As the second term draws to a close, its staggering to believe we are already halfway through the school year! With the ongoing changes in restrictions, I want to congratulate our families, students and teachers for their response. Once again, I am so proud to be part of a school community that bands together in these times to support the ongoing learning and wellbeing of our students.

As is sometimes the case at the end of a semester we are going to have some staffing changes at the start of next term.  Mrs Barrett will be finishing up in our Fast Track tutoring program as she will be returning to her base school, Old Orchard Primary School. Steve from the Song Room will finish up on Friday as we have now completed our semester of Performing Arts.  We will be farewelling Mr Hill as he leaves to explore other opportunities within the teaching profession.  Mrs Calamante (who is currently our part-time PE and Prep teacher) will be taking over as the fulltime teacher of 3/4 for the remainder of the year.  We are confident that this will be a smooth transition as Mrs Calamante already knows each of the students in the grade and is an experienced teacher who is well known to our school community.  And lastly, we will be welcoming back Mrs Slade (or Miss Berg as many of you know her), from family leave.  She will be working three days a week, 2 days in PE and Fridays in the Prep room.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Hill, Mrs Barrett and Steve for all of their hard work, enthusiasm and dedication to our students over the last two terms and wish them well with their future endeavours. As always, if you have any questions, please contact me directly through the office.

There have been many moments over the last two terms that I will look back on with pride, but a highlight has been the collaboration taking place with our Bayswater Education Plan schools. I am delighted to announce that the Flourishing Families initiative facilitated by our very own Kelly Roberts, will once again be running in 2021, focussing on growth mindsets. This builds on the previous program that ran last year between the five schools. Keep a close eye out on our school communication channels on how you can register.

Our teachers and principals have been collaborating across the five schools. Workshops have been taking place as part of the professional learning for our Bayswater Change Leaders. Through these workshops, school leaders identified and innovated solutions for three key areas of improvement – student engagement, student outcomes and high expectation. Each school implemented and tested these improvement initiatives in Term 2. In the follow up workshops the successful trials were transformed into embedded solutions captured in a plan with monitoring strategies and measurable impact.  

I am pleased to advise that a consultation report is now available, detailing the education needs and aspirations of our school community. The information gathered came from an engagement where students, families and staff shared their voice on education in Bayswater. I strongly encourage you to take the time to look at this snap-shot report to learn what our school community had to say.

You can read the reports here:

https://www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/schools/Pages/BayswaterEdPlan.aspx

As a school we recognise that it can be challenging to process and manage changes to routines and the uncertainty that comes with COVID-19 and related restrictions – including the return to on site learning.  To support our school community during this time, resources and support are available for parents, carers and families. These resources will help to support the mental health and wellbeing of our students and the young people in our care during this time.

I encourage everyone in our community to access these resources and take care of themselves during this time.

A Quick Guide to Student Mental Health and Wellbeing resources is available for students, parents and carers looking to access expert guidance and resources to support wellbeing.

Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our students remains our priority this year, especially during the continued COVID-19 pandemic.

For students, the guide includes resources to support their own mental health and wellbeing.

• Advice and resources for students about ways to adapt their learning during coronavirus, to look after themselves and where to get help.
• Wellbeing activities featuring AFL and AFLW players with tips on managing stress, staying active and gratitude.
• Kick it with Victory physical activities with Melbourne Victory Football Club.
• Smiling Mind mindfulness activities for senior secondary school students, including short videos, online tip sheets and meditations.

The guide also includes resources and supports for parents and carers to help them build their child’s physical and mental health and wellbeing. This includes:

• wellbeing activities and conversation starters
• Raising Learners podcast series
• how to talk to your child about COVID-19.

Wellbeing guidance for parents and carers is also available on the Department’s website, or through the confidential parent support hotline, Parentline, available 8am to midnight, seven days a week. Phone: 13 22 89. Headspace has also developed supporting messages for students and parents and carers, providing advice, guidance and ideas to ensure that everyone’s wellbeing is looked after during this time. 

Mid-Year Reports will be sent home with students on Friday, and we will hold Parent / Teacher interviews on Tuesday, 20^th July.  More information will come home in the first week of Term 3 about how to book an interview time with your child’s classroom teacher.

I hope you all have a restful break and we look forward to seeing you all back for another action-packed term on Monday July 12th.  Please don’t forget that we will be finishing at 2:30 this Friday for the end of term!

Brooke Cross

We were fortunate this week to have a photographer take photos of some of our staff and students as part of the Bayswater Education Plan. 

The photos below include our School Captains - Roza, John and Gowri; Ms Cross; Mr Alavanja and Miss Marshall and some of our junior students; and Cody and Shaylee (Gr 6 students) with their Prep buddies Dannika and Connor. 

Just another reminder regarding Operoo ......

There are still a number of students who have not had a profile created for them in Operoo.

If you have not yet created a profile for your child / children, please do so ASAP.  

A reminder also that ALL future excursion / incursion notices will be sent out via Operoo.  Permission forms will be signed digitally and payments made via Operoo.

If you do not have a profile set up for your child / children you will be unable to respond to an excursion notice in order to give permission for your child to attend.

If you are having trouble downloading and accessing the Operoo app, setting up profiles, or receiving and responding to notices, please come to the office and see Mrs Clark for assistance.

It is very important that all students have their profile set up on Operoo and parents have the app on your phone so that you receive all school communications.

Don't forget that our School Photo Day is now on the first Thursday of Term 3 - 15th July.

Photo order forms can be returned to the office with the CORRECT cash inside anytime up to and including photo day.

Orders must be handed into the office by photo day at the latest.

Four of our senior students will be participating in the District Cross Country on Thursday 15th July.

These students will be competing in the afternoon - after our school photos are taken in the morning.

Good luck to Kayla, Leela, Gabby & Jake - we know you will do us proud!!

Don't forget that Grade 6B have a wonderful excursion to the MCG coming up in the second week of Term 3 on Monday 19th July.

Permission and payment is required by Wednesday 14th July - Operoo will not accept responses after this date.

If you are eligible for CSEF payment is not required.  Mrs Clark will allocate the CSEF to the cost of the excursion.

SAVE THE DATE!!!

Our School Concert will be held on

Thursday, 29th July at Forest Hill College!

More information to come after the holidays!

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund application deadline has been extended until the 13th August.

If you have recently become eligible to apply (you hold a Centrelink healthcare card or pension card), please contact Raelene in the office to ask for an application form.

Primary school students receive $125 per year to help cover the cost of camps, sports and excursions (including swimming).

Please contact the office if you have any questions regarding CSEF.

As is our usual practice on the last day of term, we will be finishing school early at 2.30pm.

Please ensure you pick up your child / children on time.

Lunch Orders will still be available on the last day, don't forget the Thursday 9pm cut off to put your orders in.

This Friday 25^th June, Bayswater Primary School will be holding a ‘Crazy Hair’ Free Dress Day.

Students are invited to come to school with the craziest hair possible!

It is also a free dress day, so for the last day of the term, they can come to school in comfy clothes!

We will be having a parade before lunch – which is an opportunity for students to show off their amazing look to the rest of the school.

All we ask is that each child brings a gold coin donation.

All money raised will go to the State School’s Relief Fund, which provides essential items such as uniforms and shoes to students and families across Victoria.

Let’s bring on the school holidays in style!