Manna Gum – credit Mandy Nicholson
Dear Parents, Students and Friends,
During the next few weeks, the students in Years 4, 5 and 6 will have the opportunity to participate in the 2024 Atiitudes to School Survey (AtoSS). This survey will be administered to all government school students in Years 4 to 12.
The AtoSS is a voluntary annual student survey offered by the Department of Education to assist schools and the department to gain an understanding of students' perceptions and experience of school. We value student voice as a means to improving student engagement, wellbeing and quality instruction and will be asking your child about their thoughts and feelings in relation to their school, their learning, peer relationships, resilience, bullying, health and wellbeing, physical activity, and life in general.
ORIMA Research Pty Ltd has been contracted by the department to administer the online survey and will provide support to schools throughout the survey period.
This year, the survey will be conducted at our school from 20th May until 14th June.
Young people enjoy having a say! This survey has been running for nearly twenty years and is invaluable in helping schools understand student views to plan programs and activities to improve your child's schooling experience. The survey responses also help the Department of Education understand how student’s learning experiences can be improved.
While we do not anticipate many risks of participation, some students may find some of the survey questions personal and sensitive in nature. Should you agree for your child to participate, they are still free to skip questions or to withdraw at any stage if the survey makes them upset or uncomfortable. Barb, Julia or I will be present during the survey sessions to support students.
The questions are selected from validated survey instruments used in Australia and around the world, are strength-based, and tailored for each year level group.
Your child will be invited to complete the survey online during class time using a purpose-built secure online survey tool. It is important to note that we are not in any way “testing” your child. Please note:
Your child will be provided with a unique login to complete the survey. The student login is an assigned identifier that will be used by the department to link data for analysis and research purposes only. Identifiable information, such as student name or Victorian Student Number (VSN) is not used for linking datasets. Some student demographic data (i.e. year level, gender, age, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status) is derived from department-held administrative records and is linked to the individual student login ID during survey set up work to support survey administration.
ORIMA Research will only use student personal information for research purposes to facilitate the administration and data collection of the Attitudes to School Survey. To ensure the confidentiality of your child’s responses is protected at all times, personally identifiable data will not be recorded in the survey response file that ORIMA Research provides to the department. All data is stored on servers located in Australia and access is restricted to staff who are working on the project.
All information collected about your child will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Data and Protection Act 2014 (Vic), the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and the Public Records Act 1973 (Vic), as well as the Department’s Schools’ Privacy Policy. Please note that consistent with the above legislation and our policy, there are instances where we may be required by law to share information provided by your child. For example, where there is a threat to your child’s health and safety.
Aggregated state-wide survey data will be used to report on initiatives and may also be used in public discussions of issues relating to student engagement and wellbeing. An example of how survey data has been previously used includes reporting levels of student engagement in the Performance Summary in the Annual Report to the School Community.
The survey results will also be reported back to the school in aggregate form throughout the survey period. Data or results about individual students will not be shared with schools. All survey data that is made available in reports are for groups of students only so that no individual student can be identified. Where there are low numbers of students, the data will be suppressed so that the school cannot view the results for that group.
Our school will be sharing the results of the survey with parents and carers.
Participation in this survey is voluntary. If you do not wish for your child to do the survey, please opt out via email to me: bruce.kearney@education.vic.gov.au before the survey commences on Monday 20th May.
Student personal information will be shared with ORIMA Research to facilitate survey preparations prior to this opt out process. If you opt your child out of participating, then your school will ensure that your child is not provided with access to the survey. Student details will be deleted by ORIMA Research at the conclusion of the survey.
If your school does not receive a Refusal of Consent email before the survey commencement date, as above, this will be taken as your consent for your child to participate in the 2024 Attitudes to School Survey. However, as noted above the survey is voluntary: even with your consent, your child can choose to skip questions or withdraw at any time.
Further information about this survey, including the questions your child will be asked to answer, please visit the department’s survey information page.
If you would like more information, please speak to your child’s teacher, or contact the department at school.surveys@education.vic.gov.au.
HANG AROUND SCHOOL FRIDAY Friday, 24th May 3.30 until 5.30 pm
Friday nights are very good for ‘hanging around school’ on Friday 24th May, a Hang Around School Friday is being organised to allow families to socialise and just let their children play at school. This will occur from school time until 5.00 pm. The PFA will be running a sausage sizzle – see poster in the PFA item.
If parents would like to have a couple of quiet Friday afternoon BYO drinks as well, that should be fine. Hope to see you then. Please note that from 3.45 pm the school is not responsible for students and that all students must be with a parent or supervising adult.
BULLYING
There is a great article on bullying in the Wellbeing item of the Newsletter this week. I thoroughly recommend that you take the time to read it.
FETE PHOTOS
Please see the PFA item for an extensive gallery of photos from our fete. Thank you to Manda Ford (mum of Lola, Year 6) for allowing us access to her photos.
TISSUES
We are asking that all families send along a packet or small box of tissues that can be kept at school or in your child’s bag for them to use as required.
DAREBIN CHESS CLUB
Kip Thompson (Year 6) and Oscar Miller (Year 3) participated in the Darebin Chess Tournament on Saturday. Each participant plays about 7 matches over 4 hours. A 5-year-old could be playing a 70-year-old.
Both boys attend weekly at the Darebin Chess Club, held at the Preston Library, every Monday 5:30pm - 7:30pm. You can just turn up on the night and best of all, it’s free!
Next Tournament is in December at Preston Town Hall. Trophies given to the winners of every age group.
Regards,
Bruce
Principal
EDUCATION WEEK 2024
LET’S CELEBRATE!
This year, Education Week runs from Monday, 13th May to Friday, 17th May. The theme, Spotlight on STEM, celebrates the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in our everyday lives, in the classroom and beyond.
Information about what classes are doing for Education Week was in last week’s Newsletter. However, there is always room for more fun!
Let’s celebrate by problem solving and trying new experiments!
FUN MATHS
Choose one below problem to solve. Write your answers on a sheet of paper and include your first name, last name and LA. Ask an adult to check your answers and then post your sheet of paper in the mailbox outside the Library by Wednesday, 22nd May. Mrs Balliro will give every entry, a golden ticket.
FAMILY SCIENCE
Conduct one of these fun science experiments with your family. Email the photo, your first name, last name and LA to Mrs Balliro (Barbara.balliro@education.vic.gov.au) by Wednesday, 22nd May and your photo may feature in a Newsletter later in the term.
Reminder: Adult assistance is required for all experiments!
Slime
*This experiment can be very messy
What you need:
Step 1: Pour some corn flour in the bowl.
Step 2: Add a little of the food colouring to the water (food colouring can stain so be very careful).
Step 3: Slowly stir in some of the coloured water in with the corn flour (adding a few drops at a time).
Step 4: Continue to stir with the wooden spoon until it starts to thicken to a paste. You may find that you need to add more water or corn flour to get the right mix.
Step 5: Take a handful and watch it ooze out of your hand. It flows like a slippery liquid.
Step 6: Squeeze the slime and it becomes a solid.
Source: http://www.kids-science-experiments.com/sloppyslime.htmlC
What’s happening?
Some liquids change when you stir them – they can either become thicker or thinner. Cornflour slime is a special liquid that becomes thicker when you stir it.
When you stir or poke cornflour slime, the tiny cornflour pieces stick together, making the slime feel like a solid. If you stir really fast or poke it hard, the slime feels even more solid. But if you're gentle and stir slowly, or softly poke it, the cornflour pieces have space to move, and the slime becomes more like a flowing liquid. So, if you stir the slime slowly or gently put your hand in it, you'll see it act like a liquid.
Blowing Balloons
What You Need:
Step 1: Before you begin, make sure that you stretch out the balloon to make it as easy as possible to inflate.
Step 2: Pour the 40 ml of water into the soft drink bottle.
Step 3: Add the teaspoon of baking soda and stir it around with the straw until it has dissolved.
Step 4: Pour the lemon juice in and quickly put the stretched balloon over the mouth of the bottle.
What's happening?
Adding the lemon juice to the baking soda creates a chemical reaction. The baking soda is a base, while the lemon juice is an acid, when the two combine they create carbon dioxide (CO2). The gas rises up and escapes through the soft drink bottle, it doesn't however escape the balloon, pushing it outwards and blowing it up.
Source: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments/inflatingballoons.html
To find out more about Education Week 2024, visit www.vic.gov.au/education-week.
Mrs Barb Balliro, Assistant Principal – Teaching & Learning
barbara.balliro@education.vic.gov.au
DEADLY CLUB
On Thursday, 9th May the Deadly Club met in the Wellbeing Hub. The Deadly Club is a group of our First Nations student who meet to learn and talk about their shared history and culture. This is scaffolded by our Koorie Engagement Support Officer, Sonya Hunt. Last week the students began making Yarning sticks (also known as talking sticks) for each classroom. They are looking amazing!!
Yarning is an important part of Aboriginal culture and is practised building respectful relationships. Yarning circles provide a safe space to share, listen and pass on knowledge respectfully.
A Yarning stick is a communication tool passed around to support, respect and empower each individual whilst speaking and sharing. The person holding the yarning stick is the only person to speak at the time, others must listen quietly and respectfully.
Check out the photos below and follow this link to learn how a Yarning stick is used in a Yarning circle:
USING A YARNING CIRCLE Understanding and using a talking stick
INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA, BIPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA
A reminder that Friday, 17th May is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Discrimination & Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). On this day students are welcome to go rainbow to create awareness, inclusion and visibility. It is a great opportunity for us to show our support for LGBTQIA+ community, and to revisit important discussions around embracing and respecting diversity and bias-based bullying.
WHAT IS BULLYING?
Bullying can happen at school, at home or online. It is never okay, and it is not a normal part of growing up.
There is a new nationally agreed definition of bullying which all Australian schools now use:
Bullying is an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power, or perceived power, over one or more persons who feel unable to stop it from happening. Bullying can happen in person or online, via various digital platforms and devices and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert). Bullying behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time (for example, through sharing of digital records).
Bullying of any form or for any reason can have immediate, medium and long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders.
'Bullying' is a word that is used for behaviours that are not actually bullying. These other behaviours can be just as serious but may require different responses. Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying.
There are 4 main types of bullying behaviour:
Bullying behaviour can include specific forms:
Some behaviours can appear to be bullying but are actually harassment.
Harassment is language or actions that are demeaning, offensive or intimidating to a person. It can take many forms, including sexual harassment, disability harassment or racial discrimination.
Behaviours that do not constitute bullying include:
However, these conflicts still need to be addressed and resolved. Likewise not all online issues are bullying. (Online bullying is sometimes referred to as cyberbullying and refers to bullying that is carried out through information and communication technologies).
It is important to remember that children and young people are still learning and practising social skills. Everyone has the capacity to change their behaviour but being given a label can make changing much harder.
Learn what bullying is and what it is not. Understanding the definition of bullying is the first step in talking about how to prevent and respond to bullying with your child.
School responses to reports of bullyings can be much more effective when parents and carers report bullying and support school staff efforts to respond to it.
If your child reports that bullying is occurring at school, or the bullying is occurring outside school hours and involves students from the school, you should let the school know about the situation.
Working together with the school is the best way to help your child resolve bullying issues.
MENTAL HEALTH / EVENTS CALENDAR 2024
Event Date | Event |
12 May | |
15 May | International Families Day |
17 May | International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) |
13 – 19 May | National Families Week |
20 - 26 May | |
24 May | |
26 May | |
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 | |
21 June | World Music Day |
NAME | VALUE | ||
LA1 | 5/6L | Luca Neenan | Persistence |
LA2 | 5/6M | Laurence Hudson | Success |
LA3 | 5/6K | Talia Tralci | Success |
LA4 | 5/6V | Adnan Shaheen | Persistence and Success |
LA5 | 5/6P | Igby Kingsmill | Success |
LA6 | 5/6H | Emily Gelsumini | Success and Getting Along |
LA 8 | 4W | Archie Sra Zak Ivanoski | Success Success |
LA9 | Prep B | Aidan Molloy | Success |
LA10 | Prep D | Hannah Welsh | Respect |
LA12 | Prep H | Ned Bettiol | Success |
LA17 | 1C | Ryan Ghambir | Success |
LA18 | 1M | Magnus Heskes | Wisdom |
LA19 | 1P | Aesha Asefa | Success |
LA21 | 3W | Gabrielle Butijn | Success |
LA22 | 3J | Flo Jackon-Hugill | Persistence |
LA23 | 3M | Albert Skinner | wisdom |
LA25 | 2C | Mila Grech | Success |
LA26 | 2G | Henri Jowett | Success |
LA27 | 2B | Isobel Weiss | Responsibility |
LA28 | 2M | Jimmy McKegg | Wisdom |
LA29 | 4T | Sebastian Jovanovski | Success and Persistence |
LA30 | 4H | Quinn Canzano | Success |
ART | Jesse Richardson | Success | |
DIGITECH | Evelyn Cooke | Success | |
LIBRARY | Etta Canzano | Success | |
MUSIC | Gus Stephenson Danni Ioannidis | Success Success | |
SPANISH | Rian Delahunt | Success | |
SCIENCE | Wren Ducat | Persistence | |
PE | Jarrod Musacchia | Success | |
PRINCIPAL | Grade 4H | Success |
Week 4 Golden Ticket winner!
Rockband recieving SOTW!
Scholastic Book Fair Is Coming to RWPS!
Dear RWPS Community,
We are thrilled to announce that our highly-anticipated School Book Fair is just around the corner! Get ready to embark on a literary adventure and discover a world of captivating stories, engaging activities, and wonderful books for readers of all ages.
The School Book Fair is a fantastic opportunity for students, parents, teachers, and book lovers alike to explore a wide selection of books, including bestsellers, classics, graphic novels, educational resources, and much more. Whether you're searching for the latest novel by your favourite author or looking to expand your reading horizons, there's something for everyone at our Book Fair.
Mark your calendars and join us at our School Book Fair for an unforgettable literary experience. Let's celebrate the magic of books and inspire a lifelong love of reading among our students.
Dates: Tuesday 14th May until Monday 20th May
Where: Reservoir West Library
Times: Daily 8.30am - 9.00am
We look forward to seeing you there!
Happy Reading!
Flora Kossivas
Librarian
Hello School Community,
We hope you are having a wonderful week .
Mothers and Special Persons' Day Stall - Friday 10th May
This was a wonderful day and we all enjoyed assisting our students purchase a gift for their someone special. All the students showed wonderful manners while shopping. Thank you to all the parent volunteers that spent time setting up, selling and packing down the stall. A special thank you to Rachele who spends hours and hours sourcing and purchasing all the special gifts available at the stall. There was a wonderful selection of quality gifts, unlike anything we have seen at other school stalls before.
Upcoming Events
Hang Around Friday - Friday 24th May
This has become a school community favourite. We will serve BBQ sausages and veggie burgers in the school yard from 3.30pm. Students will be able to play with their peers while parents/guardians are able to socialise. All sausages are beef and halal. This event is CASH ONLY. No card facilities will be available. If you would like to volunteer for this event please use this link https://signup.zone/rwps-pfa-events
Uniform Sale - Friday 24th May
Second hand uniforms will be sold from the library between 3 and 4pm. We ask that a gold coin donation is made per garment. We will have clothing, bags and shoes on sale.
Thank you for following along and your ongoing support!
Warmest regards,
Zayna and the PFA team.
P.S. In the below photo gallery, you will find some highlights of our 2024 Fete. We hope you enjoy!
Paired Reading in Grade 2
During literacy this year, Year Two students have participated in ‘Paired Reading’, where students read side by side with a buddy and take it in turns to read. Students support each other whilst reading and practice their expression, fluency and comprehension skills. Students have learned about ‘here, hidden and head’ questions to further develop their comprehension skills. Year 2 students have been doing a fantastic job, well done Year 2’s!
This term the Grade 3 students have been learning about the First Contact in Australia. We started by learning about; when, why and how different celebrations are celebrated in Australia. Students then explored an amazing interactive timeline on the National Museum of Australia website. Each class now has a timeline of Australia’s history with key events. This week we are looking into the different perspectives of the First Fleet.