Parkhill Primary School Newsletter

Dear Parents/Carers

It’s been great to have the children back on site yesterday and today. Let’s hope we don’t endure more lockdowns as the year goes on. We are looking at preparing the online platforms so they are ready to go should another snap lockdown be announced going forward. 

I want to invite you into school on Wednesday afternoon (quotient densities apply as well as face masks). We are running a professional learning session for parents about the restorative practices model we use at Parkhill. We are honoured to welcome David Vinegrad of Behaviour Matters to Parkhill. Dave has worked with staff around the concepts that drive restorative practices and is an inspirational speaker. We want to share his knowledge with the community too. If you can, please come to the front office at 7pm on Wednesday 24th February. The session runs from 7pm.

Check out the content at: www.behaviourmatters.org.au

CYBERSAFETY:

The online world is part of everyday life for many children and young people. It is a huge virtual playground where they can play, learn and socialise. It can be accessed by computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices.

Parents can help children get the most from the online world by being involved from the start and helping them learn safe and responsible use. You don’t have to be an expert. Knowing where to find things out and get help is what’s important.

More and more we are seeing children as young as Y2 having their own YouTube channels, social media platforms and unlimited access to the internet – this is massively concerning. Many parents are unaware of the things their children are watching and accessing online and the chats they are having via social media and gaming.

Please be aware of your children’s online activities, what they are posting and where. Many of the platforms have age restrictions which apply and most of those are 13 and above. This really means that no students at Parkhill should be using TikTok, Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat. 

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/bullystoppers/Pages/advicecybersafe.aspx

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/skills-advice/are-they-old-enough

UNIFORM SHOP:

Please use our online order form - http://www.aplusschoolwear.com.au/SearchResult.aspx?Labels=PARKHILL%20P.S

If you are unable to order online then your order can be faxed or email to info@agsprints.com.au.

REMINDERS:

SunSmart

Children must wear a hat in term 1 – they are not allowed to play outside, and must stay in the shade if they do not have a hat.  

Face Masks

In line with current restrictions we ask that all adults wear face masks when entering school buildings. Physical distancing should still be honoured at all times.

Tuesday 23 February - Second Hand Uniform Stall (see below)

Wednesday 24 February - David Vinegrad Parent Information Session - 7pm

Friday 26 February - SDSSA District Summer Sport Round Robin

Monday 8 March - Labour Day Public Holiday

Thursday 11 March - School Photos

Tuesday 16 March - Twilight Sports

Friday 19 March - Bully No Way Day

Monday 22 March - SDSSA District Athletics

Thursday 1 April - Term 1 ends at 2:30pm

F/1A - James F

F/1B - Evie C

F/1C - Annie C

2/3A - Andy L

2/3B - Ruby W

2/3C - Owen E

4/5A - Zaid S

4/5B - Shaurya P

4/5C - Orlando T

6A - Madison G

6B  - James K

Wear Red Day went so well, we raised $229.85. Which is AMAZING because the donations went to the Heart Disease Foundation. It was fun to walk around at the breaks and see the way people incorporated red into their outfit. We saw red caps, socks, shoes and hair accessories. We even saw someone with a RED STRAW in their hair. Very creative. The money will help so many people in need for medicine and equipment. Thank you to the people who wore red and donated!

Christos P and Penny R

SRC Captains

Parent volunteers are needed for the Y5/6 Summer Round Robin on Friday 26th February from 9am to approximately 2:30pm.

The sports will be held on our oval, the netball courts and the High Street Road/Farmer Street oval. The sports will include cricket, tee-ball, rounders, tennis and softball. You will be provided with a rule book to read through and are able to ask Liz O'Meara (Y5/6 Sport Coordinator) any questions you have as well. 

Come along and help out the Y5/6 children and have a great day of sport!

Contact Liz O'Meara at: Elizabeth.OMeara@education.vic.gov.au to register your interest. Thank you!

Policy committee had a quick meeting this week and reviewed the Student Wellbeing and Engagement policy. 

The Student Wellbeing and Engagement policy collects our procedures and priorities about student wellbeing and engagement with school. This includes but is not limited to: our values, engagement strategies, additional support strategies, student rights and responsibilities, behavioural expectations, and how we engage with families.

Our engagement strategies at Parkhill are enshrined in how we prioritise relationships between each other. We cannot teach until we know the individual. We have high expectations, but are also inclusive, involved and responsive. We promote student voice and agency. Our Student Wellbeing and Engagement policy provides examples.

Behavioural expectations are exemplified within our Statement of Values, and monitored through our Bullying Prevention policy and Community Essential Agreement. We have a staged response that may result in actions given in the Student Wellbeing and Engagement policy.

Don’t forget that you can join the policy committee at any time - if you like short meetings and correcting other people’s spelling mistakes, this might be the committee for you!

You can find all policies on the school website at https://parkhillps.vic.edu.au/information/#policies

I am picking blackberries. Hands stained purple, a graze on my finger where I’ve been scratched by a thorn. I toss the blackberries carelessly into the dish - if they’re going to be cooked into jam, muffins or pie they don’t need to be in pristine condition. Then I notice a little ant whizzing about the bowl trying to crawl back out of its slippery surface, back to its old life. I take pity on it and haplessly try to scoop it back out. I feel a little like that ant. One minute it was clambering about a veritable feast of juicy, sugary berries. The next it was removed from its habitat and plonked unceremoniously elsewhere. Somewhere it never asked to be nor had any desire to exist.

Feels a bit like us. 

Feels a lot like us. 

I’m sure I swore off writing about COVID-19 or lockdowns late last year but here we are again.

Hopefully we’re done with lockdowns now but no one really knows and life has a way of throwing curveballs at us any way – just not usually at the rate we’ve experienced lately.

Like the ant, we too have less control than we’d like to admit but we can choose what to think about or focus on. We can choose what story we tell ourselves about our situation.  Was the ant alone and helpless or an intrepid explorer? Yes, I’m exaggerating for effect, but you get the idea. Is this current problem the worst thing that’s ever happened or is there a positive we can take from it? At times this will, of course, be harder to do, but the language we use about ourselves is oh so important. As we re-calibrate from yet another lockdown it’s good to remind ourselves to check in with our thoughts and what we are telling ourselves.

Suzanne Carmody

Chaplain