RWPS eNewsletter Term 2 Week 1

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Principal's Report

Dear RWPS Community,

I hope that you all enjoyed a fabulous break over the school holidays. The last few weeks have been full of many cultural celebrations, some of which included Catholic Easter, Eid, Songkran, as well as Orthodox Easter being just around the corner. We hope that this special time spent with family and friends was a joyous time for you all.

During the break I had the opportunity to visit Wilson’s Promontory; I may still be recovering a little from all the hiking! During my stay, I came across another beautiful, blue, picturesque tree – our very first newsletter cover and this one are both of similar blue trees. Since I have learnt that these trees are popping up around many new places, promoting mental health. If you would like to find out more about this project, here is a link to the website https://bluetreeproject.com.au/

RWPS FETE – HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND!
We are all very excited about our Fete this coming Saturday, 20th April, 12-7pm. We hope to see you all there!

SLIGHT CHANGE TO SOFT STARTS
Commencing in Term 2, our soft starts in the morning – including Foundation students (see below) will be a little different.
The music will commence at 8.55 am and will continue playing outside.
At 8.58 am the first bell will sound to indicate a two-minute warning.
The 9.00 am bell should see all students inside and ready to start the day.
The expectation will be that students put their bags away and will follow teacher's instruction of what they can do. Parents need to say goodbye and not enter the classroom. 
We are also happy if children just want to put their bag away and continue to play outside until the first bell.
For Foundation soft starts, the students are to enter their classrooms from the external doors.

ROAD SAFETY
It has been brought to my attention from our caring community that some of our students are not utilising school crossings safely, particularly when riding their bikes to and from school. It is crucial that families have a conversation with their children about road safety and ensure that they are conducting themselves in a safe manner. Our staff have spoken to our students about this and it would be advised that families do this also.

BIKE SHED
Recent events have involved bikes and scooters going missing from our school bike shed, once it is unlocked. I would like to emphasise the importance of ensuring that bikes and scooters which belong to the owner are the only ones that are taken. Furthermore, I would like to stress the importance of individually locking the bike and scooter in a safe and appropriate manner. We understand that our bike shed is locked during the day, however once it is unlocked in the AM or PM, this is then accessible by others.

BREAKFAST CLUB
Breakfast club is commencing from Week 2, Friday 26th April. Therefore there is no breakfast club this week.

NEXT OPEN SESSION – FRIDAY 26th APRIL 9.00 – 10.00 am
Please take advantage of this session to come to school and sit in on your child’s classroom or specialist lessons. This will provide you with an excellent opportunity to see what happens at school, to get to know your child’s classroom teacher and you might even be asked to help out with particular activities! Your children would love to see you at school. No bookings are required – just turn up! You don’t have to sign in at the office.

A school tour will also be conducted for any prospective parents who may be thinking of enrolling their children at Reservoir West for Foundation in 2024. All prospective parents should have registered for the tour via the school website.

INTERSTATE TRIP
Next Monday 22nd - Wednesday 24th April, a few of our wonderful members from our School Improvement Team, alongside John Fleming, will be visiting some interstate schools that implement the JF Explicit Instruction teaching model. We are all thrilled to have the opportunity to visit these schools and bring back some insightful learning. More information will come in an upcoming newsletter after the return from this trip.

ASSEMBLIES THIS TERM
Friday 3rd May, commencing at 3pm
Friday 31st May, commencing at 3pm
Friday 28th June – end of term assembly, commencing at 2pm for a 2.30pm school finish.

This week is a non-assembly week. Five Minutes of Fame will be held in classrooms at 3.15pm, with a group photo of the Student of the Week recipients will be taken at 3.25pm near the stage.

SUNSMART – HATS AND UNIFORM
During the month of April, the UV index may reach above 3, which is when hats a required. After this time, hats are not usually required for outdoor play. To find out more, please read out school's SunSmart policy here. Students are always welcome to wear their hats if they wish to do so. Hats are available from the school office for $11.00.

Regarding school uniform, please ensure students come to school with their full uniform. As outlined in the first newsletter this year by Bruce, please see below.
“I am asking that all parents make an effort to have their children dressed in correct attire from the start of the year. I will also be asking the classroom teachers to monitor this and follow up with notes and phone calls home when required. Families have had all holidays to get it right. Please note that some leniency has been provided regarding the colour of shoes, but socks still need to be grey or white – not black nor multi-coloured. PLEASE LABEL EVERYTHING!”

EASTER RAFFLE WINNERS
Congratulations to our winners that were drawn from our raffle on the last day of Term 1!

  1. Charlie Osborne LA12
  2. Amelia Orsino LA12
  3. Hannah Pywell LA8
  4. Suzana Scarmozzino RWPS Staff
  5. Nithya Palakurthi LA9
  6. Bonnie Zorzi (Thomas Zorzi’s older sibling, LA29) past student
  7. Marcella Swededn LA28
  8. Fox Kavanagh LA2
  9. Annika Henrikson LA24
  10. Cormac Doohan LA11
  11. Esmeralda Beretta Apps LA9
  12. Etta Canzano LA6
  13. Caoimhe McGuigan LA26

EASTER HAT PARADE
Our juniors had an absolutely fabulous day wearing their Easter hats. They had the opportunity to showcase their designs at our annual Easter Hat Parade. Below are some happy snaps of the event.

I look forward to a wonderful Term 2 ahead.

Julia Nour.
Acting Principal.


 



SOTW

Congratulations to all of the students that are receiving a Student of the Week award!

  

NAME

VALUE

LA1

5/6L

Joseph Centofanti

Wisdom

LA2

5/6M

Scarlett Frew

Success

LA3

5/6K

Joshua Nixon

Success

LA4

5/6V

Hamza Bare

Responsibility

LA5

5/6P

Gisele Khalil

Success

LA6

5/6H

Blossom Finlayson-Jones

Respect and Wisdom

LA 8

4W

Remi Kemble

Success

LA9

Prep B

Lara Serio

Success

LA10

Prep D

Harlow Ellis

Respect 

LA11

Prep V

Luka Young

Success & Persistence 

LA12

Prep H

Charli Flower

Success

LA17

1C

Atticus Armstrong 

Success 

LA19

1P

Matilda Murray

Success

LA20

1R

Jude McLoughlin

Persistence

LA21

3W

Raff Poelsma

Success

LA22

3J

Edwin Mesic

Wisdom

LA23

3M

Ajwa Ahmed

Getting Along

LA24

3S

Fahad Alsuwayhil

Success

LA25

2C

Halima Kamareddin 

Success 

LA26

2G

William Costopoulos 

Success

LA27

2B

Emma Conway

Success

LA28

2M

Ua O Rangi

Wisdom

LA29

4T

Lucas  De Sousa

Success 

LA30

4H

Polly Holder

Success

ART        

Harrison Cooper

Success

LIBRARY 

Year 3J

Success

MUSIC   

Amelia Karp

Success

SPANISH

Eva Mounir

Wisdom & Success

SCIENCE

Ali Al Abrahimi

Success

PE

John McGregor

Success

PRINCIPAL

Jack O’Connell

Respect & Responsibility

TURBO/SUPPORT

Liarna Couzens

Responsibility & Success



Photos of Week 9 Term 1 SOTW recipients!



Week 9 Term 1 Golden Ticket winners!



Wellbeing

Welcome Back to Term 2!

We hope this message finds you well and rejuvenated after a well-deserved break. As we embark on the second term of the academic year, we extend a warm welcome back to all our students and staff, and to our new students beginning this term.

Term 2 brings with it fresh opportunities for learning, growth, and success. It's a time to build upon the foundations laid in the previous term and to set new goals for the months ahead. With each passing day, we are committed to fostering an environment that nurtures creativity, critical thinking, and curiosity.

We encourage our students to approach this term with enthusiasm and determination, embracing challenges as opportunities for personal and academic development. We also encourage our students to approach this term with the school values in mind, guiding them to be kind, treat one another with respect and to behave in a responsible way. Let's continue to support one another, both inside and outside the classroom, as we strive for excellence together.

To our dedicated teachers, thank you for your unwavering commitment to guiding, supporting and inspiring our students. Your passion and dedication make a significant difference in shaping the future leaders of tomorrow.

Parents, your ongoing support and involvement in your child's education are invaluable. Together, we can create a positive and enriching learning experience for every student.

Here's to a successful and fulfilling Term 2 for all!

 

Visit from Constable Andrew Moreton
On Monday, the Year 5/6 and Year 3 cohort had a police incursion. Constable Andrew ‘Andy’ Martin, a Victorian Police Officer from Preston station, came to visit our school and talked about online safety and cyberbullying. We learned the percentages of the internet world. Shockingly, 90% of it is social media and 5% is used on Google/Safari.

What is the other 5%, you ask? Well, unfortunately, the other 5% is the dark web. Andy told us about the ways we can avoid interacting with the dark web. For example, dodging red flag questions. Red flag questions are questions that people on the internet can ask that can give away your personal information.

Types of red flag questions can include:

  • What is your name?
  • How old are you?
  • Where do you live?
  • What is your phone number?
  • What is your email?
  • Can I have a picture of you?

We watched videos of true stories that have happened in the past, like last year, a girl thought she was talking to another girl her age, but was actually talking to a grown man. Another story was that, two weeks ago, a girl was going to Queensland for the holidays, but she made the mistake of posting her boarding pass, which had her name and pass information on it, on social media. Her identity was then found out and her pass was confiscated.

Andy gave us a piece of advice, which was, if you don't feel comfortable having your posts on the MCG screen, where 100,000 people can see it, then don't post them at all.

Another big part of the incursion was about AI (Artificial Intelligence). As everybody knows, AI is taking a big part in our lives and could someday do the jobs of us humans, but worse, if we’re not careful, it could take over completely. AI has grown over one year and it is hard to undo it when you have clicked done. You can create all different types of things on AI /Chat GPT. You don't want to use these apps without an adult's permission.

So, to demonstrate this, Andy found an AI app and changed his identity twice, in the space of ten seconds, just to prove how powerful it really is.

Andy has given us things to really think about, such as:

  • Do things on the Internet make you feel uncomfortable or embarrassed?
  • How can you change your online identity to make it more private?
  • Do you really know the people you are interacting with and the apps you are using online?

Andy’s visit has certainly got a lot of us rethinking our online choices and the way we act. Anyone could be out there, just a click away, and we need to protect ourselves and our community.

So, if you are worried about any of this, or have been the recipient of any of these things before, make sure you talk to an adult straight away. Don't be scared to tell someone. And there are so many things you can do to protect yourself, both online and offline. Make sure to stay safe!

 

Lola, Audrey and Serena - 2024 Wellbeing Captains

 

Autism Awareness Week: Embracing Neurodiversity
World Autism Awareness Day was on April 2nd. The month of April is Autism Awareness month in Australia. As we enter Autism Awareness Week, it's essential to recognise and celebrate the diverse spectrum of human experience. This week, we come together to raise awareness, foster understanding, and celebrate the unique strengths and talents of individuals on the autism spectrum.

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a complex neurological condition that affects how individuals perceive the world and interact with others. Each person with autism is unique, with their own set of strengths, challenges, and perspectives. Embracing neurodiversity means recognizing and valuing these differences, creating a more inclusive and accepting society for everyone.

Classes will be exploring myths and facts autism, ways to be inclusive, how to respect sensory differences and communication styles and reminded to respect all the parts that make up who we are.

Here are some ways you can participate in Autism Awareness Week:
Education and Awareness: Take the time to learn more about autism, its characteristics, and how it may manifest differently in each individual. Share resources, articles, and personal stories to raise awareness and promote understanding.

Promote Inclusion: Create an inclusive environment where individuals with autism feel valued and respected. Encourage empathy, kindness, and acceptance in your interactions with others.

Celebrate Diversity: Recognise and celebrate the unique strengths and talents of autistic individuals. Embrace their perspectives and contributions to our community.

Supportive Initiatives: Get involved in initiatives and events that support individuals with autism and their families. This could include fundraising efforts, volunteering opportunities, or participating in local autism-related activities.

Spread the Word: Use your voice to advocate for greater acceptance and inclusion of autistic individuals in all aspects of society. Share information on social media, engage in discussions, and encourage others to join the conversation.

Together, we can make a difference!

MENTAL HEALTH / EVENTS CALENDAR 2024

Event Date

Event

23 April

World Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day (WICAMHD)

28 April

World Day for Safety and Health at Work

12 May

International Nurses Day

15 May

International Families Day

17 May

International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT)

13 – 19 May

National Families Week

20 - 26 May

National Volunteer Week

24 May

World Schizophrenia Awareness Day

26 May

National Sorry Day

27 May - 3 June

Reconciliation Week (Now More Than Ever)

1 June

Global Day of Parents

3 June

Mabo Day

5 June

World Environment Day

20 June

World Refugee Day - United Nations

21 June

World Music Day

 



Global Studies Term 1

Throughout Term 1, our students focused their learning through the lens of Community, exploring various topics that included history, personal and social capabilities, geography, health, civics and citizenship and critical and creative thinking. To showcase the fabulous learning from all our students, our school dedicated the last week of Term 1 to hosting Expos where our families joined us in the celebration of our learning. Below are some captured moments from each of our year levels.

Throughout Term 2, our students will be focusing their learning through the lens of Social Justice. They are working towards sharing their learning through a Cross-Age session at the end of term. Keep a lookout for upcoming newsletter features! Some units also lend themselves to have community and family contributions, which will be directly communicated by our lovely teachers.

 

Julia Nour
Learning Specialist - Global Studies



TheirCare

Welcome Back for Term 2!

Hi Families,

We are excited to see you all back for another great term!

Over the school holidays, we provided our Holiday Program – Art Attack! It was a great success and we had so much fun doing art activities and going on excursions.

We are still in the process of liaising with the DE regarding our capacity increase, and we will update you with any news when we can.

A friendly reminder to please ensure your bookings are kept up to date. If your child is going to be away, you can easily cancel the session through our website, or by calling the service on 0417007527. It is vital that you update us on any absences for after care to ensure a smooth process at the start of each session.

We look forward to seeing you in term 2!

Kind regards,

TheirCare Team.



Year 5/6 Literacy

Our homework focus this term is on home reading with our Reading Trek. The students read at home and document the amount of time and pages they read each day. At the end of the week the pages are added up and that is the amount of distance that the students can travel on the world map. On the map 1cm = 1000km and each page read  = 100km. To travel to a new destination each week you need to read as well as complete the Reading Trek research. The Reading Trek research is where the students incorporate geography and research skills.  The students have had lots of fun reading and researching about many different countries, landmarks, food and many more!








Community




Honoring Our Heroes: ANZAC Day Commemorative Items Available
As we approach ANZAC Day, we are proud to offer a special opportunity to honor and remember the brave men and women who have served our country. We are excited to announce that commemorative ANZAC Day items are now available for purchase!

ANZAC Day holds significant importance in our nation's history as we remember the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women. It is a time for reflection, gratitude, and unity as we pay tribute to those who have served and continue to serve our country with courage and dedication.

To commemorate, we are offering a range of ANZAC-themed items for sale. Students will be located outside the library before and after school this week and next week. Items range from $2 to $5.

Kind Regards,
Flora Kossivas



Forget about the siesta and come down to the siesta! 

We are very excited to once again have the Rezza Rockers (Reservoir West Primary School rock band) playing live at the Brunswick Ballroom with señor Leiva’s latin band La Descarga on Sunday April 28 from 1-4:30pm. Love to the Fam Family Fiesta will be the perfect chance to bring granpa, grandma, aunties, uncles, the cousins, nephews, nieces, mamás, papás and the little ones for a celebration of family, colour, music and dance. We would love to see as many members of the school community as possible attending the event. There will also be a chill out room with toys and activities for children and families who want to have a wind down from all the fun and dancing.
See you at the dance floor! 
More info and tickets at https://www.moshtix.com.au/v2/event/love-to-the-fam/163508
















Calendar

Please take a look at what is happening this year at RWPS.

2024 Calendar

Follow our live updates on our Compass calendar.