Our School Captains, Charlotte, Poppy, Zack and Ziggy, joined me at the Drysdale Commemoration on Monday.  They laid a wreath at the cenotaph on behalf of the Drysdale Primary School Community.

It was wonderful to see so many current students at the commemoration and to catch up with so many past students and their families.

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There are a number of changes to the COVID restrictions in place in Primary Schools from the start of this new term. Our school community has done an outstanding job of working together to help keep everyone safe.

While there are still a significant number of COVID cases across Victoria, we would ask that everyone remains mindful of the need to maintain social distancing and stay home if experiencing symptoms. However, there is plenty of good news in the easing of many restrictions.

• Face masks are no longer required to be worn. There is one exception stated below. Masks can be worn by anyone who wishes to do so.
• Household contacts are no longer required to isolate for seven days. However, anyone who is a confirmed household contact who does attend school must wear a face mask and must compete five Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) within seven days. This applies to adults and all children over the age of 8.
• Visitors, including parents, no longer have to show proof of vaccination and do not need to register their attendance on site.

RATs still need to be completed by all students twice each week for the first four weeks. Test kits were sent home at the end of last term for this week and next week. Students who were away and missed collecting their RATs on the last week of term can come to the office to collect them. Further kits will be provided for weeks three and four in due course. We are waiting for further government advice about the continuation of this screening program beyond week four.

School staff and anyone working in school still have to meet mandatory vaccination requirements. We will continue to use the air purifiers provided by the Education Department to help minimise the transmission risks in classrooms and other school buildings.

School Assemblies will restart for students from next Friday afternoon, May 6th. We are hoping to welcome parents back to assembly from week 5, Friday May 27th, subject to further Education Department advice.

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Welcome back to school for Term 2!

Yesterday was an amazing day of professional learning with Stephen Graham for our staff around a Spelling and Word Study approach. The day involved our staff reflecting on current practice and then building our capacity to further support the spelling outcomes of our students.

We have certainly hit the ground running with this today with our Prep students completing a word sort and our Word Walls going up to support our learning further!

Breakfast club is open this Friday at 8.30am.

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We have welcomed Mary Galpin to DPS as our Acting Business Manager to replace Simone Spencer-Gardner who has accepted a secondment to the Victorian School Building Authority for the remainder of this year.

Mary comes to us from a similar role at Moriac Primary to whom we are grateful for agreeing to release her.

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Alan Climpson who has been doing our maintenance for the last few years has retired.

We are now looking for someone with the appropriate skills and qualifications who might be interested in taking on this role. Alan worked one day each week doing small building, plumbing and electrical repairs.

If you are interested, please contact Phil Dunlop-Moore at school on 52512272.

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Cave Hill Creek Camp – Middle Years – Camp deposit of $100.00 for students where families have indicated that their child will be attending camp is now payable via the Sentral Parent Portal/App and is due no later than this Friday 29th April.

Toolangi Camp – Senior Years – Information and the agreement form were sent home last term. Any families who have not returned the signed agreement form indicating if their child will be attending camp or not, can they please do so as soon as possible. Payment of the $150 camp deposit can now be made via the Sentral Parent Portal/App and is due not later than Friday 6th May.

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Annual school photos including sibling portraits will be taken at Drysdale Primary School by Arthur Reed Photos on Wednesday 4th May.

There is no need to return any forms or money to school.

Unique image codes will be issued to all students on/after photo day so families can register online to view images when they become available in the web shop.

Registration is simple, just follow the 3 simple steps on your child’s personalised flyer once you receive it and remember to add the codes for all your children attending this school.

Even if you registered last year, it’s important that you do again this year using your child’s 2022 image code to link their images for the current year with your contact details.

Once registered, please wait for notification that 2022 images are online to view before making your purchase.

When images are ready to view and in the web shop, all parents who have registered will be notified by SMS and email.

Family photos will be available online to view and order at the same time as the portrait and group photos.

Please see the attached flyer with instructions

2022 BEFORE photo day – INFORMATION

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Jac Absolom who has been running our school market for the last few years, has let me know that she will be stepping down from that responsibility at the end of the current market season in May.

The market is the school’s largest and longest running fundraising event. We are now approaching our 40th season. Each year we are able to support the school’s well-being program with a fantastic donation of $20,000.

Jac has done a tremendous job ensuring that the market has not only continued through the pandemic but grown. This voluntary role includes managing bookings and determining where on the market site each stall is placed.

On market days, the third Sunday of each month from October to the following May, the coordinator oversees the market supported by members of the School Council. Most stall holders book for the whole season and occupy the same site each month.

If anyone would like to find out more about how the market operates and what the role includes, please contact Phil Dunlop-Moore at school or Jac Absolom directly via the market email drysdalemarket@outlook.com .

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Bogan Bingo is back!! ! After the success of Bogan Bingo in 2019 the PFG have booked another night of belly laughs and great games on Saturday 28th May at 7pm.

Bogan Bingo is part game and part party with 80’s tunes rocking and plenty of prizes to be won.

Dress code: Mullets, flannos, classic 80s wear! BYO food and drinks, grab a few mates and lets have an overdue fun ADULTS ONLY night! Tickets on sale mid May!!!

The Parents and Friends Group are seeking donations from businesses and families to assist in prizes for the night, if you are able to help, please email dpsparentsandfriendsgroup@gmail.com

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On Thursday the 5th of May, our Parent’s and Friends Group will be holding the Superwoman stall just in time for Mother’s Day. Each class will visit the stall in scheduled class times.

All gifts are priced at $5. Each student can purchase one gift. If additional gifts are required, then arrangements can be made with the student’s teacher prior, to ensure we have enough stock for everyone.

If your child wishes to make a purchase from the stall, please send them with the money in a marked envelope on the day of the stall.

Students who are absent on this day or forget to bring money will have an opportunity to select a gift on Friday the 6th of May.

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It is coming!!!!!!!!!!!!

‘Dive into reading’ this May when the Scholastic Book Fair is on again!

This will be held in the BER building- sand pit end from Monday 17th-20th May 3:30pm-4:15pm.

Closer to the date we will be asking for some families to support the running so please keep this in mind if you think this is you!

Students will again visit the fair and be provided with a ‘wish list’ they will be able to take home and share with families.

Previously the fair has enabled us to access so many new and exciting texts for our library so please come along if you can!

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On Wednesday, April 6, the Middle Years students went to the Drysdale Library for an excursion. While at the library, the students were shown different features of the library, how to navigate the library website and the benefits of becoming a member of Geelong Regional Libraries. Anne-Marie, the librarian, was fantastic at providing such a valuable experience to the Middle Years students.

The students had a wonderful time at the library. There were lots of books borrowed at the end of the excursion and many students were asking when they could go back again.

Please see read more for some insights from some of the students who attended the library and photos:

Read more…

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On Tuesday the 5th of April the Senior students thoroughly enjoyed a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) day. STEM equips students with the skills needed for jobs of the future.

Students rotated between activities that included coding using Scratch/Code.org and Indredibox, Brick it lego making, Bee Bot mazes, tower challenges and Stop Motion filming.

They created some wonderful designs and we witnessed some fabulous engineering, techology use and coding.

Please see read more for photos

Read more…

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Is your favourite part of voting for democracy a sausage sizzle? On Election Day Saturday 21st May polling will be taking place in our school hall. The Parent Fundraising Group will be holding an Election Day BBQ, money raised will go toward the outdoor stage.

We are seeking family volunteers from all year levels to fill in a spot, there are 25 spots to fill.

Please sign up here: https://signup.com/go/ypGjCRp

Without parents and carers volunteering their time for such fundraising events, we are unable to run these events which significantly assist our school and provide funds to improve the school environment for all students.

 

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We hope that the entire Drysdale Primary School community had a relaxing and enjoyable Easter holiday break. We had a blast at our Rocketeers Holiday Program, and we’re looking forward to hearing more stories from the children about the fun things they got to do.

We would like to Congratulate all of the winners of our annual Easter Egg colouring competition. It was very hotly contested and the judging process was very challenging. Our big prize winners were Charlie W and Felix, with Kalista and Mahelah in second place and Lexi and Arliyah in third place. The “Angus Award” went to Kalista and Sam R. A massive thank you and well done to Angus for helping with running the competition and with the judging.

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Gateways Support Services: Strengthening Parents Support Program – Expo

Our strengthening parent expo is designed to showcase resources an tools that are available in our community!

Please see attached flyer for more information

Strengthening Parents Support Program (1) flyer

 

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