Hello families,

We have had another great week here at Aspendale with our students continuing to demonstrate their routines as they enter and exit classrooms and when they are moving around the school.

Providing students with consistent routines enables student’s understanding of expected behaviours and gives them multiple opportunities to successfully demonstrate the behaviours, showing they are ready to learn. Routines reduce the cognitive load for our students and facilitates a calm and orderly feel through the predictability of routine processes within our classrooms and across the school. 

Global Play Day:

Students across the school participated in Global Play Day yesterday. This event was the first of our Wellbeing days for the year. Students demonstrated their ability to share, take turns and play fairly. There’s more about Global Play Day later in this newsletter.

Running Club and Breakfast Club

Running Club and Breakfast Club started yesterday with an outstanding number of participants.  Not only is this an enjoyable time for many members of our school community, it is also promoting physical and mental health and fosters positive connections between students and their families and the staff.

It was also fabulous to see two of our Student Leaders Eve (Community Leader) and Amy (Media Leader) assisting Mrs Macdonald with Breakfast club. Eve and Amy demonstrated our weekly focus: Be kind, polite and helpful, while serving up lots of Cheerios and Maple Crunch to the hungry runners, and then by washing up and packing everything away. Thanks superstars!

Mobile Phone Policy

I would like to draw your attention to our Mobile Phone Policy:

You can read the full policy on our website: APS - Mobile Phones- Student Use Policy

It is important for all students and families to understand this policy and the storage requirements for Mobile Phones during school hours. A mobile phone is defined as a telephone with access to a cellular (telecommunication) system, with or without a physical connection to a network. For the purpose of this policy, “mobile phone” refers to mobile phones and any device that may connect to or have a similar functionality to a mobile phone such as smart watches and iPad’s (messaging or call functions).

When students bring a mobile phone to school, it needs to be stored securely at the administration office. Teachers have processes in place to collect and store the devices. We encourage all families to read the policy, and discuss the process and expectations with your child.

Child safety and wellbeing at Aspendale Primary School:

Aspendale Primary School is committed to providing an environment where students are safe and feel safe.

Our child safety framework (https://www.aspendale.vic.edu.au/page/9/Policies)  explains how we support and maintain child safety and wellbeing at Aspendale Primary School. It includes our:

• Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
• Child Safety Reporting and Responding Obligations Procedures, and
• Child Safety Code of Conduct, which outlines acceptable and unacceptable behaviours for all staff and volunteers at our school.

Our students and families are important partners in providing a child safe environment. These regular newsletter reminders are one of the ways we ensure our school community is aware of:

• our commitment to child safety, and
• how to provide feedback or raise child safety concerns.

If you have any concerns about child safety at any time, please contact Amelia Busuttil – Assistant Principal on 9580 3255. Any child safety complaints or concerns are treated seriously. For more information about our school’s complaints process, see our Complaints Policy.

We also welcome your ideas on ways we can improve our approach to child safety and wellbeing. If you have any suggestions or comments please contact Amelia Busuttil – Assistant Principal on 9580 3255 or at by emailing aspendale.ps@education.vi.gov.au.

Getting to Know You Interviews and Student Support Group Meetings

Getting to Know You interviews for Year 1 to Year 6 families will take place on Monday 24^th February 3:40pm-5:00pm and Tuesday 25^th February 3:40pm- 7:20pm.

This is a great opportunity for families to meet the class teacher and share valuable information. You can book your 10 minute meeting time through Sentral. Bookings are now open and will close on Friday 21^st February.

Staff are finalising Individual Education Plans for required students. Student Support Group meetings for these students will run in week 6, 7 and 8. Required students will receive a booking invitation. Please reach out to Jess Johnston via email if you have any questions.

Enjoy all that the next week has to offer,

Amelia Busuttil

 It was fantastic to see so many students able to share their passions with others as there were many games and toys brought from home to share. Our Play is the Way program was also launched yesterday and each class had fun playing ‘Piccadilly Circus’.

All of our students truly exhibited our school values and demonstrated amazing teamwork, sportsmanship, patience and turn taking skills. We enjoyed a lovely picnic lunch together in the courtyard and were spoilt with the beautiful weather for the day. We look forward to many more celebration days across 2025.

Year 2 Happenings 

What an amazing start to Year 2 we’ve had!

Our students have come back, ready to learn and get to know each other and new teachers too. Each day we have been adding to our Year 2 Routines Playbook so we know what and how to approach the different parts of our day.

We line up in our classes in the courtyard and walk in together. We also have learning partners in Year 2 and work with our learning partner when we move around the school, work on a task and go to the toilet. For our Inquiry unit this term we are focusing on Who We Are in particular building connections with one another and sharing what makes us special and unique.

Our students decorated a sneaker including what they like, favourite subjects and family members. We have also been talking with our families about the history of our names and we are looking forward to all sharing our name story. 
 

The Essential Agreement is how we work together, communicate, and respect each other within our Year 2 community. It is a shared set of values that help foster a positive learning environment that is a safe, predictable space for all students to learn and grow.

In Year 2 we have our Essential Agreement: 

• We are kind
• We all belong
• We are safe
• We are fair

We are looking forward to continuing getting to know each other in Year 2 and meeting families in the coming weeks. 

Year 2 Team

We look forward to a fabulous evening with our school and wider community, helping to kick start our 100 Years Celebrations. 

We will be in need of parent helpers on the night to help organise and run our sausage sizzle and/or book sale. Please reach out to Sarah Cornell if you can help in any way. Thanks to those who already have.

Please note - Children are required to be under parent supervision throughout the event.

Fundraising

A huge thank you to our Trivia Team for their efforts last year with supporting our school and raising nearly $10,000 towards our new playground.  Night on the Green fundraisers (Sausage Sizzle and Book sale - eftpos and cash options available) will further contribute to our new playground. We look forward to seeing this installed soon. Below are some pictures of what's to come:

Do you know any past students, families or staff?

Please reach out and let them know they are welcome to attend our special night, where we will also be offering school tours from 5.00 - 5.30pm.

As we have two main events, our Night on the Green 100 Years Celebration (Friday 21st February) and our Special Celebration Assembly (Friday 16th May) please also forward the below Google Form RSVP to help us cater for the events and tours.

Please click here to  complete a Google Form to help us cater for the event and tours.

If volunteering at the canteen is something you have considered please do not hesitate and reach out. We will be opening canteen Thursday and Friday in 2025 but volunteers are essential to make this happen.

It is a welcome supportive environment and the kids love seeing familiar faces working in the kitchen. No experience necessary. Just a willingness to pitch in and have fun serving the sweetest customers in Aspendale!

Volunteer forms can be collected from the school office or if you have any questions please reach out to Meg at canteen@aspendaleps.vic.edu.au

 Australian Girls Choir Open Day

Look no further than the Australian Girls Choir (AGC) because we encourage, challenge and inspire girls as they learn to sing, dance and perform. School aged girls are invited to come along to our February Open Day to try our fun and inclusive classes and learn more about being part of the AGC! Please visit our website to register to attend our free Open Day: ausgirlschoir.com.au/joinagc