225 Warrigal Road, Burwood Principal: Ms Gayle Cope Tel: 9808 2165 Fax: 9888 7239 Email: wattle.park.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au Website: www.wattleparkps.vic.edu.au

DIARY DATES

February 5th First Assembly 3.00pm 8th February Swim Trials Years 4,5 & 6 9th Foundation BBQ 4-6.30pm 12th Canteen opening 13th Parent Information Night 6-6.45pm - 7-7.45pm 21st District Swimming –selected students Years 4, 5 & 6 March 9th Year 3 Excursion Scienceworks 12th Labour Day Holiday 16th Movie Night 26th Young Leaders Conference (selected students) 27th Parent /Teacher Meetings 28th Parent /Teacher Meetings 29th March Term 1 Ends 2.30pm dismissal. April 16th Curriculum Day 16th– 20th 5/6 Canberra Camp 17th April Term 2 begins May 26th Open day June 11th Queens Birthday (no students) 29th Term 2 Ends 2.30pm dismissal. Curriculum Days Monday 16th April Monday 16th July Monday 5th November

Newsletter No. 1 2nd February 2018

From the Principal ………..

Dear Parents, Welcome back from what I hope was a very restful and relax-ing holiday period. I have heard some amazing accounts of students’ holiday experiences. Students in all classes have transitioned very smoothly into their new classes for the year. Thank goodness for the cooler weather! At last count fifty-eight Foundation students have commenced. A special welcome to new families throughout the school- Ayobi, Baweja, Grist, Huang, Lyu, McComb (welcome back!), Molloy, Povey, Thompson, Van Deldan, Wang, Zheng. As well as our new Foundation students. We’d like to welcome new teachers- Ms Ellie Cuolohan Year 2B, Ms Keren Freeman Year 6C and Mr Justin Wong, Lan-guage Other Than English-Chinese Program. Penny Hayes has joined us as our new Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Gardener. Many of you will be familiar with Penny as she was our kitchen specialist while Carolina Trantino was on leave last year. The school gymnasium had its annual maintenance of floor recoating but this year we have installed new lights- the tech-nology is upgrading all the time and once we have three faulty lights we replace and upgrade them. The new lights look like small flying saucers! There are many opportunities for parent involvement within

the school: classroom assistance, volunteering for the Stepha-nie Alexander Kitchen and garden programs, being a Class

Representative; volunteering in the Canteen (urgently need-ed); assisting at Working Bees; and of course, being a mem-ber of the Parents and Friends’ Association and/or the Fete

Committee. The PFA and Fete committees do such an amazing job of raising funds for the school as well as creating a caring and supportive culture amongst our community.

The welcome Foundation Family barbecue is scheduled for next Friday, 9th February 4.00p.m.-6.00p.m. All family members associated with the Foundation students are most welcome to attend. The barbecue consists of a sausage in bread, cold drink and ‘frozen lipstik’. A Wattle Park Primary School Bunnings barbecue is scheduled for this Sunday 4 th February at Box Hill in Middleborough Road. Thank you to all parents who have volunteered. To other school members who may be passing by on Sunday, it would be great to see you there purchasing a sausage or two. Please put the following date into your diary- Tuesday 13th February, as Parent Information Sessions for Year 1 –Year 6 stu-dents are to be conducted from 6.00p.m. and then repeated at 7.00p.m. The session is highly informative outlining the year’s program as well as our cyber safety protocols providing helpful advice regarding safe and appropriate on-line behavior. Infor-mation includes dates for camps, ‘Child Safe Standards’, specialist programs as well as an opportunity for you to meet your child’s class teacher for the year and ask pertinent questions. At this time of the year there is an inordinate amount of documentation that is sent home. Where possible we are trying to send as much information via Compass and reminders through our message app Konnective. Please ensure that you have your pass-words for both accounts and check them regularly. If you are unsure of either process, information is attached to this newsletter for both Compass and Konnective. Both forms of communication are used regularly to distribute information. Last year three quotes were sourced from Landscape Gardeners to install the new seating and garden area between the gymna-sium and Performing Arts Centre. Due to the expected hot weather during December and January most companies prefer to plant during cooler weather. So this work will be completed during the first term holidays in time for term 2. During the summer vacation I spent some time contacting suppliers for a new Before and After School Care building. The cur-rent building has been on site for 19 years and in my opinion is past its use by date. The School Council had some preliminary discussions last year regarding a new building. The Inner East Regional representative for Buildings and Facilities of the De-partment of Education conducted a site visit last year and informed us that we were not entitled to any new buildings until our student enrolment reaches four hundred and twenty-five and no buildings are provided for before or after school care by the department of education. The School Council will be undertaking a review of how best to provide a new building that will accommodate up to potential-ly forty students that includes a toilet, kitchen area, play area and quiet area. So stay tuned! Enjoy the weekend- already it’s time to recharge the batteries after only one week!

Warm Regards Gayle

First Day of

Foundation 2018

2017 Wattle Park Primary School Parent Contributions All families will shortly a letter of school contributions for 2018. As all supplies have been given to the students, it is imperative that contributions are paid. The school appreciates that families sometimes experience financial difficulties in meeting payment requests. A range of support options are available to parents who have difficulty making payments in-cluding the CSEF ‘Camps, Sport and Excursions Fund’, Tax Education Rebate, and the State Schools Relief Committee support. The school office can assist you with the relevant forms if you have a current Healthcare Card, see notice below. Please contact the school on 9808 2165 if you need to make confidential arrangements with the School Principal, Ms Gayle Cope in order to meet your payment commitments. An alter-native arrangement Family Payment Plan may be collected from the Office. Running Club—8.15– 8.45am Running Club will commence on Tuesday, 13th February. All students are encouraged to meet outside the school office at 8.15am. Running Club will be held every Tuesday, Thurs-day and Friday. A great way to get fit. Parents are welcome too!

Remember No Hat No Play All children must wear a hat when outdoors. If no hat then children are re-

quired to play in the shade.

Notice bags and School bags can be purchased from the school office

Absence

If your child is absent from school, please call the Office from 8.30am – 9.30am, also a note is required to the teacher when your

child returns to school.

WPPS Canteen Volunteer Form

Terms 1 & 2, 2018

CANTEEN RE-OPENS MONDAY 12TH FEBRUARY

Our canteen would not be able to run without the wonderful support of volunteer parents,

friends and grandparents of our school.

We are calling for volunteers, whether you are an experienced hand or an eager learner.

School Council requires all volunteers to have:

1. Current WWWC (Working with Children Check)

2. Signed acknowledgement of the WPPS ‘Child Safety Code of Conduct Form’

(available at the office or on the school website)

The canteen operates on Mondays and Fridays each week, and we will schedule you for 2

shifts of 2½ hours each, for the term. If you would like to help more, please indicate this, as

extra shifts are available.

All shifts will have a canteen co-ordinator present, who will co-ordinate and assist in the

smooth running of the day.

The canteen relies on volunteers to operate successfully; so please give this due

consideration.

Print and complete the form below and return to the office by Wednesday 7th February.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thank you for volunteering for the Canteen

Name: __________________________________ Child/ren’s Class: ____________

Mobile Phone Number: __________________

Email Address: _______________________________________

Preferred Day: Monday Friday

(please circle)

Preferred Shift: 10am – 12.30pm (Monday & Friday)

11am – 1.30pm (Monday & Friday)

12pm – 2.30pm (Monday & Friday)

9am – 11.30am (Friday only)

Any other information ___________________________________________

CHESS At Wattle Park Primary School

PLAY THE MASTER

Challenge George to a game of Simultaneous Chess! Or test your chess

skills against a friend.

George will play up to 10 games at once.

WIN A Glass Chess Set and other Prizes!

___________________________________________

It’s FREE! Everyone Welcome!

When? Wednesday lunchtime, 7th February

Where? LOTE Room

Chess is the world’s most popular mind sport! It is not only fun to play but has many educational benefits. Chess has been shown to develop numerical skills, problem solving, pattern visualisation, memory, creativity, concentration, confidence and self-esteem.

We teach chess from a structured syllabus designed to maximise the educational benefits of chess. Lessons include strategy, tactics, psychological preparation, confidence building, chess mythology and stories, and of course, having fun while playing plenty of chess! Trophies are presented to the top players at the end of every Term.

DAY: Tuesday Lunchtimes

DATES: 14th February – 28th March

COST: $90 All students are welcome to try out the chess club in the first week and there will be no charge if they decide not to continue for the full Term.

AGE: 5+

CO-ORDINATOR: George Zaprudsky. George has been playing top level tournament chess for 25

years and has been teaching chess for 10 years. He is the winner of State and

National junior titles Contact: george@zedchess.com.au.

Toorak Primary School Chess Club – Term 1, 2018

Please return with payment to the school office or to the chess teacher by the second week of chess club in a clearly

marked envelope. (Cheques are payable to zedChess).

Child Name: _________________________________ Age:_______ Parent Name:_____________________________

Phone/s: ____________________________________Email:________________________________________________

WATTLE PARK PRIMARY

SCHOOL CHESS CLUB

Term 1, 2018

Payment By: Cash / Cheque (Payable to zedChess) / *Direct Debit *Account Name: zedChess

Branch/BSB: 013214

Account No: 902036205 If paying by Direct Debit please ensure that you have paid prior to returning this form. Thank you.