School Council Report

The following policies have been reviewed and updated by School Council:

• Anaphylaxis
• Asthma
• Administration of medication
• Buildings and Grounds Levy Exemption

These policies can all be found on our school website under the ‘about’ tab or by clicking on the policy title above. We encourage all parents to familiarise yourself with these policies, particularly if you have a child diagnosed with asthma, at risk of anaphylaxis or who may require medication to be administered at school.

Each year, we ask parents to contribute to the school through the Building and Grounds Maintenance Levy. To acknowledge the voluntary work of families throughout the year, we have an exemption system in place. We have modified this process to align with the Pre-school system. Families who accrue 10 points or more of particular voluntary work during a calendar year, will be exempt from paying this levy in the following calendar year. Please see the updated policy for the list of activities and points. Any voluntary work that earns points already conducted this year will be counted in this new system.

Cyber Safety Webinar

Last night, Cyber Safety Education company ‘Inform & Empower’ presented a parent webinar for Bonbeach families on Raising Kids in the Digital World. The webinar was very informative and included practical tips and resources for navigating social media, gaming and screen time. It is not too late to watch the webinar. You can view the webinar using this link: https://www.bonbeachps.vic.edu.au/uploaded_files/media/administration_of_medication_policy_2021.pdf

For those parents who watched this last night, we hope you found this useful. In the first week of Term 4, students will participate in a session at school and staff will also have a professional learning session in the afternoon. Thank you to Nikki McCallum for organising this event.

Current Operating Guidelines

Please find within this newsletter and on Compass, an update letter outlining the current Department of Education operating guidelines and what this means for visitors, camps, excursions, activities etc. All parents are encouraged to read this, so you are aware of our current procedures.

5 ways to increase good feelings (and reduce a toxic atmosphere) in your family 

by Michael Grose

That doesn’t mean that such families are devoid of conflict or criticism, but that they are generally pleasant environments to be part of.

One way to increase good feelings in your family is to increase the number of compliments kids hear at home.

As a general rule, the ratio of compliments to criticism should be around five to one. That is, there should be five times more positive, affirming comments than negative comments.

In unhealthy families this ratio is often reversed. Five negative comments for every one positive comment makes for a pretty toxic environment.

How does your family rate on this scale?

If you think about where your family may be on this scale, be careful about how much weight you put on your children’s comments, especially to each other. Siblings can be unkind to each other, finding it hard to share a pleasant word, which can skew the positive to negative ratio a lot (and sometimes make family life quite awful for everyone).

However, this can change over time.

Here are five ideas to help you improve the compliments to criticism ratio in your family:

1. Increase the number of affirmations and compliments you make yourself.
2. Keep a check on your use of ‘good feeling killers’ (and self-esteem killers). Eradicate comments such as: “Typical boy!” “If I’ve told you once I’ve told you a 1,000 times, don’t…” “What a stupid thing to say to your brother/sister!”. Bite your tongue. If you find yourself thinking a criticism, keep it to yourself.
3. Make kids aware of their negative language.
4. Make it a habit to follow a negative with a positive.
5. Let the bad feelings out.

These, along with affectionate phrases and kind remarks, will start to skew the ratio a bit. Aim for a five to one ratio. Not only is this good modelling for your kids, but it will make family life more harmonious. Yep, five to one is your aim. If you can’t do that, then you can’t expect it of your kids.

Constant criticism harms self-esteem, not to mention family harmony. Use ‘I’ statements to let kids understand the impact their negative talk has on you and others. “When you talk so aggressively I feel quite scared about what you are going to do next.” It’s impossible for kids to disagree with ‘I’ statements.

When I was teaching I always tried to follow discipline of a student with a compliment or some positive feedback so that we could maintain a good relationship. Do the same in your family. Follow discipline, a rebuke or a negative comment with a positive act or comment. Then teach your kids to do the same!

Sometimes there can be such a build-up of ill will between siblings that you need find a way for them to let the bad feelings out. One way to do this is let one child vent to you about their sibling. Be warned that you may not like what you hear but a clearing of the air can work wonders to improve the family atmosphere.

Most of these suggestions start with you, the parent. Like everything in family life, whatever you want from your kids, you must take the lead and do first. Remember, five positives to one negative is your aim!

Dear Parents/Carers,

It is great to see our students back in their classrooms and connecting with their peers.

Please see below, relevant information from the Department of Education’s Operating Guidelines.

Return to face-to-face learning

Based on advice from the Victorian Chief Health Officer, schools in Victoria will return to face-to-face learning and teaching for all students from and including Wednesday 28 July 2021.

All students and school staff are required to attend for duty at their school in accordance with normal arrangements from and including Wednesday 28 July.

Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) programs can resume full operations on Wednesday 28 July.

Student attendance

Students should attend on-site.

Students who are required to isolate or undertake home-based quarantine will be provided materials to continue their learning remotely, until such time that they are permitted to return to school. If your child is required to quarantine, please contact the school so we can provide learning materials for your child to continue learning from home.

Drop off and pick up

Covid Safe practices must be observed by all adults on site. Where possible, we ask that parents ‘Kiss and go’ at the gate closest to your child’s classroom. If you anticipate that your child may experience difficulties separating from you in the morning, please contact your child’s teacher. When collecting students at the end of the day, please observe mask requirements and physical distancing.

Activities and visitors

• Parents should not be entering school buildings (except the school office) at this stage.
• Visitors, including parent helpers and private therapists are not allowed on site.
• Meetings need to be postponed or held online.
• Assemblies will be postponed.
• Incursions are not permitted.
• Excursions and camps are permitted with students from a single school only.
  • Based on this advice, we anticipate that our athletics day next week will be able to go ahead. However, parent helpers or spectators will not be allowed.
• School tours should not be conducted at this time.

QR codes and record keeping

A reminder that all visitors entering buildings must use the Schools QR code to check in.

Unwell children

If your child is unwell, please do not send them to school. If they become unwell with COVID-19 symptoms, please get them tested and keep them at home until you receive a negative test result.

Face masks in schools

All adults entering the school site must wear a face mask both indoors and outdoors. Primary school children are not required to wear a face mask, however, students 12 or older should be wearing a mask when travelling to and from school.

Thank you for your ongoing support and assistance in following these restrictions to keep us all safe.

Kind regards,

Ken Jones

Support Needed!

Looking for a way to get more involved in the school community and support the schools fundraising efforts? Volunteer to be a part of the Farmers’ Market Committee! Volunteering is a great way to meet like-minded people and make an impact on your community. We could not accomplish all that we do without the hard work and dedication of our volunteers! It takes a lot of work to make a market run. It wouldn’t be possible without the support and aid of our dedicated volunteers and supportive community.

How can you be involved?

• Become part of the committee – share your ideas, provide feedback and support us on the day of the markets when you can. Being part of the committee does not mean you have to be available for every market or take on a specific role of responsibility. The more members we have, the more we are able to share out the responsibilities.

• We are looking for a parent (or two as a shared role) to take on the role of BBQ coordinator. This role involves ordering the supplies each month for the egg and bacon BBQ, and attending the markets when you can. Organising volunteers on the day is coordinated by the school and not the responsibility of the BBQ coordinator.

Our egg and bacon BBQ is always a favourite at each Farmers’ Market and a great fundraiser. 100% of the funds raised from the BBQ at each market, goes towards an identified group or purpose in the school. In the past, the BBQ has helped to subsidise the cost of aerobics and Energy Breakthrough competition fees, Subsidised the cost of Year 6 Graduation, raised money for the sensory room, school garden and the pre-school. If we are unable to fill this role, this fundraising opportunity will not be able to continue.

If you are interested in this role or would like to find out more, please contact Lisa Lisa.Roolker@education.vic.gov.au

Farmers’ Market Committee meetings are held every Tuesday following a market at 5:00pm at the school. Our next meeting will be after our August market on Tuesday 10^th August. If you are interested in finding out more about getting involved, we encourage you to come along and see how it works.

             Message from the PE department: Term 3 Week 3 2021

Whole School

Swimming

Grade 1/2: We are in the process of working with the pool to reschedule the 4 lessons missed due to the latest lockdown. I should have more information about when these will be taking place next week.

Prep:  Swimming is scheduled to start week 5 of term, Monday 9^th Aug and goes for eight days finishing on Wednesday 18^th. You have until Tuesday 3^rd August to consent and pay on Compass. Class times will be sent out to parents by end of next week.

Grade 3/4: Swimming is to start in week 9 of term, Monday 6^th September and goes for eight days finishing on Wednesday 15^th. Event to pay and consent will be up on Compass in the next week.

House Athletics Day

The students in Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 will be leaving school just after 9am, arriving at Ballam Park, Frankston, at approximately 9:30am. The teachers will mark the roll then walk the students to the buses. Students are allowed to wear their house colours (no face paint or hair spray) and must bring a drink bottle and snack.

At the athletics track, the students will stay with their classroom teacher and participate in 7 different activities, changing to a new activity every 10 minutes.

Once every class has finished all activities, they will get back on the buses and go back to school with their teachers, leaving at approximately 11:30am-12pm.

Students in Grades 3 to 6 will be leaving school at approximately 9:45am. Students in these year levels are allowed to wear house colours (no face paint or hair spray) or their Bonbeach sports top. Preferred running shoes are required. The students must bring a bag with their lunch and a water bottle. Please remember that the weather can be unpredictable in winter. Please pack appropriate warm clothing for between events.

Students will stay in their class for the athletics day. Every student will participate in 7 events. The day should conclude at 2:00pm, with students arriving at school at approximately 2:30pm.

Unfortunately, parents are not able to attend athletics day or any Inter-school sport at this time as spectators or helpers, due to DET operating guidelines and ongoing restrictions.

Mr Mac.

Physical Education Teacher.

What has been happening at TheirCare Bonbeach.

Even though we have had lower numbers due to the lockdown, we still have had lots of fun. The students have discovered the card game Sleeping Queens, the aim is to see who can wake the most Queens by using strategy, concentration, maths and even dragons, potions, and wands, we have had lots of laughs and fun playing the game and can’t wait to share it with the other students once lockdown ends. We have also started to look at how we can be more Sustainable within our program, can’t wait to see what ideas the students will come up with. The First week of August we will be having the Theircare Olympic Games with medal making and lots of fun events.

Quality improvement Plan (Qip)

We are always looking at ways to make our service the best it possibly can be for both you and your children, therefore your feedback and suggestions are important, please feel free to write in the communication book at the sign desk or talk to any of the Theircare educator’s. there is also a book for the students so we can hear their feedback and get ideas in what they would like to see in their program.

Bookings and Cancellations

Parents, as our bookings are increasing, we are encouraging you all to book your children into our BSC & ASC sessions. Bookings made less than 48 hrs will charge a fee. This also goes for cancellations. Doing this ensures we have the required ratio of educators to provide a high-quality program for your children. Please make sure you cancel your bookings if your child is not attending even if its last minute.