30 July 2020

Newsletter Articles

Dates to Remember

August

From the Principal

Welcome back everyone, to Term 3 and our school’s ongoing dedicated focus - “LEARNERS FIRST: EVERY LEARNER, EVERY DAY”. Thank you to all families for your ongoing daily support of students wearing their school uniform – the children all look ‘smart, respectful and ready for learning at their best’ to start this term.

At Hillcrest Primary School we strive to achieve the Department of Education’s COMMITMENT:

“Together we inspire and support all learners to succeed as connected, resilient, creative and curious thinkers”.

As we begin to connect our strongly established school values of Responsibility, Respect, Cooperation and Courtesy with the Department’s Values this term, you may hear more about the value of Growth. The Department’s values are:

Aspiration – a culture of high expectations and high achievement
Respect – respecting ourselves, others, our past and our environment
Courage – accepting challenges and embracing opportunities
Growth – improving by always learning and finding better ways to do things

To start the term our meetings will focus on the Hilly KFK Value of “Responsibility” with a Growth focus. Congratulations to all students who display this value in their school and home life – class teachers will be awarding certificates to children they see ‘living the value’ in the coming weeks.

Ongoing Staff Professional Learning

Understanding Trauma and Self-Regulation has been a Professional Learning focus for all staff, enabling us to further focus together on:

• helping all children to have their most positive time at school
• understanding the main types of trauma and how trauma can affect learners
• knowing some key strategies we can use at HPS in order to support trauma affected students (and all students!)

Zones of Regulation – A snapshot:

• A tool to help students regulate emotions as well as sensory needs
• A systematic, visual way to classify the different ways we feel
• A simple, concrete tool that is easy to refer to and understand
• Applicable to EVERYONE
• Learning activities from preschool to adults
• Can be adapted for all students

The goals of the Zones:

• Identify feelings and levels of alertness
• Teach effective regulation tools
• Teach when and how to use tools
• Problem solve positive solutions
• Understand how behaviours influence others’ thoughts and feelings
• Finally, Independent Regulation

Important Points about the Zones:

• There are NO “bad” zones
• ALL the zones are expected in different times and circumstances in our lives
• You need to match one’s zone to the social context and environment
• You can be in more than one zone at a time
• Some emotions can fall into more than 1 zone

Families may begin to hear your child/ren talking about Zones… and now you know that’s okay!

Knowing our emotions and having control over these in different times at school (and in our lives) will assist all children/all adults to be happy and achieve at their personal best.

Please be ready to start learning further with us as we continue to strengthen and improve our positive school climate for every learner, every day!

Assemblies

Due to current restrictions we are looking at changing how our assemblies operate now and into the future (including end of year assemblies and presentations evenings). An interest group will be formed to review and suggest future recommendations for the School Association to consider. If this is an area of interest for you, or you have some suggestions for the School Association to consider, please join us for an initial discussion on August 10 at 2.15 pm. Community members are most welcome! Please contact the school office on 6424 5211 if you plan to attend. Alternatively, feel free to leave your written suggestions with the ladies in the office.

Our Whole School Assemblies ARE BACK! With a twist….

For this term our whole school assemblies are going to be held on a Friday afternoon at 2pm. To allow our assemblies to take place we will be inviting those family members of the classes that will be presenting in the assembly, as well as family members of those students receiving a certificate of recognition during the assembly. At this stage, with current COVID 19 restrictions, these family members will be our only attendees. Please make sure you check our Facebook and Seesaw pages for assembly updates and schedules.

To help us monitor those attending our assemblies, for COVID 19 purposes, it is a Department of Education requirement that the following screening form be completed via the link below prior to attending the assembly. (If you cannot access the internet, we will have paper copies of the form available in the school office to be completed BEFORE you go into the assembly.)

Screening Form link below:

We are looking forward to coming together again as a school community and celebrating our learners’ successes.

Susan Barnard – Principal

Swimming and Water Safety

Our Swimming and Water Safety program will start at the Ulverstone Swimming Pool on Monday, August 17th, concluding on Friday, August 28th. The Aquatic Consent and Major Excursion forms have been sent home to be completed and returned to the school office by August 3rd. This form also includes permissions for the School Picnic at the end of the year.

Swimming caps for Grade 3/4/5 students will be distributed before the commencement of this program.

David Carter – PE Teacher

School Photos

School photos will be on Tuesday, August 25th. Please find relevant, important information below.

General Information

Complete the information on all envelopes and return it to school ASAP with payment or online order reference number before photo day. Please return the envelopes even if you are not ordering photos.

Please ask at the office if you require a duplicate envelope for the second parent or a sibling photo envelope.

Do not seal envelopes inside each other - you can pay for all your children in one envelope or by online ordering; however, each child needs to have their own separate envelope on photo day. If you wish to order photos, tick the required box on each child’s envelope, even if the payment is in another envelope.

Please enclose the correct money as NO change will be given. Cash, cheque and money orders are accepted. Credit cards can only be used for online order payments. Make sure you tear the order form at the perforation and then seal the envelope if enclosing money.

All children will have their photo taken on the day, whether parents intend to purchase any or not so all students need to wear full school uniform, including a school jumper. Teachers will encourage students to comb their hair and ensure their clothing is neat.

REMEMBER: ALL ENVELOPES MUST BE RETURNED TO SCHOOL BEFORE PHOTO DAY, EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT ORDERING PHOTOS!

Please contact the school office if you have any questions about School Photo Day and procedures.

Sibling Photos

Sibling photos can also be ordered online, using the unique shoot key on the order envelope. Please collect an envelope from the school office. All children in the sibling photo must attend this school. Sibling photos will be taken between 8.30 – 9.05am and 10.40am – 11.10am.

Late fee

There is a $10 fee for all orders received after photo day. Photos will not be printed for any orders received without payment until payment is received. The school does not deal with any late orders. They must be directed to MSP Photography.

Kinder Children

Kinder children who do not normally attend school this day should come in the morning at 8:55am sharp to have their photos taken. Please ask Miss Miller if you have any questions about this arrangement.

Important Points

• Please DO NOT LOSE the envelopes as each one has that child’s unique barcode on it which is needed on photo day!
• Any orders not returned before the photo sessions start may incur a $10 late fee.
• Remember that there are second parent envelopes and family photo envelopes in the school office if needed.
• On Photo Day please ensure that your child is neatly dressed in school uniform.
• Please take time to read the relevant information on the MSP Photography payment envelopes.
• Payment can be cash or money orders. Credit/Debit card payment is only available for online orders
• Online ordering is also available. Instructions are included on the envelopes. Go to www.msp.com.au and click on ORDER ONLINE. Place your order using the online system. Record your Reference Number on your child’s envelope.
• There is a very generous discount on all orders placed online that total over $100. This discount is ONLY available for online orders and cannot be claimed AFTER photo day.
• Students will still need to return their envelope even if you place your order online.

Student Banking

We have been given the go-ahead for School Banking program to start up again, so this week was the first week of banking for students. Students should bring their bankbooks to school on Mondays or Tuesdays for student banking. The books will be returned to students’ classrooms once the banking has been processed. If the books are late to come in, they will be held in the school safe until the following week.

Thank you to our parent helpers who will be coming in every week to help with the processing. Your help is much appreciated!

Kindergarten Health Screening

The Kindergarten students have had a great time last term and this getting their health screening completed.

The Kinder screens check that the student’s eyes and ears are ready for learning and that they are reaching their major development milestones. This includes hearing and vision screening, fine and gross motor skill assessments, height and weight check and talking about teeth and toileting.

If you have a health concern about your child or would like their hearing or vision tested please let your child’s teacher know and get a referral form for the school nurse from the office staff.

Leah Furley - School Nurse

2021 Kindergarten

Kindertgarten Expression of Interest

We are now taking names for 2021. If you would like to enroll your child at Hillcrest Primary for Kindergarten in 2021, please notify the school office on 6424 5211 or contact our early years teachers Carol Miller, Jess Bellchambers or Jaime-Lea Duff.

If you know of families in our area with a child turning 4 by January 1, 2021 please encourage them to enquire about enrolling in Kinder for next year. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Jaime-Lea Duff – AST

Fathers’ Day Stall

The Fathers’ Day Stall will be held on Wednesday, September 2nd. The purpose of the stall is to give each child an opportunity to buy a small gift for Fathers’ Day. It is also a School Association fundraising event.

Parents are asked to buy or make a small gift to the value of $3 and send it to school by Monday, August 31st. Please do not wrap gifts. Your child will put the present in a box in the classroom and tick their name on the list on the box. Every child who donates to the stall will go into a draw to win a gift for Fathers’ Day.

On the day of the stall please send your child to school with $3 to purchase a gift. If you do not want your child to participate, please tell him/her beforehand.

Donations of wrapping paper are also needed. Offers of assistance to help run the stall on the Wednesday from 9-10:30am would be most welcome. Please leave your name at the school office if you can help on the day.

Lyn Aherne – Fundraising Coordinator

Tuckerbox Tips

Sometimes it can be hard to think of something to make for lunchboxes. Try to include foods from as many of the food groups as you can. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Chicken & chopped vegetables in pita bread
• Lean roast beef, mustard & lettuce on wholegrain bread
• Pasta with chicken, 3 bean mix & mixed vegetables
• Leftover homemade pizza
• Chicken, tomato, lettuce & cucumber in a wrap
• Fill a container with cherry tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, egg, cheese cubes & a small bread roll
• Vegemite, cheese & chopped celery in a wholemeal roll

Lyn Aherne – Canteen Supervisor

Move Well Eat Well

August is fruit and vegetable month

Handy hints to get the family eating more fruit and vegetables:

• Keep a bowl of fresh fruit handy and bite-sized vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, baby carrots and snow peas in the fridge to grab as a quick snack
• Vegetables taste different raw and cooked. Why not let children taste vegetables raw, steamed, microwaved or stir-fried to get them to say which they like best?
• Involve children in choosing fruit and vegetables to buy and also in cutting up and peeling them.
• Try adding fruit (fresh, dried or canned) to breakfast cereals

• Make smoothies by blending soft fruit, such as strawberries or bananas, with milk and yoghurt
• Add vegetables to favourite foods such as pizza toppings, pasta, sauces, pie fillings or cakes (eg grated carrot, zucchini or beetroot)
• Make vegetable pikelets or mini pizzas using rolls or muffins and use them in school lunches the next day
• Include vegetables in soups, eg pumpkin, minestrone or potato

MWEW Team