PRINCIPAL’S REPORT NEWSLETTER N0.13 10TH MAY 2012 STUDENT MATERIALS CHARGES (FEES) 2012 Many thanks to the many families who have paid their 2012 Student Materials Charge ($200.00 per student). This charge is a compulsory school council levy that schools can charge parents. Unfortunately, a significant number of families are still to pay this charge. I understand that some parents have the view that state education is or should be ‗free‘ and choose not to pay this charge. Unfortunately, this is a short sighted approach that in an overall sense doesn‘t benefit all students including their own. We have no way of making up the shortfall except for cutting school program budgets in other areas to ensure that all students have their basic learning materials. We do well with what we have in the way of finance, but we certainly are not a ‗rich‘ school that can afford to have significant numbers of parents not paying their child/ren‘s materials charge. Please consider this carefully – it does make a great difference to our school in having all parents pay this charge. Should you be experiencing financial difficulties at the moment, please contact me and I am only too willing to arrange a confidential meeting with you discuss a suitable payment plan if that would help. 100% MELBOURNE Our school has been honoured to have 6 school community members participating in the 100% Melbourne production at the Melbourne Town Hall over 3 nights last weekend. Jolene O‘Halloran, Noah O‘Halloran, Fascaole Lokiru, Sean & Shahara Weerakoon and I were cast members for this unique international concert. The concept for such a production emanated from Europe – Berlin was the inaugural city for these productions and Melbourne is in fact the fourth city to participate. In essence 100 Melbournians who statistically represent our city demographically and who have a link of some kind with two other members – creating a chain effect, participate in an entertaining 90 minute program that reveals their views about a wide range of social issues. In addition, individual stories about the lives of some of the cast are told, often highly evocative in nature. We practised in for 3 hours a night and 4 hours on the weekend in the fortnight leading up to the concert. It was a gruelling schedule, yet it was a lot of fun and very much a privilege to be involved. Continued...
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Berwick Lodge Primary School, Newsletter, May 2012
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PRINCIPAL’S REPORT NEWSLETTER N0.13 10TH MAY 2012
STUDENT MATERIALS
CHARGES (FEES) 2012
Many thanks to the many families
who have paid their 2012 Student
Materials Charge ($200.00 per
student). This charge is a
compulsory school council levy that
schools can charge parents.
Unfortunately, a significant number
of families are still to pay this charge.
I understand that some parents have
the view that state education is or
should be ‗free‘ and
choose not to pay
this charge.
Unfortunately, this is
a short sighted
approach that in an
overall sense doesn‘t benefit all
students including their own. We
have no way of making up the
shortfall except for cutting school
program budgets in other areas to
ensure that all students have their
basic learning materials. We do well
with what we have in the way of
finance, but we certainly are not a
‗rich‘ school that can afford to have
significant numbers of parents not
paying their child/ren‘s materials
charge. Please consider this carefully
– it does make a great difference to
our school in having all parents pay
this charge. Should you be
experiencing financial difficulties at
the moment, please contact me and
I am only too willing to arrange a
confidential meeting with you
discuss a suitable payment plan if
that would help.
100% MELBOURNE
Our school has been honoured to
have 6 school community members
participating in the 100% Melbourne
production at the Melbourne Town
Hall over 3 nights last weekend.
Jolene O‘Halloran, Noah
O‘Halloran, Fascaole Lokiru, Sean &
Shahara Weerakoon and I were cast
members for this unique
international concert. The concept
for such a production emanated
from Europe – Berlin was the
inaugural city for these productions
and Melbourne is in fact the fourth
city to participate. In essence 100
Melbournians who statistically
represent our city demographically
and who have a link of some kind
with two other members – creating
a chain effect, participate in an
entertaining 90 minute program that
reveals their views about a wide
range of social issues. In addition,
individual stories about the lives of
some of the cast are told, often
highly evocative in nature. We
practised in for 3 hours a night and
4 hours on the weekend in the
fortnight leading up to the concert.
It was a gruelling schedule, yet it was
a lot of fun and very much a
privilege to be involved.
Continued...
DIARY DATES Thursday 10th May St Margaret‘s Netball Competition
Friday 11th May Second Hand Uniform 3pm - 4pm
Wednesday 16th May PFA Meeting 9.30am Room 31
Friday 18th May 5/6 Interschool Winter Sport (home)
Wednesday 23rd May Fun Maths Activity Day
Thursday 24th May Prep basil Safety House
Tuesday 29th May Sprinter & Friends
Thursday 2nd August Australian Mathematics Competition
NOTICES DUE BACK Thursday 10th May 5/6 Non Participation Forms
Friday 11th May 5/6 Camp Forms
Monday 14th May Social Club Books
Friday 18th May Fun Maths Activity Day
Year 7 Transition Forms
Australian Maths Competition
Prep Basil Safety House
Thursday 24th May Sprinter & Friends
Wednesday 30th May Power of One
Friday 1st June Prep - 2 Swimming
Wednesday 6th June 5/6 Camp Balance
Thursday 7th June Somers Camp
SCHOOL AWARDS
Congratulations to the following students who received awards over the last week:
Please ensure you let the school office know if you have changed address or updated mobile phones with new numbers.
This information alleviates stressful situations on students when they are ill and we cannot contact parents
CANTEEN IS ONLY OPEN
MONDAY,
THURSDAY &
FRIDAYS
SCHOOL BANKING The School Banking program includes an exciting Rewards Program designed to encourage children to get into the habit of making regular saving. Every time your child makes a deposit at school they receive a silver coloured Dollarmites token. The first token will be received upon the first deposit at school. Once your child has individually saved 10 tokens they can redeem them for an exclusive Dollarmites reward item. Students will have lots of fun saving their tokens for these cool rewards items. School Banking is also a great fundraiser for our school. The school receives $5 when children make their first deposit at school and a commission on every deposit made through the School Banking program. Taking part in School Banking is easy.
If your child has an existing Commonwealth Bank Youthsaver account they can start banking straight away. They just need to bring their deposit in every week using their Dollarmites deposit wallet. If your child has misplaced their Dollarmites deposit book or deposit wallet, they can request a new one from either the local branch or contact the School Banking Co-ordinator.
If your child does not have a Youthsaver account, you can open one at any Commonwealth Bank branch, no forms to fill in! Alternatively, if you are an existing Commonwealth Bank customer with access to NetBank you can apply online. Another option is to download a paper-based application form from commbank.com.au/schoolbanking. Please note this option may take up to 2 weeks before a Dollarmites wallet and deposit book is sent to your home address to start banking at school.
Inquiries can be made by contacting Kay Berry-Smith via email at [email protected] or phone
0452449663.
COMMUNITY WORKER TRAINEE We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with a community worker trainee who will
be completing his final work placement at our school. Francis Nimaya has been undertaking a community worker course at Chisholm Institute and will be placed at our school for three days a
week over the next three months. During this time Francis will work under the supervision of our staff with small groups and/or individual students and may contact families of students who he is
working with as part of his role. The focus of his work is the development of social skills and provision of support for students with social and emotional needs. If you have any queries regarding the work to be undertaken by Francis please contact Debbie Cusack.
Please read the information carefully before completing the application form.
All forms MUST BE RETURNED to your child’s class teacher
BY FRIDAY 18th MAY 2012.
If details are incorrect on the top part of the
application form please contact the school office to
update your information. Any queries can be directed to Mrs Sue Naismith, Rm 24 or by phone on
9707 1766.
Many local secondary schools hold
Information Evenings for prospective families at this time of the year.
All Grade 5 and 6 parents are strongly encouraged to attend these
information sessions to find out about their local secondary schools.
AUSTRALIAN MATHEMATICS
COMPETITION
The Australian Mathematics Competition Awards is a
competition open to any student in Grades 3 - 6.
Following our successes in past years, we are pleased to
announce that we will once again be
offering the opportunity for Grade
3 - 6 students to participate in this
competition. All students who
participate will receive a certificate
showing their level of achievement
and a detailed report of their
performance on each problem with
comparative statistics.
The competition will be undertaken at school on
Thursday 2nd August 2012. The cost for entering the
competition is $5.50 per student. If you are interested in
having your child/children participate in this
competition, please complete the reply slip below, include
the registration fees and return to your child‘s class
teacher by Friday 18th May 2012.
Should you have any further queries about the competition
please do not hesitate to
contact Mr. Paul Whitehead in Room 18.
Forms are available from the office.
Participation in the competition is NOT compulsory!
(Only children in Grade 3-6 are eligible to enrol).
Thank you to the 5/6 parents
who have been paying for the
Sovereign Hill Camp.
A reminder that the forms are due back by
tomorrow (Friday 11th May 2012).
The final camp payment is due by
Wednesday 6th June 2012.
Thank you
Jackie Pope
Event Coordinator
DEFINITION OF ORGANISATION:
Young children who are organised plan to do their best in attempting new tasks
and activities. They listen carefully to what their teachers and parents want them
to do. Children who are organised use their time carefully by getting their work
and chores done before they play. Organisation also means that children take
care of their things and put things away where they belong after they have
finished using them. They also try to be tidy and clean.
Parents & Friends Association
Mothers Day Stall The Mothers Day Stall on Wednesday was a great success due in large part to the wonderful parent helpers who gave up their time to assist on the day. Big thanks go out to all the wonderful Mums and Dad who were there manning the
stalls, your energy and enthusiasm was fantastic!! Equally big thanks go to all the volunteers who were not called upon this time. Once again we were overwhelmed with support and simply could not use
everyone. The helpers where randomly selected from each year level and we had great representation across all year levels. I endeavored to get in touch with everyone prior to the event, if you were
overlooked please accept my apologies and appreciation. Thanks also to the classroom teachers. We are aware these events can be disruptive and your support is invaluable!!
Any children who were absent on Wednesday will be given an opportunity to select their gifts when they return to school.
There are still a number of gifts available to purchase and these will be on sale at the Second Hand Uniform Shop in room 31 this Friday 11th May 2012 from 3-4pm. There is a wonderful selection to choose from and at only $3 per gift you can't go wrong :)
Second Had Uniform Shop Huge apologies for the mix up with the dates in the last newsletter. Clearly my proof reading skills are
very low at 11.30pm and I failed to pick up the mistake before the newsletter went out!! The uniform shop will be open this Friday 11th May in room 31 from 3-4pm (for sure this time)!! Don't forget
Mothers Day Gifts on sale, $3 per gift ;)
CALENDAR Dates Many of you have noticed that some of the dates for PFA events have been different to those published in
the 2012 School Calendar. The dates in the Calendar were published in good faith by the outgoing PFA of 2011. As the 2012 PFA is essentially made up of new members with different work and home
commitments, we have had to make some adjustments. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns, your feedback is very valuable and welcome.
Next Meeting is Wednesday 16th May 2012 in room 31 at 9.30am
Carly Baker PFA President
ph: 0417 126 138 or catch me outside room 7 (Prep M) most afternoons!!