Junior & Senior Campus

Middle Campus

Newsletter

1430 Heatherton Road, Dandenong 3175

19-21 Gloria Avenue, Dandenong North 3175

Phone: 9791 8900

Phone: 8762 6466

Email: emerson.sch@edumail.vic.gov.au

Website: www.emersonsc.vic.edu.au

Issue 15 – Friday 22nd May 2020

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT It will be wonderful next Tuesday, 26th May, when all students return to school. There are so many things to look forward to and many things that need to be said so that we can continue the good work. The efforts of all students, staff and families has been truly extraordinary. You have been determined, courageous, caring and positive in everything you have done. We have developed new ways of learning that will continue into the future. We need to remember and celebrate these times and never forget the way we have all been there for one another. The three main things that we all need to be vigilant about both now and in the months ahead are social distance, hand sanitising and the disinfecting of multiple types of touching points that include: tables, benches, door handles and railings. As of last night, 7,081 Australians have contracted COVID-19 and 11.37 million tests have been conducted. The Australian re-infection rate is down to 0.6 cases per infected person. Victoria is currently 0.4 re-infections. This is a very pleasing number. We need to know these facts in order to maintain our resolve. We need to promote a sense of friendship, happiness and travelling the journey together. This is the way to reduce anxiety and worrying about the future. This must be one of the key objectives of Emerson School for the remainder of 2020 and beyond. I would like to say again that social distancing and sanitisation has to be the key code of the way we live regardless of your age. This includes children and adults. Our Australian Government’s Department of Health website, as of last night, indicates that 88 children in the 0-9 years age group and 221 in the 10-19 year old group have tested positive to COVID-19. This comes to a total of 309 young people who have contracted COVID-19. This constitutes 4.3% of total infections. We do not need to be scared of this statistic but rather, we need to be determined that the safety and health of all members of our Emerson School community will be at the front line of all our decisions and actions. Children who are unwell should not be attending school. Children who have an elevated temperature need to be referred to their local doctor. When people undertake a COVID-19 test, the first thing that happens is that their temperature is taken. I would now like to list some basic key points surrounding the return of students to school. In last week’s newsletter, I listed eleven key points. I will not repeat them today but I would encourage you to refer to them again.

If parents choose not to send their students to school on the school bus, please inform the School Office.

Parents may choose to have their children wear a mask on our Ventura buses because of the reduced social distance. This is in keeping with recommendations regarding the use of public transport.

Parents may choose to bring their children to school at a later time and/or pick their children up earlier at the end of the school day. If this is the case, please telephone the School Office.

The circulation of parents and visitors at both our school campuses will be restricted. Inside the front foyer, there will be signs that read “No Parents or Visitors Past this Point”.

If a parent is visiting the front foyer of the school, they are asked to keep a minimum 1.5 m social distance from the front counter. When entering the front door, they should sanitise their hands immediately via the provided hand sanitising units.

All visits to the front foyer of our School Offices must be brief.

All students should bring a packed lunch and their snacks along with a water bottle that is refillable. All water fountains will not be in use.

Parents are asked to ensure that school uniforms are kept clean and hygienic at all times.

Until further notice, no face to face Friday Whole School Assemblies or Wednesday House Meetings will take place. Therefore, students should be dropped off to their respective Campus on every day.

Parents are asked to be mindful of traffic congestion at the beginning and end of each school day. This is particularly magnified at our Heatherton Road Campus. Please follow the directions given by staff who will be present in the Campus’ car parks.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone next week. It will be a joyous reunion.

JOHN MOONEY Principal

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STUDENT’S BIRTHDAYS

DIARY DATES

Tuesday 26.5.2020 Students return to school. Ventura School buses will be running. Monday 8.6.2020 Queen’s Birthday Holiday.

We will be studying the value, Thankfulness for our first week back. I am sure we are so thankful that we are at last able to get back to school to see our friends and staff. Even though things will be a little bit different for everyone’s safety, we can enjoy all the wonderful opportunities that Emerson provides once more. During the week I asked for people to let me know what they were thankful for. Here are a few things that came my way: Many students told me they are thankful for the love and support that they get from their families and friends. Quite a few students told me that they are thankful for their pets. They went on to say that their pet dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits and even gold fish have provided much needed comfort during the past few weeks. Jane Groenewegen baked the Middle School staff some lemon meringue pies to express her thankfulness and the staff were very

Value of the Week

KINDNESS AWARDS

This week’s Kindness awards go to: All the staff who volunteered their time to supervise those students who could not stay home. On behalf of those students and their families I’d like to thank you for your kindness in coming in to school and looking after them.

16th MAY AMIN A (MSJ) TABARAK A-A (SSC) PETER S (SSL) 17th MAY ABDUL I (SSS)

18th MAY MAHONNEYRAI K (MSH) CODY W (MSL) 19th MAY CONNOR T (SSA)

21st MAY NABIL A (SSD)

THANKFULNESS

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Hunters Winter Series

The second Virtual Running Challenge organised by the Glenhuntly Athletics Club took place on 8-10 May. Well done to Emerson scholarship recipients and Glenhuntly members Marc M (MSK) and Chrissy M (MSC) for completing the 5km and 3km respectively.

At school, a small number of staff and students completed the 1.5km Challenge around the running track at the Heatherton Rd campus.

Chris Winter Athletics/Cross Country Coach

ATHLETICS/CROSS COUNTRY NEWS

VIRTUAL RUNNING CHALLENGE

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REMOTE LEARNING

Students in JSE looked forward each week to a staff member arriving with their weekly work pack. Here are some photos of the chil-dren excitedly answering the door with their parent.

Josh N exicitedly answering the door.

Dominique P (JSE) has been keeping quite busy whilst school has been closed. Here are some photos of Dominique completing school, working in the garden with his brother and riding his bike. He is looking forward to seeing all his friends next Tuesday.

Kaiyan R happily receiving his new work pack.

Ben D was pleased to see his teacher delivering his weekly learning pack when he opened the door.

Erik A was beaming as he received his weekly learning pack when he answered the door.

Cassie S (MSG) has been thoroughly enjoying completing science experiments at home. This experiment used water, oil, food colouring and Panadol extra dissolvable.

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CREATIVE TREASURE HUNT COMPETITION:

1. What is green and grows on the ground and you cut it with a lawn mower? Grass, lawn

2. What grows on trees and is usually green? Leaves

3. What is a piece of rock called? Stone, pebble

4. What grows in the garden, has petals and bees love them? Flower

5. What is an arm of a tree called? Branch

6. What do you get from a tap? Water

7. What do worms slither through? Earth, dirt, mud

8. The second little pig made his house out of what? Sticks

9. What vegetable do you make fries with? Potato

10. Rabbits love to eat these? Lettuces, carrots

BACK TO SCHOOL MAZE What 6 school supplies do you pass to get from home to school?

Pencil

Sharpener

Crayon

Protractor

Scissors

Calculator

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE ANSWERS

WEEKLY RIDDLE:

I am in your eye. I am a school child. I am a word of five. What am I? Pupil.

Our winner of the Get Creative Treasure Hunt Competition is Kane K (MSL). Kane K (MSL) answered the questions, went on a treasure hunt throughout his home and yard to find 6 items from his answers and then created this wonderfully designed Creative Mini Garden.