2021 APS Newsletter Issue 16


Junior School Council Report

Hello everyone, my name is Lisa and I am the Yellow House Captain.

Today I have some exciting news to share with all of you.

First of all, Foundation to Year 2 students are going back to school next week! For Year 3 to Year 6 students, please be patient! I know how much we miss each other.

In the past two weeks, we had an invite to join a virtual dance class. The theme for the dance is called “Slow motion”. We learned a dance with slow motion techniques. It was so exciting to see many students from other schools, and even schools from other states!

Also, this week some of the Junior School Council members and some Year 4/5/6 students attended a special public speaking program. The program will go for 4 weeks and people who participate in this program may present their speech in front of the class or during school assembly. We are looking forward to seeing their public speaking skills during their speeches.

Lastly, I would like to congratulate the people who won the Writing Competition! Well done!

Lastly, we would like to say thank you to all the teachers and parents for your hard work during remote learning. I also want to acknowledge all the support from our classmates. Without your encouragement and care, we wouldn’t have enjoyed remote learning as much as we did.

That’s all from me! Enjoy your weekend and see you soon!

            Lisa



Principal's Report

Dear Parents, Carers and Community Members,

Welcome back to Term 4!

Hope everyone has had an enjoyable break, and made the most out of the "freedoms" the current restrictions have given us.

One-Year Anniversary

Term 4 Week 1 marked the one-year anniversary for Stanley xiaozhang in joining the APS Community. I wanted take the opportunity to thank everyone for your support of me personally in this very first year of my principalship career. APS has been a wonderful community to be part of and I am very lucky to have your support in learning so much about the job as well as the collective wisdom among us!

Moon Lantern Festival

At the end of Term 3, we had our first virtual Moon Lantern Festival! I hope everyone enjoyed preparing your lanterns, dance routines and seeing the beautiful collective product!

We screenshot as many lanterns as possible during the "virtual parade" and Hao laoshi has helped to put together the collage below as a momento for the event. Thanks again for your participation!



Padlet Thank You Wall
Thank you to those students who participated in the Around-the-World Thank You Wall. It really was touching for staff to see their efforts being acknowledged and appreciated by families.



I also want to take the opportunity to thank the Fundraising and Community Event Sub-Committee for brainstorming and coming up with the idea to do a Padlet Map Wall in the first place. The map evolved over the weeks through different activity suggestions and is a true reflection of the school's vision for all students to "be kind local citizens and caring global thinkers."

Also, a special thank you to Frida and Ed for hosting last week's APS Virtual Kahoot #2! We are very proud of your leadership and initiative. Well done!



Staggered Return to Hybrid Learning
From Monday next week, there will be 3 weeks of staggered return to onsite learning. As a result, every year level will experience a degree of 'hybrid learning,' with some days being onsite and some days being remote.

After being at home for so long, we appreciate how difficult it will to 'slip back' into routine, especially a routine that will look slightly different. During these special weeks, we ask that parents/carers to work with us in checking in more regularly with your child, and helping them re-establish the daily routines of coming to school. This might involve having to wake up a bit earlier, preparing your own lunch, going to bed earlier etc.

It is also important that you take the time to read through everything in the Start-of-Term letters & Curriculum Overviews from your classroom teachers today, as well as in this issue of the newsletter.

We have included a lot of information to help you understand the new routines and rules at school that will apply for the next phase, so that you know what to do when you return onsite!

See you soon! 近期见!

Stanley xiaozhang

Premiers' Reading Challenge and Writing Competition

Premiers' Reading Challenge
This year's response to the Premiers' Reading Challenge was amazing! The students had until the end of the last term to meet the requirements for the Challenge, including reading a variety of Challenge and Student Choice books. Junior students were able to listen to or read books independently to meet the requirements while older students selected their own texts. This year we had 94 students complete the Reading Challenge. All the children are to be congratulated for their efforts and a special thanks goes to parents for logging books online and to English teachers for entering books read in class during onsite and remote learning.

Writing Competition
All students were invited to write for our inaugural Writing Competition, initially organised to coincide with Book Week. Despite lockdowns and several reorganisations of the event, we received entries at all year levels. Some year levels were very eager! Every entry had strengths and varied in terms of structure, author's voice, presentation and descriptive language. The English teachers spent a lot of time deliberating to select the winners.  Each participant will receive a certificate outlining the strength of their writing and listed winners will also receive a Dymocks voucher.

Writing Competition winners
Foundation: Minu Gamage - Poisonous Crystals
Year 1: Henry Scott - The Boy and the Tree
Year 2: Marlowe Keeble - The Adventures of Harry and Tim
Year 3: Annick Smith - November
Year 4: Alanah Starkey - Arthur the Crow
Year 5/6: Florence Ferla - Beyond the Bunker (abridged entry) (full edition)

Illustration Competition winners
Junior: Brennan Starkey and Eden Cavallo
Senior: Frida Beazley and Hazel Coventry-Burless

Congratulations to everyone and we look forward to celebrating all of these literacy events onsite in 2022!

Term 4 Weeks 3-5 Staggered Return

Timetable

Due to the staggered return of classes to school, our timetable will change over the next 3 weeks. (Please see Start-of-Term Letter from your classroom teacher for the arrangement relevant to your year level.)

Break Times

Eating times and breaks will be similar to the remote learning schedule for the first two weeks back onsite. This will promote consistency with our days at home and also accommodate timetabling issues.

Specialist Subjects

Students will have some specialist classes onsite as part of the staggered return, but most specialist subjects will continue to prepare online materials to be accessed on remote learning days.

Onsite Supervision

For eligible students
Students currently eligible for onsite supervision will still be able to attend school on days when their given year level is conducting remote learning.

For all other students on onsite learning days
Onsite school days will begin at 9am and finish at 3:30pm as per pre-lockdown. Yard supervision will be provided from 8:45am in the morning. Out of courtesy, please call the school if you are likely to be running late for the 3:30pm pickup.

Building Access

For Foundation parents/carers
From next week, Foundation students will wait outside of the school building in the morning and be picked up from outside of the school building in the afternoon, as with other year levels.

For all parent/carers
Reception will remain open for parent access from 8:45am - 3:45pm.

Assemblies

During the three weeks of staggered return, we will only run two assemblies, which will be held on Webex at 9:20am on:

  • 26/10 - Week 4 Monday
  • 1/11 - Week 5 Monday
The link to the assembly will be as per usual: https://eduvic.webex.com/meet/wang.stanley.y 

Lunch Order (Beavers Tail)

Lunch order will begin from Week 3 (next) Monday. Students who are onsite will be able to order online and have their lunches delivered to the school on days they are onsite for onsite learning or onsite supervision. 

Before and After School Care (Camp Australia)

OSHC will begin again from Week 3 (next) Monday. Students are welcome to sign up for Before and After School Care on days they are onsite for onsite learning or onsite supervision.

Note: Before and After School Care will
not be available for students who are also not eligible to be onsite for the day.

Sports Clinics

Soccer and basketball clinics will not re-commence until Term 4 Week 6 (starting Monday, 8 November). We will also not be taking new sign-ups this term.

Students who signed up for sports clinics in Term 3 will have their place automatically transferred to Term 4. Any credit left at the end of the year can be used as credit for next year’s Parent Payments. Refunds can also be organised through the Front Office towards the end of the term.

1 Nov Special Program

Please note that 1 Nov is a day with no formal learning for the core subjects. The day will begin with an assembly and morning check-in with staff.

For the rest of the day, APS will provide materials related to our Wellbeing curriculum for families to work through together.

More information about the day will be distributed closer to date.

Term 4 Secondhand Uniform Sale

We are planning to host the Term 4 “Start-of-Term” Secondhand Uniform Sale on Friday, 5 November between 8:45am - 9:15am (i.e. first day the whole school is allowed to come back onsite.)

As per previous secondhand uniform sales, families are asked to donate secondhand uniform in good condition, which can then be sold onto other families as a form of fundraising for the school.

If you have any uniform you would like to donate, please bring them in over the next three weeks on days your child is eligible to come onsite.



COVIDSafe Practices

COVIDSafe 3Vs
APs has a COVID-19 Safety Management Plan. This COVID-19 Safety Management Plan (COVIDSafe Plan) applies to all Victorian government schools, and outlines key health, safety, and wellbeing hazards that schools should plan for.

In preparation for the staggered return next week, our network of schools will be adopting the 3Vs:


Morning Line-Ups
During the three weeks of staggered return, we will be utilising different entrances for students to ensure that COVIDSafe Practices (such as masks, hand sanitisation) can be managed thoroughly.

The allocated building entrance below will apply for both drop off and pick up. Students are expected to line up at the allocated entrance at 8:50am each morning.

Foundation

Basketball Court

Year 1

Adventure Playground

Year 2

Adventure Playground

Year 3

Adventure Playground

Year 4

Basketball Court

Year 5/6

Basketball Court

Face Masks
As per DET requirement, Years 3-6 students are required to wear masks when indoors (see DET Official Communication in a separate article.)

Students are expected to provide their own masks for use at school. (As per any student item, if you are using a non-disposable mask, please put your child’s name on the mask.) Classroom teachers will provide spare disposable masks for students who may require a change of mask throughout the school day.

While masks are not required for Foundation - Year 2 students, they are highly recommended.

Ventilation
The school will ensure that all classrooms are ventilated throughout the day with windows open. We are waiting for further announcements from the Department regarding the provision of air purifiers for schools.

School Shade Sails Grant
All government schools are eligible to a grant of up to $25,000 to purchase shade sails to create more outdoor learning spaces and make it easier for classes to be conducted outside. Our school has applied for this grant and we would ideally like to turn the garden area in the Northern side of the school into an outdoor classroom space with both the new shade sail and re-design of the landscaping.

Social Distancing
Parents are also reminded that social distancing is required while on school grounds. Parents who do not enter the school building will not be required to sign in via the QR code. (If you do enter the school building to access the reception, please sign in via the school QR code.)

If your child is unwell...
We ask that if your child displays any flu-like or COVID symptoms that they do not attend the school. If your child develops symptoms throughout the day, the school will contact you during the day and ask you to pick your child up.



New Face Mask Rules - Official DET Communication

As you know, students will soon begin a Staged return to onsite learning to school as announced under the Roadmap.

To support this, the Victorian Chief Health Officer has announced new rules around mask wearing to keep everyone at school safe.

We know that returning to school will look a little different this time and it’s important that we support you and your children with effective ways to keep everyone safe and well.

One of the most important and effective things we can do to help keep students in the classroom is to wear masks to help minimise COVID-19 transmission risk.

When worn properly, masks can play an important role in reducing the transmission risks of Covid-19 that could happen from common activities in school.

Students in Grade 3 and above

  • Face masks will be required for secondary students at all times both indoors and outdoors at school, unless a lawful exception applies.
  • Face masks will also be required for all school students in Grade 3 and above indoors including at Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) programs, unless a lawful exception applies. Face masks can be removed while outdoors at school for primary students.
  • Students in Grades 3 to 6 are required to wear face masks from 18 October 2021. All other students who are required to wear a face mask must continue to do so from the first day they return to onsite learning.
  • Face masks will be strongly recommended for Prep to Year 2 students.
  • For composite classes of Grade 2 and 3 students, Grade 2 students will be strongly encouraged to wear masks like their Grade 3 peers.
  • For students with a disability, parents and carers should speak to the child’s doctor or regular health professional about the best methods to encourage mask wearing. Students and parents can also contact the Disability Liaison Officer program for more information.
  • Students with a medical condition or disability that make wearing a face covering unsuitable are not required to wear a mask.
  • Face masks are required for students in Year 3 to Year 6 unless an exception applies. Exceptions include students with a physical or mental disability where their disability means it would not be suitable. Parent/carers of  a student/s who meet the criteria for an exception must provide their approval in writing for their child/ren to not wear a mask to the school.

We will try to maximise outdoor learning where possible and offer more recreation and breaks wherever practicable to further support students.

We can work together to support students by having conversations around the importance of masks in preventing COVID -19 transmission and remind them that it’s only for a few days a week.

We have seen through remote learning that friendships are important. We can work together to remind students that wearing masks means they can see their friends and be at school together more often. We also protect our friends and keep them safe.

We encourage you to discuss wearing masks with your children to keep kids in the classroom and minimise COVID-19 transmission risk. The Raising Children Network has resources that can help you with having conversations with your children about wearing masks.

These new changes to wearing masks will come into effect when students return to staged onsite learning from 18 October 2021 in regional and metropolitan schools.

Thank you for your ongoing support in the implementation of these important steps that enable us to return to onsite learning. We look forward to welcoming your children back into the classroom.



Teacher Industrial Action

On Wednesday 6th October, the Fair Work Commission gave permission for Victorian Government School Staff to undertake protected industrial action in response to DET’s delay in the enterprise bargaining negotiations for a new Victorian Government Schools Agreement. The current agreement expired on the 30th April 2021.

As a result staff may elect to participate in industrial action from Monday 18th October.

The first stage will involve a set of bans on some of the work normally undertaken by staff. These bans are focused on increasing pressure on DET and the government to respond and may include: a ban or limitation on the attendance at some meetings, a ban on responding to e-mails from DET or the Regional Office (This does not applying to e-mails regarding the health and safety of the school community, entitlements and welfare of staff, the welfare of students or assessment for VCE, VCAL and IB) and a ban on the implementation of the new DET FISO (2.0) initiative in schools.

We do not anticipate any disruptions to the teaching and learning programs offered onsite or remotely as a result of any staff member participating in the industrial action.



Upcoming Events

Monday, 18 Oct (NEW!)
Staggered Return Begins


Tuesday, 19 Oct

NAPLAN SRT Testing (Postponed)

Thursday, 28 Oct (NEW DATE!)
School Council

Friday, 29 Oct
World Teachers' Day

Monday, 1 Nov
Special Program (No formal learning program)

Friday, 5 Nov (NEW!)
Staggered Return Ends / All students return onsite

Secondhand Uniform Sale (8:45-9:15am)

Monday, 8 Nov - Sunday, 14 Nov
National Recycling Week

Monday, 8 Nov - Wednesday, 10 Nov
Year 3-6 Camp (Cancelled)

Thursday, 11 Nov
Remembrance Day

Wednesday, 24 Nov (NEW DATE!)
School Council

Tuesday, 7 Dec
Statewide Transition Day (TBC)

Wednesday, 8 Dec
School Council

Tuesday, 14 Dec
End of Year Picnic (TBC)

Thursday, 16 Dec
Reports Distribution

Friday, 17 Dec
Graduation
End of Term 4 (Early Finish 1:00pm)

Community Noticeboard

GET ACTIVE VICTORIA

Link: https://www.getactive.vic.gov.au/vouchers/


YOUTH CHOIR AUDITIONS - THE YARRA VOICES



VACCINE CHATS


VACCINE CHATS IN ARABIC



ART SMART - ONLINE ART CLASSES FOR KIDS



CAMP AUSTRALIA - THE ROCKETEERS FILM FESTIVAL


RSVP to the Rocketeers Film Festival HERE