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Monday 26th August
- Curriculum Day - no students at school
Thursday 29th August
- Fathers and Parents Day stall (before and after school)
Friday 30th August
- Wear it Purple Day - students are invited to wear purple to school and bring a gold coin donation
- Fathers and Parents Day stall (before and after school)
Friday 6th September
- Goldfields Division Tennis & Cricket - see Xuno for more information
Wednesday 11th September
- Mount Alexander Chess Tournament - select students
Friday 13th September
- Trivia Night - 7pm to 10pm - don't forget to book your table!
Friday 20th September
- Last day of Term 3 - 2:30pm finish
NAPLAN
We are celebrating our 2024 NAPLAN results. Our EIL (Education Improvement Leader) Gary Perrott chaired a recent staff meeting, to share our results with teachers and to commend us on our achievement. We know there is always room for improvement but at this point we’re happy to recognise that the results of our students in Year 3 and Year 5 compare so favourably with students in similar schools and network schools.
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NUDE FOOD – SUSTAINABILITY PRIORITY
Please help eliminate plastic wrappers at our school by continuing to send nude food in lunch boxes. We do not have general waste bins in the playground and we are trying to reduce, re-use, and recycle as a school which promotes sustainability.
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SPORT ACHIEVEMENTS AND EVENTS
The Girls’ soccer team did incredibly well at the regional competition in Swan Hill on August 8th, making it through to the final against Echuca East. The match went to two overtimes before they lost 2-1 and were consequently Runners Up. Amazing effort from the team and special thanks to Rosie for coaching and transport, Raz and Justin for their transport and support, as well as Sam for encouragement of the team!
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Evie Mountford recently played for Victoria in the AFL under 12 Girls’ competition in Geelong. The Victorian team were undefeated and finished on top of the national ladder. She was thrilled to be part of the competition and we are all very proud of her achievements!
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Last week's WFPS Olympics Day was organised by Michelle. The motto of our games was Tutior, pulchrior, pacifice – Communiter, meaning Safer, gentler, peacefully – Together. It was a great day, with an emphasis on our values of Caring for Self, Others, and the Environment. Junior students' rotations took place until recess, and the seniors' until lunchtime. Students enjoyed the opportunity to try new things and the day was captured brilliantly by Bron through the photos she took.
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Coming up on Friday September 6th is the Mount Alexander schools’ Tennis and Cricket day for students in years 4-6. Please see Xuno for more information.
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TEACHER SHORTAGES
During Winter, we often experience a spike in illness among students and staff. There is currently a shortage of Casual Releief Teachers and Education Support staff available in Castlemaine. When we can’t replace teachers who are unwell, we are forced to split classes. Please keep children at home when they are sick or symptomatic.
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TRIVIA NIGHT
There is a push to topple the reigning champions of trivia – WFPS staff! Book your table for new hosts (Sam and Japer) and new venue (the shared learning space outside thePrep classrooms), but the same fun night of trivia, community, and fun!
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VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers are welcome in every classroom, as well as in the Kitchen/Garden and other specialist areas.
If you have the time and inclination, please let us know. Volunteers at school must have a Working with Children Check, which is free and easy to get. You can apply here :)
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WORKING BEE SUNDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER
We are thinking of a two-tier version of the Working Bee on Sunday 15th September. Families are encouraged to come along and help:
- From 10:00am-1:00pm for general garden tidying, including weeding, sweeping, and leaf-blowing.
- From 1:00pm – 4:00pm for applying another coat of stain to the Kitchen deck.
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The reason for the second, later start is to allow the timber to dry in the sun for a few hours before applying the stain.
Please bring a plate to share, if you can!
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BIRTHDAYS
Michael turned 12 this week
Fae is turning 6 this week
Aurora is turning 12 this week
Leto is turning 11 next week
Bron is having a birthday next week
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Hip Hip: Hooray
Hip Hip: Hooray
Hooray: Hip Hip
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COVID SCHOOL PROCEDURES
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
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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.
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Suzanne Kinnersly
Principal.
Parent Survey Reminder
Parent survey links have been emailed out to families.
The survey is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behavior, and student engagement. The survey is optional, but we encourage and appreciate your participation.
Our school will use the survey results to assist in identifying areas for improvement and professional development needs in the school, to target school planning and improvement strategies.
The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey will be open online until Friday 30 August 2024.
All families are invited to participate in the survey.
The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones.
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Parent/Teacher Interviews
Parent/teacher interviews are coming up on Tuesday September 10th (2/3H, 4/5/6C and 4/5/6B) and Thursday September 12th (P/1J and P/1R). Please book your via Xuno, If these dates don't suit, please contact your child's teacher to arrange another time.
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New Uniform Item - Hoodies!
Our new hoodies have arrived and can be purchased from the Beleza Uniform Shop.
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Hats!
As the warmer weather starts, it's time for us to wear our hats again! Students will need to wear their school hat while outside, from Monday September 2nd! Please ensure that your child's name is clearly written on their hat, as they "go missing" very often.
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Karen Mahoney & Rosie Annear
Office
This week in the Kitchen and Garden..........
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What we're cooking in the kitchen this fortnight...
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Vegetable Paella
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Spanish Chickpea Balls
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Patatas Bravas
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Spanish White Bean, Celery and Olive Salad
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Potato Tortilla
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Basque Cheesecake
Yum!!!
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Chefs of the week:
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Kitchen volunteers:
We would love some kitchen helpers in our cooking classes!
They are held fortnightly on Mondays (even weeks - 4/5/6C), and every Wednesday (even weeks - 4/5/6B; odd weeks - 2/3H), between 11:25am & 1:25pm.
The Prep/1 classes will have a special cooking class each term.
Kitchen helpers for these classes would be particularly helpful - please let the office know if you'd like to volunteer!
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What you can expect from a class:
Students work in groups to make seasonal dishes, using produce from our garden. Once a group finishes preparing their dish, they clean up their bench, do dishes, and set the tables. Around 1:00pm, we all sit down together and share the meal.
Volunteers will need to sign in via the visitors log in the office and show their WWCC. Please contact the office if you have any questions or would like to volunteer!
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Eggs!
All the hens are laying eggs and looking good!
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Gardeners of the week:
Cath & Terry
Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden
Fathers and Parents Day stall
Our parent craft group will be hosting a Fathers and Parents Day stall on Thursday August 29th and Friday August 30th for students to buy a small gift to celebrate their special person/people that weekend. The stall will be open before and after school both days.
To prepare for this, we are seeking donations for the stall! If you have any suitable knick-knacks, books, cook books, preserves, plants, bric-a-brac, or anything else that would make a nice gift, please drop them into the office!
The parent craft group meets to create items to sell at stalls. They would love it if some new parents came along! If you are interested, please contact the office for more information - everyone is very friendly and it's a fun way to contribute to the school!
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Trivia Night
The night of diving into the dark inside cupboards of your mind to retrieve useless trivial facts is almost upon us! Clear your social calendar, book a sitter, and get your A-team together! And don't forget a team name!
The Great Quizzards of Winters Flat, Jasper & Sam, will guide you along the yellow brick road of historical, academical, musical, geographical, biographical, ecological, etymological, political, zoological, cosmical, diabolical, whimsical, eccentrical, commonsensical & nonsensical FACTS.
Tables are selling fast, so book now to avoid disappointment!
This week is Children's Book Week, and this year's theme is Reading is Magic.
On Tuesday, we celebrated by inviting students and staff to dress up as a book character and participate in a Book Week Parade. Thank you to everyone who dressed up - there were some fantastic costumes!!
Later on Tuesday, students attended a special Book Week workshop in the hall, with local author-illustrators, Louise 'Rockabilby' Cooper and Trace Balla, exploring creative nonfiction writing and illustration and learning tips and tricks for catching, stretching and hatching their own stories and pictures.
Students were really by absorbed by the process of writing and illustrating, as well as by the finished books they shared with us!
P1J have created some beautiful posters about what sport they would like to do if they were in the Olympics!
Students, staff, and families are invited to wear purple to school next Friday August 30th to celebrate Wear it Purple Day.
Wear it Purple Day is all about celebrating and supporting young LGBTQIA+ people, and challenging societal attitudes to help shape a better world for us all to live in.
Please bring a gold coin donation!
