EPS Newsletter Term 4 Week 11
FROM THE PRINCIPAL Term 4 Week 11
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School Vision:
Our school’s vision is to prepare young people to become active, engaged and responsible citizens of the local and global community.
- We will provide a safe, calm and welcoming learning environment where every child is treated as an individual.
- We will develop children who have a strong relationship to school and their community. The children will have a sense of self & understand how they learn.
- We will build and support an open, healthy and welcoming community that is visible in its practical support for the learning and wellbeing of each child. Children will be encouraged to embrace and celebrate difference and they will experience positive interactions with adults.
- We aim to foster a love of and for our natural environment and nurture a strong sense of stewardship within our students. Eppalock PS prioritises environmental sustainability.
It was great to see so many people at our school community night on Friday. The weather was kind and enabled us to get outside to enjoy a catch up. Not sure what time it may have finished up, but there were a few people getting settled in around the fire pit when I left so it may have been a late one!
Huge thanks to Mrs C (Kiara Cameron) for preparing the classes with a mix of singing and instrumental music. This is one area of education I am continually amazed by with the amount of patience you need to have to organise a class of students all singing or playing an instrument at the same time and make it sound like a song. Well done Kiara and thanks for your work, Eppalock PS is lucky to have you as part of the school. Thanks also to staff who have supported the rehearsals along the way.
Well done to our students who did a great job with their performances. It takes confidence to get up front of a huge audience to play an instrument or sing. It was pleasing to see smiles on faces, waves to the crowd and the kids just enjoying themselves.
Thanks to our parent community group for their tireless work organising the night, for the many contributions of food items and for all the cooking and cleaning up that occurred. I know it takes a team of people working together to make nights like these a success, so thank you to everyone who contributed in some way. I am always reluctant to name individuals as you end up missing one person, however I would like to acknowledge Kelly Nunns who was up and around the school from early in the afternoon getting things ready for the night and spent time away from the actual performances getting things ready for the rest of us. Thanks Kelly and the rest of our parent helpers, you are all amazing.
On a personal note I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to my amazing gift which I received on the night, but only had a good look at over the weekend. I was overwhelmed with the thought and generosity involved when I saw what was there. It was not expected and it is very much appreciated.
Congratulations to our award winners for the night. Staff could have chosen a number of students for each award, however there can only be one. We often say to the students that you don’t need a badge to be a leader, we also remind them that not everyone can get an award for things that we do, sometimes the award/reward is knowing that we have done well, been a good person or made someone else’s day better or easier.
Term 4 Kiwanis Club Terrific kids award – Elvina.
Living Green Award – Charlotte
Grade ¾ Encouragement award – Liam
Grade 5/6 Excellence award – Eddie.
On the night our Grade 6 group were presented with a book from Parents Club. These books are carefully and individually selected for each student as a parting gift from Eppalock PS. This was their last official community night as an Eppalock PS student. We wish them all the best for their futures. They do however have another week of school and their graduation night remaining. Their final assembly will take place next Friday afternoon from 235-315pm (please note the change in assembly time that day). We will finish that assembly with their traditional final ring of the old school bell. So thank you to Harry, Miller, Eddie, Connor, Will, Chloe, Mieka and Katie for your time at Eppalock PS. We hope that all Grade 6 families can make it up to school for either the assembly or to watch the guard of honour (approx. 3:15pm)
I would also just like to acknowledge Mieka and Katie as our 2022 School Captains. They have done a great job this year and grown in confidence in the role. It was great to watch them host community night and speak about their highlights of the year. I also gave them a final challenge to include a few random statements into their hosting, which they did very easily and without getting flustered at all. They also did a very sneaky ‘off script’ return serve to myself which demonstrated how much at ease there are now with speaking in front of large crowds. I look forward to watching these two achieve great things in the future. I think they epitomize our school vision of ‘preparing young people to become active, engaged and responsible citizens of the local and global community’.
Our 2023 process for leaders will begin on Monday at school and they will have big shoes to fill. One last role for Mieka and Katie will be to complete a School Captain Role statement to ensure our future leaders have a document to guide what it means to be a leader at Eppalock PS.
Acting Principal & staffing positions
While on School leadership, I can let you know that an Acting Principal will hopefully be in place before the end of the school year, and if all goes to plan, a name and face may be able to be shared with our school community before you go on holidays. Once we are in a position to pass on some information we will. This process is led by the Department of Education.
The substantive Principal position will be advertised as we move into the new school year with the goal of having someone in place for the beginning of Term 2. Please keep in mind that things can change along the way. I will continue to support any new people coming into the school in the short term, to ensure the smoothest transitions possible. Thanks again for the wonderful support and encouragement shown to all staff, it has been amazing to hear the positivity and resilience shown by our families. It is through this team approach that a school remains strong and on the right track.
Staffing positions have been advertised and will close this week. The aim is to complete shortlisting and interviews this week so that families go into the holiday break knowing who teachers will be.
Staff thanks
Apologies for another thanks and acknowledgement, however it is important. On Friday night Hamish McCartney and Milly Burgess were acknowledged as staff leaving Eppalock PS next year. They are both amazing young educators, and both have made amazing contributions to our school over the past few years through some extremely challenging times. Milly’s first 3 years as a teacher have been affected by Covid! We thank them both for their time at the school and they have both been a great support for myself as Principal, and certainly made my job easier. Good luck to you both at your new schools.
I would also like to acknowledge our remaining outstanding staff and thank them for the great work they have continued to do through such challenging times. Kellie, Lydia, Nikki, Anne, Kiara, Kristy, Sherie, Chris, Shara, Michelle, Sue, Trish, Steve, Tony and our regular CRTS and DET support staff all make great contributions to our school. They are a great team of people who are very professional, passionate and dedicated to getting the best outcomes for Eppalock PS students. I am leaving the school in 2023, but leave knowing that the staff mentioned here will work hard to further build a positive and successful learning environment. They have also made my job as Principal easier because of the work they do each day.
2023 Classes & transition sessions
Our second transition session went very well. Our new Foundation group seem very confident and independent and have settled into the school with ease. Well done to all families for preparing the students so well.
This Tuesday will be the last of those sessions, finishing with the Statewide transition day. New Foundation students will be at school from 9:00am-11:30am. Please bring along hats, drink bottles and snacks for first break. All other students will move into different class groups for the morning, with our current Grade 6 group making their own way to, and attending their chosen secondary school for the day.
Unfortunately we will not be able to have our 2023 classroom staff in place for that day. We will have Sue and Lydia taking some classes as familiar faces for next year. Our teaching position process should be finalised by the end of next week when we will be able to send out some information to families. We aim to have the class groups sorted for Tuesday with a group starting with Miss S, and two groups being shared by Sue and Lydia for the morning. Thank you for your patience and understanding with these changes.
Our school continues to grow and we will most likely begin 2023 with 64 students. We have had another two students enrol into the 3-6 area this week which further supports our decision to change up our class structure for the future.
Covid Updates & illness
We are almost there! We have had quite a few students, and staff, away over the course of the term due to various illness, and even just being worn out after such a long year. Thank you to everyone for being so supportive through such challenging times. Please continue to communicate any absences in the final days and staff will understand if a ‘rest day’ is required over the last week of school. We are hoping the school holidays are a chance for everyone to rest up and reset for 2023.
Assemblies
We will have an assembly this Friday in the afternoon, Friday 16th December starting at approx. 2:35pm. Please note the change in time.
This assembly will then lead into our Grade 6 group completing the now traditional guard of honour walk to ring the bell for one last time. They will do this again on the last day of school, if they attend, Tuesday 20th, however there may be a number of students away on that day, so Friday 16th will be a whole school celebration of their time at Eppalock PS. We would encourage families of Grade 6 students to attend this afternoon assembly if they are able, or be waiting out near the old bell if they would like to get any photos.
Well done to Colleen for winning the 'Golden Marracca' on Friday night. This is a first time award for attending the most Friday assemblies and putting up with Mr O's jokes each week. I heard she is very proud of her award.
School Wide Positive Behaviours
This Wednesday at school will be our school disco as part of our School Wide Positive Behaviours reward. This will run from about 2:00pm. On this day students can wear casual clothes or bring along some ‘disco clothes’ to wear. Please just ensure clothes and shoes are appropriate for a school setting. We will provide some fruit platters to be shared in the afternoon, however students should bring their own normal lunch and break time foods for the day.
We will have 3 rooms in operation and students can move in and out of those rooms as they need. A ‘Just dance’ room, a free dance room and a quite music room with quiet activities taking place. This should cater for a range of different music tastes.
MARC Van last visit for 2022
A reminder that the last visit for MARC van will be this Tuesday the 13th. This is also Statewide transition day so current Grade 6 students will not be at school. Please return any last MARC van books tomorrow if you can to avoid any late or replacement fees.
Reports and last day
Our end of year reports will be sent home on Friday 16th as a hard copy with students. I have been made aware of a number of students not being at school for the Monday and Tuesday of the following week so we will be trying to finalise a few things for that Friday. Thanks to those who have let us know they won’t be at school already.
So Friday 16th will also be a casual clothes day. Grade 6 students may like to bring along their Grade 6 shirts to put on for end of day photos etc.
Our last formal assembly for the year will take place from approx. 235-315 as mentioned earlier. Our traditional guard of honour for Grade 6 will conclude the assembly (this will also take place on the Tuesday with any students at school)
Any students not attending school on Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th please bring along an extra carry bag to take home all class materials and equipment on the Friday.
The last day of school, Tuesday 20th will finish at 1:30pm. This will also be a casual clothes day for those at school.
2023 Curriculum Days
School Council have approved two curriculum days for 2023. These days are aimed at ensuring a smooth transition for new leadership and staff. They will enable new staff to work, plan and organise together.
In 2023 staff return on Friday the 27th January with students due to return in other schools on Monday 30th January. Monday 30th January will be a pupil free day at Eppalock PS with students now due to return on Tuesday the 31st January.
In Term 2 students will return in other schools on Monday the 24th April. This will be a pupil free day at Eppalock PS. With Tuesday 25th April being a public holiday, students will return at Eppalock PS on Wednesday the 26th April.
Please note we will have a new school photographer group in 2023. Our school photos will take place on Wednesday 26th April, first student day back for Term 2.
IMPORTANT DATES Term 4 Week 11
Tuesday 13th - State Wide Transition Day 9-11.30am
MARC Van (Last day to return books)
Wednesday 14th - Disco @ 2pm (Casual clothes day)
Thursday 15th - Grade 6 Graduation Night
Friday 16th - Assembly @2.40pm (Farewell to Grade 6's & Ringing of the bell)
- Casual clothes day
Tuesday 20th - Last Day TERM 4 - 1.30pm Finish
- Casual clothes day
JANUARY
Monday 30th - Pupil free day
Tuesday 31st -First day of Term 1 2023
APRIL
Monday 24th - Pupil free day
Tuesday 25th - Anzac day public holiday
Wednesday 26th - First day Term 2
- School photos
AWARDS - Term 4 Week 11
| Watjarang 752 Yuliwil 714 Bunjil 818 | 1st - P/1 2nd - 4/5/6 3rd - 2/3 | P/1 Heath.R 2/3 Lachlan.A 4/5/6 Axl.N |
Parent Community News - Term 4 - Week 11
This is due to most staff including (Sue, Lydia & Anne) being here on this day.
This will be our last full week together, so wishing everyone a safe & fun filled summer break. We look forward to seeing you again in 2023!
Eppalock Staff Thank You Lunch - this Tuesday 13th December
*****Please note a change in date*****
Every year we like to say thank you to the wondeful Staff & Teachers at EPS, by putting on a special Christmas lunch.
This year we are looking at finger food or something they can take out on yard duty.
We have put a post up on the parent's face book page to ask if you would like to provide a plate of something towards this event.
It's our own special way of letting all the staff know we appriciate them
Term 4 Fundraiser
Mango fundraiser
Thank you to all the volunteers on Mango pick up day, it was a fast paced week with lots on for everyone, so we really do appriciate the time you gave us.
2023 Sneak Peak
- Term 1 Fundraiser - Family Portraits coming!
March 18th & 19th 2023
We are excited to share we will be partnering with Chris Epworth Photography, giving us the chance to snap up a bargin, as well as a wonderful fundraising oportunity for the school.
We are hoping to lock in photo shoots for a March weekend
$60 includes a family photo shoot and 5 digital photo's.
You also get the choice to buy extra photos or purchase the whole collection for just $150.... Wow!
Easter Hot cross buns! more details to come.....
- Term 1 possible social events
Family - we are planning the biggest Crazy Bingo Yet! (Feb 3rd)
We would love to see everyone on this night, to help us welcome all the new families & start the year with a big community feel.
Adults - potentially looking at a day on the grass at St Anne's winery. supporting local hospitallity & getting to know other parents within the school.
Low pressure, good vibes, sunshine, music & good company. Sounds like a great day to me.
Dates to be confirmed
Parent Community Meeting -
all done for the year
Parent Community Reminders & Dates to Remember
Teacher's Special Lunch - Tuesday 13th December
MARC Van - End of year borrowing
The last MARC VAN for the year will be on Wednesday 13th December. Please make sure to bring your books back on or before this date as Sue will be handing out a little gift for anyone that has no outstanding books.
Out of School Hours Care (OSHC)
Our patch – Our Patch