Welcome Families and Friends,

Remember to put the School Disco on your calendar at home. It’s on Friday November 1st in our PLC. The F-3 Disco is from 4:00pm to 5:00pm, with the 4-6 Disco running from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.

WRITE WODONGA

What a wonderful evening we had last week! Thank you to our community members who came along and participated in out buddying young authors sharing of their published books. It’s so important for students to see a purpose in writing and for their thoughts and ideas to reach to an audience. The student’s Write Wodonga books will be in the library this term and then sent home at the end of the term.

ONE CAN CAN CHALLENGE: October 14-18

Our school is again supporting the One Can Challenge. Last year, we collected an outstanding contribution of over 2700 cans. We’ve just about reached our goal for this year, but are still accepting cans at school until Wednesday.

If you haven’t already done so, please send a can of food to school that will be donated to the Emergency Food Relief Centre.

Each class has set an individual challenge and is keeping a tally of how many cans they donate – tallies will be revealed at our next whole school assembly.

Go WPS!

No. 28 ~ October 21, 2019

Engage Learning * Expand Minds

WODONGA CHILDREN’S FAIR

This Sunday 27th October from 10am to 3pm, the annual Wodonga Children’s Fair will be held in Wodonga’s Show Grounds. The Fair is a Wodonga Council initiative that aims to emphasize raising children to be active, healthy and positive contributors to our community.

Wodonga Children’s Fair is a free event and open to all families, giving the opportunity to spend time together at an event where they can be entertained, informed, engaged, educated and most importantly have fun. Wodonga Primary School gets behind the Wodonga City Council to ensure we are working collectively. Our staff will be at the Fair greeting families at the Federation of Wodonga Government Schools’ booth. Please pop in to say g’day! See flyer attached.

Kids being KIND to Kids

This week’s ‘KIND KID’ is Hamish Pfeiffer who was observed being KIND to another student last week.

Well done Hamish for living our school values!

2020 STUDENT PLACEMENT

In November, teachers alongside the leadership team, commence placing students into their 2020 classes. This process consists of a strategic approach to ensuring our classroom structures are balanced and supportive of learning. Staff consider multiple factors when constructing the classes for the upcoming year; gender balance, academic achievement balance, behavioural needs and overall combinations of student personalities.

Students have some input into their placement by nominating five learning friends, ranked from 1 to 5. In addition to this, parents who have concerns or would like to provide a request, can do so by putting their request in writing addressed to myself (Damian). These requests have parameters which parents need to consider.

There are three types of requests the school will consider when using parental input in the process.

1. Parents can request a separation. Valid reasons why their child would not learn to their best potential if in the same classroom as a particular student.

2. Parents can request a pairing. This requires both sets of parents to put in writing a request for their children to be in the same classroom.

3. Parents can request a type of teaching style. This requires a description of the attributes their child learns best with, parents are unable to request a particular person (by name).

Families with twins may also consider letting the school know about their desire for their children to be placed together or apart. The deadline for parent requests is FRIDAY NOVEMBER 1st.

Have a great week!

Damian Duncan, Principal

ATTENTION BUS TRAVELLERS - 2020 BUS APPLICATIONS

In preparation for 2020 Bus Passes, could all bus applications be handed into the front office or directly to Jodi Morgan at Wodonga Senior Secondary College by October 31st?

Application forms can be found here: https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/transport/Pages/schoolbus.aspx#link51

James Harris, Bus Coordinator

ESSENTIAL ASSESSMENT

This year, Wodonga Primary School has been using the online program Essential Assessment to both assess learning and set independent and group online work in Maths.

Essential Assessment also has a new function called My Numeracy which allows for targeted online tasks in an engaging format that can be accessed from home. All students have a login and password for Essential Assessment, and My Numeracy can be accessed using either a PC or tablet device.

Please contact classroom teachers for your child’s logon details.

James Harris, Assistant Principal

YEARS 4/5/6 WATER SAFETY

This is a reminder to parents/carers that our Year 4/5/6 Water Safety Program is now available on Compass and requires consent and payment. If you require any assistance with this process please don’t hesitate to contact Faye in the school office.

Where students have available CSEF credit, this has been applied; consent is still required.

REGIONAL ATHLETICS

Congratulations to the 14 students who represented WPS at the Regional Athletics on Friday. All students put in exemplary efforts and demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship on the day. Some standout student achievements were:

Jay Vilaisarn – 1st in the 11Yr Boys 100m in a new Regional record time of 13.09 secs

Jaya Campbell – 1st in the 11Yr Girls Hurdles

The 11Yr Boys Relay Team of Jay Vilaisarn, Elijah Kennedy, Toby Thorpe and Deekan Semmler finished 2nd

Zoe McFarlane – 3rd in the 11Yr Girls Triple Jump

Jasper Summerfield – 3rd in the 11Yr Boys 1500m

Jay, Jaya and the Boy’s Relay Team will now compete at the State Championships in Melbourne on Thursday 24th October. We wish our students the very best as they challenge themselves at such a high level.

Blake Maxworthy, PE Coordinator

WACKY INSTRUMENTS EXTRAVAGANZA - NEW DATES!

We are fortunate to have found a new date for the Wacky Instruments incursion. The new dates are November 26th, 27th and 28th (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday).

Students do not need to pay or consent a second time. All students who have not already paid and consented should do so at the office as soon as possible.

Wodonga Primary School will be hosting a musical genius and inventor by the name of Jon Madin, who will be running workshops with students in Years 4, 5 and 6 and concerts for F, 1, 2 and 3.

Jon Madin is a one-of-a-kind inventor and musician who will arrive at Wodonga Primary with a trailer full to the brim with custom-made, awesome and wacky instruments for students to play and admire. He will also be working with Year 6 students on building some new marimbas which the school will be able to play and use for years to come.

Jon will run concerts at the end of two of the days where students in Years 4 and 5 will perform musical arrangements they have learnt, to students in Years F, 1, 2 and 3. Parents are welcome to watch these performances.

Aaron Silver, Music Coordinator

WALK TO SCHOOL MONTH

Between Wednesday 23rd October and Wednesday 20th November, Wodonga Primary School is encouraging students and families to walk/ride/scoot to school.

Walking can be a great way to get active as a family and build healthy habits for life.

If you live too far away, drive to the start of one of the marked routes on the map. This avoids the hassle of finding a park close to school.

Chat with other families about setting up buddy groups of older children who can walk together. Riding a bike or a scooter is a great way to mix it up.

To celebrate the beginning and end of our Walk to School month, we will be providing fresh fruit in the courtyard on Wednesday 23rd October and Wednesday 20th November. Students who walk/ride or scoot to school can record their names on a list on either of these days and go into the draw to win a prize.

The map with suggested starting points and walking routes to get your children to school safely, was attached to last week’s newsletter. Please note that, unlike National Walk Safely to School Day, teachers will not be walking with students during this month.

As part of Walk to School Month, Wodonga Council would like to hear from students and parents about hazards and barriers you may have seen or encountered when walking to and from school. You can access the link via the attachment to record information that might be useful to Council.

Any questions, please feel free to contact either:

Allicia Hayes (Wednesday/Thursday)

Amy Hill (Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday)

More information available form www.walktoschool.vic.gov.au

REMINDERS

Stay in touch with Events / Activities – using Compass as your information base

Event / Activity Event Date Who Information on Compass Consent / Payment Due Date

Bonegilla Experience Oct 30 Year 5 Consent & payment required $18.00 28/10

School Disco Nov 1 Whole School Gold coin entry

Discovery Excursion Nov 6 Year 2 Consent & payment required $7.50 01/11

CSU Animal Habitats Nov 8 BR2 / BR4 Consent & payment required $7.50 06/11

Water Safety Nov 8 HU3 / HO1 Consent & payment required, $23.50 05/11

Water Safety Nov 8,11,12 HU4 / HO3 Consent & payment required, $23.50 05/11

Water Safety Nov 8,11,12 HU5 / HO4 Consent & payment required, $23.50 05/11

Water Safety Nov 8,11,12 HO5 / WI4 Consent & payment required, $23.50 05/11

Water Safety Nov 13-15 HU1 / WI1 / some WI5 Consent & payment required, $23.50 05/11

Water Safety Nov 13-15 HU2 / WI2 / some WI5 Consent & payment required, $23.50 05/11

Water Safety Nov 13-15 HO2 / WI3 / some WI5 Consent & payment required, $23.50 05/11

Scholastic Book Fair Nov 11-15 Whole School Come and visit the library N/A

CSU Animal Habitats Nov 15 BR5 / BR7 Consent & payment required $7.50 13/11

CSU Animal Habitats Nov 22 BR1 / BR6 Consent & payment required $7.50 20/11

Wodonga Cup Nov 29 Whole School Public Holiday – NO Club 37

Last Day Term 4 Dec 20 Whole School Early finish, 2pm

Sunday, October 27

10am to 3pm

WodongaChildren’s Fair

Major sponsor:

Community partners:

Wodonga Racecourse Hamilton Smith Drive

Wodonga

For more information and program highlights, visit wod.city/CFevent19

Every child’s favourite event

is back!

iPad and Year 7Information Evening

Wodonga Middle Years College would like to invite you to attend our iPad Information Session for students starting Year 7 at the College in 2020.

Thursday, October 24, 2019 5.00pm to 6.30pmHuon Campus

www.wmyc.vic.edu.au 02 6057 9000