November 29th, 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
| DECEMBER | 2023 |
| Friday 1st | Foundation 2024 Transition Day #3 - 9.10am - 10am |
| Sunday 3rd | Celebrating International Day of People with Disability |
| Monday 4th | Foundation 2024 Meet the Teacher - BBQ onsite at Wandong Primary School 5pm -6pm |
| Mon 4th - Fri 8th | Gratitude Week |
| Tuesday 5th | Funfields End of Year Pool Party - Consent and Payment Due |
| Wednesday 6th | Day Tour Trail Ride. Great Vic Rail Trail - Consent/Payment due - Selected Students only |
| Thursday 7th | Grade 6 Graduation - Consent and Payment due |
| Friday 8th | Foundation 2024 Transition Day #4 - 9.10am - 10am |
| Friday 8th | Day Tour Trail Ride. Great Vic Rail Trail - Selected Students 9am - 3pm |
| Monday 11th | Parent helper morning tea in the Library 11am - 11.30am |
| Tuesday 12th | Whole School Transition Morning - 9am - 10am |
| Tuesday 12th | 2024 Foundation Transition Day - Teddy Bear Picnic at 9.15am |
| Thursday 14th | Grade 6 Graduation |
| Friday 15th | Pizza in the Park - 200 Nights of Reading 12.30pm - 1.30pm - Selected students only |
| Monday 18th | School Fete 3.30pm - 7pm |
| Tuesday 19th | Funfields - End of Year Pool Party |
| Wednesday 20th | Last Day of Term - 1.30pm dismissal |
| JANUARY | 2024 |
| Tuesday 30th | First Day Term 1, Grades 1 - 6 |
| February | 2024 |
| Friday 2nd | First Day Term 1 - Foundation |
| Monday 19th | School photo day - Whole school |
| Monday 26th | Foundation 2025 Touring Wandong - 6pm |
| March | 2024 |
| Monday 4th | Foundation - start full time |
| Monday 4th | School photo catch up day |
| Monday 5th | School photo catch up day again! |
| Monday 11th | Labour Day Holiday - No students |
| Monday 18th | Foundation 2025 Touring Wandong - 6pm |
| Tuesday 26th | Foundation 2025 Touring Wandong - 10am |
| Wednesday 27th | Curriculum Day - No Students – If your child requires care, please book in at https://theircare.com.au/ |
| Thursday 28th | End of Term 1 |
| April | 2024 |
| Monday 15th | First Day Term 2 |
| Monday 15th | Foundation 2025 enrolment applications can be accepted |
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
We are fast approaching Christmas and I don’t know about you, but I’m clearly not ready! I am envious of those who have already started and some even FINISHED their shopping. I feel I need a personal shopper… let me know if this is you 😊 We have so many events and so little time – our becoming massive, Whole School Fete, our 5/6 Bike Tour, transitions galore and gratitude week thrown in… we are busy 😊 Hold onto your seats everyone 😊
Also, for those playing along, I am back on the horse. YIPEE! Six months since spinal surgery and I felt perfectly normal, almost as if I hadn’t had 183 days out of the saddle.
Wanted – Cleaner
Keyts Cleaning currently manages our cleaning contract at Wandong. They are desperately searching for some suitable workers for a few hours a day. Someone local and hard working would be ideal. Please email Luke Courage luke@keytscleaning.com.au
Staffing Update
We are excited to announce that Maddie Goldsworthy will be welcoming a wonderful new person to her family next year. I know you all join with me in celebrating this awesome news with and alongside Maddie. We will be working through this recruitment process for the new teacher beginning Term One so we can ensure a smooth and rigorous handover.
Library Books
Don’t forget to return all library books and other reading material as soon as possible. Might be a good chance for children to clean up their rooms and look for missing books under their beds.
Year 6-7 Transition for 2024-2025
If your child is seeking a place in Year 7 at a secondary school next year, you will need to:
- download the Year 6 to 7 Placement Information Pack 2024-25. The pack will be available from Term 2, 2024 and will include the application form.
- use Find my Schoolto locate your local secondary school or preferred school, and read about School zonesand Enrolling in school.
- complete the application form and return it to your child’s primary school by Friday 10 May 2024.
Year 7 placement is decided by secondary schools using the Department’s Placement Policy.
You will receive notification of your child’s Year 7 placement offer on Wednesday 17 July 2024.
All government secondary schools will host a Year 7 Orientation Day (for Year 6 students) on Tuesday 10 December 2024.
Victorian Fisheries Authority – Little Angler Kits
The Victorian Government is investing $1.5 million from the Recreational Fishing Licence Trust Fund to provide up to 95,000 Little Angler Kits to primary school aged children in Victoria.
The free kits provide a wonderful school holiday activity for children with their families and help ease the cost of living, providing a fun activity close to home.
Grade 5 students at all Victorian schools, including ours, will be offered the opportunity to receive a FREE Little Angler Kit. Grade 5 students have been selected based on the Victorian Curriculum focus, movement and motor development, and safety considerations.
The program is entirely voluntary. Schools were provided with the option to opt out of the program. Our school has opted to stay in the program so that parents can decide whether they want their child(ren) to receive a free fishing kit.
Parents of Grade 5 students can advise the school if they do not wish their child(ren) to participate for any reason whatsoever. We support parents in making decisions that align with their family values and beliefs.
The roll out of kits will occur through the second half of 2023 (16 October – 4 December) so that all participating children will have a kit in time for the summer school holidays.
The kits include a rod, reel with line, tackle tray, some tackle and information on how to use them to catch a fish. Please note that the tackle tray includes fishing hooks. The tackle tray will be wrapped in cardboard and placed inside a pocket inside the fishing kit bag, which will be sealed with a cable tie to discourage students from opening their kits until they are with a parent or carer.
Kits will be handed out to students to take home with them as soon as the school receives them. Teachers will tell students not to open the kits until they are safely at home with a parent or carer, however parents can contact the school and request to collect their kit from the school themselves if they prefer.
The Victorian Fisheries Authority will create a Little Angler hub on their website, which will be live when the kits start being distributed. It will have useful information, instructional videos and online resources about where and how to fish linking to existing resources from Fishcare and new resources to be produced just for the Little Angler Kits program.
This initiative aims to grow recreational fishing participation in Victoria by actively encouraging primary school aged children to learn how to fish, as well as learning more about marine life and the natural environment.
Compass Attendance Notes
There is a high number of students with attendance notes required through the Compass portal. When you log into your profile you will see a green box that looks like this:
You will see a screen like this one.
From here you can select individual dates or select them all. Once selections are made, click on the ‘Explain with attendance note’ button.
Choose the appropriate option and click ‘Save’.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter. It is important to keep this information up to date.
SCHOOL CAPTAINS 2024
It gives me great pleasure to announce that the following students have been selected as our student leaders for 2024:-
It was a genuinely difficult decision to choose these very worthy students, simply because we were very much spoilt for choice! The unsuccessful applicants now have opportunity to nominate for a range of other leadership positions which will be determined in upcoming weeks. Congratulations again to our captains – we are certain they will lead with passion and commitment and be excellent role models for all other students in the school.
WELLBEING
1/2S students have been working hard in our Social Emotional Learning program to recognise and identify emotions and learn strategies to regulate these emotions. On Tuesday during our lesson, we had a focus of identifying stress and what may be a stressful occurrence in our lives. We learned about what we can do if we feel stressed, such as play with a fidget toy, hug a teddy, go for a walk, or read a book. Our success criteria for this was to be able to understand how our emotions can change the way we act and feel. For example, when we feel stressed this can cause us to have a mean moment towards someone when we didn’t mean to. Our feelings can bubble up and make us feel overwhelmed. Our second success criteria was to identify strategies to help us cope with how we feel. We learned how important it is to have strong strategies to help us when we feel overwhelmed. Students then enjoyed a fun session of making their own fidget toys to play with and de-stress after all the assessments we have been completing!
A MESSAGE FROM THE SRC
Our SRC are partnering with volunteer organisation ‘Lids4Kids,’ to help rescue plastic bottle lids from landfill and recycle them to protect our environment for future generations to come. Lids4Kids partner with many other recycling plastic manufacturers to re-purpose lids into any sustainable recycled plastic projects to benefit the communities in which they were collected.
To be part of this wonderful initiative, please bring CLEAN milk, water or soft drink lids to school and place them in your classroom collection point. Alternatively, you can bring them to the Auslan room or 5/6W.
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.
Reminder:
Hats must be worn throughout Term Four outside. If your child has taken their hat home, please make sure it’s brought back to school.
Uniform Orders
****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 – CANTEEN 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.
Click on the Canteen button.
Select Place Order at bottom of screen.
Select Student.
Select Date. (Will have to select next date if current date is cut off)
Select sitting e.g. Uniform
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.
PAFA
Next Meeting: TBA
Primary discussion will be around fete and planning for 2024. If you’d like to help out please do come down! Everyone is welcome. We will be in the staffroom.
OUR SCHOOL FETE IS COMING!!!
- Volunteer your time to PAFA prior or on the day with setup and running of the event
- Help your classroom teacher run a stand
- Donate milo tins or some spooky stuff for the haunted tunnel
Need more info? Get in contact!
Steph 0408 039 935 or stephanie.domino@education.vic.gov.au
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC INFORMATION
Wandong Primary is pleased to offer instrumental lessons for students from Foundation to grade 6.
Thank you for your interest in the Instrumental Music Program at Wandong
Primary School.
Our program provides students with the opportunity to develop musicianship
skills, build confidence and collaborate with others to deliver performances.
Above all, we aim to foster peoples love of music, have fun and stay creative.
Please find below, the conditions of our program and Enrolment form.
| Fee Description 2023 | Term 1 (10 Weeks) | Term 2 (10 weeks) | Term 3 (10 weeks) | Term 4 (10 weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Lessons | $390 | $390 | $390 | $390 |
Please read carefully to ensure your child’s maximum involvement and development.
In order to continue and develop their skills, students are encouraged to
show evidence of regular practice. Below is a recommended guide for weekly
practice times:
Beginners: 15-20 minutes, 3 days a week
After one year: 30 minutes, 4 days a week
After two years: 40 minutes, 5-6 days a week
Payment Terms & Withdrawal from the Instrumental Music Program
1. An invoice will be sent at the beginning of each term and is to be paid,
in full, via Direct Deposit.
2. Fees must be paid by the due date. Failure to do so will result in lessons
being stooped until payment has been made.
3. Unless notified, the instrumental teacher assumes all students in the
program will automatically continue lessons each term. A verbal or written
notification to the instrumental teacher is required to withdraw students
from the program. Notice needs to be received 2 weeks prior to the end
of the term, to avoid incurring the next term’s fees.
AFTER SCHOOL CARE
About the program
TheirCare provides adventurous and stimulating Before & After School Care Programs in a safe environment for all children. During sessions children develop life skills, friendships, confidence and creativity through play.
Wandong Primary School has partnered with TheirCare to provide this service to your school which includes quality care, booking flexibility, amazing programming for your children and commitment to deliver on our promise to your school community.
| Operation Times | Fees* | Out of Pocket | Average^ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before School Care | 6:30am - 8:45am | $21.00 | $3.15 - $21.00 | $4.83 |
| After School Care | 3:30pm - 6:30pm | $23.00 | $3.45 - $23.00 | $5.29 |
| Pupil Free Day | 6:30am - 6.30pm | $103.00 | $15.45 - $103.00 | $23.69 |
| Holiday Program | 6:30am - 6.30pm | $103.00 | $15.45 - $103.00 | $23.69 |
| Late Booking Cancellation Fee | Within 48 hours | $5.00 | ||
| Cancellation Fee | Same Day | Full Fee | See BSC/ASC |
Service Phone Number: 0497 877 771 Your Service coordinator will be available during sessions times. TheirCare support is available during office hours if required on 1300 072 410
How to Enrol
Visit Theircare website: www.theircare.com.au and click on ‘Book Now’ in the top right hand corner to register your child’s details
*Standard fees excluding incursions/excursion costs
^Based on ABS published average family income for the suburb the school is located
WANDONG PRIMARY SCHOOL FETE SPONSORS 2023
