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Term 3 News

Dear WPS Families,

Welcome to Term 3!

We are already halfway through the year, and we have another busy term planned, with lots of exciting learning opportunities for your children!

Below you will find some school updates and important dates for your calendars:

Athletics Day:

Our rescheduled whole school athletics day will be held this Thursday, 14^th July:

Our junior events (P-2) will begin at 9.20am and run until 11.00am.
Our senior events (years 3-6) will run from 9.20am -1.10pm.

We would love to see you all there to cheer on our students.

Students may wear their house colors (green or yellow), but please no coloured hair spray/dye.

Curriculum Day:

We have locked in our Curriculum Day for term 3 on Tuesday, 26th July (week 3).

Staff will continue their work with the Berry St Education Model and participate in a Masterclass that provides strategies for trauma informed positive behaviour reinforcement.

This Masterclass will be funded through the Schools Mental Health Fund, which is designed to support student mental health and wellbeing.

Parent/Teacher Interviews:

Parents/carers, you will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with their teacher on Thursday, 4^th August (week 4).

Next week you will receive information about booking in an interview time.

School Swimming Program:

We have confirmed our Swimming Program arrangements for term 3.

Swimming will be in the last week of term 3 (week 10), 12^th – 16^th September at Splashdown Leisure Centre.

Prep – 2 students: 12.15 – 1.15pm

3/4 - 1:15 - 2:00pm

5/6 - 2:00 - 2:45pm

You will receive further detailed information about the swimming program later in the term.

Child Safe Standards:

Victoria’s Child Safe Standards are a set of mandatory requirements to protect children and young people from harm and abuse.

The Child Safe Standards commenced in Victoria in January 2016. After six years, we have seen how the Standards improve safety for children and young people.

Changes have been made to make our Standards even stronger. The new Child Safe Standards came into force on 1 July 2022 and schools and organisations now need to comply with these new Standards.

Whittington Primary School is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people, including Aboriginal children, children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and children with a disability. This will be the primary focus of our care and decision-making.

Whittington Primary School has zero tolerance for child abuse.

Whittington Primary School is committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Particular attention will be paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability.

Every person involved in Whittington Primary School has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role he/she plays individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

In complying with the Child Safe Standards, Whittington PS will:

Child Safe Standard 1 – establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued

Child Safe Standard 2 – ensure child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture

Child Safe Standard 3 – ensure children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously

Child Safe Standard 4 – ensure families and communities are informed, and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing

Child Safe Standard 5 – ensure equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice

Child Safe Standard 6 – ensure people working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice

Child Safe Standard 7 – ensure processes for complaints and concerns are child focused

Child Safe Standard 8 – ensure staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training

Child Safe Standard 9 – ensure physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed

Child Safe Standard 10 – ensure the implementation of the Child Safe Standards are regularly reviewed and improved

Child Safe Standard 11 – ensure policies and procedures document how our organisation is safe for children and young people.

All WPS documentation, policies and procedures related to the Child Safe Standards have been approved by School Council and are available on our website.

School Uniform:

A reminder that wearing the WPS school unform is compulsory for students,

At WPS we believe that wearing a school uniform helps our students to build self-confidence and a sense of connection with their community.

It’s important that every student feels a sense of pride in themselves and our school and wear the correct school uniform each day.

If you require support with ensuring your child/ children have the correct school uniform, please come and see me at school.

2023 Prep Enrolments:

If you, or someone you know, has a preppie beginning school next year and has not yet collected or returned the enrolment forms, please do so ASAP.

Our 2023 prep numbers continue to grow, and places are filling up fast.

Information about our Prep Transition Program will be sent home later this term.

Kelly Club:

At the end of last term families received important information from Kelly club outlining their requirements and processes for attendance at before and after school care.

All children attending Kelly Club for before school care and after school care must have a complete enrolment form.

Kelly Club are unable to provide care for those who have not registered.

It is a legal requirement that they have been provided with all current information about yourself (primary carer) and your child/children.

All children must be booked into before school care and after school care using the Xplor home App prior to attending. This gives Kelly Club the opportunity to prepare activities, food and correct ratios for staffing prior to session starting.

Bookings can be made up to 1 hour before the session starts.

If Kelly Club do not have correct enrolment information or there is no booking, then they have the right to refuse the attendance of your child/children.

If you require any further information about these non-negotiable requirements for attending before or after school care at Kelly Club, please contact:

Karan Dhull - Coordinator

M: 0426 126 906

E: whittington@kellycluboshc.com.au

Important Dates for Term 3:

Over the page you will find a list of important dates of days/ events already scheduled for this term.

You might like to stick this page on the fridge or pencil the days appropriate to your child/children into your diary.

All important dates locked in so far this term have been added to the calendar on our school website, and we will continue to communicate with you in regard to any further updates.

Thank you,

Shannon Cormack

Acting Principal

Important Dates for Term 3:

Thursday, 14^th July: Whole School Athletics Day

Friday, 15^th July: Yr. 5/6 ‘Learning Through Lunch’ excursion

Thursday, 21^st July: Yr. 5 students visiting Whittington Kinder

Monday, 25^th July: School Council Meeting 3.30 – 4.30pm

Tuesday, 26^th July: Curriculum Day – No students at school today

Thursday, 28^th July: Yr. 1/2 ‘My Family History Feast’ (more info to come)

Thursday, 28^th July: District Athletics Day – Selected students from Yr. 3-6

Friday, 29^th July: No assembly today (due to catch up of specialist classes)