current newsletter

Merrivale PS Newsletter
Students are
supervised
from 8:45am
until 3:45pm
Term 1
Issue Number 2
Thursday 5th February 2015
158 Merrivale Drive WARRNAMBOOL 3280
Phone: 03 5562 7172
Email: merrivale.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au
Principal: Ms Susan Farrell
Website: ww.merrivale-ps.vic.edu.au
APOLOGIES!
Last week we welcomed all our new students and their families and in the rush,
we missed one family. Our sincere apologies to the Harper family—Layla,
Mitchell & Murphy and their mum and dad who have joined us this year
from Western Australia. You have settled in so well this year, we almost forgot
that you hadn’t been here all along! A warm welcome to you all!
KEY DATES
FOR YOUR
CALENDAR:
TERM 1 DATES
January 28h Friday March 27th
Lily Smith did an amazing thing on the holidays. She
decided to cut 30cm of her hair off for Beautiful-Lengths.
Beautiful-Lengths is an organisation that aims to collect
10,000 plaits which they will use to make real hair wigs for
people undergoing chemo therapy. Lily was looking through
a magazine when she read about a girl who had done it, so
Lilly decided she would do the same. Today we interviewed
Lily and it was very interesting to learn about her experience. Lily was very
brave to cut off her hair, I would be very scared and nervous if I cut my hair
off. She felt very proud of what she did and she hoped that it
motivates you to do the same. You can find the actual interview with Lily on
the Merrivale Facebook page next week. By the Collaborative Crew
Welcome Back Picnic - tomorrow night!
We are having a
Welcome back for 2015 Picnic Tea
At Lake Pertobe
Tomorrow night - Friday 6th February
Time: 5:30-7pm BYO food, drinks, picnic rugs,
sporting equipment etc
This catch-up allows new and existing
families and teachers to mingle. We
hope to see as many people there as
possible!
We will meet
near the big slide.
LUNCH
ORDERS
Will be every
Friday
(no longer Mondays)
as of tomorrow
FRIDAY 6th Feb
Updated price list
inside
ATHLETICS
SPORTS DAY
Wednesday
25th February
@ Brauerander
Park - More info
next week.
Order form for
sports day lunch
is attached &
needs to be
returned with
correct
money by Friday
20th February
SCHOOL HATS - ANOTHER REMINDER!
Broad-brimmed hats are compulsory for all students to wear outside during the day till April.
Students without their hat will have to sit in the Undercover area. Please ensure your child’s hat is
clearly labelled. This week we have had almost 98% of students wearing the correct hat—well
done! Let’s aim for 100% next week. Caps are not deemed acceptable headwear under the
SunSmart Guidelines, so please purchase a new hat if your child is wearing a cap.
TRIBES: Attentive Listening, Appreciations, Personal Best, Mutual Respect, Right to Pass
1
PROGRAM FOR PARENTS
Where:
Wednesday 4, 11, 18 & 25 March
6 – 8:30 pm
Merrivale Primary School
Cost:
Gold coin donation. Light tea provided.
When:
This program is being run by Anita Bounds, our school
Social Worker
* Places are limited, so please book at the school office *
“I feel calmer, more confident, less self-critical. I fell
more in control rather than like things are spiraling out of
control”.
“Where else do you get to think about why you parent
in the way you do?” - previous participants
Bringing Up Great Kids is a parenting program designed by the Australian Childhood Foundation for any
adult involved in parenting a child (biological parents, step-parents, adoptive parents, grandparents and
foster carers). It aims to help you to be more thoughtful and reflective about your children, yourselves
and your parenting.
By participating in this program you will be given the space to :
Use mindfulness to stop, pause and think about what is going on for yourselves and your children, think
about what messages you are giving and receiving, build a positive relationship with your child
Other parents say that this program helped them to “Feel less stressed & reduce conflict in their home”.
2
FACEBOOK CLOSED GROUP FOR 2015
PARENTS/GUARDIANS
Dear Parent/Guardian,
In 2015 we are introducing a Facebook closed group. Being a CLOSED group means that only members
approved by administrators (Linda Redpath & Mandy Jones) can see the content of, and post to, the page.
This will be an added/complementary communication source, all important information will continue to be
announced to parents through the school newsletter and written communication.
To become a member of the group you need to be a registered user of Facebook and request to become a
member of the group. By requesting to become a member you are agreeing to abide by the Code of
Conduct set out below.
Group Name: Merrivale Primary School 2015
CODE OF CONDUCT
This group has been set up for parents/guardians of 2015 students attending Merrivale Primary School.
Members of this group need to abide by the Facebook Code of Conduct outlined below:
USING REAL NAMES
All members interacting with this Facebook group must use a Facebook account that clearly identifies them
by their real name
PARENTS/GUARDIANS ONLY
This is a CLOSED group. It is designed to provide information for parents and guardians of 2015 students.
Other family members will not be added. Only members can see and comment on posts.
RAISING ISSUES
This group is designed to allow for another form of positive communication between the school and home.
Personal/individual issues are best dealt with privately. If you wish to raise an issue with a member of staff,
please make an appointment to speak to your child's teacher. The school Facebook page is not the
appropriate forum to resolve issues. We will not support interactions that incite overtly negative sentiments.
Such post will be removed and the offending member will be removed from the group.
WHEN CAN I USE NAMES IN POSTS?
You can use names in posts when you wish to acknowledge someone's great work or community
contribution. We wish our Facebook group to be used to build spirit and a sense of community.
UPLOADING PHOTOS AND OTHER MEDIA
At enrolment at Merrivale Primary School parents/guardians made the choice to either allow their child's
images to be published on the internet or not. Only students of parents who have given permission will
appear in photos on the group page. If you do not want your child's face to appear on the page
please notify Linda Redpath or Mandy Jones. Therefore it is vital parents do not upload photos of
students (eg, At the athletic sports) to the page.
FRIENDING TEACHERS ON FACEBOOK
Teachers operate under a Code of Conduct that states that they are to maintain a professional relationship
with students and parents. Teachers will only accept friend requests from members of the school community
that they are friends with in their personal lives.
If you have any questions about the School Facebook group, please speak to Linda Redpath or Mandy
Jones.
3
MERRIVALE PRIMARY SCHOOL
LUNCH ORDER LIST
As from tomorrow - Friday 6th February 2015
Meat Pies - $2.90
Pastie Roll - $2.70
Stick me to
Potato Pies - $3.00
the fridge!
Nibble Pies - $1.50
Sausage Rolls - $2.30
Coffee Scrolls - $2.00
Finger Buns - $1.70
Chicken Salad Rolls or Sandwiches - $4.00
Chicken Rolls - $4.00
Salad Roll or Sandwiches—$4.00

PLEASE NOTE

Lunch orders are only available on a FRIDAY.
Lunch orders must be written on a clean paper bag that is big enough to fit a
meat pie in it.

The CORRECT money must be included inside the bag.

Please DO NOT send lunch orders in an envelope!!
MERRIVALE NEWSLETTER 2015
*IMPORTANT INFORMATION - PLEASE RETURN TO SCHOOL ASAP
Good school-to-parent communication is crucial to keep our school running effectively. We give
our parents here a choice to receive the weekly newsletter via email or paper copy. We are encouraging families to choose the emailed version, as we often find paper copies floating around
the school yard which means parents aren't always getting important information about events
and particular dates. Paper newsletters are time consuming and costly, and of course use a lot of
paper - not environmentally friendly! The convenience of going online is that you can access it in
your own time wherever you are! We understand that not all families have access to the internet,
which is why we would like each family to fill out the form below stating your preference.
Please return to school by NEXT MONDAY 9th FEBRUARY. Thank you.
______________________________________________
YES! I wish to receive the weekly newsletter via email:
Parents name:________________________________________
Email address:________________________________________
Eldest child’s name and room : ___________________________
No, thank you! I would like to receive a paper copy of the weekly newsletter:
Parents name:________________________________________
Eldest child’s name and room :___________________________
4
We want YOU! Families BIG or small!
All you need is a spare bed and a heart big enough to share it with an international
exchange student.
STS Student Exchange has students from all over the world who come to Australia to
experience our amazing country twice a year – July and January. We are looking for
volunteer host families to share their home with an exchange student. Students have
their own spending money and medical insurance. All you need to do is welcome
them in and treat them like your own son or daughter. If you are interested in hosting an exchange student or would like any information contact Amelia –
STS Local Coordinator for South West Victoria Phone: 0438 899 807
http://www.sts-education.com/australia/hs/host-family/
Children’s Vision &
Learning Problems
Good vision is a basic requirement for effective
learning. Many of the signs that vision is affecting
learning are subtle and can be hard to pick up. A
full eye examination by an optometrist experienced
with children’s vision is essential. Recent studies
have shown that over 20% of school children can
have vision that affects their learning. The child
may not know this. For them the world has always
been like this. Here are some things to look for:
Problems with written work, squinting, avoiding
complicated reading, skipping lines, poor posture,
and clever but low marks. There are many other
signs and if you are not sure, your optometrist can
check your child’s vision. In a coastal town, we
would like to emphasize the importance of UV
protection children’s eyes. For more information or
to book an eye test call -
McMahon & Owen Optometrists on
5562 2244.
Want to get your kids into tennis?
With award winning coaches of Tennis Australia's
ANZ Tennis Hot Shots, children from 5 years
can learn the game with modified courts, balls and racquets.
An extensive program will also be available for older beginners and accomplished players.
Interested?
Call 5562 6539
or drop into
Warrnambool Indoor Tennis Centre
60 Mortlake Road
Warrnambool
DO YOU NEED CHILD CARE? FAMILY DAY CARE
CURRENTLY HAVE PLACES AVAILABLE
We can offer your child:
The attention of one consistent, trusted Educator
A secure and safe home environment from birth to 12 years
Play based learning experiences tailored to your child’s
developmental stage and interests
We can offer you:
An experienced and highly trained childcare professional
An approved and monitored service
CCB subsidy and Rebate
If you require care please contact the FDC office on :
5559 4800
PLEASE REMEMBER: NO HAT - NO PLAY
5
Parent’s Club Menu & Price List for the Sports Day
Wednesday 25th February 2015.
Pre Ordered Lunches are available.
Family orders are welcome for parents/grandparents/
siblings and are able to be collected from your child's
classroom LunchTub.
Limited food available on the day. Pre Order so you don't miss out!
MENU
• Cold Chicken Wraps (with mayonnaise, tasty cheese & lettuce) $4
• Ham Salad Roll (with Tomato, mixed lettuce, tasty cheese, carrot & mayonnaise) $4
• Roast Vegetable Frittata and Mixed Salad $5
• Assorted Mixed Sandwiches $4
Tea & Coffee with a selection of Slices will also be available on the day for a
Gold Coin Donation.
Please complete form attached below and return to your school with correct
monies no later than Friday 20TH FEBRUARY 2015.
No Variations to orders available
________________________________________________
Childs Name………………………………….ROOM NO……………………………
MENU
QUANTITY
TOTAL
Chicken Wrap $4 ea
Ham Salad Roll $4 ea
Roast Vegetable Fritata $5 ea
Assorted Mixed Sandwiches $4 ea
TOTAL ENCLOSED: $___________
6