AXEDALE PRIMARY SCHOOL

“Excellence Through Endeavour”

High Street, Axedale 3551

Ph. (03) 5439 7232 Fax. (03) 5439 7575

Principal – Lex Johnstone

Email: axedale.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

NEWSLETTER No. 37 November 23rd 2017

Important dates:

Nov.

Dec.

23rd Art Show 5-7pm

28th/29th Parent Teacher Interview Day

29th Music Night – 7pm

30th Prep 2018 Transition 2.15-3.25pm

7th Prep 2018 Transition 2.15-3.25pm

8th Prep Dinner

10th Axedale Community Carols

12th Orientation Day 9am-12.30pm

Dec.

12th Starting School session 9.15-11.15am

13th Gr. 6 Graduation

14th Thank You Morning Tea 11.15

14th Axedale Disco

20th School Christmas Concert 7pm

21st Last day of school 1.30pm finish

22nd Staff 2018 Planning Day – Student

Free Day

SCHOOL VALUES AWARDS

Spencer – For always being a very honest

and caring person. Spencer is a friend to

everyone.

Danielle – For always being honest and co-

operative at school.

Grace – For listening attentively and

working to the best of her ability in all

classroom activities.

Sydney – For listening attentively and working to the best of her ability in all classroom

activities.

Callum – For being a friendly class member and choosing a ‘can do’ attitude during

learning time.

Lily B – For playing with a range of friends out in the yard.

CLASSROOM ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Nash – For writing interesting diary

sentences and confidently sharing his work

with the grade. When asked questions he is

able to share to elaborate on his

experiences.

Riley – For making an exceptional effort in

his big write last week writing a four page

story.

Belle – For being a superstar when playing volleyball and taking heaps of fantastic catches to

help her team.

Brianne – For writing a fantastic piece about a new mini-beast with a donut body.

Eric – For working hard and persisting during the whole school testing program.

Georgia – For always striving to do her best and achieving personal best OnDemand results.

HOUSE TROPHY This week our House Trophy was a draw between

McIvor.

GOLDEN BRUSH

The winners of the Golden Brush this week were

Grade 5/6.

MAGIC WORDS

Congratulations to our students who achieved a Magic or Oxford Word Reading Certificate this week.

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

2018 PREP TRANSITION

The first of four transition sessions for our 2018 Preps started today. Our current Preps have been looking

forward to their friends from Kinder coming along to school for their first practice day. Further transition

days are on Thursday 30th November and Thursday 7th December from 2.15 – 3.25pm.

We are looking forward to the start of their school journey and hope that these days help our new Preps to

start building strong friendships within our school.

Thanks to our 2018 Prep parents for their work and support so far to make our transition program smooth

and successful.

STATEWIDE ORIENTATION DAY – TUESDAY DECEMBER 12TH

The Statewide Orientation Day is on Tuesday 12th December from 9 - 12.30. On this day, our current Grade

6 students will be attending their 2018 secondary college and all Axedale students will be working in their

likely 2018 class groups.

A “Starting School” seminar has been organised for 2018 Prep parents from 9.15-11.15am. This will be run

by CCS Family and Relationship Services. A flyer was attached to last week’s newsletter for 2018 Prep

families. Any other interested parents contact the office for further details and to register your attendance.

2018 Prep Information Sessions for parents run by Gaye Saunders and Lex Johnstone will run from 11.45am-

12.30pm on Tuesday 12th December. These sessions will have a particular focus on classroom programs and

how you can help to have your child school ready.

A BBQ lunch will follow from 12.30 for all students and any parents who would like to come along.

ART SHOW

Tonight, we are holding an Art Show in the Axedale Hall. At the Art Show, work completed by the students

throughout the year will be displayed, highlighting their skills in a range of areas. Parents and families are

invited along to view the many samples of work that will be on display.

Light refreshments will be available.

The Art Show will be open from 5.00 - 7.00pm.

PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Parent Teacher Interviews will take place on Tuesday 28th November after school for Grades 3/4 and 5/6 and

all day Wednesday 29th November for all grades P-6. A slip for preferred interview times is included in your

envelope again today for those families who are yet to return. A confirmation of booking is included today

for those families who have already returned their interview request forms.

The interviews are planned for this time as a prelude to Student Reports that come out on Friday 15th

December. Our intention is to make the most of the opportunity to discuss progress and view work samples

and provide parents the chance to discuss specific aspects of their child’s work and approach to school.

Feedback from staff and parents is that discussions are far more powerful and productive in informing

parents of progress and areas for further work.

2018 GRADE GROUPS

As we get closer to confirming a number of areas in our planning for 2018, it is worth raising a number of

factors involved in developing grade structures for next year.

We will have a total enrolment of close to 130 next year, with a six grade structure.

Parents need to be aware that a number of class level groups will need to be split across two classrooms as

part of organising classes.

In doing this, a range of factors are taken into account – gender balance, academic balance, social factors, how

many years with current teacher, student/teacher relationship and the mix of student personalities. I also aim

to leave spaces in each class for further enrolments at each grade level.

Our expectation is that current enrolment numbers will be maintained for a number of years to come – so

splitting grade groups will become a yearly task, not an exception this year.

PREP DINNER

Our Prep Tea is on Friday 9th December. Preps will stay at school from 3.30 and will enjoy some after school

activities before enjoying a meal together and a little bit of DVD time.

Pick up is 7.00pm.

GRADE 6 GRADUATION

please note change of date

Our Grade 6 Graduation is set for Wednesday 13th December.

Our evening will involve a friendly game of ten pin bowling at the Bendigo Bowling Centre

in Hargreaves St. at 6.00pm before moving to La Cecil’s (La Porchetta) on Williamson

St. for tea at 7.00pm.

Parents are encouraged to be a part of the bowling fun as well as joining us for tea.

School will cover the cost of all the bowling and the Gr. 6 student meals.

THANK YOU MORNING TEA

On Tuesday 19th December, we are hosting our ‘Thank You Morning Tea’ to acknowledge

the significant amount of help that we receive throughout the year from a range of people

and groups within our local and wider community.

Invites to non-school based helpers will be sent out this week. So if you help out with

reading, excursions, Brekky Club, Fresh Fruit Friday, Quickshear, Bike Hike, book covering, Walk to

School Day, head lice checks, gardening, working bees, School Council, Finance Committee, PVF,

Mother’s and Father’s Day etc. etc. – we hope to see you

there for Morning Tea.

THANKS

Thank you to Julie Liersch for cleaning our

fish tank. It looks lovely and fresh again.

AXEDALE DISCO

Our PVF Committee is conducting the ‘Axedale Disco’

on Thursday December 14th at the Axedale Hall.

Kinder/Prep/1/2 students disco will run from 4.00 –

5.00pm and the Grade 3-6 disco will run from 5.10 –

6.30pm.

Entry is free

QUICK SHEAR

Plans are well underway for the next Axedale Quick Shear

& Family Fun Day to be held on 27th January 2018 from

2pm at the Axedale Hall & Park. For those new to our

school this year, this event is a fabulous free family day

held in the town each January. It is also a major

fundraising event, with all funds raised being shared

amongst the Primary School, the Pre School, the CFA and

the Hall. Last year the funds received by the school

contributed to the cost of installing a water bore to help

with watering our grounds and gardens.

As well as the shearing, there are a range of other

competitions (photography and beaut ute), activities (the

Market, 'Smoko' afternoon tea, demonstration by

Bendigo On Road Radio Controlled Car Club, silent

auction, spinning wheel), entertainment (show bags,

jumping castle, face painting, petting zoo, 'throw the ball

in the loader bucket' and more) and food

& drinks available on the day.

In conjunction with the Quick Shear event a raffle is held,

with tickets being sold in the lead up to the day. Enclosed

with this week’s newsletter is a raffle ticket book (one

per school family). There are 6 tickets per book, with

tickets being $2 each or 3 for $5. Once sold please return

the ticket stubs and money to Katrina at the office.

Additional raffle ticket books are available if your family

would like extra. If all books (including any unsold

tickets) could please be returned by the last week of term

4 it would be appreciated.

Further updates about the Quick Shear will appear in

future newsletters, as the Committee works to finalise the

volunteer roster for the day (would you like to be a

volunteer?) and to confirm items for the silent auction

(would you like to donate?).

ATHLETE’S FOOT SCHOOL REWARD PROGRAM

Please support this fundraising program. For every pair of shoes

purchased from the Bendigo Store $5 is donated back to the school.

This applies to the whole family across the full range of shoes.

COGB ROADWORKS

I met with COGB Construction Co-ordinator today to discuss a range of school based safety & traffic issues

during the construction phase of the upcoming roadworks on Raglan St.

I will share as much information as possible in next week’s Newsletter.

DENTAL CHECK UPS

Community Dental Services at Bendigo Health are sending a team to Axedale Primary School to provide

oral health screening for students on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th December.

A form is enclosed with the newsletter today. Please return this to school by next Wednesday 29th

November.

OPTOMETRIST CHECK UPS

We are seeking indications from parents who may be interested in having free optometry check-ups early in

2018. An expression of interest is attached to the Newsletter today. Please fill out and return to the school by

next Wednesday, 29th November . If there is sufficient interest, we will go ahead and book dates for early

2018.

Please contact the school with any queries.

‘Wide Open Road Optometrists’ offer the following blurb :-

As a mobile Optometry Company we are called Wide Open Road Optometry and our office is in Daylesford.

We operate out of Central Highlands Health located in Creswick and have practiced out of Ballan Hospital

community centre for 7 years.

We perform eye examinations which are bulk billed and covered through Medicare.

We are offering a mobile Optometry service to primary schools. Our aim is to make it easier for children to

have to access to appropriate eye care, particularly if they have not had that opportunity previously. We are

interested in ensuring the children have functional vision and healthy eyes both of which can enhance their

learning capacity in the classroom and their general coordination. Around 80% of children under 8 years of

age will not have had an eye exam. Many of the older children will also not have had a comprehensive eye

exam.

We have a mobile digital retinal camera which will is particularly useful for monitoring eye health. At times

some children may need to be referred for further testing at an ophthalmologist or another optometrist.

We can provide the family with a copy of the child’s prescription for them to shop around. We do not sell

glasses in schools.

Kind regards,

Catherine Vallence

B.Optom (Hons) UNSW

SCHOOL APP

If you haven’t already signed up to our school app we ask that you take the time to

download it. Search for Updat-ed and from the menu select our school. We’ll receive your

registration request and will need to approve you before your app is up and running

MICHAEL GROSS PARENTING RESOURCES

Our school is a member of Parenting Ideas. Visit www.parentingideas.com.au

This week’s attached article is “Failure! What a genius idea!”

BREAKFAST CLUB Many thanks to those who have volunteered to help with Breakfast Club during this Term. Your assistance is

very much appreciated.

Tuesday 28th November – Julie Liersch

Thursday 30th November – Hannelie Schutte

Tuesday 5th December – Melinda Pengelly

Thursday 7th December – Liz Harrington

FRESH FRUIT FRIDAY

Many thanks to those who have volunteered to help with cutting up fruit on Fridays this term.

Friday 24th November – Susie McGrath & Renée Hedger

Friday 8th December – Jade Field & Katherine Simon

As part of the Fresh Fruit Friday sponsorship in conjunction with the Bendigo Spirit, McKern Foundation

have organised free entry for primary students to all Bendigo Spirit home games for the remainder of the 2017

season. Students can present the flyer at the bottom of this page at any Home Game for free entry. If you

require further information please contact Ricky Cawley - Student Wellbeing Worker.

PARENTS, VOLUNTEERS & FRIENDS

CHRISTMAS HAMPER

Yes it is that time of year again. We are asking families to contribute a non-perishable item to

our Christmas Hampers. It would be good to see lots of Christmas themed and holiday items.

Tickets for the raffle will be sent home later in the term.

KIDDIES FOOD KUTTER FUNDRAISER

The food cutter and peeler are $10 each or you can buy a 2 pack (1 of each) for $16. Another order form is in

the newsletter today. Orders are due today Thursday 23rd November.

JOKE OF THE WEEK

Q. Where do ants go for their holidays?

A: Frants!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Common sense and a sense of humour are the

same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of

humour is just common sense, dancing.

William James

Lex Johnstone

Principal

CLASSROOMS

AMBULANCE

On Tuesday we had a visit from Megan Lacey, a

Paramedic with Ambulance Victoria. Megan was able to

demonstrate to the students how heart rates are checked

and also the level of oxygen in their blood. Students were

shown how the stretcher is moved in and out of the

ambulance and were able to ask a range of questions about

the various equipment contained in the ambulance.

Student comments:-

Adam – I learnt that ambulance officers face some

dangerous situations while on the job.

Campbell – I learnt that they use a mechanical bed to lift

patients as it is much safer for the officers.

Emma – I learnt that my heartrate should be around 70-

100 beats/minute.

Matthew – Being inside the ambulance was fun and it wouldn’t be scary if I was in an accident.

Alla – We got to use the finger monitor that measured our heart rate and oxygen levels.

Noah – We got to ride up and down on the lifting seat – it was fun.

Kiera – The lights were flashing and the siren was on – it was very loud!

MARC is very quickly coming to an

end for 2017!

All MARC books are now overdue

and need to be returned ASAP

so that I can begin the stocktake

process.

Thanks in advance,

Mrs G

COMMUNITY NEWS