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,

Thank you for your participation and support on Monday with our annual round of student-led conferences.

It was wonderful to walk through the school and see our students, their teachers and their families all joining in conversations about their progress so far and what they can work on next. It was powerful for the students to articulate their achievements and another opportunity to strengthen relationships between our school and each student’s life outside of our school. We are always grateful for the involvement of our parent and carer community and Monday again emphasises the importance you each place on your child’s learning and wellbeing.

Student Reports

Yesterday your child’s end of semester report became available on the Sentral Parent Portal. Instructions to access these were sent home yesterday. The report includes several elements: progression points that outline your child’s learning progress across the semester, a general comment about your child’s learning dispositions across the semester and our third round of continuous reports for the year.

I would like to thank our staff for their time preparing each round of reporting and our parent and carer community for engaging with these updates about your child’s learning achievements.

We are looking for feedback around our refinements to the reporting process. You can share this via the link below:

https://forms.gle/feJGFusG2BDMbedR7

Staffing Update

At the beginning of next term, our Assistant Principal, Amelia Busuttil, is taking long service leave for the first four weeks. Lisa Phillips will be our Acting Assistant Principal in this time. Sarah Burn is returning from a period of leave to teach 2PT with Michelle Thompson.

Jude Hale, one of our Visual Arts teachers, is on long service leave for the term. Ebony Meier returns from leave to teach these Visual Arts classes during this time.

NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC Week takes place from the 3-10 July this year. This is during our Winter school holiday period. At Aspendale Primary School, we celebrate NAIDOC Week in the first week of Term Three. During this week, we will have a different year level acknowledge country each morning and activities in classrooms to spotlight and celebrate the contributions of First Nations Australia to our community and to Australia. This will include our RR/Media Leaders publishing a video for our students each day, including an interactive game.

Extra-Curricular Events This Term

Over the term we have had many extra-currciular activities take place. We are fortunate to have a dedicated school community who take the time to enrich the educational experience of our students through providing these opportunities. The following are a snapshot of some of the events students across our school may have participated in over the term:

• ANZAC Day commemorations
• Mother’s and Special People Afternoon
• Education Week celebrations, including Grandparents Day
• Excursions and incursions
• Lunchtime enrichment clubs (including gardening club, dance club, dinosaur facts club, comic creation club to name just a few)
• Victorian High Abilities Program
• GATEWAYS
• Winter Lightning Premiership
• District Cross Country
• Reconcilliation Week commemorations
• Choir and Band performances
• Camp Rumbug - Year Four
• Waratah Surf Camp - Year Six

Canteen Volunteers Needed

I sent an email to families at the beginning of the week looking for canteen volunteers for next term. If you are able to volunteer some of your time on a Friday this would be greatly appreciated. Please let our canteen managers know by emailing canteen@aspendale.vic.edu.au

Tomorrow we have an early dismissal at 2:30pm. Students will be dismissed from their classrooms after our assembly, which will begin at approximately 2:00.

Thank you again for your ongoing support this term. I hope over the next two weeks our students and the special people in their lives have time to rest and recharge, hopefully somewhere warm, and return to school in Term Three, ready to continue to progress their learning and wellbeing.

Tom

This game marks the ninth annual Carlton Respects event, an initiative that began in 2016 in response to the alarming statistics surrounding family violence. This initiative supports respect and equality in the community and strives for a future free from violence. 

Ebony’s aunty Dans Bain, created a piece of art in order to send a very important message out to the wider community. The art is called the Lost Petition and was created in 2021 for International Womens Day. The Lost Petition by Dans Bain has travelled around Australia and was shared on Friday night at the MCG as a part of this important message of respect regarldess of gender. 

You can see the official footage on the AFL Facebook page -  https://www.facebook.com/share/v/weDYFde5GhFmJwSb/?mibextid=WC7FNe

This is the link to the official narrative behind The Lost Petition -

https://www.dansbain.com/the-lost-petition

Uniform Store Update:

We warmly welcome State Schools Relief as Aspendale Primary School’s new uniform supplier from the start of Term 3 (Monday 15^th July).

Items will be available for purchase in store or online.  Most uniform items will be available from the start of Term 3 . 

Store Address: Factory 1/8 Johnston Court, Dandenong South VIC 3175

Hours of Operation: 8:30am and 4:30pm, Monday to Friday

Contact Phone Number: 03 8769 8400

Due to overwhelming support for our exciting and well over due Trivia Night of fun, auctions and raffle prizes, we have nearly sold out of tickets.  Get in quick to secure your spot. Invite your friends, neighbours or family (strictly adults only) along to this fabulous night.

A huge THANK YOU to those who have already purchased tickets, your support is greatly appreciated. 

 

We look forward to being able to provide new and updated equipment for our students (your children), including playground upgrades, with the proceeds from our Trivia Night.

 

Check out these incredible auction items available exclusively at our Trivia Night!

We would like to thank families who have paid for students to participate in their year level Enhancement Program.

This program (which includes incursions and excursions) is on a user pay basis and must be paid for the student to participate.

The office will shortly begin to contact any families who have not yet paid.

If you have not paid but wish for your student to participate in this program, please do so as soon as possible via Sentral or at the school office.

Students who are not participating in the program will have access to a free alternative activity when required.

Please note, that families that receive CSEF may request to have it applied to this fee.

Our business manager Amelia Mastorakos is available on 9580 3255 and at amelia.mastorakos@education.vic.gov.au if you wish a confidential discussion regarding payment assistance.

APS - VIOLIN AND VIOLA LESSONS 2024!

Introducing Peter O’Shea

Aspendale Primary School has a new violin and viola teacher this year!

Our new violin teacher is Peter O’Shea. Peter is a vibrant local string teacher. Peter has experience in teaching both individuals and groups, and is currently working both in schools and home studio settings.

Peter has studied at Monash University and University of Melbourne. He enjoys playing a teaching a diverse range of World Music (Fiddle Music) AMEB, ANZCA and Suzuki repertoire and pedagogy.

He has produced is own Elementary Violin teaching Book “Violin Fever Volume 1”.

We look forward to having Peter become part of the Instrumental Teachers’ team at APS and part of the community.

Please contact Peter directly if you would like to find out further about our program run by Peter.

Peter O’Shea (B.A. Music, Grad Dip Music, Dip Music.)

Email: posheamusic@gmail.com

Phone: 0409193004