Volume 20 Issue 23 Thursday 7 August 2014

P arent Opinion Survey Last week, sixty-five families, randomly selected from our database,

received a Parent Opinion Survey which they were asked to complete and return to school. The overall objective of this survey is to collect parent opinion across the state, and for individual schools to use this data to inform school improvement. Given that a survey’s relative accuracy is best gauged with a 100% return rate, can I ask that all families who are in receipt of a survey please take a few moments to complete it and return it to school by Friday 8 August. To date we have a 60% return rate. We’d really appreciate 100% as we value your feedback.

W hat a Difference a Grant from Carlisle Homes will Make! Our school veggie garden will soon be given

a makeover with its extension into the adjacent barren site which was created by the removal of four portable classroom units earlier this year! The news that we were one of six recipients of a community grant was excitedly welcomed when we received a call from CARLISLE HOMES who were making grants of up to $10,000 for community projects available!

Jenny Reid wrote the submission after being made aware of the grant’s availability by Lana Cairns, school council president. On Tuesday, a framed certificate and a cheque for $9,660 were presented to us by the two directors of CARLISLE HOMES.

What a difference this grant from CARLISLE HOMES will make! It will enable us to create additional raised garden beds, construct propagating tables and bench seating, plant fruit trees and resurface the ground between the garden beds with gravel to make student access cleaner and free of mud! I’m sure our community will appreciate the difference this will make as our school veggie and gardening program can be extended beyond the Year 4s into other areas of the school. Along with the five other recipients, we thank CARLISLE HOMES for their support of our communities by making these grants available. School finances can now be redirected to other projects for the benefit of our students and payment of outstanding curriculum contributions would greatly assist our efforts. Outstanding payments can be made at the school office between 8:30 a.m.—4:30 p.m. Jim Bell, principal

www.brentwoodparkps.vic.edu.au

DATES TO REMEMBER

TERM DATES 2014 TERM 1 29 JAN. - 04 APR. TERM 2 22 APR. - 27 JUNE TERM 3 14 JULY - 19 SEPT. TERM 4 06 OCT. - 19 DEC. AUG 13 DISTRICT ATHLETICS BERWICK BE ACTIVE DAY YR 5 AUG 18 - 22 CHILDRENS BOOK WEEK AUG 19 YEAR 3-6 CELEBRATION “CINDERELLA AND ROCKERFELLA” AUG 20 - 27 LIFE EDUCATION ($9.00 DUE 11 AUG) SEPT 17- 19 YEAR 3/4 CAMP ARRIBRI LODGE ($285.00 TOTAL DUE 8 SEPT, PAYMENT PLAN AVAIL)

EMA 2ND SEMESTER APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY THE 1ST AUGUST 2014

JIM BELL, PRINCIPAL JENNY REID, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

W alk-a-thon Fundraiser Following its postponement last week due to the forecast gail force winds and heavy rainfall, our fund-raising walk-a-thon was held on Monday! The weather was sunny and mild throughout the day. Given

the day coincided with the closure of the Commonwealth Games, our participants were encouraged to wear Austral-ia’s colours of GREEN and GOLD. The children from Foundation to Year 6 were enthusiastic participants and com-menced the event by running in preference to walking! At the event’s conclusion, their thirsts were quenched with a welcome icy-pole! A huge thank you to our fundraising team and to Jim Narayan for organizing the event, Addition-ally, a HUGE thank you is extended to our families and friends for their sponsorship and donations towards this fund-raiser! Our fundraising team are endeavouring to raise funds for AIR -CONDITIONING in classrooms.

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P erforming Arts Celebration With less than two weeks to go, rehearsals are in their final stages and ticket sales are in their

second allocation! This means there are no limitations on the number of tickets you can now purchase! We thank you for your support and understanding of the considerable effort involved in maintaining the high standard of performances we have achieved over the past nineteen years! We look forward to

enjoying this performance with you!

Linda Moore, Performing Arts teacher

S torm Damage With the gail force winds experienced last week, Brentwood Park Primary School, like many other

premises did not escape unscathed! By lunchtime, the wind was blowing with such force that our shade cloth over our basketball court was ripped from its supports! As a safety measure, the children were not permitted outside at lunchtime. In the same manner as we implement a “wet day timetable”, we implemented a “severe weather timetable”. This meant the children remained inside their classrooms under the supervision of teachers over the course of lunchtime, and transit from one area of the school to the other was undertaken through corridors. With calls for assistance made, our shade cloth was removed prior to school being dismissed for the day! We are now in the process of consulting with our insurance for its replacement, however, a substantial cost will still be borne by the school as a result of depreciation costs.

P arent Modelling of Safe Practices Whether in the role of pedestrian or driver, it is important that adults model safe practices to their

children and to others! What message do we convey when we drive and park unlawfully, cross roads unsafely or beckon children to cross roads unaccompanied in wet weather! The safety of our children must come before any perceived slight inconvenience! SAFETY FIRST.

C asey Safety School Our Foundation and Year One students participated in a safety awareness program at the

Casey Safety School last week. It is important that the lessons taught are reinforced in their daily lives!

I learnt to give way to cars so I don’t get hurt and about stop, drop and roll in the fire safety building. Shania 1MM I liked going over the bumpy bits on the road. The bumpy bits were the best. Lincoln 1MM I went on the bike with training wheels and I learnt all about fire safety. Yla 1MM I liked riding over the train tracks when the light came on. They gave me a fright! (and it was bumpy). Marlon 1MM I learnt to take two steps away from a fire, so I don’t get burnt. Michael 1MM I was riding very fast and I was just about to go over the zebra crossing and when I saw Adam’s pop walking across, I tried to stop and I left a skid mark on the zebra crossing. Zoe –1ER I went over the railway crossing and I fell onto the road. I got back onto my bike and I was more careful. I learnt to take two steps away from a heater so I don’t catch on fire. Charlie 1ER The best thing was pretending to be a crossing supervisor. I liked that and I liked the bike without the training wheels. Abby I learnt to get down low and go, go, go. It was a weird day because the weath-er was disgusting. Ashton. I went over the bumpy bits fast. Leon 1ER We learnt about what to do in a fire. Jade I liked the railway crossing because it was bumpy. Nidhi 1ER When you are a pedestrian you need to press the button when the green light on the man comes on, you can cross the road. Luke I went on the big blue bike and it was squeaking. I had to go on the big bike because I am tall. Morgan. I liked everything. May. At Casey safety village I liked riding the bikes and learnt about how to keep safe on the road. Ebony FBV We went on the bus to get there and when we got there we learnt about fire safety. Sarah FBV We learnt to stop, drop and roll and we learnt a lot about fires. We learnt how to make a fist. Lucy FBV At the excursion, there was no real train, it was fake. Stacey FBV I learnt to feel the door before opening the door in a fire. Elisa FBV I learnt not to run across the road. I could fall down and a car could run over me. Isabel F1/SM I learnt three safety rules. Holly F1/SM Stop, look, listen, think when you are near a road. When you feel a door, you feel it with the back of your hand. If it is cool, you can open the door. If it is hot… you can’t. If you catch on fire, you stop, drop, roll and cover your eyes with your hands. I had an orange bike at the Casey Safety Village and the seat was high. It was bumpy when I went over the bumpy bits, I didn’t fall off. Matilda F1/SM When you are in a smoky place you get down low and go, go, go. You must tuck your fingers in so they stay safe. Angus F1/SM I liked the bikes because Duoth went past when I was very slow and he came back when I was at the speed humps. Speed humps make you slow down when you are in a car or a bike, they make you safe. Jayden F1/SM

Term 3 Week ending 1st August 2014

FTL Morgan For giving a fantastic recount of their excursion to Casey Safety Village. Well done! FBV Atoosa For working hard to produce excellent writing. F/1S Duoth For his attentive listening and outstanding bike riding skills while at our Casey Safety excursion. 1MM Marlon For learning how to save his work into his file on the computer. 1ER Class For representing B.P.P.S so well on our excursion. You all behaved beautifully! 2RG Wyatt For improving his focus during literacy. Well done! 2MB Isabella For including lots of detail and describing words when writing. 2/3C Hannah For your outstanding singing of our ‘Celebration’ song ‘Your voice is beautiful!’ 3LP Kirra For working very hard during our Commonwealth Games activities this week. 4CH Emily For being a happy and positive member of our class; keep smiling. 4SM Rebecca For her improved story-writing skills. Keep it up! 4VK Sonny For completing his tasks with an enthusiastic attitude. 5HG Tayah For being well organised and focussing carefully to ensure new concepts taught are learnt. Well done! 5LF Tiahna For always being focused and submitting neat work. Keep it up! 6JA Rhiannon For always putting in 100% and being positive about everything. 6JD Jarod For giving everything he does his best effort. 6TS Erythrina For an excellent individual rewrite.

‘SPECIALIST’ Stars of the Week

Health & P.E. Performing Arts 4SM For your patience and enthusiasm during your costume fitting session. You are going to look great! Visual Arts

from this funding agreement are those who are the most vulnerable.