Friday 17 October, 2014 The yard is supervised

Friday 17th October, 2014
Dear parents, friends and carers,
The yard is supervised
Before School from 8.45am
After school until 3.45pm
Recess: 11:00am-11:30am
Lunch eating:1:30pm – 1.45pm
Yard time: 1:45-2:30pm
School Finish: 3.30pm
iPad Information Evening
Firstly thank you to the 36 parents who attended the community
evening to discuss the implementation of iPads at Footscray Primary
School in our Year 3 – 4 area in 2015. This session was an
opportunity to be introduced to the possibilities of the benefits of
increased technology use for our children at our school. It also
provided a forum for parents to raise their concerns in a respectful
manner. I have appreciated the words of support from many families
this week.
Overall the parents at Footscray Primary School support the
school exploring greater use of technology for our students. In
our Strategic Plan we have plans over the next four years to embed
the greater use of technologies at F.P.S. I would like to present a
summary of positives and challenges identified by parents and the
community.
Art Show
Friday 24th October
5.00pm – 8.00pm
Positives Feedback
Family Ticket $10
Available at school office
From the office
Footscray Primary School
BSB:063 132
Account number 10090179
----------------------We now have EFTPOS
available at the school office to
pay all bills. Credit card facilities
available.
Newsletter Distribution.
If you would like to receive the
newsletter by email please send
your email address to:
brown.jessie.m@
edumail.vic.gov.au
2014 Term Dates
Term 4:
6 October to 19 December
 Good to see the
demonstration by
Alamanda College
which showed
examples of the
possibilities of how
technology can enrich
learning and develop
21st Century learning
skills. (parent)
 Technology is here to
stay and will continue
to be a big part of our
lives at home and the
workplace for our
children (parent)
 The introduction of
technology to our
children is about future
and opportunity. The
future will be IT
dependent, whether
we like it or not. Not
providing our children
with rich experiences
with IT will provide
them with a less
opportunistic future.
(Teacher at Alamanda
College)
 Technology engages
students to the point
they want to continue
their learning at
home.(parent)
Challenges faced
by iPad programme
introduction
 Individual cost for
each family and
ensuring access to
technology for
everyone.
 The stress and
struggle the iPad
has caused in the
home. There is no
such thing as 15
minutes. It can be
addictive for
children.
 How can we ensure
a balanced
approach between
learning
foundational skills
and technology and
avoid too much
screen time?
 Ipads could be lost,
stolen or dropped.
Possible Solutions
 Essential Agreements
will be developed with
students to ensure
expectations are clear
about use of
technologies. Parents,
students and teachers
would sign the
agreements.
 Explore different models
to ensure our students
have greater access to
technologies.
 Parent Information
sessions to support the
building of common
understandings around
technology.
 Teacher Professional
Learning- Training days
for staff who will be
involved with integrating
technologies. This will
ensure technology is
used as a tool effectively
promoting creative
thinking, problem
solving, collaboration,
decision making and
linked explicitly to the
school direction with the
primary Years
Programme.
 Techie Brekkies will be
held for staff next year
to continue to build our
skills and expertise.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
Executive Officer: Philip Fox
President: Bianca Moore
Vice President: Mark Hollis
Secretary: Henrik Steenberg
Treasurer: Chris Lacey
(Finance/OSHC)
Parent Representatives:
Anura Kankanamge
Caroline Scott (Wellbeing &
Community; Out of Hours School
Care)
Martin Sharkey (Facilities &
Sustainability)
Mark Hollis
Teacher Representatives:
Bridget McLaughlin
(Education & Policy Subcommittee)
Stacey Richards
Sarah Watson
School Council Needs You!
Please collect School Council
nominations forms from the
office. We would like parents
who are interested in joining
School Council to nominate or be
nominated. The school council
function establishes the broad
direction and vision of the
school. This includes developing,
reviewing and updating the
policies of the school.
Please shut the gate
Please be mindful of ensuring all
school gates are shut and
latched during school hours
9.00am – 3.30pm. This is very
important for the safety of all
students.
My intention of Monday evening was to keep the focus on
student learning and this is what drives any educational
initiative at our school. We do not have enough hours in the
day for the latest fads. My main goal was to provide an
exemplary case study of a school who is implementing
technology purposefully and authentically in an I.B
environment. Our local schools around us are very different.
The financial arrangement was tabled on the evening so
everything was transparent and families know what they would
be signing up on. I acknowledge that handing out the financial
information at the beginning did give the impression that the
decision had already been made. In hindsight I would have
saved this information until after the introduction and
discussion. I have appreciated the emails from families as
there has been some useful suggestions for how to proceed.
We have read these emails and I will share them at School
Council next week. In the short term, to increase the access
for our children to technology, we have a proposal which will
be presented shortly.
I believe more extensive consultation is needed with the entire
community to move towards a technology rich school where
students have access to technology for ‘anytime, anywhere’
learning. I understand that this ‘anytime, anywhere’ concept
may be difficult for some families to imagine until they see
increased technology and the benefits for developing 21st
Century learning skills. Can I stress that this is different from
having technology available to play games or have screen time
at home where children are spending hours on their device ( I
do not support technology being used in this way). We talk
about being balanced and it is important that we support our
students to have balanced lives.
Finally a two way partnership between home and school is
something I value as part of building a positive and respectful
school community. I would prefer parents come directly to me
to provide any other feedback. I welcome feedback if
expressed respectfully. Consultation is about hearing the
voices from all members of the community. Please email me at
footscray.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au or drop in for a chat before
or after school. I have always stressed an open door policy!
Enjoy your weekend,
Philip Fox
Principal
Year 1 News
On Wednesday October 8th, the Grade One children attended
an excursion to CERES. This excursion was part of the Tuning
In phase for our current unit of Inquiry. Our Central Idea is: To
share finite resources there are rights and responsibilities.
Art Show Help
The art show needs 3 bales of
hay or similar. If anyone has
access to this please contact
Wendy in the art room.
The children participated in three activities which helped them
to learn about how precious water is and how what we do can
impact significantly on the water in our world. It was a great
opportunity to introduce them to the rights and responsibilities
associated with one of our finite resources, water.
Here are some comments from the children:
Art Show volunteers needed
We need volunteers to help set
up, organise and run various
stalls. If you are able to help in
anyway (even just an hour is
great) please sign up on the
volunteer sheet at the office.
Water is very healthy for animals. - Beatrix
Do not make the water dirty. - Maxie
Animals need water or they will not survive. -Zen
We got a water boatman, which is a tiny bug - Kendra
I enjoyed the netting. It was my first time and I got water
bugs. - Nabila
I’ve been fishing but not netting and I was lucky to catch a
tadpole! - Zara
The water in the dam was dirty because people weren’t caring
about it. - Owen M.
Bilingual Programme (Year 1)
Last term our numeracy focus was on giving and following
directions. We enjoyed giving accurate directions through
obstacle courses and mazes. We also recorded our verbal
instructions using visuals and words. Here are some of the
photos of our lessons and samples of our work.
Please download TIQBIZ. This is
a key communication tool
between home and school. Go to
www.tiqbiz.com
Junior & Senior Choir
Come and sing with Julia at
choir! Junior choir runs Fridays at
lunch time in the Edwardian Hall,
followed by senior choir after
lunch in the art room.
Parent helpers welcome.
Contact Julia 0401-209-061.
School Fees
Final invoices are being sent home to families on Monday. It
would be appreciated if all invoices can be settled as soon as
possible. If you have any issues or concerns, please do not
hesitate in contacting Julie Shippam on 9687 1910.
Education Maintenance Allowance 2015
The final payment for the 2014 EMA was made in August 2014.
From 1 January 2015, the government will provide extra
financial support directly to Victoria’s neediest schools instead
of providing the Education Maintenance Allowance directly to
parents. Parents will not be able to apply for the Education
Maintenance Allowance in 2015.
The money will be allocated to eligible schools through schools’
core operational funding mechanism, with the neediest schools
receiving the most funding. Not all schools will be receiving
funding in 2015. This change to how the money is distributed
was required by the funding agreement with the
Commonwealth Government to make sure Victorian schools
receive increased funding that will benefit all students and, in
particular, those from schools with concentrated disadvantage.
The majority of parents who received the EMA payment
already elected to provide the money directly to their school.
The end of the EMA direct payments to parents will not affect
any other payment you may be receiving such as the
Schoolkids Bonus, which is provided directly to eligible parents
to assist with education costs.
If you are experiencing financial hardship, you can also speak
to Philp or Maria about how you can access assistance from the
State Schools Relief Committee for clothing and uniforms. The
reason for the change stems from the 2013 School Funding
Reform Agreement, signed between Victoria and the
Commonwealth.
The Victorian Government committed an additional $5.4 billion
school funding, which included a change to the way it helps
low-income families with education expenses. By redirecting
EMA payments from parents direct to schools, Victoria was
able to secure this increase in education funding which will
benefit all students and, in particular, those from
disadvantaged backgrounds.
Acting Up at
Footscray Community
Art Centre
Acting Up classes start next
Tuesday 21 Oct for ages 5-12
year olds. $120 per term.
Bookings at FCAC website. Get
your children into drama for
confidence, creativity and
learning.
All Aboard Fundraiser
The Parents and Friends Association is holding an 'Enchanted
Garden' cupcake stall at next week's Art Show to raise funds
for our All Aboard program. This program helps make sure all
our students are able to participate in school activities and
events.
In line with the Art Show theme, we will be creating
'Enchanted Garden' cupcakes. To help we are asking bakers to
bake un-iced and undecorated vanilla cupcakes. Yes, just
plain vanilla cupcakes cooked in a standard size cupcake liner
(any colour). Gluten free options are very welcome.
These need to be delivered to the canteen on the morning of
Friday 24 October. They will be decorated during the day and
sold at the Art Show in the evening.
If you are also able to help decorate during the day on Friday,
or help sell the cupcakes that evening please let us know
katecawley@optusnet.com.au or shannonlea77@gmail.com.
The Hill
Never before has watching grass grow been this exciting. And
after many long weeks, our School is very excited to make our
new amphitheatre hill available for our students to use.
We will be learning how to use the amphitheatre for
assemblies and for occasional class activities. Will the
amphitheatre generate more student-led impromptu lunchtime
performances on the stage? Will the amphitheatre create a
place for sitting with friends? Or will the amphitheatre be a
place for students to roll, jump and run all over?
For the school, these are all valuable activities and we're
alwasy pleased when our school grounds offer more things for
the students to partake in.
We are certainly expecting that our new hill will experience
some hard love. This will include damage to lawn and some
flattening of the shape. For us, this is okay, as we will get to
understand how the hill is being used and what variations we
may need to make to it in time for our 2015 year.
It will also mean that students may come home with more dirt
on their knees. As a school, we certainly see that playing with
the soil and nature is part of healthy play. We will be advising
children not to deliberately damage the hill, but will welcome
any other active and safe play.
So yes, we'll certainly see the amphitheatre hill lose its pristine
appearance, but this is okay. It’s all part of healthy learning
and play.
Student of the Week
Grade
00G
Student
Attitude
Miranda
Risk Taker
Numa
Risk Taker
00Z
Diane
Respect
1A
Vivian
Enthusiasm
1M
Sof
Curiosity
1J
Rayann
Confidence
2C
Ari
Open Minded
2L
Edward
Inquirer
2M
Albee
Thinker
34B
Jack
Curiosity
Poppy
Creative
Thando
Risk Taker
34R
Honson
Communicator
56P
Ashley
Commitment
56S
Ingrid
Independence
Art
Wendy
Skye
Communicator
Simon
FG
Risk Taker
34J
Bilingual
An
For bravely practising their learning in new areas and
with new collaborative partners.
Simon
00T
Bilingual
Hanh
Reason
Ziggy
2M
Lily
56P
Principled
Commitment
For showing willingness to try new things, and
demonstrating enthusiasm and a positive attitude when
doing so.
For having beautiful manners all of the time. Thank you
Diane!
For coming up with lots of interesting facts about
Minecraft to use in his writing this week.
For showing great interest during our work on nonfiction texts and being curious about history, particularly
Ancient Egypt.
For showing confidence in her ability as a learner. She
has worked hard to understand tens and ones, her
reading is improving all the time and she is taking more
and more risks in her writing. Well done Rayann!
For showing a willingness to listen to other people’s
ideas, reflect on feedback and incorporate this into his
work.
For asking questions, exploring new concepts and
sharing his thinking with the class.
For her continued commitment to thinking and engaging
in learning even when it's tough.
For asking insightful questions about dinosaurs and
creating a comic to show his findings.
For planning and writing a compelling fairy tale
adaption.
For being courageous when approaching new learning
challenges.
For patiently and clearly telling his feelings.
Being committed to your learning and involvement in
our school community and always striving to do your
best.
For thinking and acting independently and being able to
solve problems with efficiency and confidence.
For being able to talk about his raven and the
connections he has with this piece of art.
Learning and reading with confidence during reading
session in Vietnamese. Well-done!
Producing many simple sentences in Vietnamese by
himself. Well-done!
For demonstrating her commitment to learning another
language through active listening, comprehension skills
and articulating her understandings. Well done, Lily!
CALENDAR Term 4 2014
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
20
6pm School
Council Meeting
21
Chess semi-final
22
23
24
5pm Art Show
27
28
Foundation
2.30pm
Excursion to NGV Foundation
Transition
29
30
31
3
5
6
7
4
Public Holiday
Melbourne Cup