
June 5th, 2024
'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
JUNE | 2024 |
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Wednesday 5th | Important: - Sibling Enrolment forms are now due |
Wednesday 5th | Grade 3/4 Wellbeing Incursion - Consent and payment due today |
Wednesday 5th | Whittlesea Division Cross Country - Selected students |
Thursday 6th | Pizza Day |
Friday 7th | Three-Way Conference bookings are now open |
Monday 10th | Kings Birthday Holiday |
Wednesday 12th | Foundation C & M Excursion - VEG Education |
Wednesday 12th | Scholastic Book Club orders close today |
Thursday 13th | Young Leaders Day at Beveridge Consent/Payment due - Selected students only |
Friday 14th | Young Leaders Day at Beveridge - Selected students only |
Friday 14th | Working Bee - FM, 1/2M & 5/6F 2.30pm - 3.30pm Parents welcome |
Friday 14th | Foundation A & S Excursion - VEG Education |
Wednesday 19th | NMR Cross Country - Selected students only |
Thursday 20th | Grade 3/4 Wellbeing Incursion |
Friday 21st | Three-Way Conference bookings close 9:00am |
Friday 21st | Out of Uniform Day - Dress in Pink |
Wednesday 26th | Three Way Conferences - Alternate Day - If your child requires care, please book in at https://theircare.com.au/ |
Friday 28th | Community connections - breakfast morning (pancakes on bbq and coffee van) 9:00 am - 10:00am |
Friday 28th | Last Day Term 2 |
JULY | 2024 |
Friday 12th | Grade 5/6 Interschool Sport - Summer Tournament - Consent and Payment Due |
Monday 15th | First Day Term 3 |
Monday 15th | Whittlesea Division. GIRLS & BOYS AFL FINALS - Consent/Payment due -Selected students only |
Monday 15th - Friday 19th | NAIDOC Week |
Friday 19th | Grade 5/6 Interschool Sport - Summer Tournament |
Monday 22nd | Whittlesea Division. BOYS AFL FINALS -Selected Students only |
Wednesday 24th | Whittlesea Division. GIRLS AFL FINALS -Selected Students only |
AUGUST | 2024 |
Thursday 1st | Foundation 100 Days |
Monday 12th - Friday 16th | National Science Week in 2024 |
Thursday 15th | Working Bee - FS, 1/2H & 5/6C 2.30pm - 3.30pm Parents welcome |
Monday 19th | Launch Pad Program For Parents - Special evening for those with a submitted application 6pm - 7pm |
Monday 19th - 23rd | Book Week 2024 - Reading is Magic |
Wednesday 28th | Father's Day Stall |
Thursday 29th | Father's Day Stall - Catch up day |
SEPTEMBER | 2024 |
Wednesday 4th | Foundation Water Safety Program - Consent due |
Monday 9th - Friday 13th | Foundation Water Safety Program |
Friday 13th | Working Bee - FA, 1/2G, 5/6E 2.30pm- 3.30pm Parents welcome |
Friday 20th | Last Day Term 3 |
OCTOBER | 2024 |
Monday 7th | First Day Term 4 |
NOVEMBER | 2024 |
Friday 1st | Foundation Day Camp - Consent and payment due today |
Friday 1st | Grade 1/2 Camp - Consent and payment due today |
Friday 1st | Grade 3/4 Camp - Consent and payment due today |
Friday 1st | Grade 5/6 Camp - Consent and payment due today |
Monday 4th | Curriculum Day - No Students โ If your child requires care, please book in at https://theircare.com.au/ |
Friday 8th | Working Bee - FC, 1/2W & 5/6B 2.30pm- 3.30pm Parents welcome |
Monday 18th - Wednesday 20th | Grade 3/4 Camp - Log Cabin Camp |
Friday 22nd | Foundation Day Camp |
Monday 25th -Tuesday 26th | Grade 1/2 Camp - Overnight Camp "Camp Weekaway" |
Wednesday 27th - Friday 29th | Grade 5/6 Camp - The Ranch |
DECEMBER | 2024 |
Monday 2nd | Professional Practice Day (Student Free) - If your child requires care, please book in at https://theircare.com.au/ |
Tuesday 3rd | Whole School Colour Run Day @ L B Davern |
Friday 6th | Working Bee - 1/2L, 3/4G & 3/4B 2.30pm- 3.30pm Parents welcome |
Friday 20th | Last Day Term 4 |
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Gratitude Reflection
Today I sit here and reflect on how truly blessed I am to lead such an awesome community. Bear with me as I paint a picture for my gratitudeโฆ Iโm now approaching my fifth year as Principal of Wandong and I recall fondly my first newsletter article from Term 4 2019:
Proud to be Appointed as Principal of Wandong Primary School
I have to admit that I am absolutely overwhelmed and sitting on cloud nine still, following the announcement just prior to the end of Term Three. I wanted to extend a thousand THANK YOUS for all the wonderful support and encouraging words from so many of our community.
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At the end of 2003 I moved from Portland back to the Melbourne area where I grew up, buying a small property in Sunday Creek. I did my homework on all the local schools in my area and knew that Wandong was the school I wanted to call home one day. Some sixteen years later, this dream has come to pass.
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Iโve worked in a vast array of schools over my career and have spent the last seven years leading the community of Rosanna Golf Links. As much as a little piece of me is left at this school I am excited to have now found the โperfect fitโ; Wandong to me is the โperfect fitโ. I am looking forward to investing into โmyโ community.
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There is a very real culture at Wandong, which is hard to pin point or put into words. To me it has been a baton of honour that has been built and proudly presented to me to uphold and improve. I am passionate about growing and developing what is already a positive culture and leading Wandong into a new era of excellence and high expectations. ย ย ย
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Leading a school is more than managing staff and students. Itโs about individual families, the wider community and building sustainable, collaborative, productive relationships. I recognize the primary role of the family in education and promote families and schools to work together in partnership. I believe effective schools have high levels of parental and community involvement, which can be related to improved student learning, attendance and behaviour. I see family engagement as an integral component at Wandong. Henry Ford argues: โComing together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success!โ
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As we travel through the 21st Century, I find myself as the Principal of Wandong Primary School, charged with the responsibility of preparing young people to thrive in a world characterized by rapid and accelerating change, an amazing explosion of information and choices, and an urgent need for people to build healthy relationships and work together for worthwhile, ethical purposes.
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I chose to be a teacher, it wasnโt a second choice degree for me, and I was and always will be adamant on making a difference for as many children as I can. I am also a qualified Foster Care Worker. I voluntarily care for children who are unable to live in their own home for short and long periods of time. Iโve stretched my family circle to give children and young people the necessary care, safety and support that they require during very difficult times in their lives. I have a student/child first philosophy in my work and in my personal day to day walk in life.
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I didnโt just choose ANY school. I chose THIS school, THIS staff, THESE kids, THESE families and THIS community. Iโm here because I love it!
Iโm excited about working together to โMake a Differenceโ.
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Wandong has come so far in these past four to five years and we are now reaping so many rewards from the hard work invested in teaching and learning. Our student learning outcomes are exceeding state averages and our wellbeing model is spruiked as best practice within our network and beyond. Wandong is renowned for its teaching approaches and we now have many visitors from a variety of universities and several schools across the state. Over these years, I have fought painstakingly with different government bodies, council and the VSBA (Victorian Schools Building Authority) and writing many an email every year fighting for much needed facility improvements.
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We are now at the pointy end of our schematic design for our $10.1 million capital works building project, as well as our $250K Inclusive Schools Playground. Our playground is scheduled for completion this year and our buildings are to begin very early next year.
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Since arriving in 2019 I have had significant feedback regarding our sporting facilities and play spaces, namely the appalling condition of our ovalโฆ we are now in the position to do something about this! With a massive THANK YOU to our community and PAFA for tirelessly fundraising and staying the course in saving our โbiccyโsโ as they say. We are crazy excited to announce that we are looking to start work on synthetic turfing the tiered area in front of the flag pole for passive play and also developing the oval into a sporting space with variety of team sport possibilities. This will include significant drainage upgrades, as well as building some rock seating onto the bank area, similar to our retaining wall at the front of the school. So, with our accumulated fundraising and additional saved school funding, we can begin this project during the upcoming school holidays. This is great timing, as our oval is often out of bounds over winter and with our planned building works on the block, this timing ensures that our children will have a play space whilst that project is being completed.
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Butโฆ ITโS NOT OVERโฆ we have also designed our basketball court area above the oval, to be completed when the capital works is finished and Little Land is demolished. We now need to continue our fundraising efforts and remain steadfast in saving for this exciting finish to our projects. A sneak peak:

Three-Way Conferences
Just a friendly reminder that bookings will open on Compass for our upcoming Three-Way Conferences on the 7th of June. Bookings will remain open until 9:00am on Friday 21st June. Bookings are made on a ‘first in, first serve’ basis.
Important Need to Know Information
- On Wednesday 26th June, teachers and tutors will conduct 15 minute ‘3-Way Conferences’ between 9:00am and 7:00pm at Wandong PS.
- Conferences will take place in your child’s classroom. Specialist teachers will conduct meetings in specialist spaces and tutors will conduct their meetings in Room 6.
- This day is an alternate day. This means your child will only be required to attend school for their 15 minute conference with their teacher. Your child will be marked as โPresentโ when they attend their three-way conference.
- Alternate care arrangements for families who need them on this day, can be made with our onsite OSHC provider TheirCare.
- Specialists and tutors will also be conducting appointments for those parents who feel they are necessary. Please note that these spots are likely to fill up quickly, as many of our specialist teachers and tutors work with many students from across the school.
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Wet Weather
As we head into winter, the school grounds have and will continue to become increasingly wet. Weather permitting, we make every effort to ensure that children can have the opportunity to play outside which in some instances can lead to wet/muddy clothing. We are encouraging you to send your child along with a change of clothes in any case of wet clothing.
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WELLBEING
SEW in 56H
Alongside our Inquiry Unit, The Social Dilemma, students have been developing their ability to recognise and appreciate the uniqueness of all people. They have explored how individual, social, cultural, and gender differences may increase vulnerability to stereotypes.
This week, we have been learning to use data to identify the ways gender norms and discrimination limit the opportunities some people have to participate fully and equally in life, so that we can be mindful of the choices we make and show respect for difference.ย ย
In this lesson, 5/6H worked in groups to read data cards and consider what their data says about what happens in their country. They also asked how something connected to this might show up in school life.
The Single Mother's Club

NOTICES
Office Hours :- 8:30am until 3:55pm
Picking Up Children โ Please help our admin team!
IMPORTANT โ 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 โ 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.


Wet Weather
We would like to request parents/guardians of students to pack a set of spare uniform items in their childโs bag, including a waterproof bag. We have limited spare uniform at the office. If your child has recently needed to borrow items from our sick bay, please wash and return them to the office as soon as possible.
Thanks Administration Team
Uniform Orders
IMPORTANT
**Please remember to put your child’s full name on their uniform. Please don’t use initials, as this makes it harder for us to find the owner.
**Please remember to order a bag for smaller orders & for larger orders select two.
If you order a bag, the order can be placed in your child’s or siblings’ tub for convenience. If not, you will need to supply a bag or make arrangements to collect your order.
COMPASS – CANTEENย UNIFORM ORDERING
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 the current date is closed, even if it’s a weekend!
Log into the Compass App.
Select more at bottom of screen.ย
Click on the Canteen button.

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Select Place Order at bottom of screen.
Select Student.
Select Date. (Will have to select next date ifย current date is cut off)
Select sitting e.g. Uniform

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Click on item you require e.g Short Sleeve Polo.
Select how many you want and then select the size.
Add to cart.
Repeat for other items e.g. Bomber Jacket.
View Cart
Proceed to Checkout or create another order.

Parking in the church carpark

Uniform Orders
****Please Note: Select the following day as your order date if the current date has closed, even if itโs a weekend!
****Please remember to select a bag on the form for your purchase, as we are now plastic free. If you donโt select a bag, you will need to make arrangements to collect your order from the office.

PAFA
Next Meeting: 12th June 2024


AFTER SCHOOL CARE

WANDONG PRIMARY SCHOOL FETE SPONSORS
