Issue 17, Friday 17 June 2022
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The Parkhill Community touch the land and think of the Wurundjeri People and surrounding Clans of the Kulin Nation who cared for the land before us.
We share our gratitude to their Elders past, present and emerging.
As we touch this land we promise to treasure it; taking care of all its people, animals, plants and waterways.
We at Parkhill appreciate this land.
Thank you.
Principal's Message
Dear Parents/Carers
I hope you all managed to enjoy the long weekend. Tuesday was a busy day of learning for staff, with team planning across the school.
Shuoyin and I visited local kinders again on Wednesday and some of our older children visited John Monash Science School on Wednesday afternoon.
On Thursday I met with the School Improvement Team for the day to review our Annual Implementation Plan. The review day is a great opportunity for us to take stock and celebrate our action to date against the annual targets and to plan for growth in Semester 2.
Some of the key highlights from Semester 1 that we discussed include the launch of our new school values, the bush tucker garden including the smoking ceremony, the introduction of the Multisensory Structured Language program into our lower school, the launch of the website, transition program development and of course the successes of our STEAM specialist program and the impact this is already having throughout the school and the community.
I would like to thank the staff who drive key improvement work at Parkhill. Andrea Crane, Alex Davies, Bella Crowe, Desiree Schlack and Bianca Bevilacqua all hold responsibility for leading key improvement areas at Parkhill.
During care groups yesterday the children celebrated National Buddy Day.
Good luck to our soccer teams who are participating in the round robin today!
Staffing News
Anny Murray has been working at the office for a couple of years now, and has been a huge part of the team at Parkhill. Anny will be leaving us at the end of term. I am sure you will pop in and say goodbye to her at some point before she leaves us.
I hope you all have a super weekend.
Best wishes,
Elaine Brady
Principal
Calendar of Curriculum Events
REMINDER: Next Friday is the Last day of term 2. students finish school at 2:30pm.
Enrol now for Foundation 2023!
Does your child have a sibling due to start school next year? Be sure to submit your enrolment ASAP!
Enrolment forms can be collected from the office, or you can complete an enrolment form online. Contact the office if you have any questions.
YF/1/2/3 Garden Volunteer request for Term 3
Students in YF-3 will have garden sessions from Term 3 and we’d love you to join us. If you’re free for a session or two, or even every week, please volunteer through the following form: https://forms.gle/gSNKHiDbkUAYKY4H6
Please let us know by Friday 24 June.
save the date - School Concert
It is with great excitement that we announce the date of our upcoming school performance – a show that we practice, perform and put on for our adoring fans and families.
There will be three performances – a matinee on Monday 5th September, and two evening shows on Tuesday 6th September and Wednesday 7th September.
During the performance, you will come along on an adventurous journey as we search for someone who has disappeared! His name is Wally, where could he be? The students have been busy planning their items, which will involve singing, dancing, acting and lots of fun!
Stay tuned for more information to follow during Term 3.
School Council Update
A message to let you know that the front of the school will see some change in the next couple of weeks with a new fence being installed. The fence will be similar to the one that surrounds Ashwood High, and in the first phase will go from the carpark entrance on Parkhill Drive, and wrap around the corner to the fire box on Cassinia Avenue. This has been a project School Council has been working on since last year, designed to further improve the look of our school. Stay tuned for opportunities to help with fundraising for the fence. We have begun with local businesses (thanks Harcourts and Fitch Partners real estate agents for generous donations already!) and will be asking for your help to engage businesses that our community supports. Further into Term 3 we will also offer opportunities for families to sponsor sections of the fence. Please contact me on 0418 121 183 if you want to help or have fundraising ideas on this.
Thanks,
Dan Edwards
2022 School Councillors: Parents: Masooma Cheema, Melo Conti, Elle Delmee, Wendy Douglas, Dan Edwards, Peter King, Jay van Schyndel, Jodie Thatcher and Jason van Lint. Teachers/Leaders: Elaine Brady, Andrea Crane, Sasha Guy, Jo Ravida and Michelle Smith
Y2/3 Gould League Excursion
Last Thursday, the Y2/3 students headed to the Gould League, to consolidate their learning around their current inquiry unit ‘Survival.’
The students completed a hands-on classification activity to explore the characteristics and differences between living, previously living and non-living elements within a habitat. They also explored the gardens surrounding the Sustainability Centre and examined how the plants and animals are interconnected. Lastly, students learnt about food webs and food chains where they played an interactive food web game.
Take a look at some photos from the excursion!
Bianca Bevilacqua
Y2/3 Teacher
Y3/4 Camp
The Y3/4 students jetted off to Camp Weekaway last week! They had an amazing time, where they completed team activities and took risks trying something new. They enjoyed canoeing, hut building, archery, the flying fox, low ropes and laser tag!
We were very lucky to have the sun shining while completing these activities and stayed dry for our night walk.
Enjoy some lovely photos from the camp!
Bianca Bevilacqua
Y2/3 Teacher
Exploring Matter in STEAM
What a fabulous return to STEAM this week. The Y4/5 students explored the concept of gases by testing how air can protect a tissue submerged in water from becoming wet. We then set about bringing the term’s learning together, having a shared understanding of how matter, solids, liquids and gases behave and can change with the addition or removal of heat.
The Y6 students finished up their chemistry learning with a challenge to explain how a balloon could be inflated using a physical change and then with a chemical change. Students shared their learning confidently and capably, using appropriate language to explain observations. I was rapt to see students resolving misconceptions following their discussions within their group and the whole class.
Stay tuned for next week. It is our termly science week and students will be involved in additional science activities including:
All week: Additional science activities in the classroom
Tuesday: A whole school science show and STEAM family workshop
Wednesday: Rebecca Dawkins from the CSIRO to visit Y4 – Y6
If you haven’t booked and would like to attend the STEAM Family Workshop, there are a few spaces left. Head to Compass to reserve your place. It is scheduled to run Tuesday from 5:30pm – 7:00pm.
Andrea Crane
STEAM Teacher
ICAS assessments will begin in August
ICAS assessments are coming in August. This year we are offering the same four subjects as in previous years: Writing, English, Science and Maths, available to students in Y3-6. These assessments are optional; they are offered as both a way to challenge students and as a gauge to monitor their understanding. All tests take place on digital devices.
Currently, our schedule has ICAS assessments on Fridays, beginning 12 August. All tests will be held in the morning.
Friday 12 August: ICAS Writing
Friday 19 August: ICAS English
Friday 26 August: ICAS Science
Friday 2 September: ICAS Maths
For further information, please read the following (including privacy statement).
Signup is a straightforward process using the Parent Payment System. If you’d like to enrol your child/ren to participate in the ICAS assessments, head to https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps and enter the code: DUS456
Note: there is a charge for students to participate. Entries close Friday 29 July.
Building and Library Fund Donations
Thank you to those families who have paid their parent payments. For those of you who donated to the Library and/or Building Funds your tax deductible receipts have been sent out through the class tubs to your children. If you have not received your receipt, please contact the office. It is not too late for those that would like to make parent payments or a donation to these tax deductible funds which can be claim on your tax. For more information, contact the office.
Diversity Day
Diversity Day will take place on Wednesday 3 August.
If you would like to share your expertise about your culture, through for example, story telling, craft activities, dance (body movement), painting, drawing, traditional costumes, or a special artefact, we would love to have you present in our Diversity Day!
Please email Shuoyin at shuoyin.tu@education.vic.gov.au if you would like to join us.
Sharing time can be varied from 5 mins – 40 mins depending on the type of activity.
More information about the day’s activities will be released closer to the date.
Shuoyin Tu
Chinese Mandarin Teacher
Meet the Sandpit Monitors!
Proudly announcing my new sandpit monitors – Dusan, Aziz and Miles from F/1A. They recently took on this new role and are doing a fantastic job of checking the sandpit after each play and ensuring equipment kept neat and tidy. Well done boys – your enthusiasm and assistance is greatly appreciated and you are all great role models to our younger students.
Kerry D’Arcy
Integration Aide
Library News
Dear Parkhill Families,
Thank you to families who placed orders from Issue 4.
We had a quick turn around for orders with delivery coming in this week. Books were distributed and sent home on Wednesday. It was lovely to see excited faces when I went around to drop off the books.
We thank you for your continued support of the Book Club. With the earned Scholastic Rewards, we have purchased books for the library and can’t wait to share them next term.
If you have any queries, please feel free to get in touch.
Angelita Williams
Librarian
Just a quick thank you to those families who have collected their bread bags and deposited them in the box near the front office. For every 5kg of bread bags we collect we gain 500 reward points to go toward sports and play equipment. Let’s try and maximise our rewards by collecting the capped amount of 2,500 points. Collection will continue until September, so we have plenty of time to achieve this goal. Keep up the good work for both the environment and our fabulous school.
Andrea Crane
STEAM Teacher
Csef Applications - Closing Soon!
If you are eligible for Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) and have not yet applied, submit your application before Friday 24 June to receive funding. Download the form below or contact the office.
Reminder: if you have applied previously, you do not need to reapply.
PFA News
Booking Link – www.trybooking.com/events/landing/909189
TRIVIA NIGHT IS BACK!
Time to dust off those clothes that have been hiding in a box in the garage or raid the local op shop and get ready for some fun – Trivia Night is back in 2022!
WHEN: Saturday 13th August 2022 at 7:00 PM until late (7:30pm kick off)
WHERE: School library
TICKETS: $25. You can purchase a table of 10 or individual tickets.
THEME: Op Shop Glam – There are individual and group prizes so get your table together and start planning now!
Book your tickets here – https://www.trybooking.com/BZJQI or scan the QR code
Silent Auction Donations
Parkhill PFA will be running a silent auction as part of Trivia Night in August.
If you have anything to donate or know a business that would like to help, please email PFA.
ENTERTAINMENT BOOK
They cost $70 and provide over $20,000 in discounts to all the things you love to do…dining, attractions, shopping, travel and more! They are filled with up to 50% off or 2-for-1 style offers, they are a great way to discover new favourites and enjoy the value at the same time. The proceeds of the books sold goes to Parkhill Primary School. Please order one now via this link
REMEMBER TO SAY ‘PARKHILL PRIMARY SCHOOL’ WHEN SHOPPING!
Rebel Community Kickbacks Program.
Under this program, Parkhill Primary School can earn 5% of your purchases at Rebel Sports as an in-store credit to spend on our school sports programs.
You can sign up in store or log into your rebel Active Member account when shopping online at www.rebelsport.com.au to attribute the expense to the school.
RITCHIES COMMUNITY BENEFITS
$52 Million is up for grabs!!
It’s quick, simple and easy to: Download, Register and Activate.
Scan QR code below
Nominate ‘Parkhill Primary’ as your chosen school.
Don’t forget to share the news with family and friends.
Need more?? Visit a store within 14 days of activating your card, spend $100 or more in a single transaction and scan your Ritchies card or app.
Get $10 off instantly. (Valid for one transaction).
DON’T MISS A THING!
Join our Facebook page.
Search for us using the name “Parkhill Primary School Community Page”.
Then click the “join group” icon.
A group administrator will confirm your association with the school and approve your request.
If you would like to be on our email distribution list and receive communication and minutes from our meetings please email parents.friends.secretary@gmail.com
Contact us on WhatsApp – https://chat.whatsapp.com/DtYmFR9RjrZ7ayDpYAVy6L or email parkhillpiranhas@gmail.com
Lunch Orders
You can find the links to the lunch orders on the website under Quick Links.
FLEXISCHOOLS LUNCH ORDERS
community notices
