PO Box 305, Mt Eliza 3930 – Phone 9787 1385

Newsletter is available on the web site address : www.mtelizaps.vic.edu.au on the web site

6th February, 2020

DIARY Term 1

February Tue 11th Meet the Teacher – 3.30pm – 7.30pm – Gr1-6 Wed 12th Meet the Teacher – 3.30pm – 6.00pm – Gr1-6 Mon 17th Whole School Assembly – 2.15pm (Not Prep)

Random Acts of Kindness Day Prep Information Session – 9am to 10.15am

Tue 18th Whole School Photos Family Photos – 8.00am to 8.45am

Mon 24th Grade 5/6 Beach Program commences Fri 28th District Swimming Championships

March

Mon 2nd Whole School Assembly – 2.15pm (Not Prep) Fri 6th Curriculum Day – Pupil Free Day Mon 9th Labour Day Public Holiday

Uniform Shop

The Uniform shop will be open on the following days –

Mondays - 8.30am to 11.00am Wednesdays - 2.00pm to 4.00pm

Claire McAvoy Uniform Shop Co-ordinator

Camp Australia For more details on After School Care, Before School Care and School Holiday Program please phone Camp Australia on 1300 105 343. Registration is available online at www.campaustralia.com.au.

NEWSLETTER ONLINE In keeping with our sustainability policy, our weekly Newsletter will only be available online or via FlexiBuzz.

However, if you do not have access to a computer, a hard copy may be sent home with your child upon request. For this week only, we have distributed a hard copy of the Newsletter to each family.

Principal’s Report As we come towards the end of our first full week of school for 2020, I would like to say how impressed I am by the positive attitude, great behaviour and fantastic work our students have displayed already. I know that this will continue to develop and improve as the term continues – I can’t wait to celebrate even more successes in the future!

This week’s article from Parenting Ideas is titled: ‘Making new friends and staying in touch with old classmates’. Helping children expand their social connections is an important role for our school. Our teachers are currently doing a great deal of work on helping students share a little bit more about each other and making connections within their class. I look forward to seeing all of our students continue to feel connected to their peers and the wider school community.

Coronavirus Update The Department of Education continues to update schools on the latest advice around the management of the coronavirus. Please see the latest advice below. If you have further questions or information, please do not hesitate to contact either Bev Harvey (Assistant Principal) or myself.

Dear parents and families,

As you may be aware, the situation regarding the emerging outbreak of novel coronavirus has continued to evolve. Over the weekend, the Commonwealth’s Chief Medical Officer and Victoria’s Chief Health Officer recommended a stronger precautionary approach to managing coronavirus for travellers returned from mainland China (not including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) from 1 February 2020. This recommendation is that parents/guardians/carers should ensure that any children returning from mainland China (not including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) who were in mainland China on or after 1 February 2020 is isolated at home and should not attend school until 14 days after they were last in mainland China.

MEPS Newsletter

This recommendation does not apply retrospectively. It applies only to students who were in mainland China on or after 1 February 2020.

The existing advice remains that parents/guardians/carers of students should ensure that any student is isolated at home and should not attend school for 14 days:

following exposure to any confirmed novel coronavirus case; or after leaving Hubei Province.

If you think your children are showing relevant symptoms, please call the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to discuss further actions on 1300 651 160.

DHHS has developed fact sheets in English and Simplified Chinese which include the latest information and advice.

Additional advice and information on the steps to take can be found on the coronavirus web page which also includes advice on:

continuity of learning for students who are not attending school

international students and families hosting

international travel

maintaining good health hygiene at school

health promotion posters and materials

information, resources and contacts related to coronavirus. Thank you for your cooperation.

Mobile Phones As communicated last year, the Minister for Education, the Hon. James Merlino has banned the use of mobile phones in all schools as of this year. As per the Department policy, students who bring their mobile phones to school will need to hand them to their child’s teacher so they can be secured throughout the day. A copy of the mobile phone policy can found on our school’s website.

Uniform The School Council is responsible for establishing a school uniform policy which is available on the school’s website. A friendly reminder that:

Broad-brimmed school hats need to be worn when outside at school throughout Term 1

Jewellery – necklaces and bracelets should not be worn at school – small stud or hoop earrings and watches

are fine.

Nail polish should not be worn at school

A copy of the school’s uniform list is available as an appendix on the uniform policy on the school’s website.

Important Reminders Each year it is important to re-visit some important information that assists the school in running smoothly. It is important to remember that we all work together as a team to ensure all of our children are safe, engaged and learning at the optimum level and the following information is designed to keep these goals at the fore:

School begins at 8:45am and finishes at 3:15pm. Teachers are on duty from 8:30am before school and until

3:30pm after school. If children are at school significantly beyond this supervision time they should attend the

Camp Australia program in the old school house.

Parents are encouraged to establish a consistent pick-up point for their children each afternoon – this reduces

a child’s anxiety when they can’t find their parent.

In the case of an emergency where a change to a child’s pick-up arrangement occurs, parents should contact

the office so a message can be passed on to the child.

For the safety of our children, any child who arrives late or departs early, needs to be signed in/out at the office.

This should be done by one of the people listed as a contact for that child. If someone else is to pick up the

child, notification should be made to the office and child’s teacher, otherwise we are required to phone the

parent/contact to gain approval.

If a child is absent from school, notification through Sentral or by texting 0439 454 239 before 9:30am outlining

the child’s name, grade, date of absence and reason for absence is required. If the office is not contacted by

this time a text will be sent as per department guidelines. The office should only be called to notify of an

absence in cases where there is a lengthy absence and/or it involves an infectious disease that requires

communication with other people in the community (this communication is to assist others who may have a

higher risk when exposed to certain diseases and/or allow other parents to keep a closer watch on their own

children. This information is always anonymous).

Valuable items should not be brought to school. The Department of Education does not hold insurance for

students’ personal belongings and has no capacity to pay for lost, stolen or damaged items. Parents are

welcome to take out their own private insurance for items if they wish.

If a student is injured at school, or during a school organised activity, the parents/guardians are responsible for

the cost of medical treatment and transport to a medical facility or home. Student accident insurance may be

taken out by the parents/guardians from a commercial insurer if they choose.

Parents should not enter into the staff carpark unless prior permission has been gained.

Parents should take note of the signs in and around the school, especially in the service lane at the front of the

school. This area is regularly patrolled by the council and police and is outside of the school’s control.

All visitors to the school must sign in a visitor’s register. The sign in iPads are located at the administration

office.

Dogs are not permitted on school grounds. If your child wishes to show their dog for show and tell, permission

should be sought from the classroom teacher first.

Buildings and Grounds A series of maintenance work was completed over the school holidays, with further works planned for the coming months. This work has included:

Resealing of both hall floors

Sealing of the decks around the school

Replacement of the sick bay flooring

Carpet in the old school house (due this week)

New sand for the prep sand pit (thanks to the grade 4 and 6 students who helped me shovel this into place!)

Soft fall mulch top-up for the playgrounds

Air conditioners were serviced

Turf Oval cleaned (due Friday, 7th February)

Internal surfaces of old school house painted

Ensuring our students have a high quality school to learn and play in remains a priority of the school council. Stay tuned for further developments. Important Dates

2020 Pupil-free Days: Friday, 6th March Thursday, 25th June Friday, 17th July Labour Day Holiday: Monday, 9th March Last day of term 1: Friday, 27th March, 2:30pm finish First Day of term 2: Tuesday, 14th April

Brett Bell Principal

MEET THE TEACHER INTERVIEWS

"Meet the Teacher" Interviews are on Tuesday, 11th February and Wednesday, 12th February. The interviews on Tuesday will be open from 3.30pm-7.30pm. On Wednesday, interviews will be open from 3.30pm-6.00pm.

With this interview being very early in the school year, its purpose is for parents to provide an insight about their child and how we might best support their learning. It is not an interview that details academic progress. The interviews are 10 minutes in length.

Parents will be able to register a time for their interview from 2:00pm on Wednesday, 5th Feb to 7:00pm on Sunday, 9th Feb. Interviews can be booked through SENTRAL.

CSEF - Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund

The Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund (CSEF) is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities. If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF.

The allowance will be paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child. The annual CSEF amount per primary school student is $125.00. If you believe that you may be eligible for the CSEF you will need to contact the school to obtain and lodge a CSEF application form by Monday, 24th February, 2020, together with a copy of your concession card, so that payments can be made from March.

More information about the CSEF can be found at www.education.vic.gov.au/csef

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS There are still a few vacancies available for guitar, keyboard and singing lessons. If your child is interested in learning an instrument this year, please collect a form from the school office for more details.

BAND AUDITIONS The school band is looking for students who play different instruments to join us this year – keyboard, guitar, drums, singers and more. Auditions for the school band will be held during morning play and lunch time on Tuesday, 3rd March, in the Old School House. Auditions are open to grade 5 and grade 6 students who play an instrument or sing. Please collect a notice from your teacher or the school

Steph Born - Instrumental Music Teacher

Save this number! 0439 454 239 TEXT to Report Student Absences

If your child is, or will be absent from school, please notify us by text on 0439 454 239 by 9.00am

NOTE: It is important that you state the reason for your child’s absence

Community Notice

SCHOOL TERM DATES - 2020 TERM 1: 28th January – 27th March TERM 2: 14th April – 26th June TERM 3: 13th July – 18th September TERM 4: 5th October – 17th December

PUPIL FREE DAYS - 2020 Friday, 6th March Thursday, 25th June

Friday, 17th July

SCHOOL PARKING REMINDER– ARRIVAL / DEPARTURE

Students are supervised at the front of the school in the morning from 8.30am until 8.45am and in the afternoon from 3.15pm to 3.30 pm.

Please park your car correctly and collect your children from the front of the school. Do not beckon your child or double park.

Children must not run between parked cars.

There are 3 designated parking areas in the Wooralla Drive service road

Kiss & Go: Kiss & Go is a No Parking area where you can pull in and either drop off or collect your children. The line marking is painted red to match the sign. N.B. No Parking means you can stop (for only 2 minutes) but not get out of

your car.

Wait A While: This zone has a 15 Minute parking restriction with orange line marking to match the signs.

Stop & Chat: This is the area for All Day parking and has green line marking painted to match the signs.

The service road area is not a car park: it is a registered thoroughfare. Parking is only permitted in the marked bays. A stationary car with the engine running and driver present, waiting for a parking bay to become vacant, is considered illegally parked as it is not against the kerb. Please do not double park. Offenders are regularly ticketed by Shire Parking Officers.

STUDENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO ENTER THE STAFF CAR PARK AT ANY TIME.

Parent’s cars are not permitted to enter the school grounds or staff car park Traffic in this area is a serious potential hazard for students. The car park is reserved for staff parking and drop-off / pick-up of physically disabled students only.

NOTE: PARENTS SHOULD NOT PARK OR DROP OFF OR PICK UP THEIR CHILDREN ON THE

NEPEAN HIGHWAY AT THE SIDE OF THE SCHOOL AT ANY TIME.

STAY IN TOUCH WITH FLEXIBUZZ

STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS, PTA, CLASS NOTICES, REMINDERS AND OTHER IMPORTANT MESSAGES.

PTA Report Hello all,

Welcome to 2020. We would like to welcome you all to attend our first PTA Meeting on Monday, 10th February at 7.30pm in the old school house.

Come along and see how our meeting is run and maybe even join up. It’s a marvellous group of parents striving to raise funds to enable our school make improvements for our kids. I myself have made many good friends and enjoy running events alongside them as well.

Hope to see a lot of new (and of course old) faces there.

Nicole Valasis and your PTA Team