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PO Box 20 15-29 Hospital Street Wedderburn Victoria 3518 Tel No. (03) 5494 3011 e-mail: wedderburn.p12@edumail.vic.gov.au website: www.wedderburn-college.vic.edu.au

Term 1 Week 2 6 February 2019

The Newsletter is designed to offer an information service to the parents of Wedderburn College students and local people interested in Education.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL Dear Parents, Guardians, Carers and Friends of Wedderburn College

Welcome Welcome to 2019! The staff of the College are excited about the year ahead and we hope that your students are too. I would like to acknowledge the personal responsibility shown by each of our students who have settled quickly and calmly into their Term 1 learning.

I extend a very warm welcome to our Foundation students and their families, and to all students and families who have joined us this year, or have returned. I trust that kindness and friendship will be extended to you as you move through this transition time. Before too long, I trust you will feel very comfortable here.

Positive Climate The atmosphere in the school is positive and friendly. At the end of last year some of our staff members moved on or decided to take leave, which has allowed us to the opportunity to welcome several new staff members who each bring a unique set of skills and experience. They have received a warm welcome from the community and we look forward to their contribution. Welcome to Ms Cindy Heggie (Grade 3/4), Mr Anthony Tatchell (PE), Miss Lauren Todd (Psychology & Indonesian), Mr Neil Woodford (Science) and Ms Carol Woodman (English, Humanities, Food Technology). We are also delighted to welcome back our School Nurse, Ms Janice De Campo. CONTACTING THE COLLEGE Homeroom Teacher: A letter will be sent home shortly from your student/s homeroom teacher explaining this new initiative which promotes belonging and connection for students. Your student/s homeroom teacher is your first point of contact for any concerns or queries which you have for your students in relation to their wellbeing, uniform, observations, family circumstances or any factor affecting your child’s learning which you would like the school to know. The homeroom teacher will then communicate with key staff, as appropriate. You can do this through Compass, our electronic communication program. Subject Teacher: If you have specific queries, feedback or questions relating to a specific student/s subject, assessment or progress, these questions should be addressed in the first instance to the subject teacher. You can do this through Compass, our electronic communication program. Other general matters: The Office can direct you to the most appropriate contact for certain issues that do not directly relate to the homeroom teacher or the subject teacher, such as payment of fees, dates of events, bus information, and so on. Please call the office and briefly outline your query and they will pass your message on or put you through. Other significant matters: The Assistant Principal will meet or telephone parents and families who would like to discuss more important wellbeing issues, complaints, or any other matter than cannot be, or is inappropriate to be, discussed at the homeroom teacher or subject teacher level. This request for a meeting or phone call can be made through the Office. The Assistant Principal will refer matters that

UPCOMING DATES

Please note: an official College Calendar with all dates for the

year will shortly be distributed to all families via Compass and

the Homeroom

Term 1 Dates 30 Jan – 5 April

Term 2 Dates 23 April – 28 June

Term 3 Dates 15 July – 20 September

Term 4 Dates 7 October – 20 December

Events & Happenings

Feb 6 -8 Yr 12 Camp

Feb 11-15 Yr 7 DOXA Melbourne Camp

Feb 13 Foundation Rest Day

Feb 19 College Swimming Sports

Feb 20 Foundation Rest Day

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require input, decision or authority of the Principal, as necessary. Only in rare circumstances would the Principal conduct a meeting that has not first been addressed with the Assistant Principal. Appointment Times In a small school, our staff wear multiple hats and are often fully occupied throughout the day with scheduled duties. Therefore, it is often not possible for our staff to meet ‘on the spot’. If you would like to speak to any of the teaching staff or the Assistant Principal during class time throughout the term you are requested to make an appointment through the office 54943 011 or contact the teacher via Compass. This is a process that is in place across all schools in the State of Victoria. Compass In addition to the newsletter, notices distributed through homeroom, Compass is the primary method through which the school communicates with families. There is an APP available if you have a smart phone, or it can be accessed via email or computer. If you do not have a login, or if you require you password to be reset at any time (this is quick and easy to do), please contact the office. Respect, Responsibility and Resilience These are our three school values, which guide all that we do at the College. We will explicitly teach behaviour through these values and acknowledge when we see them in action. Additionally, I encourage all parents to highlight and affirm these values in their behaviour when you see it, too. Respect and responsibility also guide the relationship between the school and families. Respectful behaviour and conduct, in both word and action, is expected from all sides. Disrespectful behaviour will be challenged and a higher standard encouraged. Respect is shown by acknowledging the different yet complimentary roles which school and parents/family have, in the education of your child/ren, and communicating calmly with one another about where the boundaries of this responsibility start, and end. It infers an assumption of goodwill, a commitment to maintaining a functional rapport where the needs of the child and/or the greater good are considered. I acknowledge the respect shown by our families who build positive relationships with our staff. You are to be commended! Thank you.

FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Welcome back – SWPBS launch A warm welcome back to all of our families and students. I hope the record-breaking heat of January was not too hot for you all and you are glad to get your children back into the routine of school. It has been an exciting start to the school year with the launch of SWPBS (School Wide Positive Behaviour for Schools) across all school levels. For those of you who may have forgotten, SWPBS is an evidence-based framework based on a whole school approach to student behaviours. It ensures that expected behaviours are consistent from class to class, as well as ensuring we consistently respond to inappropriate behaviours. Another important aspect is ensuring staff consistently acknowledge our expected behaviours. Every classroom has our matrix of expected behaviours that was explicitly taught to every student during our extended homeroom on the first day of school. As we enter the school year, this explicit teaching of our positive behaviours will help ensure consistency across all classes, as the expected behaviours are the same from classroom to classroom. Uniform In keeping with our SWPBS theme, I want to congratulate the students in their adherence to wearing the summer uniform, particularly wearing their hats at recess and lunchtime. As previously notified and communicated for the commencement of the 2019 school year we have made some subtle changes. The only hats acceptable now are our navy bucket and broad brim hats that must have a school logo on them. Furthermore, our school socks must be navy blue and footwear must be predominantly one colour. We have made some other changes to hair and jewellery; these are listed in the front of your child’s school diary. Student Arrival Students are allowed to arrive on the school property after 8.30am. Once students arrive from 8.30am onwards secondary students are only allowed in the Library or Library courtyard and primary students must be in the BER. Once the first bell goes all students then move to homeroom. Diaries Every student has been given a diary which needs to be brought to school every day. For primary students the diary needs to be read and signed regularly by parents and teachers. It is an effective means of communication between home and school. For secondary students, the diary is used to

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develop skills in organisation by noting their study and homework tasks. Arriving late and leaving early All students are required to sign in or out via the Passtab system at the front office with a parent or guardian. Alternatively, any student who arrives late to school unaccompanied or needs to leave early, is required to have a note in their diary from a parent or guardian signed by the teacher. Student Absence All parents and guardians have a responsibility to contact the school before 10am to notify the absence of their child and provide a reason. This is required by the legal department of the Department of Education and training.

Mr Dean Lockhart, Assistant Principal

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CENTREPAY DEDUCTIONS (For families who receive Centrelink Payment)

What is Centrepay?

Centrepay is a free direct bill-paying service offered to customers receiving Centrelink payments. Through Centrepay you can choose to pay school fees, excursions, camps, etc. by having a regular amount deducted from your payments and transferred electronically to Wedderburn College.

Will it cost you anything?

There is no charge for this service.

Is there a minimum payment amount?

Yes, the minimum payment amount for deductions for Wedderburn College is $10 per fortnight.

How do you apply for Centrepay?

By completing a Centrepay deduction form available from the school office or Centrelink.

What information do you need to provide when applying for Centrepay?

You will need:

your Customer Reference Number (CRN)

the amount you want deducted from your payments each fortnight

the payments from which you want the deductions to be paid

the pay day that you want the deduction to start.

Centrelink will send you a letter confirming the details of your deductions. Centrelink will pay your deductions to Wedderburn College on the same day you receive your Centrelink payments.

Can you change your Centrepay deductions?

Yes, you can change, suspend or cancel your deductions at any time online at humanservices.gov.au/onlineservices, by calling Centrelink or completing a Centrepay deduction form at a Centrelink Service Centre. Centrelink will send you a letter and advise Wedderburn College of your changes, suspensions or cancellation.

What changes can you make to your Centrepay deductions?

You can make the following changes to your deductions:

suspend your deduction amount temporarily for a maximum period of 13 weeks

request a future end date when deductions will automatically cease

nominate or change a target amount so deductions will automatically stop when that target amount has been reached

change the deduction amount you are paying to a new amount or change the amount temporarily

cancel your deduction at any time.

What happens if there is a change to your payments?

You may not always be able to deduct the full amount requested if your Centrelink payment:

is reduced because of income or earnings

has been reduced or suspended because of a non-payment period, or

is reduced because other deductions have been made, such as overpayments - leaving you with an insufficient amount left for your Centrepay deduction.

If this happens you will need to contact the office on 03 5494 3011 and make other arrangements.

CONVEYANCE ALLOWANCE Families in rural and regional Victoria can get help with the cost of transporting their children to their nearest school or campus. This is known as the conveyance allowance. The conveyance allowance is available to students travelling by:

* public transport

* private car

* private bus or to students whose nearest school is not serviced by a free school bus. The conveyance allowance is a contribution towards transport costs and is not intended to cover the full cost of transporting children to and from school.

Who can apply? The conveyance allowance is available to families who meet certain criteria. Students attending a school must:

* attend their nearest government or non-government school/campus appropriate to their year level at which admission is permissible

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* be enrolled at a school/campus outside Melbourne’s metropolitan conveyance boundary

* reside 4.8km or more by the shortest practicable route from that school/campus attended

* be of school age (5 to 18 years old at time of application) and reside in Victoria.

If you would like more information, please call the office on 03 5494 3011 and ask to speak with me. Ms Marie Marsh, Business Manager.

FOUNDATION/ONE (F-1) We have had a great start to the new school year. The beans that we planted last year have put forth shoots and grown and grown and grown. On Friday, we caught up with our Buddies during our Library time. Children had the opportunity to choose and peruse lots of books as well as having them read to them. Enjoying and sharing books leads to children seeing them as a source of pleasure and interest and motivates them to value reading. In the following weeks, we will be exploring sounds and learning about the different sounds we can make with our voice. This week in Inquiry, we are learning about feelings and making faces to express that feeling.

Don’t forget Foundation children are not required at school on Wednesdays for the month of February due to assessments. P.S Library books are due back every Friday. Mrs Tanya Chalmers, Classroom Teacher GRADE 1/2 Welcome back to a year of fun and lots of learning! We have had everyone looking spic and span in their school uniforms and school hats. Thank you to everyone for sending along all their supplies – the leftovers will be kept in a named bag and if your child does not use them they will be returned at the end of the year. Also a big pat on the back for all students remembering to bring their reader bags and new diaries. We are developing good reading habits for the start of the year. This week we are learning about Respect which is one of our school values. In the front of the diaries are our school rules about showing respect. This is a great thing to read with your child. Please feel free to come and see me if you have any concerns about your child, I am always happy to chat. Mrs McKenzie, Classroom Teacher GRADE 2/3 The Grade 2/3 students have settled in nicely to school for 2019. Students are getting to know the new routines and students that we have in our class. All students should start to have their homework book and reader diary brought home each night and enjoy reading aloud to someone at home. A welcome letter was also sent home yesterday so please refer to Miss Jessica Higgins if you have any queries. Our Inquiry topic for the Term is Personal and Social Learning. Please encourage your child to gain more independence each day and prepare their things for school. We will also be looking closely at the new school values of Respect, Responsibility and Resilience. Ms Jessica Higgins YEAR 7/8 Welcome back to all staff, students and families for what will be an exciting year at our College! This year within our Year 7 and 8 English classes, students will be completing ten minutes of Sustained Silent Reading at the beginning of every English class. The time of ten minutes will gradually increase to around 20 to 25 minutes of sustained silent reading. Research shows that high exposure to quality texts, increases students’ ability to development competent strategies to seek context (meaning) clues when reading. These problem solving strategies improve with age, therefore implementation of Sustained Silent Reading within the Year 7 and 8 English classes will provide students with reading strategies as they continue through their schooling years. The ability to be able to read and comprehend texts of a sustained period of time, is an important skill to develop for as student work towards success in their learning. Finally, Sustained Silent Reading will provide the teacher with the time to listen to each student read and work one-on-one to develop reading and comprehension strategies. To assist students in completing Sustained Silent Reading, the Year 7 and 8 English classes will be participating in weekly library visits to return, borrow and re-borrow texts, during Fridays 1A (for Year 7s) and 2A (for Year 8s). Students can also bring texts from home. Ms Kirsten Graham – English Teacher

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COMPASS Don’t wait for the end of semester to view your child’s progress. Log in to Compass and view teacher feedback and feed forward at any time by checking out your child’s Learning Tasks. Children also receive regular (every 5 weeks) progress reports on their Organisation, Behaviour, Attitude to Learning and Work Completion. Learning Tasks and Reports can be found on your child’s profile page.

GENERAL NEWS

SECONDARY SCHOOL VACCINATIONS IN 2019

The Secondary School Vaccine Program offers free vaccines to Year 7 and 10 students. These

vaccines provide protection against:

* Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) – one dose for year 7 students

* Human Papillomavirus (HPV) – two doses for year 7 students

* Meningococcal A,C,W,Y – one dose for year 10 students

Parents/guardians of year 7 and 10 students should look out for the vaccine consent card booklet

coming home from school with your child. You need to read the information, complete and return the

card regardless of whether your child is being vaccinated at school.

The Loddon Shire Council immunisation service may contact you about the Secondary School

Vaccine Program. Schools are authorised to provide basic parent/guardian contact details to local

councils for this purpose. Contact the school by 28 February 2019 if you do not want your contact

details given to the Loddon Shire Council immunisation service.

To learn more about the Secondary School Vaccine Program, the vaccines, the diseases they

protect against, or how you can prepare your child for vaccination, go to

betterhealth.vic.gov.au

Additionally, the Commonwealth government is funding vaccinations for all children under 20 years

of age who missed any scheduled vaccines, including a catch up program for Meningococcal ACWY

vaccine for adolescents aged 15-19 years of age who have not already received the vaccine in

school. If students have missed vaccines, either in childhood or adolescence, and require catch-up

vaccines, they should speak with their immunisation provider. (ie. local council, Dr in School GP or

their GP).

Ms Janice Deocampo, School Nurse LIONS YOUTH OF THE YEAR The Wedderburn and Inglewood Lions Clubs invite senior students to take part in the Youth of the Year competition this year. Application forms need to be handed in early next week and the first round of competition will be within the next 3 weeks. This is a terrific opportunity to reflect on your leadership and public speaking skills in the panel interview and prepared and impromptu speeches. See Miss MacKay for application forms or any questions you may have. LIBRARY NOTES We have made a spectacular start to 2019 with approximately 120 new books throughout the different collections. Please find the books borrowed over the Summer break and return them so that you can borrow unimpeded this year. Overdue notices will be sent after this week. Students are allowed to borrow books for two weeks and cannot borrow again until those books are returned. Foundation, Grade 1 and 2 students must have a Library bag in order to borrow. The Premier's Reading Challenge will start shortly. Look out for notices in the newsletter. Book Club closes Wednesday 13 February 2019. Some of the new books: "Storm Boy" by Colin Thiele - 2 new copies, both illustrated

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"Don't let the pigeon stay up late" - a highly requested book from Grade 2 readers. "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas - a publishing sensation for older readers, inspired by the "Black Lives Matter" movement and a recently released film. Miss Hilary MacKay and Mrs Joan Earl, Library staff SUN SMART IN TERM 1 and 4 In Terms 1 and 4, all students are expected to be SunSmart. This means wearing a broad brimmed hat when playing outside. Please label your child’s hat clearly with their name. If your child does not have a sun smart hat, they will be seated in the shade for this time. PLAYGROUP We are looking forward to another fun year of socialising, learning and getting messy! Playgroup will continue to held on Tuesday mornings in the BER from 9:00 am to 10:30 am. Please help us spread the word about Playgroup at the College in the community. Mrs Carlie Turnbull, Playgroup Coordinator SPORT P-12 The 2019 sporting calendar is full of opportunities for all students to participate! The House Swimming Sports is the first event on the calendar. The House Swimming Sports will be held on Tuesday 19th February at the Wedderburn Pool. This year, there are more events offered for the primary students. More information will send out shortly. Students are encouraged to check the Sports Noticeboard and Compass to source information about upcoming events. House Sports Captain nomination process is underway and nominated students will present a short speech to their peers on Tuesday 12th February, before elections. Mrs Carlie Turnbull and Mr Anthony Tatchell, Sports Coordinator CANTEEN NEWS Please be reminded that students in Years Prep to Six are to place their lunch orders in their class tubs (located in their classrooms). For students in Years 7 to 12, orders are to be placed in the blue lunch order box, which is located in the BER building, before 10:30 am.

If you require a 2019 Canteen Menu/Pricelist, you can obtain these from either the School Office or from me at the Canteen.

Below is the Canteen Roster for Term 1. February (Fridays) 8 Jo Winslett 15 Sharyn Lockhart 22 Errin Leach

March (Fridays) 1 Susan Lockhart 8 Belinda Borg 15 Kylie Cunningham 22 Jo Winslett 29 Judy Matthews

April (Fridays) 5 Brooke Jaques Mrs Ros Witham, Canteen Manager

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COMMUNITY NEWS

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