May 7^th - International Family Equality (family pride) Day

Each family looks slightly different but with one binding similarity; love and care. On International Family Equality Day, we acknowledge the diversity of LGBTQ+ families around the world. It is very important as a community to build respect and understanding of the differences and similarities amongst different family dynamics. On this day kindness is at the forefront of our minds. We are very lucky in Australia to have equality for all families, but on this day, we acknowledge that for some individuals and families they may not always feel this way.

Second Hand Uniform Shop 

Thank you to Nicci Green for all of the time and effort she put into running our Second Hand Uniform shop. We appreciate her commitment and wish her well in her future endeavours. On the other hand, we would like to welcome Yolande Jackson who will be taking over from Nicci. A reminder that our Second Hand Uniform shop is open every Friday from 8.30 am – 9.15 am up on the mezzanine area of the gymnasium, outside the music room.

Bunnings Sausage Sizzle Fundraiser

On Saturday May 20^th we will be hosting the Bunnings BBQ at Fairfield Bunnings. Below is a volunteer registration form. We are kindly asking our wider community to volunteer an hour of their day to help run this event. Furthermore, should you know of anyone in the community who would be able to donate sausages, bread, onions, bottles of water, or soft drinks, please contact the school directly. All money raised throughout the day will go to the school directly for further initiatives/projects.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdr8I3Am_BQr3DmpWqxjEjqAgsXSaWV6FJ3y0iyJG7aXTyKrA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Classroom Helper Training

Should you be interested in helping out in your child’s class as a Classroom Helper, please ensure you have provided the school with a valid Working With Children’s Check card. It is a legal requirement that all parent volunteers have provided this information to the school prior to assisting.

Cyber Safety and Social Media

We are all living in extraordinary and rapidly changing times. Children today have access to more technology and functions than ever before, and keeping up with this as parents, carers and teachers can be challenging.

It has been brought to our attention that students are using online platforms, such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Roblox, Fortnite, and Minecraft.

The usage of these apps occurs outside of school hours, at night, and over the weekend and sometimes things that are posted and/or sent can negatively impact students' academic, social, and emotional well-being. We appreciate that our students feel comfortable coming forward to talk to their classroom teacher and members of leadership, however we have been informed that many students are hiding their digital footprint from their parents. 

We have a proactive approach to support our students with their learning and this includes their ability to navigate the digital world.  We strongly encourage you to have a conversation with your child about their digital footprint. Please note that many of these platforms are 13+, however, if your student is accessing these applications we implore you to sit with them and have a conversation about how to use these apps safely. Make sure all privacy settings are turned on and they know that they can speak to a trusted adult if they are unsure about anything. 

We are currently doing the following to educate our school community to ensure a safe online environment for all our students:  

• As per the DET Policy on Mobile Phones, we are proactively collecting devices from students in the morning before the start of school and returning them at the end of the day. This is to ensure no transmitting devices are accessible throughout the school day.
• We have partnered with the Cyber Safety Project. They ran student sessions last term as well as a parent session. There are 3 more parent webinars on offer, all of this is available through our school bulletin. We also have access, and classes are using curriculum-aligned lessons for students using online tools safely.
• Senior School students will also be working on receiving a digital license to become eSmart students throughout the next term.

Further resources

1. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with the Cyber Safety Project and subscribe to their newsletter via https://cybersafetyproject.com.au/
2. On top of this, the following website https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents is free to access and has great resources to support parents in all the big issues around the use of digital technologies and we urge you to read through this information
3. We also ask that you familiarise yourself with the following information, which outlines how to protect information and report any harmful content based on each specific application https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-issues/esafety-guide.  
4. There is a great app called Beacon which is available via the App Store. This is a cyber safety educational app designed to keep parents and carers up-to-date with trusted, tailored information, to help keep their kids safe online

We thank you for your ongoing support and awareness of this issue. 

IEPS Cross Country 

A reminder that the IEPS Cross Country will take place for all years 3-6 students at Chelsworth park on Monday the 8^th May. Students will be leaving IEPS at 1:00pm with the first race starting at 1:30pm.  

The order of races will be as follows:   
1: 10 years old and under (girls then boys) - distance 1.3km  

2: 11 year olds - total distance 2.6km  

3: 12 and older - 2.6km  

Note: Ages are determined by your child’s age on December 31^st this year i.e. if your child is turning 11 this year, they run in the 11 year old age group. 

This year Cross Country is a house event. All students that compete will get one point and there will be points allocated to the top 10 runners for each race. Students are encouraged to wear their house colours on the day. The focus of the event is for students to have fun and experience Cross Country. Students are welcome to make their way around the track at a pace that suits them. Those students that finish in the top 10 for their age group will be invited to District Cross Country.  

Parents are welcome and encouraged to come along and spectate. Thank you and looking forward to a good afternoon.  

Introduction of IEPS House System  

The house captains have had a very busy start to the 2023 year. They have been working closely with a company called House Spirit to plan, create and implement house activities. Their first activity was introducing the Foundation students to their house colour. They explained what it meant to be a part of that house and assisted them in creating little key chains for their school bags. Following this activity, the house captains introduced and ran a game for the Foundation students to get to know the other students in their house. It was a very successful event, and the Foundation students were very excited to be introduced to their house colour.  

This term, the house captains have had another engaging session with House Spirit where they discussed the top four house names, which were voted on by the students. They were able to discuss the characteristics of each animal, its habitat and were able to create an identity with the animals that could be associated with each of the house colours. The house captains came up with persuasive arguments as to why their house colour should be associated with certain animals. Green and Blue house captains had persuasive arguments and it was a unanimous decision for their names. Yellow and Red house both wanted the same animal, which led to them presenting their ideas to the Green and Blue house captains as well as Mr. Boyle, Mr. Phillips and Mrs. Dwyer. It was a tough decision, but in the end all the house captains were happy with the decisions.

I am pleased to announce the names: 

• Yellow house will be known as Wimbi (Wallaby) 
• Red house will be known as Marram (Kangaroo) 
• Blue house will be known as Wadjil (Pelican) 
• Green house will be known as Tharra (White Hawk) 

The house captains also discussed, planned and created activities for a House Spirit Day. (A date will be confirmed in the following weeks). This will be the unveiling of the official house names and provides an opportunity for the whole school to be a part of an array of activities with their house.   

Finally, we have introduced a house point system. Students can earn points for their house by displaying our school values of Respect, Resilience, Friendship and Curiosity within the classroom, specialists or on excursions. Students who earn themselves a green ticket will also earn 50 house points for their house. They were able to have a discussion with their classroom teacher about the school values and some examples of how you could earn these points. The students have been very receptive to the introduction of the house points. There will be a weekly winner announced, and an overall total of points will be announced at assemblies each week.  

IEPS Lunchtime Clubs Timetable - 2023

2024 Prep Enrolments

The Department of Education has released a new Prep enrolment form for 2024, which is now available on our website. https://ivanhoeeastps.vic.edu.au/enrolment-enquiries

The state-wide timeline for Prep 2024 is as follows:

1. Enrolment applications open for Prep 2024 government primary schools on Monday 24 April 2023 (First day of Term 2).
2. Submit an enrolment application for Prep by Friday 28 July 2023.
3. You will be notified of the outcome of your application by Friday 11 August 2023. If you receive an offer of placement, you should accept the offer by Friday 25 August 2023.

We have and will continue to offer tours each Tuesday and Thursday for the entirety of Term 2.

As featured below we are also offering Pre-Prep sessions for all prospective 2024 Foundation students at IEPS. If you are interested in your child participating, please fill out the below form. You will also notice there is a prospective 2024 Prep Information night that we would encourage you to attend. 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdxfDlJ3I-8zplUfDAtKq81tupMAE2R29K_Wfp_-D3iG0Cycg/viewform?usp=sf_link

IEPS Art Show Fundraising Event – Colour Day on Friday 5^th May

To support our upcoming, IEPS Art Show, the Art Captains are hosting a fundraising event called COLOUR DAY! 

This day is designed to celebrate COLOUR and the way we use colour in our artwork to express ourselves.Students are encouraged to wear lots of colour and to bring a gold coin donation on the day. 

The money raised from this event will be used to exhibit our student artwork collection at the IEPS Art Show (Thursday, 15^th June from 3:30pm). We thank you in advance for your support and gold coin donations and look forward to seeing the spectrum of colours on the day!

Call-Out for Art Show Volunteers

Ivanhoe Grammar have kindly offered for us to use their large display boards for our Art Show later this term, and we are hoping that some families might be willing and able to help us transport them to and from. If you have access to a van or trailer and would be available to pick up some display boards from Ivanhoe Grammar in Week 5 or 6 of this term and/or return them to Ivanhoe Grammar after our Art Show, please email Lauren Turner or Jennie Alagiozidis (our Art Teachers) using Compass, to volunteer your time and services. Please reference your name, phone number and availabilities.

In addition, if you are available on Friday June 16^th, to help take down the artworks and sort them into piles, please also email Lauren or Jennie, as we are very much hoping to have some helpers then too.

One of the teachers will be in contact with you to coordinate dates and times. We really appreciate any help you might be able to offer!

Thanks again,

Lauren, Jennie and the Art Captains.

Reminders from Previous Newsletters

PTFA Survey

Our PTFA Committee has put together a short survey to help plan activities and fundraising for 2023. Please complete this form at your earliest convenience.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeNKGSTxx4lt-ms3rz_24T_tWa41XfcbYgx5QYkiAZHWR1zGA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Restorative Approach @ IEPS

We are excited to announce that we will be implementing the Restorative Approach at IEPS. This approach is a way of building positive relationships and resolving conflicts by encouraging empathy, accountability, and understanding among all members of the school community.

At its core, the Restorative Approach focuses on creating a safe and inclusive learning environment where everyone feels heard and respected. By teaching students to understand the impact of their actions on others and to take responsibility for their behaviour, we hope to foster a culture of kindness and mutual respect.

Over the next year, we will be implementing different aspects of a Restorative Approach. Some of these practices are already embedded and the Restorative Approach will complement existing practices. Here are some key features of the Restorative Approach that you can expect to see in our school:

• Community Circle: is a regular part of the Restorative Approach where students gather in a circle to discuss topics, share their thoughts and feelings, and build community. Circle time is a great way for students to practice active listening and learn how to communicate effectively.
• Restorative Language: Restorative language involves using words that promote empathy, understanding, and accountability. By using restorative language, students learn how to express their feelings and needs in a respectful and non-judgmental way, and how to listen to and understand the feelings and needs of others.
• Restorative Conferencing: Restorative conferencing is a way of resolving conflicts by bringing together the people involved in a safe and supportive environment. The aim of a restorative conference is to help everyone affected by an incident to understand the harm that has been caused and to work together to find a way forward. This will be formally explored with later in the term.

We believe that the Restorative Approach will be an effective way to promote positive behaviour and relationships among students, and we hope that you will support us in this endeavour. We will continue to share how we are embedding a Restorative Approach throughout the year.

How is this different from our current approach?

The Restorative Approach represents a subtle shift in the way our school community thinks about behaviour management and conflict resolution. In the past, our school may have relied on traditional disciplinary methods such as punishment or exclusionary practices. However, the Restorative Approach takes a more proactive and holistic approach to addressing challenging behaviour and promoting positive relationships.

What makes the Restorative Approach different is its focus on repairing harm and restoring relationships, rather than simply punishing, or blaming individuals for their behaviour. This approach recognizes that conflict is a natural part of human interaction and that when conflicts arise, it provides an opportunity for learning and growth while maintaining student safety at its core. By encouraging open communication, active listening, and empathy, the Restorative Approach creates a safe and supportive environment that fosters positive relationships and community building.

The Restorative Approach is also a new initiative for our school, and it represents a subtle change in the way we approach behaviour management and community building. While it may take time to fully implement and integrate the Restorative Approach into our school's culture, we believe that it will ultimately lead to a more positive and inclusive learning environment for all students.

IEPS Daily Routine

Attached to this week’s bulletin is a resource to support families having meaningful conversations at home. Many students come home at the end of a day and answer ‘what did you do at school today’ with a mono-toned ‘nothing’. The IEPS Daily Routine resource provides questions to help you start the day with a conversation and then unpack your day.

Infectious Disease

If your child does test positive for COVID-19 and/or any other infectious disease we ask you contact the school via email Ivanhoe.east.ps@education.vic.gov.au and, it is recommended that they isolate for a minimum of 5 days and not attend school until their symptoms have resolved.

In relation to Covid-19 it is recommended that rapid antigen tests (RATs) are used by students and staff:

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19 infection, no matter how mild
• If you are a household or close contact of someone who has COVID-19
• If you are a social contact of someone who has COVID-19.

Rapid Antigen Tests are also available from the front office, please don’t hesitate to come in and collect as needed.

For Your Diaries

Please refer to IEPS Important Dates below for Term 2 important dates.

Follow Us

A reminder that we now have a community Instagram account, this account is used to connect with our wider community, promote school events and give an insight into our facilities, incursions, excursions, and all of the wonderful teaching & learning that is happening at IEPS. You can follow our movements by networking with us @ivanhoeeastprimaryschool on Instagram.

Regards,

Dear Parents/Guardians,

They say it takes a village to raise a child–parents, carers, teachers, support staff, to name a few– who all work together to support the children in their lives. 

Thanks to the generous support of the Barr Family Foundation, Smiling Mind is extending an exclusive invitation to parents and carers of students at IEPS and our Victorian partner schools to join us in a webinar next month to help support children’s mental fitness and social and emotional learning at home.

Promoting mental fitness in your child (webinar)

Time/Date: Wednesday 24th May 2023 at 12:00pm AEST

We invite parents and carers to join a free webinar next month, where a Smiling Mind psychologist will discuss common issues children face with their mental fitness including navigating friendships, emotional regulation and learning how to confidently take on more responsibility, with research and evidence to support parents and carers to confidently respond.

Register:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cTbtO-zCTI6m-sTfunBPiA

IEPS Second Hand Uniforms is located upstairs in the gym!!

The Second Hand Uniform shop will be open each Friday morning from 8.30am - 9.15am (45 minutes) for you to purchase any items you might need.

Items are $5 each and payment is strictly card only.

We can also accept any clothing donations at this time - our only ask is that donated uniform items are clean and in good condition (i.e. no tears, holes, animal hair etc!).

As we have been inundated, we are not accepting school bags at the moment.

Please use the stairs next to the entrance to the Hall/Gym.