​ASCOT NEWS
1st April  2022, Term 1 Issue 3

Ascot Vale Primary School
‘Unique Learning Community’
Where we value:
RESPECT      RESPONSIBILITY      EXCELLENCE      EMPATHY      GRATITUDE

HARMONY DAY  @ AVPS

AVPS celebrated Harmony Day on 30th March this week
Please click on the headings below to discover more. 
FROM THE PRINCIPAL TEAM
Dear Parents, Carers, Staff and Students,

As term one, 2022 draws to a close, it is very  pleasing to note we have almost made it through a whole term without a lockdown. This is a feat not accomplished since term 4, 2019 and is a great relief, compared to our experience of the past two years.

Thank you for your patience and understanding this term (to the AVPS adults and students) regarding a whole host of Covid-Safe strategies we have had in place. These have included staggered arrival and departure times, staggered break arrangements, increased vigilance of students displaying covid symptoms, increased student and staff absences for isolation/Covid-19 reasons, specialist classes being held in classrooms, assemblies being held online, mask wearing and regular hand sanitisation.  The ‘positives’ of staff and students being at school together for an entire term have far outweighed the ‘negatives’ of these disruptions.

In addition, our school has been a building site throughout term one, whilst the roof of Block B has been replaced. This has been a significant undertaking, which has reduced access to this building and a significant part of our grounds, as well as causing some noise disruptions throughout the term. 

We are very much looking forward to this project being completed, HOWEVER, we do need to continue to be patient, as we are currently  awaiting approval from the Victorian School Building Authority for additional works to be completed to upgrade all gutters and downpipes. We remain hopeful that this work will be approved and completed by early in term two but will keep the community updated about this via compass alert/s as information becomes available.  

Nevertheless, we are ready to implement some changes to our Covid Safe arrangements and ask you to familiarise yourself with these below. We also intend to remind the community of these changes closer to the beginning of term two, 2022.

Changes to Covid-Safe arrangements from the start of Term 2 - Tuesday April 26th, 2022
  • Morning arrival time will return to a ‘new normal.’ School will start at 9.00am for everyone. All students can arrive at school from 8.45am through any open gate, where the school grounds will be monitored by a staff member on duty. The bell will be reinstated to signal the students to move inside their classrooms by 9:00am. Whilst parents/carers will be allowed onsite, we will still encourage  dropping and leaving promptly; i.e., avoiding congregating in crowds. All gates will be locked from 9.15am.
  • Breaktimes. All year levels will return to the same timetable which includes the same recess and lunch breaks.
  • Specialist classes will return to their locations (Art - as soon as the roof work is completed)
  • MVIMP Classes  (Yr 3-6 Instrumental Music) will be reinstated - on site and in person.

Remaining in place:
  • Dismissal or departure times will remain staggered for the short term, until the temporary fencing has been removed from the school/building site. The reason for this is we usually have a much higher number of parents/ carers gathering to collect children in the school grounds in the afternoons than in the mornings.  The temporary fence creates a significant ‘bottleneck’ and potential for crowding to occur. We remain hopeful that it will only be a matter of weeks in term two before this arrangement can be changed back to our pre-Covid dismissal time of 3:30pm for all and for parents/carers to meet children in the school yard. 

Department of Education and Training (DET) Operations Guidelines
  • We will keep you informed of any changes to DET operations guidelines around covid safe practices via Compass alerts
Best Wishes for an enjoyable school holiday period when it arrives next week. (See key dates for end and beginning of term dates)

​Kind regards
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Sue Osborne, Principal
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Michael Downing, Assistant Principal
KEY DATES & EVENTS
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

END OF TERM 1 - Friday 8th April  - early finish time 2:30pm
ANZAC DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY - Monday 25th April - School Closed
BEGIINNING OF TERM 2 - Tuesday 26th April 


Access ALL OTHER AVPS Key Dates & Events page AT THIS LINK.
HARMONY DAY
Cultural Diversity Week is celebrated in Victoria every year in March. AVPS acknowledges that multiculturalism is an important part of our wider community's identity and way of living. This year we have been encouraged to reconnect, share and express ourselves creatively through the theme; 'Connecting, Through Culture'. March 21 was the 'International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination', also known as 'Harmony Day.' 

AVPS held our own 'Harmony Day' on 30th March.  Please enjoy the images below of our activities celebrating harmony, kindness and cultural diversity. 
STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Ascot Vale Primary School is committed to providing student leadership opportunities for our students. Leaders for the Student Voice Team (SVT), the School Representative Council (SRC) and the Environmental Team (ET) will have been selected by the end of this week. We look forward to presenting the students with their leadership badges this week and will acknowledge this at next week's assembly on Monday 4/4 at 2.30pm (photo presentation only). Parents of selected students will be invited to watch the Unit 2 assembly on Monday. Classroom teachers will share this link via Class Dojo messaging. 
NAPLAN TEST ONLINE TRIALS 
In 2022, all NAPLAN tests are required to be conducted online. In preparation for this, students in Years 3 and 5, took part in NAPLAN state-wide coordinated practice tests last week. This was to ensure that when students sit the actual NAPLAN tests in May, the online system at AVPS and across the state can cope. 
Term 1 Progress Reports
Term 1 (mid semester 1) reports will be available on COMPASS between 3-4pm on Tuesday 5th April 2022. This ‘snapshot’ report gives you a brief yet accurate assessment of your child’s current performance against the key work habits and school values. A more detailed report covering the key learning areas as well as an update in work habits will be available in June.  We have continued to use the expansive set of work habits, attendance and punctuality on a five-point rating scale, similar to the more comprehensive semester reports. We trust that this ‘mid semester’ report is of benefit to you and your child. Teachers have only requested a parent-teacher meeting where deemed necessary. Similarly, if you have any concerns regarding this report or your child’s progress please contact your child’s teacher to make an appointment when term 2 resumes.
Dangerous parking/ driving behaviour
We have witnessed and been made aware of many recent dangerous driving acts, especially at pick up times. This is a reminder to take care, drive slowly and follow signage along our roads and streets at all times. We have drop off/pick up zones on both sides of our school for the purpose of not having to do 3/4 turns on the streets. The drop off and pick up zones are easily identified by bright pink coloured signage and line markings, and they have improved traffic flow and created a safer environment for children to be dropped off and picked up at school.

This is a major problem, with several near misses on Bank and Moonee Streets. 

We ask you to also commit to keeping our students safe when in a school zone by:
  • Walking or cycling to school to increase the safety around schools and decrease the congestion
  • Adhering to the 40km zone when travelling in a operated school zone
  • Checking the restrictions set by the regulations and parking signs in the area and abiding by them to improve children’s safety around schools
  • Being aware that each time you stop or park illegally you can endanger a child’s life 
  • Illegal behaviour will not go unnoticed; parking infringements will be issued by the Moonee Valley City Council
MEET THE NEW TEACHERS
Would you like to know more about our new classroom teachers? See the attached file where Chris, Bella and Kiedo answer some questions to help us all to get to know them a little better. We warmly welcome, Chris Middleton (Unit 1), Bella Rope (Unit 3) and Kiedo Bull (Unit 4b) to AVPS
meet_the_new_teachers.pdf
File Size: 194 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
​HOLIDAY REMINDER
A reminder that term one concludes at the earlier time of 2.30pm on Friday 8th April.

Term 2 will start on Tuesday 26th April at 9am.

Close neighbours and visitors to the AVPS playground are asked to please keep an eye out on our school grounds over the holiday period and to please report any suspicious activity to police on ‘000’.
​
Thank you for your continued support throughout term one and have a safe and happy school holiday when it arrives on 8/4/2022. ​
SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
The 2022 School Council held their first meeting on Monday this week. 

Thank you to the following people who were appointed to the 2022 - 2024 AVPS  School Council: 
PARENTS:
  •  Annalise De Mel 
  • ​ Meredith Ross 
  • Richard Moody 
  • Lela Drakulic 

DET STAFF:
  • Michael Downing
  • Rozeena Sen 
  • Ben Kline  

Welcome back and thank you to our current 2021-2023 AVPS School Council members:
PARENTS:
  • Scott Miller
  • Kate Mohay
  • Melinda Morpeth
  • Melanie Quin
DET STAFF:
  • Jason Simpson​

OFFICE BEARERS
The following office bearers were elected at this week's School Council meeting. 
  • SCHOOL COUNCIL PRESIDENT - Scott Millar
  • SCHOOL COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT - Meredith Ross
  • TREASURER - Kate Mohay

Thank you to our office bearers for volunteering to take on additional responsibilities in 2022. 

We look forward to a productive 2022 School Council year. 
HEALTH & PE NEWS
RIDE TO SCHOOL (R2S) SAFELY DAY
Well done A.V.P.S! A wonderful effort for Ride2School day held on Friday 25th March. Here are some stats:

Unit 1 - 26 participants
Unit 2 - 37 participants
Unit 3 - 27 participants
Unit 4 - 15 participants
Unit 5 - 23 participants
Unit 6 - 43 participants

We definitely contributed to helping the planet (and ourselves) . Less CO2 emissions, less noise pollution and a healthy start to the day! 👏🏼
OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOURS CARE (oshc)
camp_australia_newsletter_april_-_ascot_vale_ps.pdf
File Size: 1451 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
OSHC phone:​​ 0423 795 247
Coordinator:​​ Dee Seneviratne
How to get started ​​before using our programs you must register online for an account. Registering is quick and easy. Visit our website to begin www.campaustralia.com.au​​

Once registered you can make bookings and cancellations, view your statements and manage your details anytime of the day online. Keep in mind we are able to take bookings at short notice to help busy families. ​

Save on Care. ​You can save 50% or more on Before and After School Care fees with the ​non-means tested Child Care Rebate. Almost all families are eligible. To find out more, call our Customer Service Team on 1300 105 343 Monday to Friday
​Please access files below to view the OSHC fortnightly report and/or the Camp Australia Holiday Program.
​
Dee and the OSHC team
ASCOT VALE COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD
Please peruse the community notices in the files and slideshow below:
ascot_vale_-_term_2_2022.pdf
File Size: 1115 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
go_girls_soccer.pdf
File Size: 2859 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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