We acknowledge the traditional Aboriginal custodians of the lands, waterways and skies of the Bunurong Peoples of the Kulin Nation where we gather, learn and grow at Aspendale Primary School.

We pay our respects to past and present Traditional Custodians and Elders of all nations,  and their ongoing cultural, spiritual and educational practices.  

We extend this respect to all Torres Strait Islanders and any First Nations peoples who learn or visit these grounds. We thank you for sharing and caring for the land we are learning on.

New version of the Acknowedgement of Country
Above is an updated Acknowledgment of Country that has been written in consultation with staff, students and members of our community. We recieved positive feedback and approval from our friends at the Bunurong Land Council in 2023. 



Aspendale Primary School commemorated Reconciliation Week.
We understand that for many members of the APS community, this is a challenging time.

Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

Now more than ever, these conversations are important to be having. 

As a school, we commemorated the week by focusing on developing our sense of community and connections with a whole school event. 

Our School Captains made a video during camp to commemorate the week. It starts with our school's Acknowledgement of Country. You can watch the video here. 


Thank you to Gus, Surina, Warren & Edie for helping create the video. You all did an amazing job understanding the purpose of the week. 

Dear parents and carers,

There is a joyful sense of World Cup fever bubbling through the school with many of our students invested in the Matilda’s journey but also enjoying supporting other countries that spark their interest. We are looking forward to seeing our team in action this evening against Nigeria.

School Review

We have received our report with the findings from our school review, looking at our improvement over the last four years. We would like to share findings from the report through the newsletter with you as we reflect on the panel’s findings and use this to help us shape our next strategic plan.

This week I would like to share the school and community highlights identified by the panel:

• Disability Inclusion

The Department of Education’s Inclusive Education initiative was announced in the second half of the School Strategic Plan. The panel found that the school had taken several strategic steps to effectively implement the inital stages of the initiative, including the recruitment of an inclusion leader, staff professional learning around the development of Individual Education Plans, staff participation in Inclusive Education learning modules, an increase in evidence-based practices and the documentation of these practices.

• Student Learning Growth

The panel established NAPLAN student learning growth from Year 3 in 2019 to Year 5 in 2021 improved significantly in writing and numeracy. The learning growth had also increased for reading. The panel concluded that the learning growth in writing and numeracy was a result of the prioritisation of these learning areas through the School Strategic Plan. Staff and parents shared with the panel that the school’s continuation of learning during periods of remote learning supported students and their families, helping to maintain learning growth.

• International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Year Programme (PYP)

The panel highlighted that during the review period the school had also undergone an IB review process and been endorsed as an IB World School for a further five years.

• Positive Behaviour for Learning Framework

The panel found the fourth key school and community highlight was the establishment of the Positive Behaviour for Learning framework. The school had implemented practices to develop positive social and emotional behaviours in students. These included a matrix of expected learning behaviours, lessons to teach the expected behaviours, positive recognition system of students demonstrating the learning behaviours and a common behaviour flowchart to support students to demonstrate the expected behaviours.

Staffing Update

We welcome Nora Cui to our school for the rest of Term Three. Nora will be teaching Mandarin whilst Hong Ma is away on long service leave. On behalf of the school community I would like to welcome Nora to our school.

From Weeks 5-7, Leanne Peterson will be the Acting Assistant Principal. Her class will be taught by one of our experienced and well know casual relief teachers, Tammy Reid.

Enrolments

As per the Department’s transition timeline, this Friday is the last day for 2024 Foundation enrolments. Thanks to all those families who have brought back their enrolment forms. Please return yours by this Friday if you are intending to enrol your child at our school in 2024. We look forward to welcoming your child to our school community.

Dreams in Motion-Senior School Concert

It’s been great to have the first round of tickets open to our senior school families. The first round of tickets is almost complete which means that on the 31st of July, senior school families will be able to purchase extra tickets. Please refer to the information later in the newsletter.

Thanks for taking the time to read the newsletter and keep up to date with happenings around the school.

For the second half of this year Dave the therapy dog will be returning to Aspendale Primary School. Dave will be attending school 2 to 3 days a week with Emily Bourke in Year 4. Emily and Dave have completed the Visiting Therapy Dog & Handler Certification Course with the Lead the Way Institute.

While Dave will be spending most of his time in the Year 4 learning space, there are many opportunities for him to interact with students across all year levels, through lunch time clubs and yard duty times.

If you have concerns about your child interacting with Dave due to health or anxiety reasons, please speak to Emily Bourke or Principal Tom Pearce. Our therapy dog program is completely voluntary, and all students will be given the option to participate or not.

If you have questions regarding the benefits of therapy dogs in schools or would just like to meet Dave, you can speak to Emily Bourke in the Year 4 learning space.

Dave the Dog Essential Agreement

We will all be able to touch and cuddle Dave, but we must agree to take care of him.

• We always listen to instructions from Miss Bourke when around Dave.
• It is important for Dave to always feel safe, therefore we are calm and gentle with him.
• When Dave is in the classroom, we must be given permission to come and say hello to him.
• When Dave is in his cave, we leave him in peace.
• We let Miss Bourke know if we are feeling worried about having Dave near us or are afraid of dogs.
• We wash our hands or use hand sanitiser after touching Dave.

Warm Regards,

Emily Bourke

The activities in PMP require children to use their brain and body together to accomplish tasks, for example, heel-toe walking, throwing and catching and balance and coordination activities. This week all four Foundation classes worked together and rotated in small groups throughout the 6 activities. We even practiced soccer goal kicking in connection with the Women’s World Cup this month! Thank you to all the parent helpers that make our PMP sessions possible!

Next week Foundation students will be enjoying our 100 days of school celebration. Students will be engaging in fun activities and dressing up as wither something old, or something starting with the letter ‘F’. We are all looking forward to this special occasion!

We were lucky enough to have Design Engineer, Matthew Low, come in and talk about his work, culminating in a demonstration of a water rocket!

Students then tackled one of the oldest engineering feats- bridge construction.  Students considered the merits of truss, suspension, and arch bridges to create stable and strong structures.

Years 3/4 PARENTS and families please come along and join us for the TERM 3 WORKING BEE 

SATURDAY, 26^th August 2023, 10.30am –12.30pm

Dear families in Yr’s 3 & 4,

Term 3 School Working Bee will be held on Saturday 26^th August at 10.30am for the parents and students in your child’s class.

Each term the Buildings and Grounds Sub-committee of the School Council organises a working bee aligned to 1 or 2 levels of the school. You are asked to attend just one Working Bee each year. Any amount of time you can contribute will be greatly appreciated, even one hour would be great, as a number of labour-intensive tasks are planned for these mornings.  It’s also a great way to catch up with the other Year 3 & 4 parents!

The convenor for this Working Bee will be Mr Kevin Riant Please see Kevin upon your arrival, to go through the OHS Volunteer Induction.

Light Refreshments will be provided at 12:30pm for all adults and children!

TO ASSIST WITH PLANNING, PLEASE CLICK THE LINK PROVIDED BELOW TO RSVP

https://forms.gle/X8UMPpXR7zAw6KpH9

Thank you in advance for contributing to the maintenance and beautification of our grounds to the benefit of all students.

Yours sincerely,

2023 School Council Buildings and Grounds Sub- Committee