Mansfield Primary School

Mansfield Primary School

Apollo Street, Mansfield 3722

Telephone 5775 2325

Fax 5775 1914

Principal: Paul Volkering

Assistant Principal: Hazel Bell

Email:

mansfield.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

Website:

www.mansfieldps.vic.edu.au

Newsletter 11

30th July, 2015

IMPORTANT DATES:

31st July Parent opinion surveys

due to be returned

Yr 4 X/country skiing

Skiing Program

commences Year 5/6

Prep swimming program

commences

3rd August Book Club orders close

5th August The NED Show 11.30am

Admin/Finance

committee meeting

7th August National Tree Planting

Day 9-11am Fords Creek

School Assembly 3pm

17th August School Council Meeting

7pm

21st August School Assembly 3pm

22nd August Tournament of Minds

Yr 3/4 Shepparton

26th August Book parade “Books

Light Up Our World”

14th September School Council Meeting

7pm

16th September Big Top Madness—whole

school musical

have worked with. They have welcomed me

warmly into their classrooms and we’ve had

some great chats in the yard. It’s equally

impressive to see a great group of staff

members go about their business on a daily

basis. The commitment and passion of the

teachers at this school is on show in every

classroom that I have visited this week. The

students are engaged in their learning and

clearly high expectations have been set early

on in the year, as the students clearly want to

be successful. The office staff members have

also been very welcoming and patient, and I

know I rely on them and the teachers to

ensure the rest of Term 3 is successful.

Thank you to those parents who have

introduced themselves to me, some of whom I

haven’t seen in over 20 years when we were

students together at Mansfield Secondary

College.

I wish to assure

students, staff

and parents that in

my time here, I will

do everything I

can to ensure the

school runs as

smoothly as it does

when Paul is here.

Phillip Brown

School Skiing Program

Parents are reminded that all school fees and

accounts must be settled fully before your

child can participate in our Ski program and

that payment for skiing must be made prior to

the actual day. Last year School Council made

a decision that all accounts need to be paid in

full prior to skiing. Thank you in anticipation

of this request and advice. Eligible families

should have already applied for the CSEF

(Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund) program.

ACTING PRINCIPALS REPORT

Hello

My name is Phillip Brown, and I have been

very fortunate to be selected as Mansfield

Primary School’s acting principal for the

remainder of Term Three. I have been

principal of Devenish Primary School for

the past 4 years, and before that, spent 10

years teaching in Benalla. I am married to

my beautiful wife Victoria, and we have two

wonderful children Phoebe (5) and Hamish

(3). We live on 22 acres at Lima South.

Although I have only been in this role for a

few days now, I can’t tell you how

impressed I am with all the students that I

BUS DRIVER

Do you hold a heavy bus / heavy truck license and can

satisfy the conditions for driving a 22 seater bus? If so

and you can help us out on Friday’s for the Prep swimming

program, we would love to hear from you. If you have a

Working with Children Check, bonus!

PARENT OPINION SURVEY

A random selection of parents will be selected to participate

on our annual Parent Opinion survey. Parents are selected

randomly from our data base. It may mean that you’ve been

sampled before or not at all. Regardless, we ask that if you

receive a survey, please complete it and return to the school

by TOMORROW. The survey helps us identify improvement

areas as well as understanding what we are doing well.

UNIFORM

There are an unusually high number of lost Uniform items in

the corridor awaiting collection.

Parents are urged to check lost property for missing uniform.

With winter well and truly here, we ask all families to ensure

that children continue to wear their uniform with pride. We do sell a really great fleecy lined jacket which at $35 represents outstanding value, is warm and looks great. Our

red and navy blue colours are really great and look fantastic on

the children. Keep up the great work. If you are struggling for

uniform, please see Lisa in the school office or contact

“Vinnies”, as they too stock some of our uniform.

SPORTING SCHOOLS

Last term the school trialled a new program called Sporting

Schools. Sport plays and important role in everyone’s life and

regular exercise is extremely important for a balanced

lifestyle. We provide rich opportunities in not only sport, but

also the creative arts, for all students here at MPS.

Sporting Schools is similar to the Active After School

Communities program but enables schools a bit more variety in

terms of access to different sports and accredited coaches.

Last term, Year 5 and 6 students were able to try Lawn Bowls,

Ten Pin Bowling, Golf and Badminton and according to the

coaches of the various sports, we have some budding

champions in our student group. The focus is on recreative

pursuits that children can learn and then take with them

throughout their lives.

This term we are planning for more activities, but aimed at our

Year 3 and Year 4 students. In term 4, providing the program

continues, we will be aiming toward a program for our Prep,

Year 1 and Year 2 students.

COLDS AND FLU

Can parents please continue to remind their children about

observing some basic hygiene, especially when children might

have the onset of a cold or flu.

Having access to a tissue or handkerchief and covering the

mouth when sneezing or coughing, and regularly washing of our

hands helps reduce the spread of infection. Why are we asking

you to talk to your child about these simple steps? Local

medical practitioners keep telling us that managing winter

colds and flu can be managed more effectively if children

observe these simple steps.

It may only seem a small thing, but if we all observe proper

hygiene we all help keep the spread of a major infection at bay

and we help build a healthier school.

JOLLY JOGGERS AND REAL

Some parents may not be aware that our REAL program is in full swing. REAL (Reading Early and Learning), is a fun way

to spend a moment or two before school reading with your

child. You don’t have to be there, but if you do that’s fine.

Along with Jolly Joggers, REAL provides some options for

children before school throughout the winter months. This

program is being run throughout term 2&3 to provide another

option for students and to enable them the opportunity to also

earn some extra house points. Why not jump on board and

support your child’s reading by getting involved with REAL!!

Jolly Joggers is also in full swing with lots pf parents,

students, dogs and family pets turning up for a Jog each

Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Great to see such a healthy

school community. Well done to everybody that has

participated in either REAL or Jolly Joggers this term.

Thanks to Tom MacMunn who keeps the Jolly Jumper program

going so strong.

IMPORTANT NOTE CONTACT DETAILS

With the commencement of the skiing programs at Mount

Buller and Mount Stirling it is important that we have your

current mobile phone number. This will be the contact number

we will use in case of an emergency and we will also use this

number to send text messages with any changes to either

program. Please ensure you contact the office with any new

details or alternatively use the school app eform with change

of details.

SCHOOL APP

The Mansfield Primary School App is a great tool that can be

used to report a student absence. If a student absence is

reported via the app there is no need to send a written note

explaining your childs absence from school. Please consider

downloading this free mobile app. Instructions on how to

download the app can be found on the following page.

HEADLICE

With the winter season in full swing it is the

time where head lice become very active.

Please ensure that you check your child’s hair

on a weekly basis so that infestation amongst

the grades can be controlled. Please see page

5 & 6 of this edition with further tips and

advice.

WORKING BEE DATES:

13th September

25th October

Parental Occupation Groups Important for Parents to notify the school of any change in occupation details The Student Family Occupation (SFO) information is used to calculate school’s equity funding. Please note the SFO index is calculated from the student enrolment form (parent occupation information) and remains fixed for the remainder of the student’s enrolment at MPS. Inaccurate or out of date data can potentially disadvantage the school when it comes to equity funding. When there is no parental occupation information, the occupation group defaults to group A (the highest group). This group does not attract equity funding. If you have changed your occupation since you enrolled your child, can you please advise the school. If you are unsure of the occupation we have on your records, please contact the school for assistance.

Please note this information is confidential.

PREP SWIMMING TIMETABLE MANSFIELD AQUATICS Commences Friday 31st July PJR 11.00-11.45am PBS 11.45am-12.30pm PAM 12.30-1.15pm

JOLLY JOGGERS IS BACK SO PUT ON YOUR RUNNING SHOES….. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Meet at the bus shelter at 8.30am. Great way to warm up on cold mornings!

NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED

Aug 13th & 27th

Sept 10th

Oct 8th & 22nd

Nov 5th & 19th

Dec 3rd & 17th

MOUNT BULLER ANNEX During term 3, Grade 5/6 and Mt Buller Primary students are participating in an exciting program called kids teaching kids (http://www.kidsteachingkids.com.au). Students are working in groups to become experts about a particular animal in our local environment. They will develop a 40 minute presentation to be presented during kids teaching kids week in September to local schools. The aim of the program is to inspire future environmental leaders and and awareness of our local environment. The team would like to thank Kerstie Lee and Lousie Perrin for their support during this process.

The NED Show is coming to Mansfield Primary School on Wednesday 5th

August at 11:30am in the Nobian. Any parents who would like to attend are welcome (it might be a bit squishy). The NED Show is a character education program that centers around three important messages that have life-long relevance: Never give up, Encourage others and Do your best. During the assembly, students will learn about the importance of these three life skills while also enjoying storytelling, magic, humor and yo-yo tricks. Which supports our Circus theme this term that we are practicing in Physical Education classes.

The NED Show works on a ‘pay it forward’ model. Mansfield Primary School is not charged for the

show but we have agreed to have NED yo-yos for sale in the days after the show. Information on

this sale will be sent home on Monday. If there are any parents who could help coordinate the

sale of yo-yos could they please contact the school office as soon as possible?