School is closed for students tomorrow, Wednesday 2nd December, for our fourth and final pupil free day for 2020. The teachers will be in school working on gaining a deeper understanding of developing children as writers.

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Thank you to all our wonderful school community for making such a smooth transition to the latest operational changes as we edge ever closer to a return to the unrestricted arrangements last in place back at the beginning of the year.

It has been so good having parents and carers back on site at the beginning and end of the day. Thank you for understanding the need to remain outside the buildings for a little bit longer and restricting your time on site to less than 15 minutes.

Thank you too for understanding that without the extra staff presence at the gates we cannot operate the drop off zone. Staff have returned to their on-site duties supervising children playing the yard for the few minutes before the bell goes at 9am.

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All government schools hold an Annual General Meeting at which we present our annual report for the previous year. Normally these meetings are held in May but have been delayed by COVID restrictions. This year’s meeting will be at 6pm next Tuesday, December 8th.

Please remember that the attached Annual Report refers to the 2019 school year.

DPS 2019 Annual Report

 

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While we are busy finishing the current school year, we are also very busy making arrangements for the new school year in 2021.

At the moment we are tackling the challenge of placing children in classes.

If your child is not returning to Drysdale in 2021, please can you let us know officially at the school office in writing by email to me philip.dunlop-moore@education.vic.gov.au or to the school drysdale.ps@education.vic.gov.au.

This information is crucial to ensuring that there are positive friendship groups in each class.

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The next school market will be in a couple of weeks on Sunday 20th December. 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 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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We have sent out information today about parent payments for 2021. This message came through our parent portal and directs you to information relating to your child/ren’s year group. There are significant changes to the arrangements this year.

We have created costs related specifically to each year group rather than there being a consistent amount for every year group. We have also taken into account unused resources in school as a result of extended periods of remote learning.

This means the charge for 2021 is significant lower than in previous years. You can access the information for your child/ren under the School Resources Tab in the parent portal.

Please see read more for instructions on how to find the resources tab

Read more…

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Welcome to December!!!! So much excitement around the school for upcoming special events and celebrations for the end of year. This week has seen us very busy handing out canteen vouchers to students that are ‘cashing in’ their hard earned tokens. Others have chosen to share a joke over the school P.A or select items from the prize tub. It has been wonderful to celebrate and recognise students for earning tokens this year and demonstrating our school values. We can’t wait to see more students in the next few weeks ‘cashing in’ too.

Prep B shared some very funny writing after noticing that a certain PE teacher had not been seen at school for a little while. Mr Sinnott has been on leave and the Prep students wrote some engaging stories about where he might be. Some thought he would be at the gym working out, others thought he would be at the beach or cleaning his house. Someone even thought he was hiding in the school hall!! Thanks for sharing this writing Prep B, we look forward to seeing Mr Sinnott back soon.

The Book Fair has been a great success for our school community. Our students have accessed some amazing titles and as a result we have some fabulous new texts for our school library! Thanks so much to all of our families for supporting the fair. Next Year’s fair will be held in May and coincide with ‘National Simultaneous Storytime’ and the chosen text being read from ‘The International Space Station’ which will be so exciting!

Last Wednesday was also the third small group Prep Transition session. Information has been emailed today to all our Prep 2021 families about the final transition session happening next Tuesday, December 8th.

We can’t thank the Prep teachers and the parents and carers of our new Preps enough for their support through what has been a very different transition experience.

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The scriptwriting has been done, our rehearsals have finished and today the action is being filmed. A Covid Affair is close to its premiere.

Click read more to view some quotes from our kids and a gallery of images from our dress rehearsal.

Read more…

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The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that starts on the 25th of November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and it ends on the 10th of December, Human Rights Day. It was started by activists at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and has continued until this day. Each year it is coordinated by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership. It is used as an organising strategy by individuals and organisations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. 

Read more about what you can do to join in this initiative on a global or local level.

Read more…

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It’s beginning to feel a bit like Christmas at Before and After School Care. The children have been very excited about our planned Christmas activities, with highlights this week including painting our own Christmas signs, 3D Christmas trees, decorating our own cardboard baubles, making beaded Christmas trees and sewing our own mini Christmas stockings.

Read more…

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JUMPING FROM JETTIES AND PIERS – Message From Barwon Coast

Please note a timely reminder about jumping from piers and jetties. It might seem like a harmless activity on hot days, however it is a dangerous activity that can lead to serious injury.
Summer holidays are almost upon us and we are seeing an increase in people under 18 jumping or diving into the Barwon River at Barwon Heads from the Public Jetty and William Buckley Pedestrian Bridge. This is often with the support of their parents.

Jumping into a natural water body such as the Barwon Estuary can result in a serious spinal injury or death. Tides and sand movement make the safety of jumping different every time. Water depths, sand bars and submerged debris and rubbish around jetties and bridges can change on a daily basis which makes water conditions unpredictable.

The key message is: Safety is everyone’s responsibility; please observe all safety signage and don’t jump from piers and jetties this summer. Find a safe place to access the water.

We have installed signage on the jetty and bridge advising that jumping or diving is prohibited but we are disappointed to find that they are often overlooked or ignored.

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