2023 Staff- Goodbyes
Firstly, we would like to acknowledge classroom teachers who are not returning to EPS in 2024. Thank you to both Gina Sandwith and Liam Tonzing for everything they have provided to our school over the past year. Both teachers came into EPS with a great sense of optimism and friendliness which has been appreciated by the students, families and staff. We wish both Liam and Gina the best of luck in their future endeavours for 2024. Shara is also heading off to Adelaide with her family and we would like to thank her for efforts this over her time her at EPS and wish her family all the best in their new hometown.
2024 Classroom Teachers - Welcome
Next year we have a few new staff coming to EPS and we would like to congratulate on them on their successful appointments and welcome them in our lovely community. All new staff will be on site on the Statewide Orientation Day on December 12th from 9-12 and our Prep-Two teacher, Shaylee Wilton, will be here for all Prep Orientation days. Below is a picture and a bit of an introduction to our staff for 2024.
Shaylee Wilton- Prep-Two Classroom
My name is Shaylee Wilton, and I am so excited to be joining your school in 2024!
I have heard such wonderful things about your school community, and I can’t wait to get to know all of you. In the meantime, here is a little bit about me:
Chris McDermott- 3/4 Classroom
I’m Chris McDermott and I have worked at EPS for 3 years as an ES but also recently as a teacher in the 2/3/4 class. I studied Physical & Outdoor Education here in Bendigo at La Trobe University and graduated in 2015. In 2016 I moved to England and taught in a broad range of schools. From 2017-2021 I was a teacher in a special needs school in West London before I moved back to Bendigo. I love working at Eppalock Primary School and am looking forward to being a classroom teacher in 2024.
Nina Mazzarella- 5/6 Classroom
My name is Nina Mazzarella and I am so thrilled to be joining the Eppalock Primary School community in 2024! I have been a teacher in Bendigo for twenty years, spending the past eighteen years in the one school, teaching predominantly in the Senior and Foundation Departments. I am very excited to begin my next chapter working, sharing and learning in such a beautiful setting and amongst such a connected school community.
When I’m not at school, I love spending time with my daughter Mia (who lives and studies in Melbourne), my furbabes Hank and Moe and my extended family and friends. My favourite days are filled with sunshine, music, plants and books.
I am looking forward to meeting all the students and getting to know the families and extended Eppalock community in the coming weeks to ready for a great start to 2024 together.
Returning to EPS in their current positions are Lydia (3 days a week), Anne Hartney (tutoring 1 day a week) Kristy and Ben (ES) and Nikki (office). Also returning to EPS in specialist roles are Lyndsey Dwyer (Chinese) and Sue Gentry (MARC Van). Lindsay (Art Therapy) and Kiara (Music) are finalising their work schedules and we will be able to provide more information about their availability in the near future.
School Captains- Phoenix FM
Our School Captains, Daisy and Annika, were interviewed Friday afternoon on Phoenix FM from 1-2PM. Both captains did a marvellous job representing themselves and our EPS community. It was great to hear their maturity and leadership shine through, a big congratulations to both captains.
Community Night
Our Community Night is happening here at EPS on Friday, December 8th from 6PM.
Year 6 Graduation
Our Year 6 Graduation is taking place at the Foundry on Wednesday, December 13th. Beautiful invitations have been sent out about the festivities. Please RSVP by the 23rd of November.
Bus Role
Please contact the school if you need to update the method in which your child/ren travel home from school. If there are changes on the day, please make sure that you call the school to ensure that we have received the message.
Gymnastics
Please ensure that you have given permission for your child/ren to attend our free gymnastics sessions from December 4th-7th.
2024 Enrolment Changes
2024 is just around the corner and we are asking families to provide any changes in student enrolment information to the school as soon as possible.
Covid Update
We have had a few school members test positive to Covid recently. We would like to remind families to please keep children home if they are presenting with cold and flu-like symptoms. If students test positive, it is recommended that they stay home for 5 days.
2024 Curriculum Contributions
While the curriculum contributions are voluntary, they play a vital role in our schools’ ability to resource all aspects of our curriculum. Without this funding, we would not be able to source computers, library books, online learning platforms and STEM equipment for our students so a big thank you to all families who have already paid this for 2024.
2024 Booklists
Booklists for next year have been sent home in paper format as well as a post in uEducateUs. These are due on Dec 8th.
After School Care
Our new after school care providers, OSHC Adventures, have opened their doors for after school care. We encourage all families to enrol their children into the program as this process can take a bit of time. Enrolments can be completed online at:
https://oshcadventures.com.au/
Mango Update
We are predicting the mangoes to arrive some time next week. We don't know exact times or date yet, however as soon as we know we will put a call out for volunteers to help with our Mango Drive through pick-up service.
This will run from approximately 2.30 - 6pm on the day they arrive.
Please let Alicia know if you are able to help out.
Behaviour Survey Results
Thanks to all families, students and staff for providing feedback on major and minor behaviours as part of our School Wide Positive Behaviour System (SWPBS). Your thoughts have been a very valuable contribution for our behaviour management system and your feedback will shape EPS practice regarding how we manage negative behaviours.
It is important to note that this system exists alongside our revamped PA card system for recognising the overwhelming majority of behaviour that is positive at our school. We fully expect as staff that we will be awarding many more PA cards however it is important that we have transparent processes in place regarding minor and major incidents.
The results of the surveys are in the table below and will guide us in classifying the variety of negative behaviours in our school into ‘minor’ and ‘major’ behaviours. It is important to note that 3 minor behaviours in a week will then be escalated and viewed as a major behaviour.
The way the school responds to these behaviours will be presented to the school community in a Behaviour Response Flowchart – which is currently being worked on and shared later this term – but it focuses on redirecting and reteaching for minor behaviours and for major behaviour consequences determined by leadership.
If you have any questions please contact Lydia or Andrew for clarification.
Minor Behaviour | Major Behaviour |
Disrespectful talking (messages or verbal) | Absconding |
Interrupting class/activity | Aggression |
Missing the beginning of class | Abusive language/sexist/racist/name calling/rude/degrading/ableist |
Inappropriate language (intent) | Theft of school or someone else’s property |
Non compliant- failing to respond | Deliberately destroying or misusing equipment |
Tardiness to class | Intentional lying |
Neglecting property or equipment | Intentionally avoiding class |
Cheating during sports or activities | Cheating in tests/school work |
Out of bounds | Inappropriate physical contact |
Task avoidance | Harassment (threat, intimidations, obscene gestures) |
Bus- not listening the driver, getting out of seat, inappropriate language or conversations |
Christmas Giving at Eppalock Primary
Three students are coordinating a Christmas Giving project at Eppalock Primary. Ned Symes, Will Smith and Brax McLeod.
The ‘Christmas Giving Initiative’ involves collecting donations at school for two charities over a 3-week period, in two large cardboard boxes. The three students will oversee the process, promote it and then deliver the donated items to the organisations in early December, in time for these Organisations to use the donations for Christmas.
The two Charities and the items that they are seeking are described below. If you can help, it would be much appreciated.
Giving / Donating however is NOT essential/required. It’s optional! If you are not able to give, please do not feel obliged. We recognise that this time of year, especially in the current financial climate, is tough for many families and sometimes it’s not always possible for us to do everything 😊
The Student ‘Giving Project’;
Christmas time and the weeks leading up to it, is often a very tough time for many families. Bendigo is no different and there are many great organisations that work tirelessly to support families, children and schools. Two organisations have been chosen, both for the terrific support-work that they do AND because there are so many low-cost, basic items that we could potentially source to help them that our school families can contribute to. It’s achievable for us to ‘help’…
TWO big, labelled, donation boxes will be placed along the benches at the front of the school (near the front reception desk) for people to drop things off. If you are able to donate, it would be gratefully appreciated! We will be collecting items from Monday 20 November through to Friday 8th December. The students felt that by keeping the donating period ‘earlier’ and away from the Christmas rush, there would hopefully be less burden on school families. The Student Project team will then deliver the donated items to the two organisations.
We will advertise the Christmas Giving Project in the school newsletter and on social media to the broader school community. If you are able to share the project as well, donations from the broader community are very welcome! Thank you families.
Who are the two organisations? And what can we donate?
Giving opportunity #1 Foodshare
Did you know that around 25,000 people in central Victoria were living below the poverty line based on 2016 census data? This number has continued to increase every year since as we experienced the pandemic, floods and more recently financial stresses with interest rate rises on the back of everything else.
In the last two and a half years alone, since COVID started, Bendigo Foodshare has had a 40-60% percent increase in demand for food relief each year. That’s almost an extra 5,000 people being fed by Foodshare each year!
Foodshare has also increased food rescue from supermarkets to 7 days a week; Increased local food supply/donations to 72% of our total food collection; Ran out of warehouse space – using 3 backup short term donated warehouse spaces for food storage and a carpark for food sorting; and more than doubled our workforce. Now around 257 volunteers help to get around 750tonnes of food moved through their warehouse each year – this volume of food is worth ~$5.6million dollars. Literally incredible amounts of food and support.
They support nearly 13,000 vulnerable people each week across Central Victoria through food relief programs in schools, kindergartens and childcare centres, large charities like the Salvation Army and St Vincent DePaul, and small community and church groups.
Foodshare Bendigo is an AMAZING organisation – This year, they’ve been going for 10 years.
In the Bendigo region, they distribute this food FREE through 22 Emergency relief organisations such as Salvation Army. They work with 34 community organisations that cook and serve meals at no cost to those who are unable to cook for themselves or don't have enough food. And they work with 58 Schools that each provide breakfasts to up to 40 students (some of these schools also provide cooked lunches or cooking classes). WOW!
Most often the surplus food that is rescued from supermarkets and shops tends to be perishable food rather than the longer lasting “staple items’ needed for families. So Foodshare can get fruit/vegetables and other perishables from supermarkets and restaurants/cafes. BUT – what they need from us are the things that they don’t get from supermarkets: more long-life foods: Pasta, rice, grains, oats & porridge, canned foods ie tomatoes, beans & vegetables, jars of meal bases, boxes of cereals, jams and spreads, flour and sugar, oils, sauces & seasonings and tinned meats. This is what we would be looking for in Box #1 for FoodSHARE. A can from your cupboard. A few cans? A packet of rice? A few packets? Or you can donate a few items, thank you! And ALSO – Foodshare ‘package’ up boxes of food for families, so they ALSO gratefully accept Christmas food items/treats as well to include in these boxes! Eg. Christmas biscuits/chocolates/Christmas puddings/Christmas Crackers.
The number of people seeking food support rises over the Christmas period, so if families can help out by donating food for those who will need it this Christmas, Foodshare would really appreciate it.
Opportunity #2 Annie North Inc
Annie North Women’s Refuge is a local Bendigo refuge for women and children fleeing domestic violence and horrible home situations where they can no longer stay. Often these women and children have to flee their own homes in the dead of night with nothing but the clothes that they are wearing – a frightening and very sad time for them. Christmas time is a tough time of year when you don’t have much, you’re frightened, you’ve left your home and you’re trying to rebuild your life.
This year Annie North is in need of;