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Friday 6th September
- Goldfields Division Tennis & Cricket - Please approve and pay via Xuno or in the office ASAP!
- Creative Kids' Stall - after school out the front of the office
Monday 9th September
- Students required to wear hats when outside at school.
- Please remember to clearly write your child's name in their hat!
Wednesday 11th September
- Mount Alexander Chess Tournament - select students - see Xuno for more information!
Friday 13th September
- Trivia Night - 7pm to 10pm - only a few spots left - contact the office to book now!
Friday 20th September
- Last day of Term 3 - 2:30pm finish
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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BREAKFAST CLUB
Winters Flat has been successful in applying for support from Breakfast Club Victoria. This initiative is a partnership between the Victorian government and the Food Bank.
“The School Breakfast Clubs program seeks to address the impact disadvantage can have on education outcomes by offering free and healthy food for students in all Victorian government schools that opt in.
The program is a universal program and must be available to all students at the school. A key feature of the School Breakfast Clubs Program is the flexible delivery model. Schools can tailor the program to suit their local needs, which may include a café style breakfast set up or a ‘grab and go’ service.
The program delivers a menu that meets Healthy Eating Guidelines, prioritises green rated and fresh foods and where possible, uses locally produced and manufactured supplies.”
We are seeking volunteers who can serve at Breakfast Club in the kitchen for one morning per week.
Family home care packages are also available. Please see Karen Mahoney in the office for further information.
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TEACHER SHORTAGES
The shortage of casual replacement teachers and education support staff in Castlemaine continues to impact our school. As mentioned in the last newsletter, 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 one table left and some spots available on other tables. If you’d like to take part next Friday 13th September, please call or pop in to the school office to book your spot!
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VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers are welcome in every classroom as well as 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.
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REMINDER: WORKING BEE - SUNDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER
We are thinking of a two-tier version of the Working Bee next Sunday 15th September.
- From 10am-1pm for a general garden tidy including weeding, sweeping, leaf-blowing, etc.
- From 1pm-4pm for applying another coat of stain for the kitchen deck and staining outdoor furniture.
Please bring a plate to share!
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BIRTHDAYS
Reuben – turns 7 this week
Win – turns 7 at the weekend
Amos- turns 6 next week
Haylee - turns 12 next week
Angus - turns 11 next week
Midas turns 10 in two weeks
Angus C turns 7 in two weeks
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
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
- for health advice 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/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 9th!
Please ensure that your child's name is clearly written on their hat, as they "go missing" very often.
You can check daily UV levels using the UV widget on our website: https://www.winters-flat-ps.vic.edu.au/sunsmart-widget
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School Saving Bonus
Dear parents and carers,
In Term 4, 2024, families with a child enrolled in a government school from Prep to Year 12 in 2025 will receive the one-off $400 School Saving Bonus.
The $400 School Saving Bonus provides families with support for education-related costs, such as school activities and/or school uniforms and textbooks.
The School Saving Bonus is not available for full-fee international students, home schooled students, TAFE students and students attending kindergarten in 2025.
Actions for parents and carers
Before 18 October 2024, the Department of Education is asking parents and carers to:
- Complete enrolment: If your child, or children are changing government school for Term 1 2025, or starting Prep or Year 7 in 2025. For more information, read about Enrolling in School.
- Check your contact information: Ensure your email address and phone number is up to date with us. You can check this information by contacting us directly.
We need to ensure your contact information is up to date as the Department of Education will email you twice:
- in October, to verify your email address
- in November, with your $400 School Saving Bonus.
Please check your junk mail regularly to make sure you do not miss an important email.
To learn more about the School Saving Bonus, read the attached information sheet or visit vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus.
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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...
- Turkish Lentil Soup
- Cacik Cucumber Yogurt Dip
- Tabbouleh
- Zaatar Pizza
- Passion fruit Yo-yos
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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Gardeners of the week:
P/1R had their special cooking and gardening session this week!
- Pumpkins and Feta Frittatas
- Hummus and Pita Chips
- Pesto Pizza
- Rainbow Fruit Skewers
- Passion fruit Yo-yos
Great job, everyone! And thank you to the parents and senior students who helped out!
Cath & Terry
Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden
This Friday, September 6th, some of our Grade 2/3 students are hosting a pop up Creative Kids Stall.
They will be selling bracelets, pet rocks, earrings, second hand toys and clothes, and more...
Come and check it out after school on Friday, outside the front office!
All money raised will go to the school :)
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!
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Help still needed!
Can you help out with Trivia Night?
We're still seeking:
- Donations for prizes and the silent auction.
- Cakes for dessert.
Please contact the office if you can help!
Container Deposit Scheme
Winters Flat Primary School is now a Donation Partner as part of the Container Deposit Scheme!
This means that when you take eligible containers to a a Refund Point, you can now choose to donate your 10c-per-container refund to the school!
It may seem like a small amount, but every little bit helps the school, and you'll also be contributing to our circular economy!
For more information about the Container Deposit Scheme, check out the website.
For more information about what containers are eligible for the CDS, check out this page.
Our closest Refund Point is the Chewton Service Station. They accept 100 or less containers over the counter every day, and offer bulk deposits (over 100 containers) on Thursdays, Fridays (8am-5pm), and Saturdays (9am-3pm).
Seeking expressions of interest for casual crossing supervisors.
Do you know of anyone who would be interested in becoming a crossing supervisor at some of our local school crossings?
The position requires a sensible and pragmatic approach to safety in relation to traffic, the use of Stop signs, and most importantly, the safe passage of children across some of our busy roads! It is a great opportunity to become a part of the local community as well as helping to keep our children safe.
Renumeration is based on an hourly rate, with an additional allowance for travel to and from which ever school crossing you are supervising. Training, equipment and uniform are provided.
The hours are approximately 40 minutes to an hour in the morning (depending on which school crossing you have been allocated) and roughly the same hours for the afternoon shift. Start times are from 8.10am to approximately 9.00am and the afternoon shift is 3.00pm to approximately 4.00pm.
If you, or someone you know, might be interested, please email:
j.sheldon@mountalexander.vic.gov.au
and I can answer any questions and explain the role in greater detail.
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