PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Community Open Day – Sunday, November 18th

We would invite families to put Sunday, November 18th

in your diaries now. This is the day planned as our ‘Community Open Day’ to showcase the new Essex Heights PS to the broader community. The school will

be open for inspection from 11.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m. and we are inviting present and past families, as well as neighbours and members of the wider community, to visit our wonderful new school. The PFA are also planning to organise some stalls to add to the atmosphere of the day, and take advantage of a fundraising opportunity. They plan about seven different stalls with each one being the responsibility of a year level. Please watch out for the request notices that will come out before the end of Term to add you name to the list of available volunteers.

Community Planting Day – Sunday, October 14th

We would also ask that you put this date in your diary as our Grounds Committee of School Council is planning a family day to complete the planting in our new garden beds. This will be a chance for children and parents to contribute to our new playground areas and complete the landscaping just before the Community Open Day.

Parent/Teacher Discussions – September 10th & 11th

A reminder to families that Parent/Teacher Discussions are coming up on September 10th

and 11th

. Again, we are using the PTO online booking system that can be accessed from a link on the school’s website. A bulletin will be sent home on Monday with more details and your access code to enable you to make bookings. You are able to select times and make bookings up until 1:00pm on the day of your meeting. We hope this system of ‘online’ booking is proving simple for families to use. If you are having any difficulties, or need a booking made for you, please contact the Office directly. The system will open for bookings on Monday, September 3

rd at 4:00pm.

CALENDAR DATES

23rd August PFA meeting – 7.30 p.m.

30th August Father’s Day Breakfast

31st August Father’s Day Stall

4th September Year 5 Incursion – Cosmodome

5th September AEU Stop work Day – further details to be provided at a later date

8th September State School Spectacular

10th & 11th September Parent Teacher Discussions

21st September Last day of Term – 2.30 p.m. finish

8th October Term 4 commences

26th October Showcase – Robert Blackwood Hall

18th November Community Open Day – 11.00 – 3.00 p.m.

TERM DATES FOR 2012 TERM DATES FOR 2013 Term 1 1st February – 30th March Term 1 29th January –28th March

Term 2 16th April – 29th June Term 2 15th April –28th June

Term 3 16th July – 21st September Term 3 15th July –20th September

Term 4 8th October – 21st December Term 4 7th October – 20th December

ISSUE 25

23rd August,

2012

Prep Transition

Today we welcomed many of our new Preps for 2013 to Essex Heights for the first time. They arrived with great excitement, and equally excited parents, to enjoy sessions of Art and Music. It was great to meet younger siblings from families already associated with Essex, but equally to welcome a number of new families who are joining us for the first time. These Prep Transition sessions are invaluable in preparing the children for life at school and they will continue with three more days in Term 4. Thanks to Joan Scott, Pam Rowler, the Prep team and Specialist teachers for their work in organising this first transition event.

Father’s Day Breakfast The PFA have been working very hard on the second ever, ‘Essex Heights Father’s Day Breakfast’, next Thursday. I look forward to meeting the Dads enjoying brekky with their children and taking the opportunity to visit school and celebrate Father’s Day together. If you haven’t booked your place, please do so as soon as possible.

Talk, Talk, Talk

Last year The Age featured an article quoting Associate Professor John Munroe (University of Melbourne) on the importance of developing good oral language skills in young children. He makes the point that "Good language skills and the ability to communicate effectively are key foundations to students' capacity to learn". Parents often focus on the development of reading, writing and spelling whilst underestimating the importance of equally developing children’s oral language. He offers these tips for parents to more effectively support their children’s language skill development.

Talking Tips

*Help children to learn new words and build a richer vocabulary. Encourage them to name items, actions and use descriptive words. *Encourage them to talk in sentences about experiences and events, expressing what they think and feel. *Show them how to use a broader range of sentences when they are playing with toys, listening to a story or talking with others. *Build their listening capacity. Share stories and play games in which they need to listen, respond to information and follow instructions. *Help them listen for and use sound patterns in words. Encourage them to rhyme words, sing and read stories that have rhyming words. *Teach them to ask different types of questions and to use questions to learn new ideas. *Ask them to predict what could happen next when sharing an experience such as shopping or playing, reading them a story or playing with toys. *Ask them to retell experiences. Show them photos of experiences you have shared or videos they have seen and ask them to say what happened.

Extract from The Age – August 29th

2011

If you would like to read the whole article it can be accessed at:

http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/chattering-classes-point-way-to-success-20110826-1je5n.html#ixzz1X8Xa60PG

AEU Protected Strike Action

The AEU has won the right to stop work on Wednesday September 5th

2012. It is anticipated that this strike action will be the largest in Victoria’s history and that many schools will be forced to close. At this stage, we do not have final numbers of classes that will be in operation on the day. I will attempt to get the information to you all as soon as possible, but it may be wise to consider an alternative solution in the meantime. See you around the school, Andrew Crossett

Victorian State School Spectacular "It's All About Love..." It's on again! On Saturday September 8th, 25 students from Essex Heights will be joining with over 3000 students from around the state to perform in this amazing arena spectacular. There are two shows on Saturday 8th, one at 11am and one at 5pm. Tickets for this event can be purchased online at www.ticketek.com.au. Adults $27.50, Concession $22.50, Children under 15 years $14. This singing and dancing extravaganza is sure to be a fantastic event that the whole family will enjoy!

PARENTS & FRIENDS ‘NEWS’ Our next PFA meeting will be held on Thursday 23rd August from 7:30pm till 9.00 pm in the staff room and everyone is welcome. Father’s Day Breakfast On Thursday the 30th August we will be holding the Father’s Day breakfast. Notices and raffle tickets have been given out. Please return notices and raffle stubs ASAP. If you did not receive either of these, please ask at office or email Betty at PFA email ehpspfa@gmail.com. Also we are seeking volunteers for setting up on Wednesday night, and also for helping out at the breakfast on Thursday morning. Call Betty on 0417393782 or email me at ehpspfa@gmail.com if you can assist. Father’s Day Stall Friday the 31st August is the Fathers day stall and volunteers are needed to help set up in the hall from 8.15 pm on Thursday the 30th and also to help at the stall on Friday from 9.00 – 2.00 p.m. Call Kylie Moore on 0402532895 or email at ehpspfa@gmail.com. Thank you and have a great weekend. Betty Ciorciari

Chocolate Drive Chocolate money is due by Thursday 30th August 2012. The prizes for the families who sell the most chocolates are:

First prize – RAZOR Storm Ultra Pro Scooter AND Breville Cappuccino & Coffee Maker Second prize - Sony Cybershot 12.1 megapixel camera

Third prize - Family Movie Pass (2 adults and 2 children)

1st

Prize 2nd

Prize 3rd

Prize

Children have already begun returning the money for their chocolates, so thank you very much for your efforts. If you would like further boxes please email the PFA on ehpspfa@gmail.com, or return the slip included in your original box to your teacher. Thank you!! Kathryn

FRIDAY 24th August Katy Smith, Erica Baddeley, Margaret Rendell

MONDAY 27th August Karin Nevasalo

WEDNESDAY 29th August Amanda Kelsall, Emma Downs, Indika

Weeraskera

FRIDAY 24TH August Penny Fleming, Felicity Bolitho, Linda Cornell,

Leigh Sherpa

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

BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL CARE (B.A.S.C.) The Holiday Program is out now. You can collect a copy from Paul Davis in the School Hall together with Enrolment Forms.

COLES ‘SPORTS FOR

SCHOOLS 2012’ &

WOOLWORTHS ‘EARN &

LEARN’

BOTH OF THESE PROMOTIONS HAVE NOW

FINISHED AND WE THANK EVERYONE WHO

SUPPORTED THE SCHOOL.

THE VOUCHERS ARE CURRENTLY BEING

COUNTED & WILL BE SENT OFF SO WE CAN

REDEEM OUR SPORTS SUPPLIES.

Prep Transition 2 Thursday 11th October, 2012

11.45 a.m. – 1.15 p.m.

Numeracy – Children will participate in fun mathematics in the

Prep Rooms. On this day we ask you to bring your child to the

School Hall again where School Ambassadors will direct you to

the classroom where your child will be visiting. Children should

bring a named, filled water bottle. Fresh fruit will be served.

Parent Session – School Readiness

Tea and coffee in the Hall

Prep Information

Evening Tuesday 13th November

7.30 p.m. – 9.00 p.m.

For parents of children enrolled at Essex Heights Primary School

to will be commencing school in 2013. Child care available.

Please R.S.V.P., by 9th November for catering purposes and

childcare numbers.

Note: This is NOT a repeat of the earlier Information Evening

held in June.

Prep Transition 3 Thursday 8th November, 2012

11.45 a.m. – 1.15 p.m.

Literacy – Book your child in for fun with Literacy in the Prep

rooms. This session will be run by the Prep Teachers. Bring

your child to the School Hall to find out which classroom your

child will visit today. Children should bring a named, filled

water bottle. Fresh fruit will be served.

Parent Session – Meet School community representatives, PFA,

School Council and join us for tea and coffee

Uniforms will be available for purchase.

Orientation Day Thursday 6th December, 2012

9.30 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.

Children are to bring playlunch and lunch today as well as a

drink and hat. Session will include playtime with Year 5

buddies. Secondhand uniforms will be available for purchase

from Parents & Friends Association.

SCHOOL TRANSITION SESSIONS For children commencing Prep in 2013

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

PROMOTED BY ESSEX HEIGHTS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Box Hill Speech Pathology Clinic, located at 662 Elgar Road Box Hill North, is a predominantly paediatric speech therapy practice which has been providing outstanding service for the last 20 years. We see children of all ages regarding the following areas: Stuttering Articulation / Speech sounds Understanding and use of language Literacy Social skills Voice Tongue Thrust / Swallowing Appointments are available Monday-Saturday with a very short waiting list. Please phone the clinic on 9899 5494 or email enquiries@speech-therapy.com.au for further information about our services.

www.speech-therapy.com.au

Box Hill Speech Pathology Clinic

BLACKBURN SOUTH

HIPHOP CLASSES BOYS / mixed 7+ - Wednesday & Friday 4-5PM

BEGINNER 12+ - Monday & Friday 5-6PM BASIC Junior - Saturday 3-4PM

PRE-SCHOOL CREATIVE MOVEMENT –Monday 4 – 4.30pm

BALLET Monday 4.30 – 5PM

ADULT DANCE FITNESS Stretch & Dance fitness - Saturdays 2-3PM

HIPHOP- Monday & Friday 6-7PM

D.A.A.M. SCHOOL OF DANCE 32 RICHMOND ST BLACKBURN SOUTH

WWW.DAAMDANCE.COM.AU

88388244

“WHERE NORMAL PEOPLE SHINE”