Thomastown West Primary School

NEWSLETTER 98-112 Main Street, Thomastown, Victoria 3074 – Ph: 9465 4317

Email: thomastown.west.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au – Website: www.thomwestps.vic.edu.au

NEWSLETTER No. 24

FROM THE PRINCIPAL:

Friday 4TH september 2015

This week I have been visiting schools in the country

as part of a Leadership Training Program. It has been

very interesting to see how schools operate in country

areas which are far away from resources and many

families are working on farms. I would like to thank

Jennie Droge for her support and work as Acting

Principal while I was away.

Special Guest Principal

On Monday September 7th our school will take part in

the annual Principal for a Day program. This is where

a business/ Community leader becomes the guest

Principal at a school and works with the Principal for

one day.

This year Ms. Ange Barry will be shadowing me at

Thomastown West. Ms. Barry is the Chief Executive

Officer (CEO) of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen

Garden Foundation. This Foundation works with

many schools on gardening programs and healthy

eating. Please make Ms. Barry feel welcome at our

school on Monday.

Eye Clinics

On Tuesday September 8th, OPSM will visit our school

to conduct free eye checks for all students who have

registered. If your child needs further follow up,

OPSM will contact you and inform you what will

happen next. This program is of no cost and if any

child requires any basic further treatment or support,

the costs will be low and even free in many cases.

Big events this week

We have a number of major events happening in the

next week. Wednesday September 9th is Prep Circus

Day. Circus day is a tradition which many of our

students remember for the rest of their lives. I hope

the children have a great day. Please don’t feel you are

required to purchase new or expensive costumes and

props. You can be creative. If you need any ideas or

have any questions about the day, please speak to the

Prep teachers.

Thursday September 10th is when GTAC will visit our

year 5/ 6 students again with lots of Science

experiences. We have been very lucky to be a part of

this program at no cost. 5/ 6 students will have the

opportunity to visit GTAC in a couple of weeks.

Next Friday September 11th is our school Multicultural

Day. Our school has been studying multiculturalism

this term and Friday is a celebration of everyone’s

culture. Children are encouraged to wear clothing that

represents their culture or country. At 11:30am we

will have a parade, displaying all cultures represented

and some special performances from local community

groups, including students from Thomastown

Secondary College. More information will be sent

shortly.

2016 Planning

I am starting to plan staffing and grade structures for

the next school year. If your child (apart from year 6

students) is not attending Thomastown West in 2016,

please let the office know.

If you know of anyone who is thinking about starting

at Thomastown West in 2016, they must complete an

enrolment form. These are available from the office.

If there are any enrolments for Preps in 2016, parents

must also complete an enrolment form.

Have a great weekend everyone

Leon Bell

Principal

“Anything worth achieving will always have obstacles

in the way” – Chuck Norris

It is not OK to be away…or to be late to school!

A reminder to everyone that Breakfast Club

(café 4999) is continuing to run in 2015.

Breakfast Club runs between 8am-8.30am in

the Multi-purpose room where students are

able to receive a FREE breakfast. Breakfast as

we all know is the most important meal of the

day, so make sure your children have always

had breakfast before the come to school or

send them to breakfast club!

Cup of Life

Yes! Cup of Life is back for Term 3. Last term it was

fiercely contested in our 5/6 Grades. However the

times are changing…

Week 1 was won by Room 3, Week 2 was won by

Room 16, Week 3 was won by room 9, Week 4 was

won by Room 11, Week 5 was won by Room 12,

Week 6 was won by Room 11 and WEEK 7 WAS

WON BY ROOM 5 ….Well done!!!!

It’s simple; attend school everyday so that your grade

has the best chance to win the prizes!!! Remember,

everyday counts…

Let the games begin…

Remember, Everyday counts…

You Can Do It! Program

Our focus for this term is….GETTING ALONG.

Please use every opportunity to engage with your

child/ren about what they have learnt about

Getting Along.

Children’s ability to get along with others – or

their ‘social development’ – is a process that

happens as they grow.

For example, four-year-olds are in the early stages

of social development – they are learning to take

turns, listen to other children’s ideas and play

group games. By middle primary school, it is

common for children to congregate in small

friendship groups based around similar interests.

Groups give children valuable practice in setting,

following and negotiating social rules. Think

about how you deal with other groups of people at

work, home and in social situations – chances are

you learned and gradually refined these skills

throughout childhood.

Limited social development can affect children’s

ability to get along with others, particularly in

group settings. Children with poor social skills

may dominate groups and exclude members,

which can lead to bullying, peer-pressure or

getting mixed-up in trouble. Or they may have

confidence problems, becoming easily dominated

and influenced.

Prep Room 2 Masuod Haybe Grade 3/4 Room 15 Mujtaba Al Fahdawi

Prep Room 3 Leon De Silva Grade 3/4 Room 16 Dilhan Koch

Grade 3/4 Room 17 Kiyarash Bahadory

Grade 3/4 Room 18 Melanie Murdjevska

Grade 5/6 Room 9 Julius Vemoa

Grade 1/2 Room 4 Peng Guo Grade 5/6 Room 11 Andreea, Neha, Sam,

Grade 5/6 Room 11 Tommy, Bianca & Noora

Grade 5/6 Room 12 Luke Kostadinoff

Positive social development is about teaching

children good values and responsible decision-

making, which can help them resist peer-pressure

and become valuable members of their group of

friends and society in general. You can:

Teach by example – model positive

behaviours by treating them and others

fairly and respectfully.

Develop their social and emotional skills –

empathy, sharing, caring, listening and

taking turns.

Help them learn from their mistakes – use

situations as ‘teachable moments’ to

reinforce good values.

Give them chances to practise good values

– like volunteer work or charitable

donations.

Supervise external influences – media,

internet, games and friends.

Take care,

Wellbeing Team

Hi Everyone,

A VERY HAPPY FATHERS’ DAY TO ALL OUR DADS AND GRAND-DADS!

Dear Parent,

As Father’s Day approaches it’s worth thinking how good fathering matters.

It matters to mothers as a supportive father makes a mother’s life easier.

It matters to girls.

Good fathering has been linked to higher confidence levels in girls, particularly during the tricky adolescent years. The notion of a father who is present, available and attentive

affords a sense of security to a girl, which is necessary for healthy development.

Dads are also the first introduction to the world of men for girls so it’s important that fathers treat their daughters with gentleness and respect, but also encourage them to be assertive.

In a sense, fathers teach their daughters how they should expect to be treated by males as they get older.

Good fathering matters to boys.

They learn their first lessons of manhood from their dads. Early primary-aged boys usually want to spend a great deal of time with their dads. Steve Biddulph, author of Raising Boys, describes this phenomenon as ‘father-hunger’ and

suggests that dads need to be around their sons in the primary school years so they can ‘download the software’ of how to be male.

The father-son relationship during adolescence can be problematic. While teen boys seem to be hard-wired to challenge their fathers, most desperately want their dads to be proud of them. Teen boys need a dad who can be firm when needed as they don’t always make great decisions.

They need a dad who remembers the awkwardness and insecurity of being a teenage boy themselves. And they relate best to dads who don’t take themselves too seriously. The judicious use of humour, particularly with boys, is a great fathering strategy.

And it matters to men.

And, of course, involved fathering matters to men. Most health scales state a healthy relationship with their children is a predictor of good health and longevity for men, as well as of life satisfaction levels. I suspect there is something relaxing and de-stressing for a man to get into a child’s

space and time. There is a big kid in most men just

busting to get out.

This Father’s Day give yourself a pat on the back for being present in your child’s life. You might even want to think how you can be a better dad over the next 12 months.

Here are five fathering tips (whether you live with the children’s mother or not) to help you in that process:

1. Go on dates with your daughters.

2. Have adventures with your sons. 3. Support your partner’s parenting. 4. Change as your child changes. 5. Discipline with firmness and compassion.

From Michael Gross (Well Known Australian

Parenting Educator)

Playgroup – FREE TO EVERYONE -

Fridays at 9 am in the HUB at the school The

children enjoy free play, story and music time.

PLEASE COME ALONG WITH YOUR BABY

OR TODDLER OR PRE-SCHOOL CHILD AND

JOIN IN THE FUN! A Thursday

playgroup also began last term in the HUB which

starts at 10 am and finishes at 12 pm – all

welcome.

Saver Plus Program – the

Brotherhood of St. Lawrence

has a savings plan which not

only helps you save, but rewards you with bonus

savings. See the attached flyer for details.

‘Single Parent Active Kids’ - Single Parent

Family Fun Day – It is hard being a single parent.

This group offers fun day activities and camps.

Their next activity day is September 13th

at

Edwards Lake, Reservoir – see attached flyer for

details.

Baseline Grab Bag – for 12 – 17 year olds. It is

often hard to occupy this age group during the

school holidays. The bags of full of fun discount

vouchers - $20 per bag – see attached flyer for

details.

COMMUNITY NEWS - Important

information, including parenting classes,

courses,

Please look at the window on the end of the

prep/1/2 building as you enter the school. I

regularly display important notices about things

you need to know or that may be of interest to

you.

If I can

help you and your family in anyway, please contact

the office.

Robyn Mulholland (Student Wellbeing Team)

Science Gene technology access centre working with students from 3-6. Lunchtime science club. Lots of fun

Diary Dates:

Mon 7th Sept 5/6 Swimming program

continues

Sunday 6th

Sep Fathers day

Friday 18th

Sep Last Day Term 3 school

finishes at 1.15pm

Oshclub Information- Out of School Hours Care

Term 3 News Week 4 and 5 of Cooking club were a success!! Children enjoyed making their own choc chip cookies and fruit kebabs with a yoghurt dipping sauce.

MENU FOR COOKING CLUB

Week 1 5/8/15 Fried rice. White rice with broccoli, carrot, red capsicum, onion, peas and corn.

With a dash of soy sauce

Week 2 12/8/15 Smartie topped marble cup-cakes

Week 3 19/8/15 Vegetarian Pizza.

Week 4 26/8/15 Rocky road cookies

Week 5 2/9/15 Fruit kebabs

Week 6 9/5/15 Lamingtons

Week 7 16/9/15 Salad burrito wraps

Our program aims to provide quality childcare in a safe, fun and friendly environment. Our programs are designed with working families in mind, ensuring that they can continue in their work environment without concerns about the safety and care of their children.

OSHCLUB VALUES: Safety, Fun, Integrity, Caring, Education and Accountability

Oshclubs’s preferred method of payment, bookings and cancellations is online and all queries can be made at www.oshclub.com.au Should you have any concerns please feel free to speak to Connie or Carmen. Regards, TWPS OSHClub Staff

Parent Information

OSHC program phone: 0407 372056

Coordinator: Connie Vivarini

Assistant: Carmen Bellofiore

OSHClub Head Office: 03 85649000

All families must be enrolled to attend the program, remember this is

Free!! Please create an account online at www.oshclub.com.au all

bookings and cancellations can also be managed via your online account.

For on the day bookings please contact the Coordinator direct at the

program.

SINGLE PARENTS ACTIVE KIDS PROUDLY PRESENTS:

FREE FAMILY FUN DAY

Edwarde's Lake Reservoir, Corner Griffiths and Leamington St.

SUNDAY 13th

of September.

STARTING 12 Noon.

FREE BBQ, ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS:

MEMBERSHIP SPECIALS/RENEWALS AND MORE.

EVEN IF YOU CAN'T ATTEND THERE ARE PLENTY MORE

OPPORTUNITIES, HERE IS A LINK TO OUR VERY ACTIVE WEBSITE

http://www.singleparentsactivekids.org/

LIKE MINDED SINGLE PARENTS TO CHAT WITH, ACTIVE KIDS

WANTING TO PLAY WITH YOUR ACTIVE KIDS, WIN WIN!

“SINGLE DOES NOT MEAN ALONE”

PLEASE RSVP TO info@singleparentsactivekids.org or call Moush on 0430

504 119.