BUNDOORA PRE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER BUNDOORA PRE … · Welcome to our new friend Winnie who joined our...

BUNDOORA PRE-SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

BUNDOORA PRE-SCHOOL

NEWSLETTER

Dear families, www.bundoorapreschool.com.au

Firstly, I wish to make mention of my HUGE thanks to the dedicated staff who work for our kinder, educate and support our children and our committee. I also wish to acknowledge and graciously thank all of the volunteers who make up our pre-school Committee of Management. Everyone works tirelessly behind the scenes for everything to run as smoothly and efficiently as it does. Our 2020 three-year-old children enrolling with our kinder have been contacted by our Vice President and Enrolment Secretary, Stacey Collins, with close to 22 children confirmed to attend our three-year-old Joeys program from February 2020. Banyule City Council are currently finalising the four-year-old enrolment lists and it is anticipated that we will receive this information of the enrolled children early in September. Coming up in August and September (and of course for the rest of the year), we have several events at kinder and in the community to raise much valued funds for our kindergarten. Please read the newsletter thoroughly and watch out for emails to find out more. Please also note that Sun Smart time is coming soon (believe it or not) and by September families will be asked to provide sun smart hats for use by your child during outdoor play. Please get in touch via the email address provided if you need to discuss any matters with me.

Kind regards

Corrie Quigley

Committee President (2019)

August 2019

TERM 3

15 Jul - 20 Sep 2019

Upcoming Events

Aug/Sep -

Chocolate Drive Aug/Sep -

Father’s Day Raffle

Kinder closure 13 Sep 31 Oct -

Halloween Market

Kinder Photos Possums- Mon 9 Sep

Koalas - Wed 11 Sep

Joeys – Mon 21 Oct

Working Bee

Sunday 15 Sep

Sunday 17 Nov

A message from our President...


JOEY Group News

Welcome to our new friend Winnie who joined our Joeys group on 5th August. Winnie is familiar with some of the children and has settled in very well. Please help to make her and her family welcome!

On Friday 9th August, we practiced an indoor ‘mock lockdown’ safety procedure. I explained to the children that

it was my job to keep them safe. I gave the example of if the large gum tree fell through the kinder building and

broke the window with part of the tree in the play room. Our parent helper, Roghayehry, Nikan’s Mum,

pretended to call 000 and asked for the Fire Brigade. Grazynka got the medications, the attendance book,

phone and keys and locked the doors. I blew the whistle and we formed a train and walked into the kitchen and

shut the door. We then pretended that a window in the kitchen broke. To keep safe, we moved into the office

and then the store room. I called the children’s names from the attendance book and the adults as well. We all

used quiet voices. The children managed it very well. They listened, were attentive and cooperated. They

demonstrated ‘respect’ to the exercise. In the store room, they wriggled around a bit. They had never been in

there before and there was a lot to look at – they did a wonderful job! We were so proud of them.

Many children are showing interest to write their name and with much encouragement, are practicing. Some children look and copy their printed name while some copy each letter after observing staff demonstrating how to write it. At the literacy table, they are enjoying writing cards to their family and each other. Many children are offering their story for staff to write on their work.

The children have been busy in the imaginative play spaces, building and extending their play ideas. It’s been lovely to see many children be inclusive of others by asking them to join in. They have enjoyed feeding babies, making birthday cakes for one another and singing, making coffees, cooking and fishing in the camping area, making wombat stew, and being register assistants and shoppers in the Bundoora Preschool supermarket. They have also demonstrated inclusiveness while playing on the mat with blocks, cars, train set and marble towers. They are showing respect for one another by inviting children to join in play as well as using manners and asking to join in small groups to play. They are demonstrating developing skills of independence, courage, communication and positive feelings of self-worth.

Please remember ‘Marvellous Men’s Night’ is on Monday 26th August from 6:00pm – 7:30pm. The children are invited to bring the special men in their lives to join them for a fun night of activities at kinder.

Dani and Grażynka


POSSUM Group News

The children and teachers have enjoyed a visit from Wild Action. The children were given the opportunity to meet a variety of Australian animals including a crocodile, lizards, a frog, snakes, a barn owl, a possum, koala and a wallaby. The children were able to pat or hold most of the animals while Ben our presenter shared many interesting facts during the presentation. Educators used these fun facts later to challenge the children’s ability to recall information. We discovered terms such as camouflage, nocturnal, endangered and extinct. We also talked about the differences between mammals, marsupials and reptiles. This visit reinforced concepts of Country including looking after the land, animals and plants as well as only taking what we need from the land. The children enjoyed a variety of experiences to extend learning including making wombats, snakes and frogs. These experiences specifically focused on supporting children’s concentration and fine motor skills including cutting, hole punching and controlling writing tools.

The children are enjoying group games such as Bingo, Who Am I?, Freeze and different elimination games. These games reinforce interest area learning as well as social/emotional development. They support turn taking, fair play, following rules, resilience, information recall and collaborative play.

Educators have also been initiating conversation with the children about being a good friend and what makes a good

friend. We have based our conversations around a book called ‘Words and Your Heart’. The book has a wonderful way

of explaining how your words are very POWERFUL and that power can make someone happy or sad depending on what

you say. The children have responded enthusiastically to learning experiences that have extended these thoughts.

Educators have incorporated observational drawing into the program. This involves children using props such as drawings, paintings, 2D figures, plants and flowers to inspire their art. The children have observed pieces of artwork by Albert Namatjira, a vase of wattle and crocodile figure for inspiration. Art materials used have included water colour paint, black marker on white paper and acrylic paints. Observational drawing develops a positive deposition to learning, promotes interaction verbally and non-verbally, helps to express ideas and makes use of a range of media, promotes creativity and expression, and helps children to understand how symbols and pattern systems work. It has been wonderful to see the children’s creative and observational skills develop.

We have extended the writing area to incorporate stencils, cards with frequency words and a variety of writing material

for the children to choose from. It is a very busy area with the children enjoying writing letters, drawing picture for each

other and experimenting with writing letters and words. We are extending many of the children’s favourite stories

through dramatic play and art experiences including ‘Wombat Stew’, ‘Possum Magic’, ‘Crocodile Beat’ and ‘I’m Being

Swallowed by a Boa Constrictor’. Extension of story books develop a love of literature and

enhance language and writing skills.

Outside we continue to enjoy watching our vegetables grow. Our daffodils are also

coming along nicely. Block building, painting, play dough and climbing are the Possums

favourite things to do. We have also dabbled in a few games of croquet! Rest assured

your children are being taught well……my Mum is a croquet champion!

In the coming weeks we look forward to celebrating Daffodil Day. This term we will also have Pyjama Day which will incorporate having breakfast at kindergarten and brushing our teeth. This event will reinforce our Smiles 4 Miles program, encouraging healthy eating and drinking good dental hygiene.

We hope families are keeping up with our busy program by looking at the reflection journal located next to the sign in book. It’s a great way to see all the amazing work your Possums are doing.

The Possum Teaching Team


Koala Group News We celebrated National Aboriginal and Islander Children’s week. A time to remember the importance of childhood for all children: that every child has the opportunity to reach their potential, share their ‘story’ or their culture and have the right to be happy. Most importantly we need to ensure this for children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background. Developing awareness of indigenous culture is inherent in the program throughout the year. This topic has led to us looking more closely at our beautiful land Australia and we have discovered and celebrated its fauna and flora and traditional owners. Included in this exploration has been our Wild Action Incursion, which enabled the children to get up close and personal with a number of different Australian Animals. This was a very exciting incursion for the children, however it was also a little difficult for some children. The expectations to sit and listen for such a long time is very challenging for some, even with the opportunity to touch and ask questions. For others, managing their emotions in the face of seemingly unpredictable animals is the real test. However, generally a sense of wonder and awe ruled the day.

The children have continued to observe how much their daffodils have grown. We have started a chart and

measured our daffodil stems as they grow taller. Some are still just emerging from their bulbs while others are

growing quite tall and the first flowers are just starting to bud. As we measure how tall they have grown we are

recording our results on a graph where we can see who has the tallest plants and whose plants are the smallest.

We have continued to update this as they grow…however I think I will need to make a new one because the

tallest daffodils are already at the top of the chart!! It has been a great exercise in patience, managing emotions,

observation, measurement and recording data as well as caring for a living thing for all the children.

A highly anticipated part of our program at the moment is Kelly the bear, our take home bear. We are have just

begun our take home bear program. The children are really enjoying sharing their home experience with Kelly

and while it is still tricky for some to wait such a long time for their turn, it is great experience in dealing with

delayed gratification and all children are managing this a little easier. Thank you to all the parents and families

who have helped with this, looking after Kelly and writing in her diary.

We have a busy term ahead, so please add the important dates to your diaries.

Marijke and Grazynka

Friday 30th August – Breakfast at kinder, come in your pyjamas to share a yummy breakfast

Friday 6th September – Our community walk to Bundoora Primary School. This is also a practice for our off-site emergency evacuation plan

Wednesday 11th September – Koala group photo day

Friday 13th September – No Koala session, kinder closed for staff to attend DEKTA Conference

Friday 20th September – Footy day, come in your team’s colours. We will do some football activities…and share some hot chips!


Committee Members wanted for 2020 Later in 2019 we will have elections for our new incoming 2020 volunteer committee. Some of our current committee members, will vacate our positions early next year because our youngest child will start school in 2020. Some members will remain on committee in 2020 so a handover of material is certainly available. Support is always available and access to a computer is essential. The kinder committee is very much a team. There is a need for high-quality technical skills on our committee and I encourage you - if you are remaining a part of our community in 2020 - to put your hand up and have a go. If volunteering in some part on a committee such as ours is something that you would consider, please do think about how you might be able to play a part. Please email me for more information at [email protected]

Kinder Closure date is Friday 13 September - Kinder closed due to DEKTA Conference for all staff.

LIONS HEARING TESTS

(FOR CHILDREN 3½ to 6 YEARS OF AGE) Dear Parents, Like many other Lions clubs across Victoria, Diamond Valley Lions Club is offering pre-schoolers and prep children (3½ - 6yrs) hearing tests as part of its community service program. Students under supervision from Melbourne University’s Audiology Department will carry out the play-based testing, and parents will be informed immediately and referred to their GP if hearing abnormalities are detected. Early detection of hearing loss is critical for the development of normal speech and language skills. Statistics indicate that around 3% of children tested are found to have to have difficulties. These tests are FREE OF CHARGE, and will be held between 9am & 4pm on Saturday, 7th September at Wattle Glen Primary School. Parking is available on Reynolds Rd and Sunnyside Crescent. Entry to the school is on Sunnyside Crescent. Testing can take up to 30 minutes, and a parent or guardian must be present. To book, go to www.diamondvalley.vic.lions.org.au , click on ‘Hearing Test’ in the top left corner of the home page, and follow the directions. If you have more than one child to test, and only one guardian, choose following appointment times with the same tester (eg 10am & 10:30am with Amy) Contact Lions member Fiona Kates 0404 180 772 / [email protected] if you require further information or assistance with booking an appointment.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.diamondvalley.vic.lions.org.au

mailto:[email protected]


Fundraising News

Well, what a year it has been so far, and we still have so much left to do!

Fathers’ Day Raffle We are running our annual Fathers’ Day Raffle.

We are currently seeking donations such as vouchers, men skincare products, music, wine, books, etc.

Tickets will be distributed in the next week or so. Perhaps there is a person in your life who would really appreciate winning our hamper!

The Fundraising Team wishes everyone good luck!

Design-a-plate Artwork has been sent, orders have been finalised and now we wait….

Our plates will arrive and be distributed in the next few weeks. Thank you to those of you who have

purchased a plate. You will have a wonderful memento of Bundoora Preschool, and a great plate in the

cupboard as well!

Oral B Fundraising Did you know that we can take your dental waste off your hands and use it to earn funds? We will continue to collect dental waste until August 30th.

We are accepting all dental waste, including toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes and packaging, dental floss waste, packaging from denture cleaning products, etc. Please no electric toothbrushes.

This waste is collected and sent off for recycling. We can earn money on recycled products for the kinder for our efforts.

Movie Night Thanks to those of you who attended the Movie Night. We had a great group of excited little Joeys, Possums and Koalas, some in their pyjamas, enjoy some dinner and some favourite shows. It was so much fun to be at kinder after dark!!

We were able to raise in excess of $350. Thank you to all for making the night such a success.


Bunnings BBQ

Thank you to those who were able to find a little time to volunteer for our Bunnings BBQ on the 10th August. It was a wet, bitterly cold and overall miserable day as far as the weather went. On the flip side though, we were able to sell over 500 serves of sausages, make in excess of $1200 and have a great (alright I’m stretching it now, a pretty good) day!

Part of the reason we were so successful is that we received a large number of donations from families and this has allowed us to reduce the costs of running the BBQ.

It was a pretty tough day to be volunteering to cook sausages, and I would like to make particular mention of two families who pitched in to help.

One family only joined our kinder only four days before the BBQ, and another was a past kinder family,

who gave a hand when they knew we were unable to get enough volunteers.

We really appreciate any help we get, and we completely understand that you can’t always get there on

the day, but we really do need families to pitch in where they can. Without the financial support from

the Fundraising Team, we simply would not have some of our fabulous educational resources, or run

some of the programs that we do.

Bundoora Preschool Halloween Market Each year we host our very successful, major fundraiser; our annual Halloween Twilight Market. This year our market will be held on Thursday 31st October at the Watsonia Neighbourhood House.

We usually have close to 1000 people come through the doors and we have market stalls, entertainment for the kids, raffles, food stalls, a wine bar and a safe place for children to trick or treat.

We will be looking for volunteers on the night, but we also have a lot of work to do now. We are

asking you to support our Fundraising efforts in the following ways:

Promoting our event by sharing and liking our Facebook page and posts, displaying our flyers at your local workplace, helping with our letter box drop in October.

If you own a business, or know someone who does, perhaps you would like to consider donating something for our raffle or show bags. We are looking for donations, big and small, to raffle on the night, and to include in our showbags. Donations can be left at kinder, but please speak to any of our fundraisers if you have any questions.

Collecting glass jars (jam, pasta sauce, etc) that we will fill with small goodies for our Lucky Dip.

Collecting the items to go into the jars: wrapped lollies, yo-yos, pencils and notepads, marbles, matchbox cars, bubble mix, small slinkys, badges, new hair clips, whistles, poppers, erasers, stamps, superballs.


Bundoora Preschool

Committee Members 2019

Additional Dates for your

Calendars…

Victorian 2019 Term Dates

Term 3: Mon 15 Jul– Fri 20 Sep

Term 4: Mon 7 Oct– Fri 20 Dec

Victorian Public Holidays 2019

Tue 5 Nov – Melbourne Cup Day

Bundoora Pre School Committee of Management 2019 Meeting Dates

Thursday 12 Sep

Thursday 17 Oct

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Thursday 14 November

Committee Handover Meeting

Thursday 28 November

President – Corrie Quigley

Vice President – Stacey Collins

Secretary – Amy Armstrong

Assistant Secretary – Melissa Favata

Treasurer – Gaya Tharmendra

Assistant Treasurer – Hannah Landreth

Maintenance Rep – Steve Surdoski & Riley Wills

BCCKN Rep – Rachel Harnetty

Grants Officer – Alanna Quigley

Group Rep Possums – Shana-Sandra Collins & Shelley

Simm

Group Reps Koalas – Narelle Conway & Rebekka Kennedy-

Lambert

Group Rep Joeys – Dayna Rixon & Megan Wills

Fundraising Committee – Amy Armstrong, Rebecca

McKenzie, Narelle Conway, Stacey Collins, Alison Potter,

Megan Nikoleris & Nicole Ithier

Parents Please Note:

Copies of all committee meeting minutes are kept in the Parent Library and Kinder Policies are held in the Parent Library at the Kinder. The Parent Library is housed on the shelves in the bathroom area. There is a small range of books available that parents/carers may wish to borrow. Please complete any entry in the ‘Parent Library Borrowing Book’. If you would like to leave a review of any books you read, please speak to staff.

BUNDOORA PRE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER BUNDOORA PRE … · Welcome to our new friend Winnie who joined our...

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