Drysdale Primary School

2020

What a year! There have been so many challenges and some unexpected triumphs in the face of those challenges, such as the children’s increased independence forged from having to make their own way from the gate to the classroom at the beginning and end of school.

As we are now in the final week of the year I would like to offer everyone my most sincere thanks for the amazing support each and everyone of you have given the school and your wonderful children. Crisis often bring the best out of people. We have seen and experienced the strength of this great community during these troubled times.

I hope that everyone finds time to relax and refresh over the summer break; to spend time with friends and family; and to enjoy all that the beautiful Bellarine has to offer. I would like to offer everyone my best wishes for the holiday season and for a safe and healthy 2021.

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Student Leaders 2021

Our processes for selecting our student leaders are nearing completion. I am delighted to inform you that these student have been offered leadership positions for 2021:

School Captains

I am delighted to announce that our School Captains for 2021 will be:  Heidi, Grace, Tahlia and Hunter.  Many congratulations to these four students.  The process once again highlighted the leadership quality of our students.

 

House Captains:

Bengalat: Jett, Grace, Koby, Ava M
Dan Dan Nook: Aiden, Sommer, Hunter, Milah
Davis: Axl, Isla, Marti, Heidi
McLeod: Hugo, Tahlia, Elijah , Katelyn

 

Learning Captains

In 2021 we will have two Learning Captains for the first time.  The Learning captains will help the staff decide the best approaches to teaching by providing feedback to the School Leadership Team about students’ perspectives of our approaches to learning.  The school first two Learning captains will be Ava and Marti.

 

Junior School Councillors:
Piper , BJ, Zoe, Macey, Ava B, Alyssa, Jaya, Grace, Rebecca, Ethan and Jasmine

 

Kids Matter Kids:
Will, Paige S, Amy, Maddie, Gisele, Piper, Isaac, Violet, Monica, Breeana, Prue, Mikayla

The selection process for our House Captains is for students to make a speech to children in Years 2 to 5 in their house who then vote for their leaders. Eight of the Junior School Councilors are recommended following a student vote. So that the leadership selections are based on leadership qualities as well as popular vote, up to four other Junior School Councilors are recommended by staff. The Kids Matter Kids apply and are interviewed by members of the staff Kids Matter Team. All leadership recommendations are approved by the Principal team.

The school captains are selected by the Principal who receives written applications from students leaders who wish to be considered. All students who submit a written application are interviewed by the Principal and another member of the leadership team.

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Drysdale Community Market 

School Uniform Consultation

Our existing school uniform contract with PSW Uniforms is due to cease in May 2021. Our School Council has begun the process of seeking tenders for a new contract from May 2021. The tender process will be assessed on ensuring all school uniform items are easy to source, more comfortable to wear and appropriate for all students to wear the correct uniform.

As part of the preparation for the tender process there will be two consultation periods with our parent community as well as discussions with our 2021 student leaders. The first consultation period will be seeking feedback on school uniform colours which will help determine whether the school retains the existing uniform colours of brown and gold or replacing brown with an alternate colour.

School Council agree gold will remain part of the school uniform. It is important we receive as much feedback as possible on school uniform colours as we are aware there is an increase in students wearing items outside of existing approved uniform colours. Informal feedback received by the School and Council indicates there are some challenges sourcing brown clothing items and/or the extra costs associated with brown can be prohibitive.

In the new year there will be further consultation that will also include discussion about the range of items that we include in our new contract that are available across all age groups.

Pending the outcome of the consultation processes and uniform tender process, there may be a transition to a new or renewed supplier during 2021. This may result in a revised school uniform and policy introduced for all students with effect from January 2022. The current uniform policy will remain unchanged for 2021.

Parents of current students will receive further information about uniform colours this week. The opportunity to provide feedback on school uniform colours will close Friday, 12th February 2021.

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2021 Staffing Updates

We have a number of staff who will sadly be leaving us at the end of this school year, we wish them all the very best over the summer break and with their continued dedication to educating the young people in their communities. We look forward to celebrating the ‘year that has been’ with each of them during a special staff morning tea.

A big thank you to Lucy Hurt (LOTE), Fiona Belcher (Inclusion), Lea Mendelson (3B) and Kasun (Cleaning Team) for all of their hard-work and dedication to our students and school community throughout the year.

Mel Myers will be taking leave in 2021 to enjoy time with her family, we look forward to seeing Mel again in 2022. Terry Bradford will officially retire at the end of this year, we wish him well for the future. Our Business Manager, Simone Spencer-Gardner will be enjoying long service leave for Term 1, we look forward to welcoming Sarah Harper as part of the DPS team while Simone is away. Denise McPhee and Fleur Martin are changing from classroom teachers to lead the DET Tutoring Program at Drysdale Primary School in 2021.

If you see them around the school over the next few days, don’t forget to wish them all the very best!

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Noone Uniform Shop 

End of Term – Friday 18th December 2:30pm

School finishes for the summer this Friday, December 18th at 2:30 pm. Please note the early finish time.

The 2021 school year starts for all students on Thursday, January 28th.

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Potato Fair Gold Sponsors 

Year 6 Leavers’ Assembly – Thursday

Year 6 families will have received information regarding a very exciting Year 6 Leavers’ Assembly this week. In line with the easing of restrictions as announced by the Premier on Sunday, we are able to host a ‘COVID-normal’ final assembly for our graduating class of 2020. The assembly will take place this Thursday commencing at 9:15am in the Hall.

If you have a child in Year 6 and you have not received detailed information about this event, please contact our Administration Team via drysdale.ps@education.vic.gov.au or via telephone.

A reminder to please RSVP as we do need to monitor guest numbers to ensure we are following the updated COVID guidelines.

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Drysdale Community Market – This Sunday 20th December

Don’t forget if you need those last minute Christmas presents the next school market will be on Sunday, December 20th. Following the success of the last market we have permission to increase the number of stalls to 100. A part of the approved COVID Safe Plan is that we have volunteers on site throughout the market’s opening times, 9 am to 1 pm.

This is also true for the market in January on Sunday the 17th. If you are able to offer voluntary support for either or both markets, please let me know by email philip.dunlop-moore@education.vic.gov.au with an indication of the times that you are available.

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Student Medication

Families of students who we currently hold Asthma medication or Epipens will have received a message today via the Parent Portal. Please make sure you read this important message. We will be sending asthma medication and spacers home with your child on Friday.

We ask families of students with Epipens to contact the school to arrange collection.

Please advise the school if your child will be away on Friday via email drysdale.ps@education.vic.gov.au

 

 

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Student Banking

From Term 1, 2021 the Victorian Government has ceased school banking programs in Victorian government schools. As a result, the CommBank School Banking program will no longer operate at our school after the end of this term. If you are unsure of other methods of depositing to your child’s account, please feel free to contact the Bank’s general enquiries hotline on 13 2221 or alternatively visit your local CommBank branch.

We would like to thank you for your participation and support throughout the School Banking program.

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The AP WrAP

What a Term and year it has been!

We would like to thank all of our amazing families, students and staff for their support and work this year! Especially those families who took on the ‘Teacher’ role during Remote Learning!

This week it is extremely busy with end of year events! Our Year 6 students are especially excited and we wish them all the best in the next steps of their learning journey.

It was lovely to listen to Sam and Owen, two of our school leaders, talk at School Council last week and reflect on their time at DPS. We certainly value their ‘voices’ and feedback. Thanks Sam and Owen.

We have had some fabulous writing shared across year levels over the last week. Our Year 1 and 3 students shared books they had written with the Prep students. We have some amazing authors at DPS!

We wish you all a happy and safe holiday and cant wait to see you back in 2021 for what we hope is a year of learning, fun and community spirit!

Please see read more some photos of the Year 1s reading to the Prep children

Read more…

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Canteen News

The Canteen will be open as usual for the rest of the week.

We are running down stock so as things sell out they won’t be replaced. Sold out items will be deleted from the online system or if ordered via the brown paper bag, your child will be offered alternatives.

Wishing all our students and families a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays

Kylie and Andrea

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Camp Australia

And just like that the term is over. We would like to wish the entire Drysdale Primary School Community a very happy festive season, and a relaxing, enjoyable and safe Summer holidays. We look forward to seeing you again next year. To those in grade 6, or not returning to Drysdale Primary School next year, we wish you good luck and best wishes with everything your future brings you, I am sure it will be amazing.

Read more…

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Drysdale Primary School

School Council Members

President: Julie Penfold Vice President: Stephanie Davey
Treasurer: Seumas Spark Executive Officer: Glen Lauder
Secretary: Evan Wailes    
Members: Gary Absolom, Kate Lockhart, Miquel Trujillo Coll, Nic Alonso, Tara van Winckel, Rebecca Hoyne, Kate Wojcik
School Councillors can be contacted via the school office or school email