​ASCOT NEWS
29th July 2022, Term 3 Issue 1

Ascot Vale Primary School
‘Unique Learning Community’
Where we value:
RESPECT      RESPONSIBILITY      EXCELLENCE      EMPATHY      GRATITUDE
Celebrating NAIDOC Week @ AVPS

Healthy Harold visits AVPS 

Please click on the headings below to discover more. 
REMINDER: You can change the language at the top left hand corner of the webpage
FROM THE PRINCIPAL TEAM 
Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Welcome to our first issue of the Term Three 'Ascot News' (newsletter). 

It has been a pleasure to have Ben and Jamie supporting me (Sue) to lead the school in Michael’s absence.

All three of us are learning quicky just how much behind the scenes work comes from Michael’s office to add value to our school. Although it has been a juggling act adjusting our roles, Jamie and Ben have done a super job learning the ropes quickly.
 
A reminder that Jamie is taking responsibility for
  • Daily organisation, including dealing with staff absences.
  • The Program for Students with Disabilities, including managing funding applications.
  • Wellbeing and behaviour in the year 5 / 6 area of the school.
 
Ben ‘s responsibilities include:
  • Buildings and Grounds, including the new playground and sunshade projects.
  • School Improvement Team and Professional Learning Team leaders’ co-ordination.
  • Wellbeing and behaviour in the year 3 / 4 area of the school.
 
Both roles are being undertaken in a part time capacity whilst Ben and Jamie carry out their teaching duties at other times - thank you Jamie and Ben


​Kind regards ​

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Jamie Saggers, Acting Assistant Principal - Term 3
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Sue Osborne, Principal
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Ben Kline, Acting Assistant Principal - Term 3
KEY DATES & EVENTS 
Access our AVPS Key Dates & Events page AT THIS LINK.
​​THE RESILIENCE PROJECT (TRP) parent and carers hub
TRP JULY UPDATE
Parent/Carer Support (click this link) 
Families can learn about Mindfulness as well as gain some insight into devices, online safety and the use of family tech agreements from the eSafety Commissioner.
 
 Tickets are on-sale for our Kids Show Tour with Martin Heppell  (click this link) 
We’re rapt to continue supporting student mental health with our first ever high-energy kids show tour around Victoria - ‘3 Happy Tricks’ with Martin Heppell. Tour tickets are available now, and you can catch us in the Term 3 school holidays in Frankston, Moonee Ponds, Narre Warren, Shepparton & Wodonga.

The Education Team
The Resilience Project


This following information is a repeat of TRP family parent/carer resources sent via Compass Alerts throughout term 2. 
​If you havent had a chance to visit the links, we highly reccommed you take a moment to do so. This program has benefits for the adults of the school community,  as well as children. 
Parents / carers may wish to change the language at the top left corner of the web page.

The Resilience Project - Parent & Carer Hub - Part 1
Throughout 2022, we will be working closely with The Resilience Project to support the wellbeing of our school community. 
​
The Resilience Project delivers emotionally engaging programs and provides evidence-based, practical strategies to build resilience.

Our Partnership Program consists of online presentations and weekly lessons for students, professional development for staff, and Parent & Carer Hub (inc. digital presentations) for our parent and carer community. 

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing the Parent & Carer Hub with you. The videos are 5-10 minutes long and will walk through the key pillars of resilience: Gratitude, Empathy & Mindfulness. You’ll hear stories and be introduced to activities to show how these strategies can support our kids' learning and development, and also support you as parents and carers. 

This program is an important part of our school’s effort to look after the mental health of our community.

View the first presentation of the series here: Part 1: Meet Hugh and learn about The Resilience Project - https://theresilienceproject.com.au/parent-and-carer-hub-hugh/

In this presentation, Hugh shares a personal experience about his sister's battles with Mental Illness.
Note: This video contains a story about an Eating Disorder that may be triggering. Please consider this before watching. For mental health resources and support information, visit The Resilience Project’s Support Page. 
​
Parent & Carer Hub | Part 2: Gratitude​
This week’s presentation from The Resilience Project focuses on Gratitude. 
Gratitude is paying attention to the things that we have right now, and not worrying about what we don’t have. We practise this by noticing the positives that exist around us.

Research shows that practicing gratitude rewires our brains to overcome the negativity bias (which can lead to anxiety and depression) and see the world for what we are thankful for. It is also shown to broaden thinking, and increase physical health through improved sleep and attitude to exercise.

View Part 2 of the series here - Gratitude https://theresilienceproject.com.au/parent-and-carer-hub-hugh/
There are many ways in which you can practise gratitude, including starting a Wellbeing Journal.

Source: Psychology Today

For mental health resources and support information, visit The Resilience Project’s Support Page

Hugh's Parent & Carer Hub | Part 3: Empathy & Kindness​
Empathy is our ability to put ourselves in the shoes of others to feel and see what they do. We practise this through being kind and compassionate towards other people.

Brain imaging data shows that being kind to others registers in the brain as more like eating chocolate than like fulfilling an obligation to do what’s right (e.g., eating brussel sprouts)!
Research shows that practising empathy, such as performing acts of kindness, taps into our brain’s ‘mirror neurons’, builds compassion and our behaviour becomes more social and community-based. 

View Part 3 of the series here - Empathy https://theresilienceproject.com.au/parent-and-carer-hub-hugh/
Here’s an activity to practise empathy and kindness:
  1. Reflect on someone in your life who could benefit from an act of kindness today. It could be a friend who would love some affirmation about their work, your pet who deserves an extra treat, or a family member who would love a phone call or text message. 
  2. Make a plan for who you are going to show an act of kindness to, and what you are going to do. 
  3. If you want to add accountability to your plan, share it with someone else and encourage them to do the same thing.
  4. Follow up with each other in a few days time, to ask how it went! 
Sources: Psychology Today, UC Berkeley, Greater Good Science
For mental health resources and support information, visit The Resilience Project’s Support Page.
​
Hugh's Parent & Carer Hub | Part 4: Mindfulness​
View Part 4 of the series here - Mindulness https://theresilienceproject.com.au/parent-and-carer-hub-hugh/
Mindfulness can be practised through meditation, yoga, flow-states and daily activities such as cooking. 
Source: UC Berkeley, Greater Good Science, American Psychological Association
For mental health resources and support information, visit The Resilience Project’s Support Page.

Hugh's Parent & Carer Hub | Part 5: Final
In the final part of The Resilience Project's digital series, Hugh shares an important message about allowing our children to experience adversity. 
The key to building resilience in our children is allowing them to experience failure, hardship, disappointment etc. As parents, we can be too quick to resolve our children's challenges which can deprive our children of enormous growth opportunities. These typically happen when we experience failure and uncertainty. As parents we should be there for our children when they fail, but not fight their battles for them.  
View Part 5 of the series here - Summary https://theresilienceproject.com.au/parent-and-carer-hub-hugh/

​Thank you for participating in this Parent and Carer Digital Presentation series. You can re-watch the videos and access activities and resources anytime via the Parent & Carer Hub. 

You can also stay up to date with The Resilience Project news and events by signing up to their Newsletter.

The Education Team
The Resilience Project
(03) 9113 9302 (option 1) [email protected]
Life Education 
Healthy Harold visited the school on Tuesday to celebrate the end of our Life Education visit. Harold was welcomed with the biggest cheers and claps you have ever heard.  Click here to find out more about the Life Education program. 
staff news
REMINDERS
​Michael Downing will be taking long service leave for the duration of term three; we look forward to welcoming him back at AVPS in term four. 

Ben Kline and Jamie Saggers are acting in Michael’s role. As such, Sarah Ashton has increased her time from one to two days to release Ben in term three.

​Jamie’s tutor role, which is funded for three terms only at AVPS, has been suspended in term three and will be reinstated in term 4. 

Ian Simonds's tutor role is also funded for three terms only and will continue to operate until the end of term three, when this program will finish. ​
naidoc week
Ascot Vale PS celebrated NAIDOC Week from 11th July 2022, in the first week of term 3.  

Students and staff enjoyed learning about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. 
ASCOT KINDERGARTEN - TOURS AVAILABLE 
You are invited to tour our local Ascot Kindergarten, 1 West St, Ascot Vale VIC 3032.

Please access the invitation below. 
ascot_kindergarten_flyer_1_2022.pdf
File Size: 332 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOURS CARE (oshc)
oshc_newsletter_july.pdf
File Size: 796 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
SRC NEWS
The Student Representative Council have been thinking about what fun things we can do next! We have registered out school in the Early Bird draw for Walk to School Month, in November. If we are lucky... we might win some amazing school prizes as well as help our environment! We're also looking at what we can do for R U OK Day coming up in September. More to come on these special days!
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ENVIRONMENT TEAM NEWS
​Hi AVPS Community.The Environmental team have:
-helped organise whole school activities to celebrated World Environmental Day culminating in a rubbish relay. It was a fun day and we raised over $700 to go towards an enclosed gardening area and the purchasing of plants.
-began to weed and prepare the garden beds for planting in the near future. We want to weed outside the front of the school in preparation for this.
-began to talk about what to plant in the gardens. Will begin to get feedback from school students through a competition initiative called Design a School Garden! Thinking vegie gardens, native gardens and small trees to attract birds.
 - We are looking to have a working bee soon so stay tuned for the date… Jobs will include: weeding, digging garden beds and digging in the compost.
-An arborist will be trimming trees and garden beds around the school in the coming days and weeks
HEALTH & PE NEWS
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Congratulations to our athletics team who proudly represented AVPS at the District Athletics Carnival on Thursday 28th July 2022. We finished 3rd overall in the ‘Small Schools’ category (we are one of 8 small schools).

Well done to those in our team who have earned themselves a place in the Divisional Championships. So proud of everyone. Feedback on the bus was that it was a great day, win, lose or otherwise, and the smiles that could be seen from across the track were testament to this. Well done everyone! 🎉🎉

A thank you to Kiedo for doing a sensational job managing the team, ensuring they arrived on time to each event! We couldn’t have done it without you!
ASCOT VALE COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD
Please peruse the community notices in the files and slideshow below:
ascot_vale_yoga_flyer_2022.pdf
File Size: 2326 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
ascot_kindergarten_flyer_1_2022.pdf
File Size: 332 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Location