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Thursday 29th May
- 3/4 Excursion to Market Building - This is a local excursion
Friday 30th May
- Reconciliation Walk - Grade 5 students only
Sunday 1st June
- Games in the Maine - 11.30 - 5.30 at Winters Flat PS in the French room.
- Family disco - 3 - 4 pm at Winters Flat Hall
Monday 9th June
- Kings Birthday public holiday - school closed
Tuesday 10th June
- Curriculum Day - No students required at school
Sunday 15th June
- Working Bee - 10.00 am - 1.00 pm
Thursday 19th June
- Neurodiversity Pride Day - Dress for Dopamine
Friday 20th June
- Book Club - Issue 4 due back to school or ordered online
Monday 23rd June
- Division Soccer
- P/1J & 1/2A Assembly
Wednesday 2nd July
- Reports published on Xuno
Friday 4th July
- End Of Term 2 - 2:30pm finish
SORRY DAY AND RECONCILIATION WEEK
The Castlemaine Sorry Day event was held at Victory Park on Monday. Hazel, Kaelyn and Nova spoke on behalf of Winters Flat and the students from Year 5 and Year 6 were in attendance. We were impressed by their involvement and respect. Yesterday students from Year 3 to Year 6 saw Shane Howard perform Solid Rock at the market building. Today is Wear it Yellow Day with all students participating in a Bridging Now to Then collaborative art project with Wendy Oates. They are also playing Koorie games, organized by students in the SLC. Tomorrow students in Year 3 and Year 4 are attending the Boorp Boorp Boondyil exhibition. On Friday Year 5 students will be participating in the Reconciliation Week Walk at Chewton. Permission forms are available on Xuno.
ALLERGIES
At Winters Flat we have a number of students who have mild to severe allergies.
I have attached a copy of the school’s Anaphylaxis Policy, a mandatory policy for all Victorian schools.
The Royal Children’s Hospital guidelines should be read in conjunction with our policy as well as information from Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA) which does not promote food bans in schools. Instead, A&AA promotes an Allergy Aware approach as recommended in the Best Practice Guidelines for preventing and managing anaphylaxis in schools. Allergy Aware – not food bans - Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia.
DUSKO DISCO 3:00PM – 4:00PM THIS SUNDAY AT WINTERS FLAT HALL
A family disco is being held at the school hall from 3:00pm -4:00pm this Sunday 1st June. All ages and abilities are welcome. “Follow along the fun moves or dance to your own beat”
GAMES IN THE MAINE 11:30AM – 5:30PM THIS SUNDAY IN THE SLC
Winters Flat is also hosting Games in the Maine. For families, Adults Geeks and everyone in between. https://lnk.bio/gamesinthemaine
SCHOOL UNIFORM AT WINTERS FLAT
We are long overdue to update a policy regarding school uniforms for our students. The attached Dress Code is under development, based on the latest template available from the Department of Education. At our last school council meeting, members were invited to add any amendments. I extend that invitation to all families before we finalize the Dress Code which will be in place from June 2025 until June 2029. Please see attached.
VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers are welcome in every classroom as well as the Kitchen/Garden and specialist areas.
If you have the time and inclination, please let us know. Volunteers at school must have a Working with Children Check.
BIRTHDAYS
Happy Birthday to you…
Archie A
Kaelyn
Dashielle
Bea
Brodie & Mel, Katie & Jennifer
Hip Hip Hooray
Hip Hip Hooray
Hooray Hip Hip
COVID SCHOOL PROCEDURES
We are hearing anecdotally that COVID is active again in Castlemaine at the moment.
Schools will make sure your child is as safe as possible and will focus on:
- washing hands
- physical distancing
- rapid antigen testing
- Outdoors when practical
- Air purifiers indoors
- mask wearing – recommended but not mandatory
Free rapid antigen tests
Free rapid antigen tests are still available from the office.
Testing is strongly recommended for students and staff who are symptomatic.
After doing the tests at home, if it is positive, you are advised to:
- let the school know
- keep your child at home for 7 days
- contact the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form or call centre on 1800 675 398.
Suzanne Kinnersly
Principal.
Absences
If your child/ren are to be absent from school for a substantial amount of time such as family holidays could parents please inform the office either by phone or an email. Please continue to report absences if your child is ill or going to be away via the absence line or through Xuno.
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Fruit at school
Winters Flat is lucky to be part of the school breakfast program from Food Bank. This enables us to get fruit to be able to give to students at big play from 1.40 pm. Students can get fruit from the trolley which is located outside the office. We still have a supply of cheese sandwiches that are always available if needed.
Camps & Excursions Fund
If you are the holder of a health care card you may be eligible to apply for the Camps, Excursion and Sports fund. Please see Karen in the office if you have any questions. The closing date is the end of Term 2. No applications will be accepted after that date.
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Karen Mahoney & Kitty Ward
Office
This week in the Kitchen and Garden..........
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What we're cooking in the kitchen this fortnight...
- Temaki Sushi
- Seeded Brown Rice Salad
- Japanese Cucumber Salad
- Okonomiyaki - Japanese
- Pancakes
- Brown Butter Miso Choc Chip
- Cookies
Grade P/1 and 1/2 Menu
- Potato and Feta Mini Frittatas
- Tzatziki with Pita Bread Chips
- Margarita Pizza
- Rainbow Fruit Skewers
- Anzac Cookies
Yum!!!
Chefs of the week:
2/3H - Ville, Rueben, Sid and Zoe
3/4C - Ruby, Maeve and Beau
Gardeners of the week
28/04 - 5/6B Fran and Odetta
19/05 - P/1J Whole Class
21/05 - 2/3H Ville, Archie, Heart
26/05 - 1/2A Whole Class
28/05 - 3/4C Ned and Jamie
Cath & Terry
Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden
Meet the crazy Cromer cardboard chickens of P/1 and 1/2!
We began with chooks in art history and sketching our school chickens from life, before looking at the ubiquitous and fabulous collage work of @petecromer. We identified the shapes we recognise in his artworks and discussed how we might layer them.
We painted our own papers, then embarked on a cardboard chicken collage. They are colourful, they are hectic, they are beautiful! Some even have moveable legs… ? ?
Come and see the whole flock in the JLC “Big Space”.
Neurodiversity Pride Day
By highlighting the unique strengths and perspectives that neurodivergent individuals bring to society, Neurodiversity Pride Day at Winters Flat Primary School serves as a platform to challenge stereotypes and promote a more inclusive world. It's a day of celebration, education, and connection for everyone involved. We will offer activities designed to foster understanding and appreciation for neurodivergent individuals and also provide a chance for students to share. By spotlighting the diverse ways in which people learn and interact, Winters Flat Primary School not only wants to enhance empathy and respect but also encourage a learning atmosphere where every student can thrive. This celebration of neurodiversity underscores the school’s commitment to creating an equitable educational experience that values the contributions of all.
On Thursday the 19th of June, students can come dressed as they like! We encourage fun and comfort to symbolise that we can have a good time as a school culture, while each feeling comfortable being who we are. Please offer a gold coin donation which will go towards the Loose Parts Play lunch time club that supports many neurodivergent students. We want to buy a Makedo School set valued at $250 (https://www.make.do/collections/all-products/products/makedo-invent).
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Neurodiversity events in the community
REMINDERS:
Tuesday:
- Grade 1 - Bush School - 9am-10am
- Loose Parts Play - Lunch Playtime
Wednesday:
- Grade 1 and 2 - Bush School - 9am-10am
- Shared Interest Club - Lunch Playtime
Thursday:
- Prep - Bush School - 9am-10am
- Winters Flat Rainbow Network - Lunch Play Time
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Kind regards,
Hannah O'Keefe
Please note that Games in the Maine has had a change in venue and is now located at Winters Flat Primary School.
Free Family Disco
To celebrate the school, and help welcome prospective parents, WFPS will be holding a family disco on 1 June. Not just any disco, but a Duskodisco Family session. Some of you would have caught a Duskodisco session during its pilot stage in Campbells Creek. Or at one of the special family sessions programmed by Sally Beatie of MASC.
Created/imagined/envisioned by Heidi Barret (a WFPS parent, dance educator and facilitator who co-created the now global movement that is No Lights No Lycra), these hour long sessions are a dance experience during which all ages and all bodies can follow the moves, or create their own to a playlist designed to help us all feel, move, dance and shine. It’s no coincidence that this is a scientifically proven way to support healthy minds and healthy bodies - things at the core of the Care Crows commitment to Care of Self, Community and Environment.
So, look out - this family Duskodisco party - co-facilitated by WFPS parents Heidi and Vanessa Pidwell - will be happening monthly after this inagural free event.
