Thomastown West Primary School
NEWSLETTER 98-112 Main Street, Thomastown, Victoria 3074 – Ph: 9465 4317
Email: [email protected] – Website: www.thomwestps.vic.edu.au
NEWSLETTER No. 30
FROM THE ACTING PRINCIPAL:
Friday 11th of November 2016
Hello everyone,
A Special Visitor
As you know, this year teachers at our school have
begun to implement the School Wide Positive
Behaviour Support framework. Last Friday, we
were very lucky to have a visit from Dan Petro, a
Positive Behaviour Consultant. (Thank you Mr
Bell for organising this visit.) Dan’s expertise
comes from teaching courses at universities in
California such as Dynamics of Behaviour
Change, Behaviour Management in the
Classroom, Advanced Behaviour Analysis,
and Crisis Counselling.
Dan visited four of our classes and met with five
individual teachers as well as meeting with our
School Wide Positive Behaviour team. He was
able to provide a customised approach for each
teacher and their grade, with an emphasis sharing
positive behavioural strategies for effectively
preventing and responding to problem behaviour
situations. What a fabulous learning opportunity
for us all!
Prep Transition
On Wednesday we had our first session of Prep
transition. We welcomed our 2017 Prep students
and their families to our school. As I took the
Group B parents and carers for a tour around our
wonderful school I was very proud of all of the
students showing the school values and striving to
do their best. Well done boys and girls!! Our 2017
Preps also had a lovely afternoon and left with
huge smiles on their faces. There is still more fun
to be had as we still have two more sessions over
the coming weeks.
2017 Enrolments
Thank you to all the families who have enrolled
new children for 2017. I know there are still a
number of families who have not enrolled their
prep child for 2017. Please collect an enrolment
form from the office to complete. We have
experienced a number of enrolments for this term
as well as 2017 which is very encouraging.
It is important for us to have accurate enrolment
numbers for children attending our school in 2017
so that the best possible class structures and class
sizes can be organised. As always, our children,
their learning and development, will remain our
top priorities. Please contact us to let us know if
your child/children will not be attending TWPS
in 2017.
2017 Grade Placements
Work on the 2017 grade placements is about to
get underway. If you have any concerns or
important information regarding your child’s
grade placement for 2017 please put these in
writing and address the envelope, marked
confidential, to Sandi Young by FRIDAY 25th
NOVEMBER.
In the coming weeks the students will be given an
opportunity in their class to make a short list of
students they would like to be with in 2017. We
guarantee them one of the students on their list
unless there are unusual circumstances. These
circumstances would then be discussed with their
parents or carers. Student requests can only be in
relation to friendships and teacher requests will
not be considered.
Cybersafety
This week the teachers enjoyed another
professional learning session about Cyber Safety.
Our students have grown up in a digital era and
are learning to navigate the online world at a
younger and younger age. Our school is an eSmart
school which means we work hard to be smart,
safe and responsible when using digital
technologies.
IMPORTANT CYBERSAFETY TIPS for parents
and carers:
Make sure your child does not spend all of
his/her time on the computer/iPad/device.
Organise certain times when your children
can use the Internet and the computer or
iPad
Keep the computer/iPad/device in an area
where it can be monitored, like the family
room, kitchen or living room, never in
your child’s bedroom.
Learn enough about computer or iPad so
you can enjoy them together with your
kids.
Teach them never to meet an online friend
offline.
Watch your children when they’re online
and see where they go.
Make sure that your children feel
comfortable coming to you with questions
and don’t over react if things go wrong.
Teach them what information they can
share with others online and what they
can’t (like telephone numbers, address,
their full name and school)
A valuable resource which is useful for students
and parents which is available online:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/
bullystoppers/Pages/students.aspx
Together we are working on pathways to success!
Keep up that lifelong learning.
Sandi Young
Acting Principal
Prep Room 2 Ethan Grade 3/4 Room 16 Imane & Asel
Grade 3/4 Room 17 Fahad & Nabaa
Grade 1 Room 4 Kevin & Naitik Grade 3/4 Room 18 Anthony
Grade 1 Room 6 Lovelle & Aggelos Grade 3/4 Room 19 Sarah & Adam
Grade 2 Room 1 Jye Grade 3/4 Room 20 Jack
Grade 2 Room 5 Heiba
Grade 5/6 Room 9 Sofia
Music Carli Grade 5/6 Room 11 Yuan & Ayham
Art Charles Grade 5/6 Room 12 Justin
CHILDREN ARRIVING AT SCHOOL
BEFORE 8:30am
We have noticed that a number of children are
arriving at school before 8:30am.
Unless attending Breakfast Club children
cannot be outside school until there is teacher
supervision which is 8:30am. This is due to safety
reasons. Thank you for your cooperation
Cup of Life
Well done to Room 17 who were the week 5
winners for Cup of Life! These students are now
in the running for the end of term prize!
Transition
Transition and change is something that happens
to all people very regularly. All students will
experience change at the end of this year and will
transition into a new grade next year. For some
students and families this may also mean a new
school, especially for our grade 6 students! School
transition can have a BIG impact on kids and it is
important that the adults in their life support them
through this. Our school is very aware of this and
has dedicated transition programs whereby
students are provided with various opportunities
to plan and prepare for change and transition.
Even if they are not moving schools or even areas
within the school, a new teacher and new
classmates can have a significant impact. Some
possible difficulties during periods of transition
can include; low self-esteem; rapid changes in
mood and behaviour; time management issues and
stress or anxiety. Often when this occurs kids will
feel frustrated and become anxious or disruptive
to others around them. It’s important that we are
aware of these situations and seek to help our kids
to manage the change and navigate through these
circumstances. The following are some possible
tips:
Be alert to how they are handling the
change and whether they are experiencing
difficulty.
Be supportive at all times and seek to offer
encouragement
Be available to answer questions they may
have
Discuss their habits for homework and
ensure they are completing all set tasks.
Speak to their teachers if necessary.
If you believe your child/ren is struggling
with change or transition speak to their
teacher or a member of the wellbeing team
about how we may be able to help.
More information on handling transition can be
found at www.kidshelp.com.au
Take Care,
Tim Brown
Hi Everyone,
Playgroup – FREE TO EVERYONE –
Thursdays, 10 am & Fridays at 9 am in the HUB
at the school The children enjoy free play, story
and music time. PLEASE COME
Playgroup is a great way to help children to
develop socially!!
Ever had a child in a grumpy mood and she just
doesn’t know how to make herself feel better?
Alternatively, you may have experienced a child
who comes home from school so angry that there’s
steam coming from his ears.
Feeling emotional extremes is part of life, but that
doesn’t mean we need to stay in those states.
Here are 3 practical strategies kids can use to shift
their moods:
1. “Take a breathe…take a few actually”
Perhaps the simplest way for child to feel
better, whether it’s too settle some nerves
before a talk or reduce anxiousness before
meeting new friends, is to take three or four
deep breaths. Deep breathing releases
dopamine into their system, moving kids
toward the yellow or green zones on
the Mood Meter.
2. “Picture yourself…”Encourage your kids to
carry a picture of a favourite thing – person,
pet or holiday – to help them move them to
a happier place when needed. Pictures and
photos can impact at a deep emotional level.
Anyone who carries a picture of a loved one
with them will know how powerful a visual
reminder can be.
3. “DO something…”Boys are action-oriented and
tend to act out their feelings more than girls. When
they are happy they dance and gig around and
when they are mad many become aggressive or just
more active. Boys also can use action to dissipate
emotion or shift their mood to a better place. If they
are angry then insist they play an active game or
sport to get the energy out. Lethargy, boredom and
other passive emotional states too can be shifted
through physical activity.
Michael Grose has an on-line course Mood Meter
Program: Building Emotional Intelligence that will
teach you to help you and your child better manage
moods, modify feelings and regulate emotional
reactions. It’s based in the ground-breaking work of
Prof. Marc Brackett from the Yale Centre for
Emotional Intelligence.
Register online at http://www.parentingideasclub.com.au/Info/2016-courses
Looking for work?
Asylum Seekers aged 18 – 35 are invited to a two
day workshop to help you prepare your resume and
how to find employment.
When Tuesday 22 November and Thursday 24 November. Eligibility Young asylum seekers aged between 18–35 years with work rights. Cost The program is free of charge. Lunch will be provided. Location Epping Community Services Hub 713 High Street, Epping 3076 Mona Ray-Greig EPYAS Officer Email: [email protected] Phone: 0427 965 829 See attached flyer for detail
If I can help you and your family in
anyway, please contact the office. My days at the
school are usually Tuesday, Wednesday and
Friday.
Robyn Mulholland (Student Wellbeing Team)
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