IMPORTANT DATES!

 

There are no upcoming events.

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey

WE WANT OUR PARENTS/CAREGIVERS/GUARDIANS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK!

Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents/caregivers/guardians think of our school. The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is conducted amongst a sample of randomly selected parents/caregivers/guardians (previously known as the Parent Opinion Survey). It is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, student engagement and experiences of remote and flexible learning. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies.

In the past approximately 30 per cent of parents were invited to participate. As our response rate has traditionally been quite low we have opted to send the survey to all parents this time around. All responses to the survey are anonymous. This year, the Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey is open until Friday 3rd September.

 

The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the fieldwork period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The online survey will be available in a range of languages other than English. These include: Arabic, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Chin (Hakha), Hindi, Japanese, Somali, Turkish, Punjabi and Greek.

Results of the survey are reported to the community through annual reporting and also through our School Council. Last year we used the survey results to plan new reporting and communication mechanisms and to adjust our practices to an even more student-centered approach.

Please speak to your child’s teacher if you would like more information

COVID Restrictions

Last night the Victorian Government announced a state-wide lockdown for Victoria to swiftly address the newly emerging COVID-19 cases and reduce movement in the community.

 

The restrictions will be in place from 8pm 5/08/21 for a seven-day period.

 

Following advice from the Victorian Chief Health Officer, all Victorian schools will move to remote and flexible learning until Thursday 12 August inclusive.

 

Student attendance on site

As with other remote learning periods, our school will provide on-site supervision for students in the categories below:

  •   – Children where both parents and/or carers are authorised workers who cannot work from home, work for an essential            provider and where no other supervision arrangements can be made:
  •           *Where there are two parents/carers, both must be authorised workers, working outside the home in order for their                    children to be eligible for on-site provision
  •           *For single parents/ carers, the authorised worker must be working outside the home in order for their children to be                 eligible for on-site provision.
  •   – Children experiencing vulnerability, including:
  •            *children in out-of-home care
  •            *children deemed vulnerable by a government agency, funded family or family violence service, and is assessed as                   requiring education and care outside the family home
  •            *children identified by a school as vulnerable, including via referral from a government agency, or funded family or                     family violence service, homeless or youth justice service or mental health or other health service.
  •            *Where a parent/carer indicates that a student with a disability is vulnerable because they cannot learn from home,                   and/or informs the school the student is vulnerable due to family stress, the school must provide on-site supervision               for that student. This may apply to students enrolled in specialist schools and students with a disability enrolled in                   mainstream schools.
  •  

If your child needs on-site supervision, could you please fill out the on-site attendance form and return to us.

 

Outside School Hours Care

The same arrangements apply to our Outside School Hours Care (OHSC) service.

Live Learning Sessions

Live learning sessions will commence on Monday as per the last lock down. We look forward to seeing your children on Webex from 9:00am.

For more information, refer to learning from home information for parents.

Thank you for your continued support. I will keep you updated with information as it is made available.

Community Reporting Forum

Please note this was postponed until next Thursday. On Monday I will post a Compass feed featuring the Webex link.

 

Take care,

Kirrily Lamers

Principal

ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS’ REPORT

Talking to your Child about COVID-19

The Department of Education website offers many helpful tips for talking to your child about coronavirus.

 

Tips include:

  •     – Don’t be afraid to discuss COVID-19 with your children
  •     – Adapt information based on your child’s age
  •     – Be guided by your child
  •     – Focus on what you’re doing to stay safe
  •     – Stick to a routine
  •     – Keep talking
  •     – Close conversation with care
  •     – Things to look out for in your children

Visit Talking to your child about Coronavirus for more information.

Remember to Look After Yourself

This situation can be stressful – regardless of your age. To look after the people you love, you also need to look after yourself.

If you notice that you’re feeling anxious, take some time to calm down before having a conversation or answering your child’s questions.

If you’re feeling worried, tell your child that you will find some information and talk to them soon.

 

The following resources are also available to support your mental health and wellbeing:

 

Additional Resources

21 Things to do with Kids over Victoria's Seven-Day Lockdown

  1. Pack a picnic

Even if restrictions prevent you heading out to your usual favourite picnic spot, a backyard picnic or even a blanket spread out on the loungeroom floor can help break the monotony.

 

  1. Ninja it

Take inspiration from TV show Ninja Warrior and get the kids moving through an improvised obstacle course.

 

  1. Dig this 

Spring is coming and it’s the perfect time to get kids into growing their own herbs, vegies and flowers.

 

  1. Hallway bowling alley

Parenting and family wellbeing expert Professor Julie Green suggests a DIY bowling alley as a way to pass a few fun family hours.

 

  1. Kids on film …

“Make a movie. Children can write a script, put together costumes and design sets and then film using an iPhone or iPad,” suggests Julie Green.

 

  1. Revisit the classics

Hold a series of themed movie afternoons to revisit favourite films you might have missed from your kids’ repertoire.

 

  1. Get them cooking

“Get creative with what’s in the pantry,” says Julie Green.

 

  1. For the birds

Spotted some unusual feathered friends in your neighbourhood lately? You can use Birdlife Australia’s bird-finder tool to identify any you see in your backyard or neighbourhood.

 

  1. Brick by brick

If you have a mountain of old Lego tucked away, try setting up a table in your living or play area and challenging the kids to design and build a cubby house, rocket ship, unicorn, playground, car, dinosaur, mini city, spinning top, fairy land… You might find yourself joining in. 

 

  1. Post haste

Write a letter to a grandparent, aunty or friends overseas.

 

  1. In the home lab

Scienceworks is keeping science simple for kids with the kind of how-tos that will stick in a child’s head.

 

  1. Onboard

Invest in some new boardgames and play them along with classics like Cluedo and Monopoly.

 

  1. Tunetime

Create a themed playlist for the family to listen to on future road trips or while doing housework.

 

  1. Bust a move

Head online to find exercise video classes to do as a family, or you could focus on kids’ individual interests with a high-intensity workout for one and a yoga class for another.

 

  1. Under the sea

Over at the Sea Life Aquarium kids can try their hand at being a junior shark keeper using free worksheets, quizzes, livestreams and expert interviews on the aquarium’s website and Facebook page.

 

  1. Hidden treasure

Set up an indoor or backyard treasure or scavenger hunt for younger children.

 

  1. Don’t forget chores…  

“Having chores to do in family routines helps children and teenagers develop a sense of responsibility and some basic skills like the ability to manage time,” says Julie Green.

 

  1. Make it worth their while

Post a list of one-off jobs you’ve been putting off, and price them to appeal to cash-savvy older children or teens.

 

  1. To dye for

Tie-dyeing is back in style, from classic ’70s swirls to refined Japanese shibori techniques.

 

  1. Jam it

Do your kids play an instrument? If so, settle in for a jam session together, or dress up and crank out your favourite tunes for a Friday-night disco. 

 

  1. For art’s sake

Assemble some paints, paintbrushes, fresh paper or canvases and let the kids unleash their inner artists.

 

You can find more information on each these activities at: https://www.racv.com.au/royalauto/living/at-home/coronavirus-top-things-to-do-kids-home.html

Luke Franklin & Denisse Lobos

Assistant Principals

TEACHING AND LEARNING

The Great Outdoors!

This week, I am going to share some ways that natural spaces support our learning. 

It is well accepted that humans generally feel refreshed being outdoors. The reason for this is biological. As a species, humans have a natural preference for nature and open landscapes, particularly environments that are safe, expansive and have a source of water and other resources nearby. This due to the early hunter gatherers, who sought these types of environments as a survival instinct.

As humans, we display many positive physiological responses to being around nature including:

  •     –  more regular breathing
  •     –  a drop in blood pressure
  •     –  less frequent blinking
  •     –  improved sleep rhythms
  •     –  improved short term memory
  •     –  an increase in positive emotions

Studies also indicate that natural spaces help us to think better and alleviate our levels of stress. Being surrounded by nature stops us from ruminating on our worries and thinking negative thoughts. Our overall focus and academic performance improve, and we are better able to postpone gratification.

Further, there is a greater saturation of colour and gently curving lines in nature, whereas urban environments have harsh light, sharp lines and less space. Numerous studies have found these manmade environments can inhibit our thinking and creativity. Outdoors, we experience more feelings of awe and like our earliest human ancestors, are more likely to work together for the collective good. Another interesting field of research has found that use of devices, such as phones, limits our thinking as we are constrained by the dimensions of the device. In a sense, the screens encourage us to ‘think smaller’.

So how can you and your child use natural spaces to enhance learning?

  1. Turn off devices and be ‘present’ in nature on a regular basis
  2. Develop the habit of spending time outside to improve your mood and stress levels, even if it’s as simple as taking a walk around the block.
  3. Take time to appreciate the wonders of nature – look closely at patterns in the environment, fauna and flora.
  4. If you find yourself spiralling into negative thoughts, head outside for fresh air (without devices) and focus on appreciating nature. This should support you to stop fixating and ruminating on worries.

In the coming weeks, I will talk about how learning with others can help our learning.

Reference: ‘The Extended Mind : The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain’ – Annie Murphy Paul (Houghton, Mifflin Harcourt, 2021

ICAS 2021

The 2021 ICAS tests were due to start next week. However with the current Victorian lockdown, the ICAS Digitech will now need to be postponed until the end of August. At this point I will leave the ICAS English, Mathematics, Spelling Bee and Science at their current dates, in the hope we emerge from lockdown after one week. ICAS have advised they will create an additional sitting window at the start of Term 4 if Victorian schools are unable to complete the ICAS onsite in August. Please continue to check the newsletter and Compass for further information around this.

 

As I mentioned last week, UNSW have changed the dates for the ICAS Writing test period. The new ICAS Writing test date is Wednesday October 6th, 2021. With the postponement of this ICAS, the Parent Payment Portal for ICAS Writing will remain open till the 19th of September 2021. All other ICAS registrations for 2021 have now closed. 

 

The Parent Payment Portal located at https://www.icasassessments.com/shop-parents/ Please use the school code MHT858.

 

ICAS will take place on the following dates:

'Book Week Parade' - Character Dress Up

The school is still planning for a ‘Book Week Parade’ on Thursday 26th August. There will be a character dress up assembly for students on the day. We expect that parents will not be permitted onsite so it is probable this will be an internal school event, without a parent audience. Please encourage your child to have fun and dress up as a favourite book character on this date. All classes will also engage in Book Week activities during library sessions. Activities will be focused on books nominated for 2021 Children’s Book Council of Australia awards.

The 2021 RGLPS Writer's Festival is coming... week of Monday 18th October

RGLPS classes have been making a start on writing pieces for our second RGLPS Writer’s Festival. Every child at the school will have a piece of writing and matching artwork on display at the festival. We are hoping parents can attend onsite by this date and are planning for an opening ceremony on the evening of Monday 18th October, between 5pm-7pm. We may need to schedule viewing timeslots for various year levels, depending on COVID restrictions, but we encourage all RGLPS families to try and keep this date free. We are all very excited to again showcase and celebrate the wonderful writing skills of our RGLPS students!

 

Looking forward to seeing everyone onsite again soon. Stay safe.

Kerron Worsdell

Learning Specialist

DO YOU HAVE A CHILD STARTING SCHOOL IN 2022?

Please make sure you have handed your enrolment form and accompanying paperwork into the office.

Enrolment forms can be downloaded from the RGLPS website, or collected from the school foyer.

We look forward to welcoming our 2022 prep siblings!

MATHS QUIZ

Maths Riddle:

Well done to those who solved last week’s riddle about the age of Lisa’s sister, Lucy. The answer to the problem is…Lucy is currently 37 years old.

 

See if you can solve this week’s riddle below.  I’ll share the answer in the newsletter next week.

Extra challenge: Can you create your own triangle riddle where each side adds up to the same number? HINT: You will need to change the numbers given to suit your chosen target number.


If you’d like to share, please send your own riddles to sarah.mclellan@education.vic.gov.au

Sarah McLellan

Learning Specialist

SPORT NEWS

Dear Parents and Students,

 

6BF was the first class to use our brand new croquet equipment this week – safe to say they were jumping for joy! There was plenty of strategic thinking on display as teams tried to outwit each other and be first to the finishing post. Thanks to Olivia, Natalie, Abbey and Poppy for starring in the photos.

 

Darren Peters

PE and Sports Coordinator

FUN ACTIVITIES

FUNDRAISING

CANTEEN

THEIRCARE – BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL CARE

COMMUNITY NOTICES

Disclaimer: Rosanna Golf Links Primary School (RGLPS) does not endorse any product or service advertised in this newsletter. RGLPS takes no responsibility for the content of advertisements or the quality and reliability of products or services offered in the advertisements

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