Trivia Night:
What a fun and entertaining night we had last night! Four tables of staff and parents attempted to answer the most interesting and obscure questions - pure trivia! There was good-hearted teasing and trickery, and even after all of this my table lost. Congratulations to the winning table which had Pastor Luke, Juliet, Leigh, Anita and Regina on it. They are certainly a very intelligent combination. Over $500 was raised for the school to support a variety of programmes. This is probably the last trivia night that the Michael, Heather and Matthew will run for our school as Matthew will be moving onto secondary college in 2010 (although we could keep him down in grade 6 for another two or three years!). Thank you for such an enjoyable night and the effort you put in to make it this way.
School Banking:
Good habits formed in your child’s early years can lead to greater opportunities in the future. Through participation in the School Banking programme children can learn valuable lessons in financial literacy. They develop an understanding of saving in order to purchase something special and therefore develop a sense of achievement when they have reached their financial target. This habit, formed while they are young, makes it so much easier for them to achieve larger goals such as the purchase of a car or even a house when they become adults. If you are interested, please ask at the office.
How to help your children behave well…
Did you know that research shows children who eat more fatty, sugary and highly processed foods have more emotional and behavioural problems? These children are more likely to play up at school and home, were more hyperactive and more likely to feel down. Choosing unprocessed foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables and cooking them can help you ensure that your children are not eating problem-causing additives as well.
Until next week …
Anne
We’ve been overwhelmed with the response to the challenge to the CRE Classes in Grades 2/3, 4 and 5/6. A large box and four bags of non-perishable food were donated to assist the work of LinC Yarra Valley in helping families in need. We received a lovely thank-you from the Board of Management this week, that in part, read:
“… we would like to thank you for your generous donation of grocery items…. Your donation ensures that we can continue to make a difference in the lives of people in our community, especially with Christmas… We will be able to provide families with wonderful Christmas hampers due to your help. Thank you once again.”
Once again, my real thanks to all who participated and contributed.
Congratulations to the grade 5/6 class, who were able to donate the most.
Pastor Luke Whiteside
Chaplain
Thank You:
A very belated huge thank you to Allison and Damien who came up to school a couple of weekends ago and spent five hot and exhausting hours building the new U shaped garden ready for planting summer vegetables. Students have been moving soil from the old garden areas and mixing in compost, while an order has been placed to top up with beautiful rich mountain soil. Please look out in future weeks as students plant new vegetables.
Talking about the kitchen gardens, the ones on Wylie Street are about to be tidied up in garden classes. We have turned on our automatic watering system to ensure plants thrive in this extremely hot weather.
Great News!
Last week we received some really exciting news. We have been granted a large sum of money to implement a new maths programme called Quicksmart. Students in grade 5/6 will particularly reap the benefits as they participate in the programme which is similar to Reading Recovery in grade 1. We will commence in term 1, 2010 and I am really keen to see the improvements that will be made in numeracy by the end of that year.
At the same time, Wesburn has been accepted as one of 18 schools in Eastern Metropolitan Region to participate in the Rewarding Teaching Excellence School Trials in 2010. The staff are really excited to be involved as it provides many opportunities to enhance teaching and learning at the school and therefore to improve student outcomes.
Future Building:
Within the next three weeks you will see the first stage of our building works commence. This will begin with the redevelopment of the Warburton Highway side of the school, which should be finished before the end of this term, and culminate in the main building being repainted. More details on stage two will be shared through this newsletter as they come to hand.
Bushfire At-Risk Register:
Like many other local schools, we have been officially notified that the school is on the Bushfire At-Risk Register. However, this is not a cause for people to panic - it simply means that emergency services and DEECD are particularly aware of our specific needs should a bushfire occur and that policies and procedures are continually being reviewed and revised where needed. These include issues around bus transport, lines of communication and school closures. Please note that schools will only be closed on Code Red (Catastrophic) Days. It is absolutely imperative that the school has your most up-to-date contact details so, if this is not the case, please contact the school immediately to advise of the changes.
Parent Opinion Survey:
We recently received the results of the annual Parent Opinion Survey. Overall parent satisfaction with the school is well above the state median and predicted range, which is extremely pleasing for all of us. Results are also generally higher than for 2008. We will, of course, take on board your feedback so that we can continually strive to improve any areas of concern. Below are a couple of examples of the written feedback that we received:
Wesburn Primary School is a fantastic school with dedicated experienced staff who want the best for their students….Staff have many different issues to deal with and do so consistently, fairly and without giving up.
Would just like to say what a wonderful caring school it is. The staff are very supportive with both students and parents.
Thanks to all the parents who responded to the survey.
Please remember that our Trivia Night this year will be held at the Sam Knott Hotel at 7pm on Tuesday November 17. Let me assure you that it will be a really fun night. The cost is $5 per person and you can purchase drinks at bar prices at the hotel. You might like to make up a group of 8 or so people or just join in with others when you arrive. Heather and Michael are once again very organised, so hopefully we will see you there.
Until next week …
Anne
Thank You:
This morning, as I write the newsletter, we have a very dedicated group of parents at the school once again doing some amazing ground and other maintenance work. In spite of trees being removed and the school being somewhat messy as we await further action on our building projects, Wessie is really a lovely place to teach, learn and play. Visitors always comment on our beautiful grounds and I must compliment Leigh, Anita, Allison, Assi, and Peter who make it this way. We really appreciate your efforts.
Thank you also to Rebecca, Liam and Callum’s mum, who gave us a $27 donation to our chook pen fund. We now have over $1,100 and building should hopefully occur around second term 2010.
Science Night:
Last night’s Science Night was a great success thanks to Ms Beale. With 16 different experiments/activities to try, students and their parents had an interesting and relaxing afternoon. I particularly enjoyed the activity called ‘Making Gravity’ as I saw a number of people, including Mrs Walsh, who ended up quite wet after it! It was fun talking on the telephones that we made and working out how old we would be on different planets. It was lovely watching children and their parents discussing experiments and seeing groups of students making and then ‘lifting off’ their rockets.
Coming up shortly are two great evenings for parents:
Dads’ Night Out will be held on Tuesday November 10 between 6.30 and 8.30. It promises to be a very relaxing evening for fathers or father-figures with a barbie tea and a couple of drinks while we enjoy each others’ company and listen to some interesting guest speakers. It is vital that you advise the school that you will be attending to enable sufficient catering. Please see further in the newsletter and your personal invitation which will be sent home this week.
Our Trivia Night this year will be held at the Sam Knott Hotel at 7pm on Tuesday November 17. Let me assure you that it will be a fun night that anyone can win. The cost is $5 only and you can purchase drinks at bar prices at the hotel. You might like to make up a group of 8 or so people or just join in with others when you arrive. Heather and Michael are once again very organised, so hopefully I will see you there.
Stranger Danger:
Recently I was asked for information about the policies and processes we have at Wesburn to ensure that students are educated about Stranger Danger and how we go about protecting all students in a variety of situations. At Monday night’s School Council meeting I presented detailed information on all that we do - far too much to present in this newsletter. Should you want to find out more, please speak to a school councillor or come and see me directly so that we can give you a run down.
Until next week …
Anne
Lunches
Have your children come home recently and told you about our fabulous lunches? If not, let me tell you. The Super Salad Rolls are so full of delicious ingredients, and you get to choose everything that goes in them. The FYT (Fill Your Tummy) lunches are also made from fresh ingredients and are cooked in our kitchen. Some of the yummy meals we have had include homemade chicko rolls, chicken wraps, pasta, baked potatoes, pinwheels, and much more. We are so lucky to have parents who willingly prepare these nutritious meals for us. Thank you.
Farewell
It is with regret that Mrs Conway will be leaving us at the end of this week. She has really enjoyed working with the grade 4 students and will miss them terribly however she needs to spend some well-earned time with her family. We all wish her well in the future. The new teacher will commence in grade 4 on Monday.
Orienteering
At the time of writing, our grades 3 to 6 students have headed off to Maroondah Dam for orienteering today. They have been practising their orienteering skills during P.E. lessons each week so I think they will have a very enjoyable day.
Bushfires
I have recently received a media release from the Premier of Victoria which explains that Government schools in high-risk bushfire areas will close on a day declared a Code Red (Catastrophic) Fire Danger Rating this fire season. A register of schools that would need to close on these days will be finalised in the next two weeks. Ahead of these days, the DEECD will issue immediate warnings to these schools who will then notify all families. I will advise everyone should we be included on the register.
Front Gates
As a matter of safety I ask that all parents who enter and leave the school please ensure that they always close the main gate tightly (i.e. that it clicks into place). It is also important that all students enter and leave the school through this gate - not through the emergency gate at the oval. Thank you for your cooperation.
Until next week …
Anne
Term 4 is the ‘business end’ of the year. It is the time for all students, especially grade 6 children, to gather that burst of energy and put in a final big effort to ensure they achieve the best possible results in all areas of their school year. I cannot wait to read reports that show how much growth in learning and social abilities has occurred.
You will have noticed the work that happened around the school grounds during the holidays. My first reaction was devastation! However, I got over that and recognised the importance of keeping everyone safe. I must thank the many people who came up through the holidays to clean up the mess, to mow, to move garden beds, to generally tidy up around the school, and to fluff up the playground undersurfacing: Leigh, Anita, Sharon, Glen, Peter, Ben, Alison and her mum (if I have missed anyone please forgive me). We greatly appreciate your time and effort. (The tree removal was actually helpful in some areas as it has partly cleared the new building area).
The swimming programme is fast approaching. A reminder note will be sent home this week just to let people know if they have any money owing for the programme. Please make sure that this is paid by the due date.
Recently the school received two cheques from local businesses to help us build a chook pen. I would like to acknowledge:
- Tigeroo Maintenance & Cabinets in Warburton (5966 62413 or 0488 564 000)
- Warburton Newsagency (5966 2014)
If you are in need of cabinets or anything from a newsagency, please try them out.
An invitation will be sent home to all our dads to attend our ‘Dads Night Out’, tentatively planned from Tuesday November 10. Please look out for this - it promises to be a great night.
Until next week …
Anne
In the kitchen
Last week the grades 3 and 4 children combined to do the cooking class due to lower numbers resulting from the production the previous night. The grade 5/6 class only had 24 children, instead of 29 which made it more manageable also. The recipes prepared by children last Friday include:
- Chicken and Leek Risotto with garlic chives
- Spicy Pumpkin, Thyme and Ricotta Tortellini with crunchy herbs
- Minestrone soup
- Mini Quiche Lorraine
- Silver Beet Torte
- Green Salad with Orange, Snow Peas and Toasted Sunflower Seeds
- Stewed Rhubarb or Blood Plums with Rice Pudding and Buttery Crumble
The food which was harvested from the school garden and included the silver beet, herbs, including sage, parsley, oregano, coriander and thyme, and the potatoes and spring onions. There was a star of the kitchen from each group who got to choose one of the recipes to take home.
The following grade 5/6 children were stars of the kitchen last week: Samantha, Jacob, Matthew, Megan, Malcom, Jayden, and Jesse.
Free plants/vegetables
As a result of the new building works to provide our school with a new modular set of rooms, the ‘U-shaped’ garden and the garden around the ramp will need to be removed. We plan on setting up a new ‘U-shaped’ garden in the area between the art room and the toilet block, near the weeping cherry tree.
Whilst we have tried to rescue most of the plants growing in our ‘U-shaped’ bed there are some remaining. These are being made available to families to pick or dig out. The vegetables remaining include silver beet, Asian greens, Tuscan Kale, and Strawberries. If you would like any of these plants, please bring along your own containers/pots and tools to remove the plants as soon as possible. There will be some tree removal at some stage during the school holidays and the sleepers from the ‘U-shaped’ bed will need to be removed before this takes place, so if you leave it too long, it may be too late. First In — Best Dressed.
Great Southern Land
What a fantastic evening of entertainment we saw last Thursday. We certainly celebrated all things Australian, and I was so proud of all the performances. One of the unique aspects of Wessie’s school performances is that every single student participates, there are no stars, and they work as a team. Feedback from the evening has been wonderful, and I would like to include below a couple of these responses.
I have just arrived home from a wonderful evening’s entertainment and wanted to congratulate you and all the staff, students and parents involved. I laughed at the jokes - oldies and goodies - mouthed the songs and teared up at the finale. Your school demonstrates inclusivity - of cultures, of abilities, of ages - in a real, concrete and moving way.
Marj (Nan)
Last night whilst watching the end song of the concert I have never been more proud of all my four kids attending Wesburn Primary School.
It made me remember how lucky and proud I am to be Australian.
I would also like to congratulate Sandra Walsh. She is a very talented and passionate lady, without her drive the children would not be so lucky to know Auslan.
Congratulations on such a moving tribute to our country.
The Macdonald Family
Thanks very much to the people who have taken the time to share their thoughts with us.
As you will all know, this is the last week of term 3. During the holidays there will be a lot of work happening in the grounds at school. Several trees within 15 metres of our fire refuge will be removed and all the drains will be jet blasted. Further work will take place during term 4 to make our fire refuge an even safer place to be should we need to use it.
Talking of holidays, I hope you all have a good one. Remember that we return to school on Monday October 5, and, being a Sunsmart school, we need to be wearing our school hats.
Enjoy the break.
Anne
Casey ready for action!
Wesburn Primary School Playgroup had an exciting excursion to the Wesburn-Millgrove CFA this week. For most of the pre-schoolers it was their first opportunity to meet real fire-fighters and have hands-on experience dressing up, sitting in the fire truck and holding fire hoses.
CFA Volunteers Andy Bennett & Tony Lewis used the opportunity to remind the parents that children are never too young to learn to call 000 and to be aware of their family’s fire plan. Andy Bennett said to make “get down low and go go go” a game to prepare children without scaring them.
Parents commented later that the briefing had been really valuable and helpful, while the kids had a great time seeing all the equipment. A real highlight was dressing up in their uniforms, and the live demonstration of the firehoses. Continue reading ‘Playgroup visits the CFA’
Policies:
I would like to invite interested parents to view and comment on current school policies. These are subject to a three year review cycle, while at the same time new policies may be introduced and old policies deleted as a result of the many changes in the direction of education. School Council this week ratified a large number of policies that were reviewed or introduced. Some of these included Acceptable Use of Internet & Email. Bus Travellers, Civics & Citizenship, Dangerous, Expensive & Inappropriate Equipment, Drug Education, Equal Opportunity, Gifted/Talented Students, Homework, Literacy, Maths, Personal Learning, Sexual Harassment, Student Welfare, and Thinking Curriculum. As you can imagine, it is impossible to photocopy and send home each of these policies to every family, but they are available for people to view at school. Please feel free to ask.
Swimming:
This is the last reminder for parents to include their children in the swimming programme. Continue reading ‘Wesburn Weekly September 2′
