7th October 2015 Page 1

School Bell

Bellbridge Primary School Telephone 9749 6161

Bellbridge Drive, Hoppers Crossing, 3029

Out of School Care Mob 0419 594 841

Email Address: bellbridge.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

Website Address: http://www.bellbridgeps.vic.edu.au

STUDENT ABSENCES Absences so far this year ___________ 6498

Absences same time last year _________________ 5674

DATES TO REMEMBER 5

th-9

th October…………………………….……..Grade 6 ‘School of Rock’

14th

– 16th

October…………………………….Grade 4/5 Warburton Camp

19th

October……………..Gr 6 Life Skills & Graffiti Prevention Incursion

20th

October……………………………………….Grade 5 Wyndham 1000

27th

October…………………………....HCSC Transition Day for Grade 6

30th

October…………………..……Grade 6 Wyndham Youth Centre Visit

2nd

November……………………………………………….Curriculum Day

3rd

November………………….………………………Melbourne Cup Day

18th

December…………………………….……………..Last Day of Term 4

ASTHMA FORMS

For any student who suffers from Asthma the school must have an action plan in the student’s file in case

of an emergency. If your child suffers from Asthma, please send the form back to school as soon as

possible. It is important that we have this information on hand so as we can assist your child effectively.

SUNSMART TERM 4

As Bellbridge Primary School is a Sunsmart School, all students are required to wear hats during Term 4.

Please ensure that your child wears a navy blue wide brimmed hat. If your child doesn’t have a hat, they

will be required to play in the courtyard for the day.

CANTEEN NEWS

The Canteen is under new management as of this term. A new menu has been developed and was sent

home with the eldest child in the last week of Term 3, so please keep this in a safe place for easy

reference. The menu will also be placed on our website and Facebook page.

7th October 2015 Page 2

PRINCIPAL WRITES

TAKING PRIDE in our SCHOOL and our UNIFORM

Most of our students demonstrate pride in our school by wearing the correct school uniform every day.

Occasionally students need to wear a different item of clothing because personal circumstances haven’t

allowed clothes to be ready for school. When this happens, parents need to write a note to the teacher to

inform them that their child is out of uniform for that day. We also have some spare uniform items in the

Sick Bay that are available to students in need – children need to see our Office staff and spare uniform

items will be provided, where possible.

Walk to School in October – ‘WALKTOBER’

Our school is encouraging a VicHealth initiative that promotes the healthy option of walking to school. If

your child comes to school by car, families can support this healthy initiative by planning to drop students

a short distance from school, (e.g. one or two blocks away on Bellbridge Drive , such as: Cowderoy

Drive, Tootles Court, Birchwood Boulevard, Aitken Avenue, Mokhtar Drive, Nicklaus Drive, Sunbird

Crescent, Bootles Court)), so they can experience walking to school. Our classes will be focused on

maintaining a daily chart to record our students’ participation in this health promotion initiative.

Students are also reminded to use the School Crossings!

‘IT’S NOT OKAY to be AWAY’

Regular attendance at school is important for students to keep up with their learning, maintain friendships

and feel connected to their teacher and their school. At the end of each term, we like to acknowledge

students who have had 100% attendance at school by providing them with a special certificate.

Unfortunately, last term, we had an increase in the number of students with significant absences from

school (see the table below) and many of these were due to extended holidays taken by families. More

than 65 students were absent for more than 10 days last term (10 days = 2 weeks of learning). More than

10 students were absent for more than 20 days of school (20 days = 4 weeks of learning) and 9 student

were absent for more than 30 days of school (more than half a term of learning). High levels of absence

from school is concerning as it can affect children’s academic and social progress and development.

Year Level Prep Gr 1 Gr 2 Gr 3 Gr 4 Gr 5 Gr 6

Number of

students 112 86 101 87 89 87 80

Total days of student

absence

(2014)

558

(308)

396

(384)

370

(218)

305

(353)

373

(335)

334

(375)

440

(289) Number of students

with 100% attendance

(2014)

9

(18)

16

(10)

16

(20)

19

(15)

21

(18)

24

(17)

16

(17)

We encourage parents to make sure their child attends school as often as possible, except when they are

unwell. Missing school because of a birthday, shopping, waking up late or any other reason other than

being ill, puts your child at risk of not learning at the expected rate.

If your child is absent because they refuse to come to school (some may complain of being bullied), it is

important that you contact the school to arrange a meeting with the teacher and an Assistant Principal, so

we can address the concerns as soon as possible.

ARE YOU LEAVING BELLBRIDGE PS this year?

We are currently planning our grades for next year and need to know if any students or families WILL

NOT be attending Bellbridge PS in 2016. If your child will be moving to another school, please write a

letter to your child’s teacher, informing them of the school or area in which your child will be enrolled

next year.

This information is very important as it helps us to make decisions regarding class sizes and student

placements.

Debbie Clancy

7th October 2015 Page 3

BELLBRIDGE OSHC PROGRAM

WEEK BEGINNING 05/10/2015

WEEK BEGINNING 12/10/2015

Monday

Gym- Children’s Choice

OSHC Room- “What we did on the holidays”

pictures, board games, Lego

Monday

Gym- Time Bomb, Chair skittles

OSHC Room- Kinetic Sand, Homework,

board games, lego

Tuesday

Gym- Fruit Salad, Kickball

OSHC Room- Computers, Xbox & PS3,

Board games, Marble run, tap tap boards

Tuesday

Gym- Children’s Choice

OSHC Room- Computers, Xbox & PS3, Dress

ups, Homework

Art- Spring Hand print flowers

Wednesday

Gym- Objects, Skittles

OSHC Room- Kinetic Sand, Train set,

Colouring, board games

Art- Mandalas

Wednesday

Outside Play- Oval

OSHC Room- Tap tap boards, Lego,

Colouring, Board games, Homework

Thursday

Outside Play- Oval

OSHC Room- Computers, Xbox & PS3, Peg

boards, Dress ups, Dolls/ barbies

Thursday

Gym- Fruit Salad, Number Soccer

OSHC Room- Computers, Xbox & PS3, Train

set, Lego, Pool table

Friday

Outside Play- Matlock Street area OSHC Room- Movie: TBA

Board games, Lego, train set

Friday

Gym- Ship Shark Shore, Kickball

OSHC Room- Movie: TBA

Board games, Lego, Colouring

LATE ARRIVAL/EARLY LEAVERS

Any child arriving to school after 8.30am is required to attend the office, with a parent/guardian, to obtain

a late pass. If your child is leaving school early, the parent/guardian is required to send a note with their

child on the morning informing the classroom teacher of the time they will be collected and who will be

collecting them. The parent/guardian is required to sign the child out at the office, where arrangements

will be made for the child to come up to office.

ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL

If your child is absent from school for any reason, we require parents/guardians to notify the school office

that they won’t be attending. When your child returns to school, a note must be given to their teacher

detailing the date and the reason for the absence.

If your child has any long term absences from school, (eg. holidays, extended illness etc) a note is

required to be given to their teacher informing them of the absence prior to them commencing the

absence.

7th October 2015 Page 4

COMMUNITY NEWS

WERRIBEE MERCY HOSPITAL: Werribee Mercy Hospital is holding a Community Fair on Sunday

25th

October between 10.00am and 3.00pm. The Family Fun Day will feature: rides, stall, fun, face

painting, raffles, prizes, baby animals, live entertainment and much more.

Newsletter Prize Question: Why do we want lots of students to walk to school?

Answer:____________________________________________________

Name: _______________________________ Grade: _______________

Parent’s signature: ________________________________________________________

Return to the office by 8:20am Monday, October 12th – to be drawn at Assembly

Walk to School month

October is Walk to School month! This initiative encourages all Primary

School students to walk to and from school every school day in October, to

highlight the ways in which travelling actively to school can improve children’s

health and wellbeing. By getting involved in Walk to School month, we can help our

children learn healthy living habits, and contribute towards the recommended 60

minutes of physical activity each day.

In every classroom, there will be posters where our daily efforts will be

recorded, which will be sent off to VicHealth at the end of the month of October.

Those involved will then receive an award and sticker. Other individual and school

prizes are also on offer to reward students for taking part in this worthwhile

initiative.

Your child should have received an information sheet this week, which will

provide additional information about Walk to School month. As stated in this note,

if you do not wish for your child to be included on their classroom poster, notify

your child’s teacher. There will be no personal student information provided to

VicHealth, only collated data from our school efforts.

We look forward to seeing our school’s active travel rate soar during

October!

7th October 2015 Page 5

SWPBS: School Wide Positive Behaviours 1. Be Safe 2. Be Respectful 3. Be Responsible 4. Be a Learner

CONGRATULATIONS to the following students for earning 10 or more ‘Bee Tokens’ for their

positive behaviours in the classroom and the playground. They have traded their tokens for a prize at

the Rewards Shops.

Kate 3C Jayden 3A Chloe 2C Lachlan 5A Crystal 5C

Daishara 5C Charleen 5C Taliyah 5C Theo 3D Lochan 2C

Chloe 5B Hunter 3D Malakai 3C Akoija 2C Maddy 4B

Harpratap 4B Anton 2C Alisha 4B Reuben 3A Liam 3D

Izzy B 2D Vraj B 2D Anushka 2B Mya 5B Luke B 2B

David S PB (30) Travis C 1A Atahua 3B Nebiyu 1D Harjas 3B

Hannah 2C Charlotte PC Matilda PC Jasmin 1D Lachlan M 3C

Sunia 1B Lydia 1C Zahra 2A Holden PB Mia PC

Hunter PC (20) Vinay 4A (20) Chloe 2D Luke 2C Anton 2C

Imreet 3B Abigail 1A James 2A Asiya PD Kaelan pB

Nicole PB Niel 1B Breeanna PF Melody PF Leon PF

Rylie 3C Aria PF Alesia PF Declan PF Kaleb PF (20)

Lara PB Jiawen PF Izabella PB Neve 3C Toby 2B

Jawad PB Joy PC Anissa 1C Georgia 1C Nicole 1B

Joshua 1B Jack M 1C Cathleen 1C Golbarg 1C SeoHa PE

Pierre 1C Austin G PA Ayush PC Tahlia 1B Tegan 1B

Marija 3C Andrew 1B Jessica PE Lydia 5B Savannah PE

Laura 2A Khadija PE Jasper PC Mahmoud PC Mitchell 1B

Estelle 1B Leilah pA Carl 1C Mohamad 1C Michael PA

Obed 5B Deanna PA (20) Jaydyn 1B Shahmir 1B Axel PE

Boston PE Rahan 1D (20) Wajahat 2A Zack 4A Hamthosh 2C

Stevie PE Juniah 1C Maverick 2A Aleisha 2A Jordan 2A

Callum 2A Moulok PC Willow PC Kiara PC Isaac 2D

Nickolas 1C Abby 1D Ratu 1C (20) Mouna 1D Hsar 2A

Harrison 2A Jessica PB Arisa PB Zoe 1C Ranya PF (20)

Znna PF Sammy pF Abdulah PF Emily PF Ryan 2B

Aimee 3C Ramneet 3C Channaye PC Luke 2B Lucas 2C

Kiana 2C (20) Annabella 2C Xavier 6A (20) Sakeena 3C Ayush PC

Alex PC Tanae 2C Lily 2C Mase 6B

7th October 2015 Page 6

Interested Parents and Friends are invited to meet with Mrs Clancy and members of the Leadership Team

for an informal chat after Assembly every Monday. Pre-schoolers are welcome.

Grade 5 Wyndham 1000 excursion

On Tuesday 20th October, Grade 5 students will be participating in the

Wyndham 1000. They will be involved in a bicycle safety talk with a member of

the RACV Street Scene Program, before heading out on a bike ride around the

Skeleton Creek bike paths.

The Salvation Army is working in conjunction with our school to make

this event possible. In order to support the incredible work this organisation

does within our local community, the whole school will be provided with the

opportunity on this day to wear free dress to school, and provide an item of

non-perishable goods for the Salvation Army.

If anyone wishes to make a donation to the Salvation Army in addition to

our can drive, please visit the following website:

https://give.everydayhero.com/au/wyndham1000

100% of donations received will go towards helping the homeless, the

disadvantaged and those at risk within our local community.

Thanks for your support,

Grade 5 team

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