last term our leadership team attended a briefing to begin the initial stage of this process, which will ultimately lead to the development of a new school Master Plan, carried out over the course of the next several years.
Factored into this Master Plan will also be the additional $200,000 Inclusive Schools Grant, and our local PAFA fundraising that we continue to save, bringing forward our 2022 total of $30,000. Our PAFA fundraising continues to be saved and put away to make a strategic plan and design. This project will involve the development of a new outdoor inclusive learning space, which will give children of all ages and abilities new ways to socialise, develop and learn through play.

We are very excited to take the first few steps towards this modernisation project, which will hope to see new life breathed into our school, while still maintaining our small school, rural/natural feel. We will keep our community updated through our newsletter space, as new information and timelines arise throughout the project.
This term we will be working with the Victorian Schools Building Association regarding our grant, as well as our capital works project and the process forward. When we begin working out the scope of works for our capital works and our playground, we are excited to be able to build bigger and better with the additional fundraising we had from last year, as well as what we can potentially fundraise this year. We are eternally grateful to our very active and supportive PAFA team who work tirelessly to bring much needed funds into the school. Unfortunately, as a government school, the basic educational funding just doesn’t cover all that we desperately need. We truly value the part our families play in supporting the efforts of this awesome school we are privileged to be a part of.
Enrolments and Planning for 2024
At this stage we have reached capacity in all grades for 2024. It is imperative that we have the enrolments of any children for whom we are the closest school. Conversely, any parents who know their children will not be continuing at Wandong in 2024, please let the school know in writing as soon as possible. Even if you are not sure at this stage, a note about the possibility that this may occur is always helpful. Enrolment numbers affect our staffing decisions and the number of classes we have. It is important that we are able to predict, as closely as possible, what our expected enrolments will be in 2024.
Foundation Transition
It was lovely to welcome so many of our new Foundation families to the school for our Launchpad Program on Monday night. In the coming weeks, we are excited to be holding our first Launchpad Learning classes! Launchpad Learning is a series of onsite classes for kinder age students. These fun and playful sessions are designed to begin teaching the necessary skills for children to read and write, before coming to school. Launchpad Learning is an original program designed by Wandong PS and is free for all 2024 Foundation students and their families. So far, we have had over 80 students enrol for Launchpad Learning and we can’t wait to start working with our youngest students to “start ahead, to stay ahead” in their first year of school.
Parent Guardian Opinion Survey
WE WANT OUR FAMILIES TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK!
Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents think of our school. The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is conducted amongst a sample of randomly selected families. It is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, student engagement and experiences of remote and flexible learning. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies.
The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the fieldwork period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones.
150 families will be invited to participate and this will be open from Monday 7th August until Friday 8th September. Please ensure you action this asap if you receive this email.
Foundation 100 Days of School
Our Foundation students celebrate 100 days of school on Wednesday – a significant first milestone. By my calculations, roughly only 2500 to go before graduating secondary school!!! I’m sure we will see a few photo highlights of the celebrations on our schools official Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/3619617971385556
WELLBEING
Social and Emotional Wellbeing Learning in 1/2S
1/2S has been focusing on identifying different emotions, as well as strategies to regulate these emotions. Grade One and Two students have learned to distinguish between a mean moment, conflict, misunderstanding and bullying. We have also been learning how these social situations can make us feel and how to handle them. This week we looked at what a ‘mean moment’ is. Mean moments are when someone reacts to a situation in an angry way. We learned how to avoid having a mean moment by verbalising our feelings and identifying when we feel our anger bubbling up. Students worked to find individual strategies to calm down if they are feeling overwhelmed.





NOTICES
Office Hours
Please note that the school office hours are 8:30am until 4:15pm.
Picking Up Children – Please help our admin team!
IMPORTANT – Mobile Phone/Watch/Device Policy
In 2020, DET introduced strict restrictions on the use of any device with access to a cellular system, with or without a physical connection to a network. Where students bring a device of this type to school, it MUST be placed in secure storage at the office.
IMPORTANT – Student Information
It is very important we have up-to-date information for all students. Please check Compass and update current home & email addresses, phone numbers & medical details.

Uniform Orders
When ordering uniforms through Compass, use Canteen. See below for how to order.
Going paperless will reduce waste & conserve our natural resources.
Please Note:
Select the following day as your order date if current day if current date is closed, even if it’s a weekend!
The Book Fair is coming to Wandong Primary School!
It will be arriving on 23rd August and will be here until 29th August. Come by before school (8:30am – 9:00am) or after school (3:30pm – 4:00pm) and support our school whilst getting your hands on the best new children’s books!


PAFA
Next Meeting: Thursday August 24th @ 9.15am in the staffroom
SPARE CHANGE CHALLENGE
On August 11, the classroom with the most change will be the lucky receipients of a move afternoon complete with snacks!!
Just 1 more week to go!!

DONATIONS WANTED FOR FETE 2023
PAFA is asking families with any unwanted soft toys or books to donate them to the school for the fete in 2023. The items must be in great condition as they will be on sold to a new family for them to be loved.
Books can be children’s, young adult or adult, fiction or non-fiction, but please ensure that covers and content is appropriate for the schoolyard.
Soft toys can be donated if they are machine washable. Simply to ensure we can give all toys a good wash before they go to their new home.
Donations can be dropped at the office. Thanks in advance.


Sponsors for the School Fete
If you would like information on becoming a sponsor for the 2023 fete please text Steph on 0408 039 935.
CRUMBS & CO DRIVE – TERM 3
Orders open 24th July on Flexischools & close 9th August. All items ordered will be frozen and must be picked up from school the afternoon of 18th August. More information will roll out as it gets closer. GF available.
6 pk sausage rolls $22
Brownie mix $9
20pk dumplings $24
4pk assorted cookie doughnuts $16


INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC INFORMATION

THEIRCARE
