October 9th, 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
| OCTOBER | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 9th | REMINDER: - Team Shirt orders close - Thursday 31st October |
| Wednesday 9th | Scholastic Book Club orders are now open |
| Thursday17th | ARKELL HOUSE DAY - All students in ARKELL HOUSE can dress in red |
| Sunday 20th | Dance Club and Choir - 8:00 AM - Selected students only |
| Wednesday 23rd | Scholastic Book Club orders close today |
| Wednesday 24th | PAFA - Next Meeting: 9:00am - 10:00am |
| Thursday 24th | Mango Fundraiser orders due today |
| Friday 25th | Crazy Hair Day - Gold Coin Donation |
| Friday 25th | World Teachers Day |
| Thursday 31st | Team Shirts - Orders due today |
| 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 – If your child requires care, please book in at https://theircare.com.au/ |
| Tuesday 5th | Melbourne Cup - Public Holiday |
| Thursday 7th | Sushi and Rice Paper Roll - orders close today |
| Friday 8th | Foundation transition #1 |
| Friday 8th | Working Bee - FC, 1/2W & 5/6B 2:30pm - 3:30pm Parents welcome |
| Monday 11th | Grade 5/6H & 5/6F Say G'Day Trail Ride - Consent/Payment due |
| Tuesday 12th | Grade 5/6H & 5/6F Say G'Day Trail Ride 9:00am -11:00am |
| Tuesday 12th | Sushi and Rice Paper Roll lunch - PAFA |
| Wednesday 13th | Grade 5/6E Say G'Day Trail Ride - Consent/Payment due |
| Thursday 14th | Grade 5/6E Say G'Day Trail Ride 11:30pm - 1:30pm |
| Thursday 14th | Grade 5/6C & 5/6B Say G'Day Trail Ride - Consent /Payment Due |
| Friday 15th | Grade 5/6C Say G'Day Trail Ride 9:00am 11:00am |
| Friday 15th | Grade 5/6B Say G'Day Trail Ride 11:30am - 1:30pm |
| Friday 15th | Foundation transition #2 |
| Monday 18th | Foundation 2025 Information Session - Webex 5pm - 6pm |
| 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 |
| Friday 29th | Foundation transition #3 |
| DECEMBER | 2024 |
| Monday 2nd | Professional Practice Day (Student Free) - If your child requires care, please book in at https://theircare.com.au/ |
| Monday 2nd | Foundation 2025 Meet the Teacher BBQ - 5pm - 6pm |
| Tuesday 3rd | Whole School Colour Run Day @ L B Davern |
| Wednesday 4th | Grade 6 Graduation 2024 - Consent and payment due today |
| Friday 6th | Funfields - End of Year Pool Party - Consent and payment due today |
| Friday 6th | Working Bee - 1/2L, 3/4G & 3/4B 2.30pm- 3.30pm Parents welcome |
| Tuesday 10th | State Wide Transition Day |
| Tuesday 10th | Foundation 2025 Teddy Bear's Picnic |
| Friday 13th | Freaky Friday Dress Up Day - teachers dress as students/students dress as teachers |
| Monday 16th | Christmas Box Car - Whole School 4:00pm - 7:00pm |
| Wednesday 18th | Grade 6 Graduation 2024 |
| Thursday 19th | Funfields - End of Year Pool Party |
| Friday 20th | Last Day Term 4 |
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Welcome back to an always busy but thrilling Term Four. Of all the term breaks, I think September school holidays is always the best… enough sun to be warm and the beginning of daylight savings which gives us more time outside.
The second week was a flying visit to the Sunshine Coast with my husband who played in a Golf Fundraising event for MND. All the days in between were filled with dinners and catch ups with friends and family. I feel like I needed to return to work for a rest 😊
I hope everyone had a wonderful break and are well-rested for a fantastic finish to the year. Term Four will see our Grade Five students stepping up into leadership roles, our Grade Sixes visiting their new high schools while at the other end of the school, our 2025 Foundation students will be beginning their transition.
Term Four is notoriously busy so please keep up to date by:
- reading the newsletter every week
- checking the event calendar at the top of the newsletter
- ensuring events are read and paid for on COMPASS BEFORE THE DUE DATE
- following our official Facebook Group
- ensuring your information, including your email, is kept up to date in the office
- remembering that teachers and leadership are always happy to chat, please phone the office to make an appointment.
REMINDERS
CURRICULUM DAY (ASSESSMENT & REPORTING) – MONDAY 4TH NOVEMBER
MELBOURNE CUP PUBLIC HOLIDAY — TUESDAY 5th NOVEMBER
Tuesday the 5th of November is Melbourne Cup Day, this is a PUBLIC HOLIDAY. The school will be closed on this day. The Monday prior to this is generally a very quiet day at school, with many of our families opting to use this as a long weekend. As a staff we have allocated the day for our mandated requirements around Assessment and Reporting.
HATS – NO HAT NO PLAY!
Don’t forget that children need to wear a school hat in Terms One and Four as part of our Sun Smart Policy. To avoid the risk of hats going missing, it is a good idea to write your child’s name inside the hat.
World Teachers’ Day 2024
On Friday 25th of October, the world celebrates teachers. Wandong is blessed with the best teachers in the world (I’m not biased either😊) so please find a way to cherish your child’s teacher. We have a strong culture of gratitude and I know that every note, email, card, token gift, kind word does not go unnoticed. In fact, it is often shared far and wide in our staffroom. Our teachers arrive early, leave late, miss personal functions to attend school events and constantly put in well and above for our wonderful kids. Please show them you care in your own small way. 😊
Planning for 2025
Just prior to the holiday period each September, the Department of Education and Training provides schools with their indicative budget for the coming year. Using this information and an electronic planner, I can illustrate a variety of scenarios that will provide the best learning opportunities for the children at Wandong, and the teaching staff required to implement these. The funding of these programs is determined directly by our student enrolment figures for 2025. With a projected enrolment of 500 students for 2025 we have already made some staffing decisions and are currently in the process of interviewing and determining other positions that need to be advertised. It is important to do this early, as we need to have the best available field from which to select new members of staff.
When planning the different programs, we would like to offer, it is amazing the difference that can be made by having five students less (i.e., less students, means less funding, means less money to employ staff). Therefore, it is important that if you do not think your child will be attending Wandong in 2025 that you let me know as soon as possible in writing.
Important Dates – Term Four
Please ensure you are keeping abreast of ‘What On and What’s Due’ at the top of our newsletter. There are a number of events in Term Four and many of these need to be actioned on Compass. There will be no extensions or last-minute additions after events have closed. All events require the organiser to complete a ‘Risk Assessment’ with the children, staff and volunteers attending and this document must be finalised by this date.
Curriculum Contributions – HAVE YOU ACTIONED?
Thank you, THANK YOU… we are chipping away…
This term our 2025 Parent Payments will go live on Compass and I urge our families to speak to our lovely office staff about finalising 2024 payments.
GRADE PLACEMENT FOR 2025 REMINDER – THIS IS NOW FINALISED
At this stage, the timeline for parent considerations has now passed. Please be assured that a lot of thought is being put into both the class structure and the allocation of students into these classes, taking into account academic needs, friendship groupings and special considerations in terms of student learning. Input by the teachers, who know the children well, is contributing to the final placement of students. Children will visit their 2025 classrooms during the second last week of school and meet their new teachers. How exciting! Please note: As communicated last term’s newsletters, once our grades are finalised there is no negotiation, and no changes will be made unless there has been an error in our process.
WELLBEING
In 1/2T, the students recently had discussions about “R U OK? Day,” focusing on the importance of checking in with friends and being mindful of each other’s feelings. The children learned how asking simple questions like “Are you okay?” can make a big difference to someone who might need support.
PAFA
Next Meeting: October 24th, 2024 @ 9:00am
Let’s kick off our fundraising efforts and make our goals a reality
TAKE NOTE❗ Students have received their sponsorship booklet and can now create their online profile at www.australianfundraising.com.au.
Big prizes are up for grabs! Unlock your first incentive prize simply by raising $10 online. The more your child raises, the more prizes they will receive.
You can also share in $200k of extra prize credit, win a PlayStation 5 Gaming Bundle and become a Fundraising MonSTAR! ⭐
Get your Colour on, Wandong Primary School is hosting a Colour Explosion Run 4 Fun!
Our Colour Explosion Run 4 Fun will be on Tuesday 3rd December from 1.30 to about 3.10pm at LB Davern Reserve.
Not only are we hosting an awesome Colour Explosion Run 4 Fun, Students can order up to a total of 5 prizes based on their donations received. They can even mix and match! Don’t want the prizes, donate your donations to one of the five causes – Carbon Neutral (tree planting), Great Barrier Reef Foundation (coral planting or turtle protection), The Smith Family (reading support) or OzHarvest (providing meals).
Students have received a sponsorship book with instructions on setting up their cybersafe, online fundraising profile at www.australianfundraising.com.au. This is an entirely online fundraiser; all cash donations must be converted to online donations to redeem your prizes.
Extra Incentives to Fundraise!
- Online Golden Coins – complete fun online tasks to redeem an extra $75 towards your prize credit.
- Monty the Monstar’s Bonus Prizes – achieve milestones to unlock Monty’s bonus prizes.
- $10,000 Budget Booster Bonanza Spending Spree for one organisation’s highest fundraising student
- Our school will win an extra $5,000 if we have the highest average fundraised amount per student in 2024.
- A Play Station 5 Gaming Bundle – see your child’s sponsorship booklet for more!
For more information, please contact Soma or Steph at 1277-ptfa@schools.vic.edu.au.
WHITTLESEA SHOW
OFFICE NOTICES
Office Hours : - 8:30am until 3:55pm
Picking Up Children – Please help our admin team!
In exceptional circumstances and emergencies, at times children need to be collected from school early. Please help our wonderful administration team by ensuring that this is not done during the break times of 11:00-11:30am and 1:45-2:30pm. When children are outside playing with their friends, they do not hear the announcements and it is difficult to have a staff member unlock classrooms to collect bags and belongings. Please help support our classroom programs by waiting until 3:30pm to collect children. The admin area is growing quite hectic in the afternoons with families collecting children early Thank you in advance for your support and understanding.
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 address, 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.
**Kids can get messy, please be organised & keep an extra set of clothes in your child’s bag for emergencies.
UNIFORM
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.
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.
COMPASS CANTEEN ORDERING
Log into the Compass App.
On home screen select Canteen or select the more button and then Canteen.
Click on the Canteen button.
Select Get started.
Select Student and then next.
Select Sitting—Select next date if current date is cut off for uniform or select date given for ordering e.g. Pizza Day.
Select sitting e.g. Uniform, Team shirt, Pizza Day etc.
Select next.
Click on item you require e.g. Bomber Jacket, pizza etc.
Add item.
Repeat for other items e.g. Short sleeve polo, drink.
Proceed to review order.
Select Customise when ordering Uniform or Team shirt.
Select Sizes.
Select Add to order button.
Note: If ordering Team shirt put Number in Special instructions.
Select Add order.
Add another order or select Confirm and Pay and follow the steps for payment.
CHURCH CARPARK MAP
AFTER SCHOOL CARE
Social, enjoyable & fun experiences for children
Develop creativity, life skills & confidence through play
Qualified, caring & engaged staff
Exciting & thoughtfully develop programs
Healthy & Yummy food provided each day
Bookings now open!
| Monday - Friday Hours of Operation | Fees before Child Care Subsidy* | Out-of-pocket fees after Child Care Subsidy** | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before School Care (BSC) | 6:30 AM to 8:45 AM | $24.10 | $2.41 |
| After School Care (ASC) | 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM | $26.40 | $2.64 |
| Pupil Free Day | 6.30 AM to 6.30 PM | $118.20 | $11.82 |
| Holiday Program*** | 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM | $112.79 | $11.28 |
*Standard fee costs before Child Care Subsidy/ **Standard fee costs after maximum Child Care Subsidy / *** Standard fee costs excluding incursions/excursions
Cancellation Fees
(No Child Care Subsidy applied to Cancellation Fees)
BSC/ASC within 48 hours of session start time: $5.00
Holiday Program within 5 days of session start time: $10.00
Same day cancellation fee is out-of-pocket session fee.
Late Booking Fees
(Child Care Subsidy is applied to Late Booking Fees)
BSC/ASC within 48 hours of session start time: $5.00
Holiday Program: book less than 5 days from the session start time fee is $10.00
Late Pick-up Fees
(Child Care Subsidy does not apply to Late Pickup Fees)
$1 per minute after service close time
To register visit theircare.com.au
TheirCare support team is available between 6.30am – 9am weekdays (Eastern Standard Time) on 1300 072 410 or info@theircare.com.au
MUSIC
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!
Students may choose from the following
Please find below, the conditions of our program and Enrolment form.
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.
