Newsletter March 26th 2020, Volume 1 Issue 9

Newsletter March 26^th 2020 Volume 1 Issue 9

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

“I’d like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land upon which we meet today, the Gunai Kurnai land and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging as well as any Aboriginal people here with us today”

School Calendar

A word from Mrs Skee…

With the early end of term for the majority of our students, staff have been working around the clock on preparing for the transition to flexible and remote learning. Acting Wellbeing coordinator Mrs Karen Prestidge has also been contacting some families to ensure that they have everything they might need to support them through this unpredictable time. Families have also been proactive in supporting one another, with one prep parent, Lori Leskie, even working towards setting up a prep family facebook page to ensure that these families and students stay connected. This facebook page will be developed in conversation and consultation with the prep team, Mrs Debbie Richardson and Mrs Janine Cruickshank. I welcome contact from any other Parents/carers who may also be interested in setting up something similar for their child’s unit. The aim of these pages would be to provide ideas for other parents as well as a share page for what their child has been up to. This will be a positive space and will be tightly monitored to ensure the content posted adheres to the administration codes. If you would like to volunteer to set up a Facebook page for your child’s unit area please do not hesitate to contact me via my school email account skee.julie.j@edumail.vic.gov.au. Karen has included her contact details in her Welfare report in today’s newsletter. I also strongly encourage all families to continue keeping up to date with the NEPS Facebook page as well as the school website which will have ongoing updates from the school. Currently there are some ideas that have been posted regarding how to support your child’s well-being needs during the holiday period and beyond.

Around the school…

Please find below some photos of productive activities going on around the school. Please don’t forget that in the first week of the school holidays (30^th of March to the 3^rd of April) we are having asbestos removed and areas reinstated. It is imperative that there is NOONE on the school site at this time. I would like to thank Kim Puddy for all of her work in coordinating a letter box drop to the required homes in close proximity to the school as well as those staff members who assisted with this.

New Sign In /Out commencing in Term 2

Compass

Compass is a school management system that is being introduced at NEPS. Compass uses technology that is encrypted and secure, so all student and family information is kept confidential. The initial phase of the introduction of this system focuses on attendance. Teachers are currently using the system (on laptops or the phone app) to mark the roll. Using this system allows key administration and wellbeing staff members to readily access student attendance information each day. The use of this system will increase the accuracy of school attendance data, particularly around late arrivals and early departures.

Late Arrivals

If a child arrives in class after 8:45am, they will be marked as late. All children arriving to school after 8:45am must be signed in by a parent/guardian at the Office using the Compass Kiosk on the front desk and then taken to their classroom. Administration staff or Mr. Walsh will be able to provide assistance with the Kiosk if required.

Leaving School during School Hours

If your child needs to leave the school during school hours (e.g. medical appointment), it is necessary for you to:

Sign yourself in at the Office via the Kiosk, to receive a ‘Visitor Pass’ which should be kept with you for the duration of your visit
Collect your child from the classroom (children are not allowed to wait at the gates)
Return to the Kiosk, follow the prompts to sign yourself out (entering the number on your ‘Visitor Pass’) and then sign your child out (via the Kiosk)

In order to minimise disruption to teachers and students, children will not be called over the Public Address system for pickups unless during recess, lunch or after school.

Welfare

To all the children and families of NEPS – during this time of the extended break please take this opportunity as a time to slow down, rest and create. Think of it as a precious time to bond with your children and create memories. This might include; taking the opportunity to prepare and eat food together, play games, build cubbies, construct things etc. My advice is to limit the exposure to the news and current affair programs, as this will create anxiety. It is important for parents and carers to remain calm as these can be worrying times for families. Despite the stressors this is a wonderful time to practice self-care, using calming strategies such as mindfulness breathing, colouring, dancing to music, yoga, or exercise – ensuring that you involve your children as well as other members of your immediate family. Most importantly don’t forget to laugh together, tell jokes and share funny stories and anecdotes with each other in order to lighten the mood. Remember our children look to us as to how we handle stress. Let them know its ok to be worried, talking about what we can control is also important. If you or your child/children would like to contact me please call the school and ask for Mrs Prestidge, after Friday please email me on prestidge.karen.a@edumail.vic.gov.au

Wear Purple Epilepsy Day

On Thursday 26^th March we’re going to wear Purple for Epilepsy. Go a bit crazy and wear it in your hair, or on your shoes, just remember that it needs to be school appropriate. (No singlets or sandals)

Purple Day (26^th March) is a global initiative dedicated to raising epilepsy awareness. Purple Day was founded in 2008, by nine-year-old Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia, Canada. Motivated by her own struggles with epilepsy, Cassidy started Purple Day in an effort to get people talking about the condition and to let those impacted by seizures know that they are not alone. She named the day Purple Day after the internationally recognised colour for epilepsy, lavender.

Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder and affects people of all ages.
Epilepsy means the same thing as “seizure disorders.”
Epilepsy is characterized by unpredictable seizures and can cause other health problems.
Epilepsy is a spectrum condition with a wide range of seizure types and control varying from person-to-person.
Public misunderstandings of epilepsy cause challenges that are often worse than the seizures

Epilepsy affects members of our school community.

If you’d like to learn more visit https://www.epilepsy.org.au/

Respectful Roo winners:

Charlotte Bird & River Fuhrmeister

Green Team Award Winners:

Dino Grbic,Hudson Benbow,Manix Coppock, Malachi Newman

Easter Raffle Winners

1^st Prize	Lashanta Ouslinis
2^nd	Caleb Felici
3^rd	Melissa Stephens
4^th	Kohen Debono
5^th	Pearless Family
6^th	Madison Stewart
7^th	Ethan Start
8^th	Lily Cox
9^th	Robbie Gray
10^th	Milli Milovanovic
11^th	Chloe Hams
12^th	Brain
13^th	Colleen Taylor
14^th	S Wood
15^th	Chelsea Webb
16^th	Brenton Deveney
17^th	Harrison Hogan
18^th	Cruz Stellini
19th	Lindy Rodman
20^th	Leah Mackie

STUDENT AWARD WINNERS
Grade Prep JC Room 10	Kenady Russell 13/3 Jacob Heels	Being able to contribute to our class reflections about the learning intention. Always having a positive attitude to everything he does.
Grade Prep DR Room 11	April Archer Brodii Thetford	For amazing reading by pointing under each word, using the pictures and starting to use the ‘fish the lips’ strategy. Well done!
Grade 1 JF Room 9	Ebony Brown	Helping another student during a literacy activity
Grade 2 KS Room 5	Nevaeh Thetford	Having the confidence to challenge yourself in spelling
Grade 2 HV Room 6	Bailey Falls	Showing you are a responsible student by staying on task and completing work to the best of your ability.
Grade 2 RJ Room 7	Emanuelle Newman	For always being motivated in your learning and sharing lots of great ideas
Grade 3/4 LG Room 1	Kohen Debono	Showing confidence in Maths by sharing his learning with others
Grade 3/4 EA Room 2	Jemma Wolf	Being confident in your ability to get already for your leaning to becoming more independent as a learner
Grade 3/4 JH Room 3	Emily Dyer	Having a positive attitude and giving a 100%
Grade 5/6 EG Room 12	Sarah Dyer	For having a positive attitude and giving 100% on all tasks.
Grade 5/6 MD Room 13	Zahlia Kus	Showing self-motivation and determination when completing writing
Grade 5/6 JK Room 15	Jemma Bennett	For giving a 100% and achieving a great result in Essential Assessments
Grade 5/6 JK Room 15	Cooper Dunn	For sharing his literacy abilities with his peers.
Grade 5/6 JK Room 15	Jack Garven	For trying his absolute best in writing and being able to complete his work in a timely manner
Grade 5/6 JK Room 15	Lara Disisto	For pushing herself by selecting challenging spelling words
Grade 5/6 LD Room 16	Eve Douglas	Being motivated to complete your home reading/homework tasks to a high degree. Great job!”

STEM	Eve Douglas	Your responsible attitude towards learning (writing not sabot continental drift, without being directed)
STEM	Lara Disisto	Your responsible attitude towards learning (writing not sabot continental drift, without being directed)
STEM	Maddy Hansen	Your responsible attitude towards learning
PE	Jackson Bird	Being terrific company, of great assistance and being a guitar legend

.pdf copy – Newsletter March 26th 2020.docx