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Ascot Vale Special School 1 Tasma Street Ascot Vale 3032 ascot.vale.ss@edumail.vic.gov.au Office: 9370 8906/9370 8931 www.ascotvaless.vic.edu.au VCAL: 9370 8911

BULLETIN

Hi Everyone The 2020 school year has begun! Solid planning is in place to make this year positive and productive. There is already a great buzz of excitement within the school as the students reunite with their old friends and meet new students for the first time. For those parents who don’t know me, I am one of the two Learning Centre Leaders in the school. The other Learning Centre Leader being Susanne Andriesz. Susanne and I have the shared responsibility of being the direct point of support for our classrooms. I look after the Primary section and Susanne the Secondary and Senior Secondary sections. We also have other specific areas of responsibility, with mine being ICT and Curriculum coordination. I have been at the school now for approximately 9 years and I absolutely love my job! I feel very privileged to be able to spend my day helping and assisting staff, students and parents in a positive and vibrant learning environment. Excellent communication is a key factor in any form of success. At AVSS we are always striving to keep improving our channels of communication within our school community. Face to face communication is always the best form of communication and being a small school, this is always possible. We encourage parents to contact us at any time and make an appointment with whom you would like to chat to. Tanya and Nichole in the office, are also very happy to chat with you if you have any concerns and direct you to the best person to talk to should you wish to call the school. The use of Compass and Seesaw provides parents with the digital platforms to easily and readily communicate with both administrative and teaching staff as well. Compass is where you will see your child’s reports, book in for SSG meetings and register any absences or attendance matters. Seesaw is the tool that is used for less formal communication between your child’s teacher or with admin through the Z-Admin class. Admin will use Seesaw to send you information about upcoming whole school events, ask your opinions about school matters or send you reminders and bulletins. It is vital that you are signed up to both Compass and Seesaw. If you aren’t signed up, please see the details below to show you how. COMPASS Tanya and Nichole have put together an excellent brochure to show you step by step how to log into Compass. So please contact the office to have this sent to you or simply drop into the office and chat to them for assistance. Tanya will print off a log in letter for you. You then download the ‘Compass School Manager’ app on your phone or type the following into your computer browser: https://ascotvaless-vic.compass.education/login.aspx?sessionstate=disabled

Once you have done the above, then simply follow the prompting steps within the app or program or follow the steps in the prepared brochure.

Any problems please see the office or myself for assistance.

THURSDAY, 13 February 2020

10-14 February SSG Week 12 February School lunch begins 17 February Closing date for School Council nominations 18 February School Council 24 February 3.30pm Post-School Pathway Info Session 2 March Close of School Council Ballot 9 March Labour Day Public Holiday 16 March School Photos 27 March End of Term 1 14 April Start Term 2 Courtyard Café Monday & Thursday morning recess 11.00am—11.30am

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SEESAW

To log into Seesaw is a very similar process to Compass. Ask the school for a child specific log in code. This page will be printed for you. Download the family app on your mobile device or log in on your computer with by clicking on this link or typing it into your brows-er https://app.seesaw.me/#/login Follow the prompts within the app or program and scan a school supplied QR code on your phone and voila you will be signed into Seesaw! Any problems please see the office or myself for assistance.

For existing parents, if you are experiencing any trouble with either Compass or Seesaw, we want to hear from you!

SSG MEETINGS

These meetings are being held this week (Week 3) and they are a vital tool for us as a school to best meet the needs of your child. Your input is so valued, as you know your child best! If you can’t make it in person to the school, your teacher can arrange a phone or SKYPE interview. All parents would have received an electronic FORM survey through SEESAW to fill in prior to the meeting to provide additional information to inform the development of ILP goals. If you haven’t yet booked a time to see your child’s classroom teacher, please contact them ASAP. All teachers will be trying to contact you by phone or a message through Seesaw.

Are you having trouble booking your SSG appointments?

If so, please contact your classroom teacher via SEESAW or call Tanya in the office. Both can book an appointment for you. Please see the below steps to help with the process on your phone:

Step 1. Open your Compass App and click on the menu bar

Step 2. Select the Conferences Tap and open

Step 3. Select and open the 2020-Term 1SSG

tab

Kind regards,

Robyn

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Week 2 Swim:

Place open hands in front of body, palms down- move hands in circles as though swimming freestyle *Natural Gesture

Key Word Sign of the Week

Key word sign is a strategy used to encourage

language in children and adults with communication difficulties (speech and language delays). Unlike

sign language, short, clear sentences are spoken and the main or key words are signed at the same time.

Additional information is given through the use of facial expression and natural gesture. The idea is that

using hand signs can help support people with communication delays and eliminate communication

breakdown. This includes children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome.

Natalliya Sertic & Getty Hamidi, AVSS Speech Pathologists

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JUMPING JACKS

Can you do a Jumping Jack? How many can you do?

Stand tall like a mountain

Jump your legs open wide

Open your arms up high above your head

Jump your arms and legs back together

If it’s a bit tricky to start, try jumping only your legs or only your arms.

Emma Green,

Occupational Therapist

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Room 5 has had a great start to the year!

We have been exploring different topics so far, such as number/

counting, creating fact files about Melbourne,

the Zones of Regulation and how

to stay safe around the school

Kat & Ned

DO YOU CARE FOR A PARENT, SIBLING, OR GRANDPARENT?

You may be a young carer, and we want to hear from you. Complete the quick YOUNG CARERS survey below: https://survey.websurveycreator.com/s.aspx?s=83e16a75-6864-468f-911f-829aa86d8737) Priya Gill, Community Support Officer Phone 9243 1036 Email pgill@mvcc.vic.gov.au

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ASCOT VALE SPECIAL SCHOOL

School Council Elections 2020

What is a school council and what does it do?

All government schools in Victoria have a school council. They are legally formed bodies that

are given powers to set the key directions of a school within centrally provided guidelines.

In doing this, a school council is able to directly influence the quality of education that the school

provides for its students.

Who is on the school council?

There are three possible categories of membership:

A mandated elected Parent category. More than one third of the total members must be from

this category. Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DET) employees can

be Parent members at their child’s school as long as they are not employed at the school.

A mandated elected DET employee category. Members of this category may make up no

more than one third of the total membership of school council. The principal of the school is

automatically one of these members.

An optional Community member category. Its members are appointed by a decision of the

council because of their special skills, interests or experiences. DET employees are not eligible

to be Community members.

The term of office for all members is two years. Half the members must retire each year, creating

vacancies for the annual school council elections.

Why is Parent membership so important?

Parents on school councils provide important viewpoints and have valuable skills that can help

shape the direction of the school.

Those parents who become active on a school council find their involvement satisfying in itself

and may also find that their children feel a greater sense of belonging.

How can you become involved?

The most obvious way is to vote in the elections, which are held in Term 1 each year. However,

ballots are only held if more people nominate as candidates than there are positions vacant.

In view of this, you might seriously consider

standing for election as a member of the school council

encouraging another person to stand for election.

Do I need special experience to be on school council?

No. What you do need is an interest in your child’s school and the desire to work in partnership

with others to help shape the school’s future.

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What do you need to do to stand for election?

The principal will issue a notice and call for nominations following the commencement of Term 1

each year. All school council elections must be completed by the end of March.

If you decide to stand for election, you can arrange for someone to nominate you as a candidate

or you can nominate yourself in the Parent category. Forms are available from the office.

DET employees whose child is enrolled in a school in which they are not employed are eligible

to nominate as parents for the school council where their child is enrolled.

Once the nomination form is completed, return it to the principal within the time stated on the

notice of election. You will receive a Nomination Form Receipt in the mail following the receipt of

your completed nomination.

If there are more nominations received than there are vacancies on council, a ballot will be con-

ducted during the two weeks after the call for nominations has closed.

Remember

Ask at the school for help if you would like to stand for election and are not sure what to do Consider standing for election to council this year Be sure to vote in the elections.

Contact Colin Schot on 9370 8609

or schot.colin.h@edumail.vic.gov.au for further information.

Nomination forms are available from the general office

School Council Vacant Positions Available

Department of Education Employee category (2) x 2 years and (1) x 1 year

Parent category (4) x 2 years

Co-opted member (2) x 2 years

Timeline for Ascot Vale Special School Council Elections

1 Notice of election and call for nominations Monday, 10th February 2020

2 Closing date for nominations Monday, 17th February 2020

3 Date by which the list of candidates and nominators

will be displayed

Wednesday, 19th February 2020

4 Date by which ballot papers will be prepared

and distributed

Monday, 24th February 2020

5 Close of ballot Monday, 2nd March 2020

6 Vote count Tuesday, 3rd March 2020

7 Declaration of ballot Wednesday, 4th March 2020

8 First Council meeting to co-opt Community members

(Principal will preside)

Tuesday, 17th March 2020

9 Second Council meeting to elect office bearers

(Principal will preside)

Tuesday, 17th March 2020

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A new mandatory reporter group

I am writing to remind you that from 31 January 2020 mandatory reporters will be expanded to

include ‘school counsellors’, which are defined as “a person who works (other than on a

voluntary basis), to provide direct support to school students, at or directly connected with a

school, for mental, emotional or psychological wellbeing.” This follows our previous consultation

discussions.

All Department of Education and Training (the Department) staff and contractors, including

chaplaincy providers, must follow the Four Critical Actions for Schools when responding to

incidents, disclosures and suspicions of child abuse to ensure they fulfil all their legal obligations,

including mandatory reporting obligations. See: Four Critical Actions for Schools

From 31 January 2020, if a person works (other than on a voluntary basis), to provide direct

support to school students, at or directly connected with a school, for mental, emotional or

psychological wellbeing, they will be a mandatory reporter as a ‘school counsellor’.

In a school, ‘school counsellors’ may include:

Student Support Service staff

primary welfare officers

mental health practitioners in secondary schools

student wellbeing coordinators

school chaplains

speech pathologists

youth workers

social workers

Many staff in schools, such as principals, teachers, registered psychologists and school nurses are

already mandatory reporters.

What must mandatory reporters do?

Mandatory reporters must report to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Child

Protection if they form a belief on reasonable grounds during the course of carrying out their

professional roles and responsibilities that:

a child has suffered, or is likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of physical abuse and/or

sexual abuse, and

the child’s parents have not protected, or are unlikely to protect, the child from harm of

that type.

It is a criminal offence not to report in these circumstances.

Do school staff still need to follow the Four Critical Actions for Schools?

Yes, school staff must still follow the Four Critical Actions for Schools to respond to incidents,

disclosures and suspicions of child abuse to ensure they fulfil all their legal obligations, including

mandatory reporting obligations. See: Four Critical Actions for Schools

More information

Principals can also remind school staff who are mandatory reporters that they must complete

the Protecting Children – Mandatory Reporting and Other Obligations eLearning module every

year.

For more information, see: Child Protection – Reporting Obligations

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Today we welcomed guests to Ascot Vale Special School to launch the

the Flemington Education Plan—‘What We Heard”.

Guests were welcomed by our students and then led to the Courtyard Café area to await

our local member for Essendon, Danny Pearson, who then spoke and shared the report.

After the formal proceedings our students had the opportunity to socialise and interact

with the other students from Mount Alexander College, Flemington

Primary School and Debney Meadows Primary School.

Thank you to Ned, Steele, Mary Ann and Ntsi for helping to set up for this community

launch and Daniel V for taking the photos.

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Every student, every day to be given the opportunity to be the best they can be.

Our Courtyard Café will be open for

business on a Monday and Thursday, so

pop in for a cuppa, we’d love to see you!