Volume 22 Issue 38 Thursday 01 December 2016

S chool Assemblies School assemblies are held in our gymnasium each Friday at 2:40 p.m. They provide us with the

opportunity to address the children collectively and to give recognition to student achievement through the presentation of student awards such as Stars of the Week and student performances. These performances are enjoyed equally, not only by parents and students in the audience, but also by the performers themselves! Last week, we were able to recognise the writing talents of Abbey B from Year 5LF. Abbey’s story based upon the person she admires most was the winning entrant of a recent story writing competition titled, “Colour My Classroom”, sponsored by Office Works and Sharpie. Not only did Abbey’s entrant win her a prize but also $500 for the school and a box of office products! Congratulations, Abbey, and thank you!!

Yulia and Mark, company representatives, attended the assembly to make the presentation. Lyn, Abbey’s teacher, had a winning student entrant in last year’s competition too, and graciously accepted the $500 on behalf of the school!

Additionally, the students who learn keyboard through the Primary Music Institute [PMI], each gave a solo performance to demonstrate their developing musical abilities. Jack J 2AD played “The Can Can” Melia K 3SH played “Old MacDonald” Sarah S 3 SH played “Aussie Jingle Bells” Rayan A 3SH played “Big Ben” Rohan G 1/2RG played “Twinkle Twinkle” Molly K 5SM played “Cold Water” Shaun L 2CM played “Twinkle Twinkle” Bharath J 5/6TS played “Fun for Two” David, their PMI music teacher, was present and justifiably proud of their efforts!

www.brentwoodparkps.vic.edu.au

TERM DATES 2016 TERM 3 11 JULY - 16 SEPT. TERM 4 03 OCT. - 20 DEC.

TERM DATES 2017 TERM 1 30 JAN. - 31 MARCH TERM 2 18 APRIL - 30 JUNE 28 NOV - 7 DEC JUNIOR SWIMMING PROGRAM (FREEWAY SPORTS CENTRE, DANDENONG) 02 DEC REPORT WRITING DAY (STUDENT FREE DAY) 07 DEC LAST STUDENT BANKING DAY 2016 14 DEC YEAR 6 GRADUATION ($27.00 DUE 5/12 QKR PAYMENT OPTION AVAILABLE)

15 DEC CHRISTMAS CONCERT - FSM, FBV, 1MC, 1HG, 1/2R, 2DK 16 DEC CHRISTMAS CONCERT - FTL, FLP, FBM, 1MB, 2CM, 2AD 16 DEC LAST CANTEEN DAY 2016 20 DEC LAST DAY TERM 4 (2:30PM FINISH) JIM BELL, PRINCIPAL JENNY REID, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

DATES TO REMEMBER

OUR APPRECIATIVE AUDIENCE

V COP At last week’s assembly, we also took the opportunity to highlight the success of our

VCOP writing program. As part of the program, all grades across the school take part in what is commonly

referred to as a “COLD” write. This format enables students to focus intensely on their writing topic and without distraction and without teacher support, in an environment conducive to writing. Given that the same topic is used from Prep—Year 6, teachers then moderate on the writing piece in teams and across year levels to “grade” the assessment piece of

writing and give it a progression point on the Writing Continuum. Aarohi and Sanuka from Prep SM shared their stories at assembly and were justifiably proud of their respective achievements. Both produced written pieces well beyond the expectation!!

P rep 2017 Transition Last Wednesday, our final session of our comprehensive Prep Transition program was

conducted with high numbers of parents attending our Parent Information Evening. We are confident that we achieved our aim which was to create a sense of familiarity with the teachers and classroom environment, and to promote commencing school as a positive experience for our new students, and to give parents a comprehensive understanding of the Foundation Year Curriculum and daily operations of the school! The Parent Information Evening followed four classroom sessions for students and four curriculum information sessions for parents over a period of eight weeks!

P ersonal Achievement Congratulations are extended to Hans T from 6JA who, after achieving so well in the Australian

Mathematics Competition, was invited to a workshop and presentation session at Wesley College in Saint Kilda. “I felt so privileged to attend Wesley College in St. Kilda to represent the school in a maths workshop organised by the Australian Mathematics Competition. There were many quizzes to solve, which were very challenging. I really enjoyed the experience and challenge. A highlight was meeting the Director of AMT, Mike Clapper, and receiving the award from him. I felt proud of myself and the school.” Hans T

S tudent Free Day - Friday 2 December Our scheduled Student Free Day for the purpose of writing student reports is this Friday 2 December.

With benchmarking and assessments finalised, teacher moderation sessions completed, and student achievement levels in relation to AusVELS recorded, the day will be well utilised for the writing of teacher comments.

P ersonal Achievement Congratulations are extended to Rohan G

of 1/2RG who has won the Young Australian Art Award 2016. This award was funded and acknowledged through the Australian Scholarships Group [ASG] which is a member owned organisation, helping to create educational opportunities for children.   MEDIA RELEASE– Two Great Loves Win ASG Award  “When seven year old Rohan received a box of crayons for his birthday, little did he know that would ignite a love for painting. Since then, he’s been drawing every single day and his life-like drawing of a fox sitting under the night sky caught the judge’s attention and was selected from around 3000 entries to receive the ASG Art Award [painting] on 26 November, in an award ceremony held in Melbourne.

Rohan, who attends Brentwood Park Primary School in Victoria says “he loves foxes and thinks they’re amazing and is already thinking about a career in Zoo Keeping because he loves to look after animals”. It is one of five award categories sponsored by ASG as part of the Young Australian Art and Writers’ Awards, which attracted more than 33,000 entries. ...ASG Chief Executive Officer, John Velegrinis said he was impressed by Rohan’s artistic ability and future vision…“These awards are also successful because of the support from parents. We know from our research that parents want their children to succeed and this aspiration is the most significant factor in determining their long-term success. When children know how their parents value their education and the high aspirations they have, this encourages them to want to do better and achieve results. So it’s really encouraging to see parents

being involved and supporting their children’s educational interests.” … the awards continue to go from strength to strength.”

S tudent Placements 2017 The organisation of classes for next year is underway. When we organise classes, we try to

ensure an even spread of abilities within each class across the year level. Teachers take into consideration how individual children work together and use the knowledge of all teachers at the year level together with specialist teachers and senior staff in the final formation. We endeavour to design each class as a cohesive working and learning unit and where possible, place children with at least one of their nominated friends. This in itself is a complex procedure but cannot be seen as the primary focus in class organization. Sometimes it is beneficial for students to explore new relationships and not be reliant on the same one or two class friends year after year. Additionally, sometimes it is the teachers’ considered opinion that particular children need to be separated from friends to enable them to develop and realize their potential. When organising classes for 2017, staff will be placing the children in class groups which are conducive to learning. This will remain as the primary focus. The staff are aware of the friendship groups and will also attempt to include a friend, however, attaining a positive learning environment will be the primary determining factor. We expect to be informing children of their grade placements on Thursday 15 December, prior to their 2017 grade orientation session.

U nclaimed Scooters There are a number of unclaimed scooters being stored in the administration area of the school.

These are scooters which have been left behind in the bike enclosure. Could the owners please collect them!

J aryd Clifford Para Olympian visits Brentwood Park Para Olympic athlete Jaryd Clifford visited our middle and senior school students this week on

Tuesday. Jaryd spoke of his childhood to his current age of 17 years and his sporting experiences. Jaryd is undoubtedly inspirational, committed and motivated to continue his journey as Australia’s premier middle distance runner in his category. Jaryd began losing his vision from the age of 3 with a degenerative eye condition. By the age of 12 his vision was severely hampered and now he is legally blind. Jaryd altered his love of all sport to focus on something he was able to compete in; the 1500m and 5000m events. His first Para Olympics, this year in Rio, was something our students loved to hear about. Jaryd ran in a historic race where he came 7th and the winner was faster than the able bodied athletes. Can you imagine running 1500m blind? Jaryd shared his fantastic Olympic experience and he answered many questions. Mostly our students wanted to know how he ran so fast being blind. His response was very interesting; from counting his steps, to listening to his opponents’ breathing and also listening to other athletes’ footsteps. This is amazing and something our students really appreciated.

Jaryd’s story has no doubt had a positive impact on our students with his theme of being your best and not letting obstacles stop you from chasing your dream.

V ictorian Golf Championship Congratulations to Max F for playing in the Victorian Golf Final

at Korringal Golf Course on Wednesday. Max had progressed this year playing in many qualifying tournaments where his form had been very consistent. In the final yesterday, Max unfortunately wasn’t at his best. His score was middle of the final placings. It was a superb effort for Max to progress through to the final. Well done and keep up the hard work! Jim Narayan, Health & Physical Education

S RC News Berwick Church of Christ –FOOD PANTRY This week, the SRC supported the

Berwick Church of Christ Food Pantry project. The Food Pantry supports families within our community that experience food insecurity; that is: they run out of food and cannot afford to buy more. The Food Pantry supports people who are experiencing hardship by providing them with non-perishable food items. The SRC helped re-stock the Food Pantry in readiness for Christmas by having a free dress day on Thursday 1 December. In return, they asked students and families to bring a non-perishable food item to school and give it to their classroom teacher. The SRC reps collected the donations from each classroom and contacted the Berwick Church of Christ for their collection!

C asey No Interest Loan Scheme Do you need a bit of help covering the cost of books, uniforms and camps? You may be

eligible for The Casey No Interest Loan Scheme which is managed by Casey North Community Information and Support Service located in Narre Warren. The No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) is committed to providing a safe, fair and affordable credit option for the purchase of essential household items, education expenses and other essential items where other financial assistance is unavailable or inaccessible. Eligible education expenses include books, uniforms, school camps and even tablets and laptops. NILS is a good option for families on a low income who might really be struggling to pay for school expenses. The loan is repaid over the whole year thus spreading the financial burden into manageable payments. To be eligible for this loan all that is required is that you:

Live on a low income/have a health care card Have lived at your current address for at least three

months Are able to demonstrate an ability to repay the loan

Should you wish to apply for the loan or simply find out more information please feel free to contact Casey North Community Information and Support Service on 9705 6699, or via email: nils@caseynorthciss.com.au. Lauren Scrivener, Coordinator Microfinance NILS CNCISS

Code:bpps2017

Code:bpps2017

Term 4 Week ending 25th November 2016

FBM Whole Class For being absolute champions with the last few weeks of testing.  FBV Sahajveer For his superstar skip counting during Maths. Awesome job, Seji! FLP Peyton For settling well into our grade. Welcome to FLP! FSM Saisha For writing a report about Space using excellent spelling strategies. Well done! FTL Sienna For trying really hard with her handwriting. Well done! 1/2R Rison For his enthusiasm to complete tasks in the classroom and contribute ideas. You are amazing! 1HG Jack For always working to achieve his personal best as well as being an extremely helpful, caring and supportive friend. 1MB Lucas For trying his best in all his writing tasks. Well done, Lucas! 1MC Dimitris For making such a fantastic start at B.P.P.S. We love having you here! Welcome! 2AD Jayde For her marvellous maths work this semester. Super effort, Jayde! 2CM Leah For trying very hard with your handwriting this week and for always being helpful . 2DK Abbigail For consistently being an enthusiastic, positive and hardworking student. You’re a role model! 3CH Matthew For showing fantastic work habits during our class projects in maths and literacy. 3LM Samko For your detailed biography on Leo Messi. Well done! 3SH Saalaar For your tremendous teamwork skills during our ‘Design a Zoo’ project. Well done! 4CP Patrick For always being a helpful and friendly class member. 4CV Michael For showing excellent progression and dedication to his mathematics activities! 4VK Jessica For being a wonderful garden leader. 5/6T Haritik For being a polite, focused and co-operative student. 5LF Abbey For consistently using great ideas when writing narratives. Well done! 5SM Molly For “wowing” us all with her fabulous Passion Project on Tutting. Well done! 6JA Ricky For using all VCOP strategies and improving his writing and always having a smile. Will For making a huge effort to improve his writing using VCOP. 6JD Emma For being a superstar at organising 6JD to ensure all graduation bags and photos are correct. 6JP Anant For excellent use of the VCOP strategies in your Big Write narrative. Well done!

Term 4 Week ending 25th November 2016

‘SPECIALIST’ Stars of the Week

Health & P.E. 6JA For a fabulous & exciting game of volleystars. Visual Arts 6JP For their fabulous paper mâché trinket bowls! Performing Arts 2CM For singing partner songs and playing an accompaniment on the xylophones. LOTE 5LF For your suggestions and helpfulness in organizing our new Chinese classroom. Special thanks to Lyn and Marlene.

P LEASE DIRECT MONEY FOR EXCURSIONS, ETC TO YOUR CLASSROOM TEACHER - NOT TO THE OFFICE. Please hand money and permission slip in sealed envelopes to classroom teacher first thing in the morning. By following this process teachers are aware that your child will be attending the excursion and mark them

off their lists. Money is collected by office staff and processed each morning and a receipt given back to teachers along with permission slips. All money is tallied and banked daily – no money is left on the premises. If you wish to pay by credit card, a proforma is available from the office. This can be filled out with details and placed in a sealed envelope and handed to your classroom teacher

Please deliver cash in a sealed envelope with your child’s name and grade on the front by 9.30 a.m. If you have a number of children attending an excursion you can place all money and permission slips in the one envelope with children’s names and grades on the front and deliver to one of the children’s teachers. The office staff will be able to allocate money to the children’s particular items and distribute permission slips and receipts back to teachers. Enve-lopes are available at the office. If you have a large amount to be paid or need to process an EFTPOS transaction through a savings account you can make arrangements to pay at the office. We also have a new Qkr payment system on our Skoolbag app. If you download our Skoolbag app and Qkr payment app you can now pay for your child’s excursion on line.

All change will be delivered to the children in the afternoon. Re-imbursements will only be made under certain circumstances – they will be made by cheque (no cash transactions are made).

Notices are sent out with a final collection time – please adhere to this time. All money and permission slips are re-quired to be sent back by this date – otherwise your child will not be able to attend. This enables us to confirm book-ings and numbers with bus companies and organisations we are visiting. Also we need to send details to the Depart-ment of Education Emergency Management for all excursions, camps, etc. We also need to accommodate students who will not be attending.

We would appreciate it if parents could please follow these processes.