DANDENONG SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL

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DANDENONG SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
Term 1 – Week 4
                                            DANDENONG SOUTH PRIMARY
 Issue 2: 21 February 2019                                   SCHOOL
                                                                    52 Kirkham Road, Dandenong South
                                                                                     Phone: 9792 3726
Principal: Mrs Leonie Fitzgerald                THIS NEWSLETTER IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE BELOW:
Assistant Principal: Mrs Angela Savaglio          School Website: www.dandenong-south-ps.vic.edu.au
                                                     (Use this website to access SENTRAL’s Parent Portal)
Assistant Principal: Mrs Moniba Ehsan
                                                 Email address: dandenong.south.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

Principals Report
A highlight of this week has been the Parent / Teacher “Get to Know You” evening on
Tuesday 19th February. It was wonderful to have such a high participation rate from our
community. If you were unable to make an appointment on Tuesday, please feel free to
contact the classroom teacher to organize a meeting to discuss your child.

Currently we are in the initial stages of developing a plan to refurbish our Library building.
Further information will be provided throughout the year.

Our busy term continues with student leaders being presented with their badges at our
special assembly last Monday 18th February. Early in March, School and House Captains
will attend a special Leadership course to further develop their skills and knowledge.
On 7th and 8th March, our staff will be involved in intensive Professional Development.
These days are Pupil Free days. A reminder school is also closed on Monday 11th March
for the Labour Day Public Holiday.

Our School Council Election process for 2019 will be commencing in the near future.
Further information is contained within this Newsletter. Please contact me if you have any
queries.

Have a great week.
Leonie Fitzgerald
Principal
DANDENONG SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
Administration Information

Calendar                           DATES TO REMEMBER

Tuesday 26th February              School Photo day
                                   Information evening for Year 5/6 Doxa Camp which is to be
Monday 4 March—Note new date!
                                   run from Wednesday 27th—Friday 29th March
Thursday 7th March, Friday 8th
                                   NO SCHOOL - Curriculum days & Public Holiday
March and Monday 11th March

Thursday 14th March                Harmony Day parade 9.15am

Friday 22nd March                  EAL students Excursion Arts Centre Melbourne

School Council Elections will be held soon. Please see information in this newsletter.

                                 Monday 4th March
                    Year 5/6 Camp Information evening
                        5.00—5.30pm in Rooms 19 & 20

Parent Occupations - Job Occupations are important as they relate to department
funding. Please always ensure parent job changes are kept up to date.

Parent Payment Charges for 2019 are due by Friday 1st March.
Our preferred method of payment is BPAY or EFTPOS. Your family BPAY code is available
from the office and also appears on your family statement that will be emailed to your
nominated email account shortly. We request that you do keep your contact details up
to date at all times. To save you time in calling or visiting the office ,you may make per-
sonal changes through your Sentral Portal and this will prompt a message for the office
to update details.

Asthma/Allergies
Students who have Asthma or Allergies had new forms sent home recently for updating
and signing by your family doctor. Please return these as soon as possible.

We would like to thank all families for their support and wish everyone well for 2019.
Regards, Val, Mazz and Elenore.
DANDENONG SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
School Council Elections - Information for Parents
WHAT IS A SCHOOL COUNCIL AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
All government schools in Victoria have a school council. They are legally consti-
tuted bodies that are given powers to set the key directions of a school within
statewide guidelines. In doing this, a school council is able to directly influence
the quality of education that the school provides for its students.
WHO IS ON THE SCHOOL COUNCIL?
For most school councils, there are three possible categories of membership:
   A mandated elected Parent category – more than one-third of the total mem-
    bers must be from this category. Department of Education and Training
    (DET) employees can be Parent members at their child's school as long as
    they are not engaged in work at the school.
   A mandated elected DET employee category – members of this category
    may make up no more than one-third of the total membership of school
    council. The principal of the school is automatically one of these members.
   An optional Community member category – members are coopted by a deci-
    sion of the council because of their special skills, interests or experiences.
    Department employees are not eligible to be Community members.
Generally, the term of office for all members is two years. The term of office of
half the members expires each year, creating vacancies for the annual school
council elections.

WHY IS PARENT MEMBERSHIP SO IMPORTANT?
Parents on school councils provide important viewpoints and have valuable skills
that can help shape the direction of the school.
Those parents who become active on a school council find their involvement sat-
isfying and may also find that their children feel a greater sense of belonging.

DO I NEED SPECIAL EXPERIENCE TO BE ON SCHOOL COUNCIL?
Each member brings their own valuable life skills and knowledge to the role.
Councilors may need to develop skills and acquire knowledge in areas that are
unfamiliar to them. What you do need is an interest in your child's school and
the desire to work in partnership with others to help shape the school's future.
DANDENONG SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
HOW CAN YOU BECOME INVOLVED?
The most obvious way is to vote in the elections, which are held in Term one
each year. However, ballots are only held if more people nominate as candidates
than there are positions vacant.
In view of this, you might consider;
   standing for election as a member of the school council
   encouraging another person to stand for election.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TO STAND FOR ELECTION?
The principal will issue a Notice of Election and Call for Nominations following
the commencement of Term one each year. All school council elections must be
completed by the end of March unless the usual time line has been varied by
the Minister.
If you decide to stand for election, you can arrange for someone to nominate
you as a candidate or you can nominate yourself in the Parent category.
Department employees whose child is enrolled in a school in which they are not
engaged in work are eligible to nominate for parent membership of the school
council at that school.
Once the nomination form is completed, return it to the principal within the time
stated on the Notice of Election. You will receive a Nomination Form Receipt in
the mail following the receipt of your completed nomination.
Generally, if there are more nominations received than there are vacancies on
council, a ballot will be conducted during the two weeks after the call for nomi-
nations has closed.

REMEMBER
Ask at the school for help if you would like to stand for election and are not sure
  what to do
Consider standing for election to council this year
Be sure to vote in the elections.
Contact the principal for further information.
DANDENONG SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
Tuesday 26th February School Photo Day

                           Online Orders using your child\rens’
                                     individual forms
                                            or
                           Cash payment in an envelope clearly
                                       marked with
                          Child’s name, grade and room number.

                            (No change can be given so please
                                 enclosed correct money)

  Monday      Tuesday       Wednesday         Thursday           Friday
 Playgroup
10am-12pm

              Computer      English Class   Parenting Class   Musical Play-
                Class         9:30am-         – Dari Lan-        group
             10am-12pm        11:30am            guage         9:15am-
                                              10am-12pm         9:45am

                                                              English class
                                                              10am-12pm
DANDENONG SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
Working with Children Check

                     At Dandenong South Primary School, we greatly value the participa-
                     tion of parents and family members in the classroom and at activities
                     such as sporting events and excursions. We are also a Child Safe
School, in line with Ministerial Order 870, which was introduced in 2016. The Child Safe
Standards aim to minimise and reduce the risk of child abuse to all children at school and
in the community.
All parents, care givers and family members, who wish to assist their child in the class-
room and attend excursions or sporting events, including the swimming program, must
hold a valid Working With Children Check (WWCC) and must sign the School’s Code of
Conduct before they attend.

                  Working With Children Checks are free for volunteers!
                    Australia Post will take your photo at no charge!

Applications can be obtained by visiting the following website:
http://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/
Please see your child’s teacher or Sub School Leader if you require any assistance with you
application for a WWCC.

The School’s Code of Conduct is available at the front office; please see Mrs Turner or Mrs
Higlett if you require a copy.

You will find documents regarding our continued commitment to a zero tolerance for child
abuse on our school website. http://www.dandenong-south-ps.vic.edu.au/quick-links/
school-documents/
DANDENONG SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
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DANDENONG SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
DANDENONG SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
DANDENONG SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL
“The BRAVE Program for Parents and Caregivers of Young Children provides parents
with education about anxiety and teaches parents a variety of strategies to manage anxiety-
provoking situations that their child may experience. Parents will also receive information on
strategies to better manage their child’s anxious behaviours. This program could be useful for
parents, as some young children suffer from fears, separation anxiety and social anxiety in their
early school years, which can disrupt their early schooling experience.”
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