PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Community Open Day – Sunday November 18th 11am – 3pm

A reminder about the Community Open Day on Sunday. We are looking forward to a large number of visitors coming through our new facilities and I would like to thank the parents and staff who have worked so hard to organise, publicise and prepare for the day. See you on Sunday!

Prep 2013 – Parent Information Night

It was great to meet the parents of the 2013 Preps at our Parent Information night on Tuesday. The Prep teachers for 2013 were introduced to the parents and they included the current team of Pam Rowler (Co-ordinator), Lena Papadatos and Lauren Braithwaite. We also introduced four new members to the team to teach the six classes we are planning for next year. Joining the Prep Team is Felicity O’Flynn who is making the move from Yr 3/4 for 2013. We also welcome two new members of staff, including Emma Amos who is well known to Essex Heights as one of our regular CRT’s (casual replacement teachers). Also Brianna Hendy, who comes to us from Frankston East PS, and is looking forward to joining our team here at Essex Heights. Finally, we welcome the return of Natalie Zaibak from family leave. She will be teaching in Prep one day a week replacing Pam Rowler who will be working 4 days a week from next year. Throughout the evening staff presented information to parents about what to expect as their children begin their school life here at Essex Heights. Prep is an exciting year and I was particularly pleased to be able to welcome many first time families who are joining our school community. Thanks also to Joan Scott, Ina Kuehlich and Jan Wicking for their contribution on the night, and Linda Cornell who spoke on behalf of the PFA.

State Softball Final Congratulations to our successful Boys Softball Team who have qualified for the State Finals next week. They have won all their preliminary rounds and have now progressed to the top 4 schools in the State. Next Thursday they return to Jells Park to attempt to become the second Essex Heights team in 4 years to win the State Champions Medal. Well done to Ben Wooster and the boys for what they have achieved so far. Thanks to Anita Kuchta and the band of parents who have been a loyal and vocal cheer squad throughout this competition. Go Essex!

CALENDAR DATES

18th November Community Open Day – 11.00 – 3.00 p.m. 19th November Guitar Ensemble performance at Oxfam Concert – Box Hill

20th November Piano & Keyboard Concert – School Hall

21st November PFA Meeting – Staffroom 7.30 p.m. (last meeting for year)

6th December Prep 2013 – Orientation Day – 9.30 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.

6th December School Council Meeting – 7.30 p.m. Staffroom

11th December Year 7 Orientation Day

11th December Orientation Day for new students 2013 – Years 1 – 6

14th December Year 6 Graduation Evening

21st December Last day of Term – 1.30 p.m. dismissal

TERM DATES FOR 2013 Term 1 29th January – 28th March

29th January – Staff return to school

30th January – Staff attend Prof Dev.

31st January – Year 1 – 6 children commence school

1st February - – Prep children commence school

28th March End of Term 1, 2013 – 2.30 p.m. finish

Term 2 15th April –28th June

Term 3 16th July – 21st September

Term 4 7th October – 20th December

ISSUE 35

15th November,

2012

‘Screen It’ – Competition Success

The ‘Australian Centre for the Moving Image’ (ACMI) conducts an annual film making competition for school children. The theme for this year’s entries was ‘Belonging’ and a team of Yr 4 children from 3/4AW entered. They were very pleased to receive notification that they have been selected as Finalists this year. This is a wonderful achievement as there were 398 entries nationally. Jenny Austin and the team have been invited to a screening and awards ceremony at ACMI in December. We are very proud of this group of budding Directors and look forward to seeing their film at Assembly in the near future. Thanks to Jenny for organising their entry into the competition.

Hats & Sunsmart Policy A reminder that from Monday, all children will need to be wearing Sunsmart compliant hats to school that are either brimmed or legionnaire’s style. If your child does not have a satisfactory hat then they will be restricted in their play areas along with children who have no hat at all.

Staffing News Finally, we farewell Joan Scott this week as she takes leave for the remainder of the year to travel overseas for the birth of her next grandchild. We wish Joan well for this exciting event and look forward to the photos and stories on her return in 2013. See you at the Community Open Day, Andrew Crossett

BASC With the end of the year fast approaching the program will need to start finalising accounts. If you have not received a BASC account via email recently please contact the program on 9807-2615.

Thank you to all those families that keep their accounts up to date, it is much appreciated. The January Vacation Care Program will be operating from the 14/1/2013 up until school resumes. Enrolment forms will be out soon. On the 31st October the program had a Halloween Party. It was a great success. We made scary decorations, played spooky games but most importantly we ate heaps of candy and ice poles. We hope next year’s party will be bigger and spookier.

Leading up to the end of the year we will start to have some Christmas activities planned for the children. It should be a lot of fun. Paul Davis Co-Ordinator

+++++++++++++++ SCHOOL BANKING UPDATE ++++++++++++++++++++ School banking is still happening every Friday including the last Friday of the term and we would like to thank all participants for their ongoing support. We are hoping to raise $1500 for the school by the end of the year through the school banking program. Every banking child should have received their account overview from the Bank in the last few weeks. On the account you will have seen that your child either received a standard interest rate of 0.01%pa or a bonus interest of 4.76%pa. Please be aware that your child needs to make at least one deposit every calendar month and no withdrawals to be eligible for the bonus rate. Since there is a huge difference between the interest rates it is well worth making sure you deposit at least once a month to take advantage of the higher rate. We look forward to process your deposits for the rest of the term. Thanks to all volunteers for you ongoing support, I couldn’t do it without you.

FRIDAY 16th November

Jenny Quinn, Chandima Fernanda, Amarjit Nagra, Kathryn Townley

MONDAY 19th November

Jenny Smith

WEDNESDAY 21st November

Amanda Kelsall, Emma Downs, Indika Weerasekara

FRIDAY 23rd November

Stefanie Wendler-Canning, Georgina Kelly

PRINTED LUNCH BAGS 50 bags = $3.00 10 bags = $0.60

Please contact Maggie on 9807 1815 if you have any queries

or are unable to attend

MONASH IN FOUR – online community survey – have your say Council is now holding a major ‘online consultation’ to gain community input into future directions and priorities for the City of Monash. The consultation will provide opportunities for everyone to tell Council their priorities for the next four years, in the following four areas:

A fair & healthy community

An inclusive & safe community

A green & naturally-rich City

A planned & connected City

The online survey can be found on Council’s website until 16 December 2012: www.monash.vic.gov.au Look for this logo:

To request a written copy of the survey questions or further information, contact Sally Everitt, Council’s Coordinator of Consultation & Research: telephone 9518 3675.

MISSING!

We’re currently missing a number of our school sports

tops.

They are GREEN and WHITE.

Can all students please do a search

of bags, homes, laundry baskets,

under beds and in drawers for these

tops.

Please return them to the sports office as soon as

possible.

Thanks

Mr Wooster and Ms Kuchta

Ashwood College Learning Together ▪ Embracing Opportunities ▪ Creating the Future

Ashwood College to undergo Buildings Modernisation –

State Government Capital Works Project

The Ashwood College Community is delighted to announce that our Capital Works – Buildings Modernisation Project is about to begin. Following notification in January 2010 that Ashwood College had been prioritised for inclusion in the State Government’s Building Futures Program, the College has undergone an extensive planning process. As part of this two year process the College produced a comprehensive educational rationale for the modernisation, visited numerous education facilities and held many forums, focus groups and briefings regarding the project. Consideration ranged from day to day practical operations to classroom pedagogy and 21st Century learning environments. Modern contemporary design solutions were identified as a priority and in particular a design to cater for the needs of the Ashwood College community well into this century. Some expectations included: flexible, high quality learning spaces which support engaging and innovative curriculum and teaching and learning; seamless integration with the landscape and responsive to the site; ESD exemplary—passive design, orientation, openable windows, cross ventilation, external planting and rainwater harvesting; comfortable external areas with appropriate screening for students. The full support of the Eastern Metropolitan Region of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) is recognition of the enthusiasm and work the College has undertaken over the years in our determined effort to maximise the benefits for all of our students and to improve the College in all aspects. Initial meetings have been held with the newly appointed builders, Melbcon and the project management team, Baldasso & Cortese, and it is anticipated that site preparation will commence on Monday 12

th

November 2012. It is anticipated the first phase of the project will be complete in June 2013. Attached to this letter is a copy of the architectural drawings for the initial phases of construction and details pertaining to the building company and project management team. We would like to take this opportunity to thank those community members who have played an important role in the consultation process which has taken place over the past 2 years. This modernisation project is a very welcome addition to our new Performing Arts and Sustainable Learning Centres, providing our students with a 21st Century, cutting edge curriculum in state of the art buildings. We acknowledge that construction may have some impact on our immediate neighbours and ask for your understanding and tolerance. Please join and support us as we embark on this project which will culminate in enhanced educational outcomes for our students, improved facilities and aesthetically pleasing environment for the local community.

A very busy and EXCITING time ahead for the Ashwood College community—building our future together!

PRODUCTS & SERVICES ADVERTISED IN ‘CONTACT’ ARE ON A PAID BASIS AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY BEING

PROMOTED BY ESSEX HEIGHTS PRIMARY SCHOOL

COMMUNITY

OPEN DAY

Sunday

18th

November

2012

11.00 a.m.

-

3.00 p.m.

Essex Road,

Mount Waverley

Ph: 9807 4944

www.essexheightsps.vic.edu.au

NEW

CLASSROOMS OPEN FOR

INSPECTION SAUSAGE

SIZZLE

LIGHT REFRESHMENTS

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES

STUDENT

PERFORMANCE

S

Everyone Welcome

NOVELTY

STALLS

You are invited to visit our

wonderful new school facilities