Term 4 Week 5 Newsletter- October 30
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the traditional owners, the Gunditjmara people, on whose land we learn, work and play. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their elders- past, present and emerging believing that we can walk together for a better future.
Principal's Report
What a busy couple of weeks we have had recently, and we still have lots of exciting things happening throughout the rest of the year.
Our Year 3 students and teachers had a fantastic time in Port Fairy on their camp. Our Year 1 students had plenty of fun at their Year 1 dinner and the Year 2 sleepover was super exciting and exhausting. Thank you to all our staff for helping to organise and run these events.
How fantastic was our Grandparents Day activity. We had over 180 grandparents or special people visit our school to participate in some fun activities with their grandchildren. It is wonderful to get such great support for these events from our community members.
Thank you to everyone who came along to view our Art show. It was great to be able to showcase the awesome talents that we have here at All Saints.
Just a reminder that next Monday is a Student Free Day, so no school for children and then Tuesday is a public holiday for the Melbourne Cup. We hope you enjoy your extra long weekend.
Regards
Jamie
Prayer
School Information
Just a few reminders for this term.
*Monday November 6 is a Student Free Day. There will be no school for students on this day.
*Tuesday November 7 is a public holiday for the Melbourne Cup. We hope everyone enjoys an extra long weekend.
*Our 5/6 students will participate in surfing lessons on Thursday November 2nd, 9th and 23rd. Please ensure you have completed their permission form in PAM (yes or no response required).
*We have a Book Fair coming up on November 8 and running until November 22nd. This is a great opportunity to support the school and get some early Christmas presents sorted. Book Fair will be open each night after school for parents and students. Arrangements can be made for bus students to make purchases during school time if families let the office know.
*Last day for students this year is Friday December 15. We will finish school at 3:25pm and buses will run as normal.
Learning and Teaching
Students of the Week
FCL: Isla Strom & Manny Stephen
FRP: Axel O’Dea & Sanna Juul
1/2DW: Chaz Hawker & Hunter Strom
1/2ID: Skye Holt & Cruiz McNamara
1/2MN: Lewis Polkinghorne & Zane Oliver
1/2MR: Bentley Johnstone & Blake Taylor
3/4DL: Ollie Rethus & Billy-Lee Johnson
3/4GM: Maya Dodson & Kaylee Johnstone
3/4JS: Nadia Beckman & Aleksander Litowschenko
5/6AD: Harry Rogers & Chief Hutchison
5/6BS: Chelsea Payne & Jaxon Radley
5/6RV: Braxton Frost & Connor Board
Indonesian: Toby Bowers & Zarlee Loft
Science: Ciarah Logan & Zayden Lipscombe
Music: Ivy Donovan & Kobe Field
Phys Ed: Indiah Gray & Summer Chow
We congratulate these students on their wonderful work. Well done everyone!
Halloween Disco
The Year 5/6 students will be holding a Halloween Disco in the School hall on Friday 3rd November, beginning at 6:00pm. Parents must sign their children in and collect them in person from the school courtyard at 8:00pm. All students who attend All Saints are welcome to come along, dress up if you wish and dance the night away. Entry will be $5 and students will go into the draw to win a lucky door prize. Sweet treats and drinks will be available for purchase. Please have loose change if purchasing to assist students selling items to manage the change.
All Star Regional Junior Basketball Tournament Hamilton
Congratulations to our Grade 3/4 Basketballers who played for the school basketball team that played in the Regional All Star Basketball tournament in Hamilton last week. With both teams consisting largely of Grade 3 students and new basketballers, our students did exceptionally well and should be proud of their efforts.
Our girls team improved markedly as the games progressed. Our new players were fantastic and quickly learnt how to put their new basketball skills into action. Their last game was a tight one and the difference from the first game was huge. Well done girls!
Our boys team were all action from the start, with all games being very tight. The boys managed to make the finals against Gray St Primary School Hamilton. After a close first half, Hamilton pulled away. This again, was an amazing effort given that many of the boys consisted of Grade 3 players. Well done boys, you should be very proud of your efforts!
Thanks to all parents who assisted on the day.
Those students looking to start playing locally should visit https://www.portlandbasketball.com.au/
Students not selected in teams for this tournament will be selected in an upcoming game against Bundarra Primary School. The organization of this game is still in the works, however I hope to get information to parents soon.
Mr White
Leadership & Stewardship
2024 Staffing
We have some staffing changes for 2024 due to some of our wonderful staff leaving us at the end of this year.
Miss Punton is leaving us at the end of this week to have some time before she has her baby in December. We wish Regina and James all the best as they move into this next phase of their lives.
Katherine Howard, who is currently on a year of Leave Without Pay, has resigned from her position at All Saints and will not be returning in 2024.
After many years of dedicated service Mrs Murrell will be retiring at the end of this year. We would like to thank Georgia for her commitment and dedication to the students in her care. You would struggle to find a more passionate and nurturing member of staff. We wish Georgia every happiness as she transitions into a relaxing and well deserved retirement.
We welcome Debbie Cobby, Mallissa Sealey and Yasmin Wood to our teaching staff for 2024. We will share more information and introduce these new staff members to our school community in future newsletters.
We will notify the community about teacher placements and class groupings in upcoming newsletters.
Catholic School Culture
All Saints Day
On Wednesday November 1 we celebrate All Saints Day. We remember and celebrate all people in the church who are recognised as saints. We remember all the saints and allow the memory of their faith to spur us on to deeper worship and greater service to the Lord.
We will be celebrating this day on Wednesday with a liturgy in the school hall at 12:30pm. We will then have a sausage sizzle for lunch. After our lunch play all students will move into their house groups for an afternoon of fun activities organised by the teachers and supported by our house leaders.
Families are more than welcome to join us for our liturgy.
Child Safety & Wellbeing
Child Safety
Child Safe Standards (eleven in total) came into effect in July last year and are a vital part of what we do here at All Saints. More information about these standards can be found here:
https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/child-safe-standards/the-11-child-safe-standards/
The Safety Commissioner has a number of free webinars coming up in Term 4. These webinars
provide parents and carers with the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have
safe, positive online experiences. They usually run at different times during the term. The dates and
times will be released early in Term 4. If you would like to find out more, please visit
https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars
Happy Birthday
NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS
STUDENTS: Lexie Elford, Axel O'Dea, Ruthvik Yedidi, Mia Prasad, Jack Lyons, Lara Waters, Zane Farrugia, Kelsey Taylor, Marli-Rose Charlery, Toa Rayson, Lexi Stavrakis, Zarlee Loft, Baylee Price, Indie O'Dea, Cassie Vecchio, Seth Hawthorne, Grace Iddon, Violet Jones, Hamish McMahon
STAFF: Rochelle, Flint, Regien, Shelley, Mrs Kennedy