Parkhill Primary School Newsletter
Issue 7, Thursday 12 March 2020
Dear Parents/Carers
So wonderful to see so many of you attending our parent teacher interviews this week. Do remember that you are more than welcome to meet your child’s teacher throughout the school year at any time that works for you and them. You can email them directly or through the office.
It has been a busy week with the School Council nominations, PFA Annual General Meeting and parent teacher interviews. If you are a new member of our school community or you are keen to be involved in PFA please do send me an email or call the office - your contributions however little or large are helpful and fully appreciated. As you will read below we no longer have an active PFA as the office bearers have stepped down. Everyone is busy balancing life and work!! If you feel like you would be able to contribute, maybe have a group of friends who could take on the role of the PFA please do come chat with me! The job can be as small or big as you like - it is a fantastic way to be actively involved in the community. The events traditionally run by the PFA will not run in 2020 should we have no PFA group.
For your information - the latest updates regarding the Coronavirus issued by the DET can be found following the link below:
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/department/Pages/coronavirus.aspx#link85
HEADLICE:
We have had a number of reported head lice issues in classes across the school. It is very frustrating for you to be continually treating your child for head lice and can be quite distressing. Although we know that school and childcare centres are their favourite place, we really need to work together to ensure we are all doing regular checks of their hair to try to minimise the spread of head lice at Parkhill. There are many ways to treat/prevent head lice – please check out the information in the link below. Regular combing helps with checking hair. https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/infectious-diseases/head-lice
PLAYGROUND REPORTING:
If the children experience any difficulty at play time or lunchtime they can fill in a playground report. This report is then given to the teacher who can help the child to solve the problem or escalate if needed. The reports are collated and we use the data to help us to ensure that supervision is in the right places, to identify repeat behaviours and put things in place to ensure they are reduced and also to help us to feed into our SEL programs. You might want to discuss the reporting system with your child at home.
SCIENCE WEEK:
During Science Week, children will participate in many different science experiments and learning activities. This term focus areas are:
Foundation/Y1: Chemical sciences
Everyday materials can be physically changed or combined with other materials in a variety of ways for particular purposes (VCSSU045)
Y2/3: Physical Sciences
The way objects move depends on a variety of factors including their size and shape: a push or a pull affects how an object moves or changes shape (VCSSU048)
Y4/5/6: Earth and space sciences
Earth is part of a system of planets orbiting around a star (the Sun) (VCSSU078)
REMINDERS:
2020 school fees (Essential Education Items) are due – if you have not yet paid this fee please contact the office ASAP. It is important to note that the school has to subsidise any fees that are not paid by families. These subsidies are paid out of our curriculum budgets.
Morning drop off: Supervision on the playground is only from 8:45am. So many children have been arriving at 8am. These children should attend OSHClub. They are not allowed to be unsupervised and left on the playground. Please do seek other alternatives.
On Tuesday 17th March we look forward to our Twilight Sports event.
Have a wonderful weekend
Elaine Brady
Principal
Calendar of Curriculum Events
Friday 13 March - SCR Badge Presentation in Assembly
Tuesday 17 March - Twilight Sports
Friday 20 March - District Athletics (Selected Students)
Friday 24 March - Evening Soiree (Selected students, more details to follow)
Friday 27 March - Term 1 Ends 2.30pm
Tuesday 14 April - Curriculum Day
Wednesday 15 April - Term 2 Starts
Student of the Week
F/1C - Jessica Z
F/1S - Zoe K
F1M - Callum D
2/3B - Aiden K
2/3L - Rayan S
2/3T - Joshua M
4/5D - Sky P
4/5H - Oscar W
4/5O - Zaid S
5/6C - Nathan T
5/6G - Flynn L & Yianni T
Y2/3 STEAM AND WRITING
This term the Y2/3s have been learning about push and pull forces. The students enjoyed exploring all the different objects they could move by stretching, rolling, bouncing and moulding different cars, balls, playdough and blocks. This week, the students went on a ‘Push and Pull Pursuit’ by investigating the different objects they could push and pull around the school. We explored outside areas including the deck, playground and oval and inside areas such as the kitchen and various classrooms. In the coming weeks, we will be designing our own moving object and will be testing how well they travel on smooth, rough and bumpy surfaces. Stay tuned for the creations the Y2/3s design!
Writing
In writing, the Y2/3s have been focusing on using adjectives to describe a noun, to make their writing vivid and exciting. We have been using a range of pictures and sounds to spark ideas and creative thinking. Here are some writing pieces from 2/3B.
Crash! The hot, flaming dragon crashed through the rocks, while breathing flames through its mouth!
Quin 2/3B
The red, hot scaly dragon stood on the rocky hot mountain like a king!
Victor 2/3B
Ahh! I yell as the dragon swoops out of the flames. I try to run but I can’t. I’m blocked by the flames and the scary dragon!
Kara 2/3B
Twilight Sports
Our Twilight Sports will be held next Tuesday the 17 March. You are welcome to have a picnic dinner beside the oval from 5pm, the activites will run from 5.30pm - 6.30pm. Children are to wear their house colors.
School Clean Up!
It was wonderful to see the older students picking up the rubbish around the playground with their buddies! What great role models they all were!
Chaplain’s Corner
You might have noticed there’s a fair bit of fear and uncertainty in the wider community of late. I think it comes from the strange summer we had, bushfires, smoke and people wearing masks. Hail, dust storms, everything coated in red dirt. The news is filled with doom and gloom, Coronavirus, people wearing masks and fighting over toilet paper. It doesn’t take much from that background state to tilt a person’s mental health off balance.
So what can we do… when it feels like we can’t do much?
In terms of health and safety follow the governments guidelines which can be found here:
https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/victorian-public-coronavirus-disease-covid-19
In terms of access to the news the following is helpful when helping children navigate disasters and traumatic news:
Really though when we are aware of things that are out of our control, it helps to carefully manage our mental health and take good care of ourselves. All those things that are good to do anyway just become a little bit more important if we happen to be feeling ill at ease from what’s going on in the world around us.
Find a healthy balance between switching the tv/computer off and knowing what’s going on. Maybe check in once a day, if it’s getting to you give yourself permission to not have to have the news feed on 24/7.
Get some exercise, sleep and eat well, talk to a friend.
Do something that is relaxing/restoring for you.
Practise mindfulness, deep breathing and other relaxation strategies.
And as always, if you’re really struggling seek professional help, be it in person (GP, counsellor, psychologist) or via a helpline such as Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636; Kids helpline 1800 55 1800.
Keep calm, carry on, oh and keep smiling.
Chaplain
Choir Connections
Don't forget the choir’s first assembly performance for 2020 is this Friday 13th March. We are very excited and look forward to seeing many smiling faces in the audience.
Marinda & Kirsten
PFA News 12 March 2020
No Active PFA.
The Annual General meeting was held last night and unfortunately there were no nominations for the office bearer positions.. This means we have no active PFA. As a result of this, no PFA events will be able to be held this year.
Due to work and family commitments the current members of the PFA are unable to continue in their roles. However, they all will be there to support the new office bearers.
If you are interested in being on the PFA please email parents.friends.secretary@gmail.com or contact the office.
DON’T MISS A THING!
Search for us using the name “Parkhill Primary School Community Page”.
Then click the “join group” icon.
A group administrator will confirm your association with the school and approve your request.
REMEMBER TO SAY ‘PARKHILL PRIMARY SCHOOL’ WHEN SHOPPING AT THESE STORES!
Remember to say “Parkhill Primary School” before you pay at Bakers Delight Ashburton, Chadstone, Oakleigh and Oakleigh Links to have 5% of the sale go towards our school!
The school's 4-digit code is 5565.
Ritchies Community Benefit Card Program
Ritchies' Community Benefit Card Program donates a percentage of the money spent in store to your nominated school or charity. The Parkhill Community helped us earn over $400 in 2019.
Here’s how it works!
1.Ask for your free Ritchies Community Benefit Card at your nearest Ritchies supermarket or liquor store.
2.Enter the name of the community group that you would like to be the recipient of a donation from Ritchies.
3.Your Ritchies Community Benefit Card will be issued and can be used, immediately!
Rebel Community Kickbacks Program.
Under this program, Parkhill Primary School can earn 5% of your purchases at Rebel Sports as an in-store credit to spend on our school sports programs. You can sign up in Store.
Parkhill Primary currently has $380 credit to spend on sporting equipment at Rebel so as you can see it all adds up!
Parkhill Primary School
Email: Parkhill.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au
Website: www.parkhillps.vic.edu.au
Location: 4a Parkhill Drive, Ashwood VIC, Australia
Phone: 03 9807 2239