Heights Happenings – 2023 – Term 3, Week 5

School Review

On Thursday we had the first of three school review days. This involved myself as Principal, Leah Hodgson (Assistant Principal), Sharon Walker (School Council President), Justin Butler (Senior Education Improvement Leader for the Knox Network), Sue Dean (Principal of Ferntree Gully North PS), Michael Puddy (Principal of Billanook PS) and Tracy Hammill (School Reviewer from Edvaluate), unfortunately Kristy Foster was sick on the day.

The aim of the day was to discuss the school’s performance data for the last four years, share highlights and outline things the helped or hindered us from achieving our goals and targets. The review panel visited classrooms to take notes on what teachers and students were doing so we can use this information for future planning. They mentioned how engaged the children were in their learning, and how calm, consistent and orderly the classrooms were. A real highlight for the review panel was meeting with small groups of students from each year level to get feedback about the school from the students’ perspective. The panel members were blown away with how articulate and well-mannered our children are.

The next review day is on Thursday 17^th August. This is called a Fieldwork Day where the review panel meets with teachers and education support staff to seek their input about the school’s progress. There will also be an opportunity for a group of parents to provide feedback – I’d like to thank these parents in advance for their willingness to support our school in this process.

Prep Enrolments for 2024

Over the next week Sharon La Morticella, our Enrolment Officer, will be emailing a confirmation letter to welcome our new Preps into our school for 2024.  If you have a child starting school next year who has a sibling already at our school, but haven’t yet enrolled, contact Sharon in the office as soon as possible please.

Three Way Conferences

Three Way Conferences are happening a bit differently this term as opposed to the way they were run in Term 1 and in previous years. It was originally scheduled to be a student-free day, however this has now changed to having Three Way Conferences on Tuesday 12^th and Wednesday 13^th September after school hours. More information will be sent to families in the lead up to these sessions, which are a great opportunity to speak to your child’s teacher about their academic progress.

Cadbury Chocolate Fundraiser

Thank you to all our families that are doing an amazing job selling the chocolates for our school. This is a major fundraiser for the year, and we are extremely appreciative of your support. Just a reminder that all money must be returned to the school by Friday 25^th August. Thank you to Yvette Willison, the office and the Hubster for organising this.

Congratulations

I’m excited to announce that two more teachers will be having babies this year. A huge congratulations to Mrs Taylah Smith and her husband Jason, and Mr Carlos Milan and his partner Aida, who will be having their babies around Christmas time. Mrs Smith will begin maternity leave in November with Mrs Prue Baum taking PE until the end of the year. I’d like to wish Mrs Smith and Mr Milan all he best as they embark on an exciting new chapter in their lives.

Have a great week!

Mat Anderton
Acting Principal

CARE Ticket Winners

Student of the Week

Monets of the Week Term 3 Week 1

Year 5&6 – Identity Masks

The Year 5 & 6 artists planned and designed a mask that communicates their unique self and identity. They used modroc to mould an interesting facial form and a range of materials to bring their ideas to life. Each part of the design was carefully created to symbolise an important part of their identity.

Monet of the Week

Year 1 students are bucket fillers!

This term the Year 1 students have been looking at the picture story book ‘Have you filled a bucket today?’.  This amazing book talks about how everyone around us carries an ‘invisible bucket’. If we don’t treat other people with kindness or respect, we can ‘dip’ into their bucket. But if we do treat other people with kindness, we can become bucket ‘filler’s’.

Year 1 has been working hard to think of ways we can fill each other buckets, here are some of our suggestions!

• Letting people go first in group activities.
• Saying ‘well done’ when people try their best.
• Saying please and thank you.
• Showing active listening.
• Using kind words
• Giving high fives!

National Science Week

As a way to celebrate National Science Week (August 12 – 20^th), a home based STEAM challenge will take place in the lead up to it. In short, students aim to design and build a structure that can protect an egg from cracking. If you are interested, please read the attached flyer for more detail. There will be a prize for the best design and highest recorded drop (without a crack).

Good luck and have fun designing and building with this Science Week challenge!

Carlos Milan

STEAM Teacher

Library News

Book Week Celebrations – August 19^th – 25^th

With Book Week fast approaching, costumes being sorted and preparation for our annual Book Fair well underway, things are getting exciting! Thank you so much to those parents who have put their hand up to support us in running the Book Fair, your time is truly appreciated. We are still in need of 2 parents each day of the fair from 3.30-4pm. If you are able to assist us, can you please fill in the slip below and hand it in at the office or email me asap.

The Book Fair will be open during student’s Library sessions and students can bring cash in a named envelope to purchase new, fantastic quality and popular books. Junior and senior fiction books, activity packs, journals, picture story books and non-fiction books will all be available for as little as $2 and up to $25. Book Fair will also be open to families between 3.30pm and 4pm each day, in the Library. Cash and EFTPOS will be available at the fair.

Unfortunately author Patrick Guest had to cancel his visit to us this year, as he has been very unwell and in hospital. We wish him a speedy recovery. We have now booked award winning Australian author Ailsa Wild to chat to students on Friday 25th August, also our book character dress up day. Ailsa has written some great engaging series, Squishy Taylor and The Naughtiest Pixie. She also has many informative picture story books about organisms, bacteria and our coral reefs. We look forward to meeting Ailsa and asking lots of questions!

leanne.bentley@education.vic.gov.au

Premier’s Reading Challenge

20 days to go!! Time to enter all the books you’ve read this year, if you haven’t already. Every student who completes the Reading challenge will receive a certificate. Our top 10 readers who have read the most books this year will receive a certificate, a PRC pin and a book. Certificates will be given out during term 4. The winning class of the pizza lunch will be announced once the challenge is closed and they will enjoy their yummy lunch during term 4. It’s a real battle between 2B and 2D!

Here are the details on how to login and add books at home.

Logging in with a Challenge passcode

Your teacher will give you a Challenge username and passcode. Keep them in a safe place.

If you lose or forget your Challenge passcode, ask your Challenge coordinator (Mrs Bentley) to generate a new one for you.Go to the Challenge application. https://www.vic.gov.au/premiers-reading-challenge?Redirect=1

1. Select the Login links then School/Student button.
2. Select the VPRC login option.
3. Enter your username and password.
4. Select Login.

Adding books to your reading list

1. Select Search Books in the side menu.
2. Enter the book’s name, author, series name or ISBN number in the search field.
3. Select the Search button.
4. Find th-e book you want from the search results and select the book title. This will open the book details.
5. Select the +Add book button.
6. Return to your Dashboard from the menu, click on Finish underneath each book you have added.
7. The books you have finished will then be verified by Mrs Bentley

The books will appear in your reading list on your dashboard.

Students can log into Accessit (our Library system) from home, to view the books they have borrowed in Library and add them to the Premier’s Reading Challenge too. Once logged in, click on your name and select my borrowing details, then borrowing history.

https://au.accessit.online/BRN10/#!dashboard

Happy Reading!

Leanne Bentley
Librarian

Senior All Stars Day

On the 3^rd of August we had 15 students attend the Senior All Stars Day at Knox Basketball Stadium. A huge thank you to our parent helpers: Joel Petersen, James Burrows, Brent Airs, Jess Williams, and Kobi Rout for attending the day to help coach and score for each team. Another thank you to Mrs Foster for being there for our students and supporting them during a fabulous day! Congratulations to the Girls All Stars team who ended up coming 2^nd overall and will be representing BHPS at the Division Day in Term 4. Well done to all our students, we are very proud of you all.

Interschool Sports Helpers Needed (Grade 5 & 6)

We are looking for helpers for the upcoming Summer Interschool Sports days on the 29/8 and 14/9. If you are interested in helping out, please send an email to Taylah.Smith3@education.vic.gov.au. You must have a current WWCC and have signed the school code of conduct (this needs to be completed annually).

Hooptime Tryouts

All tryouts for Junior Hooptime have been completed and teams have been selected and stuck on the Gym door. Senior training for Future Stars and Rookies started this week with Junior training for all teams begin next week.

Training schedules for Senior Future Stars and Rookies as well as all Junior teams have been placed on the Gym door, please remind your children to check this so they don’t miss out on training. Students are expected to be at all training sessions unless they are away.

Junior Hooptime Day – 6/9 Dandenong Stadium

Senior Future Stars/Rookies Day – 7/9 Dandenong Stadium

If you are interested in coaching or scoring for your child’s team, please email me at Taylah.Smith3@education.vic.gov.au. You must have a current WWCC and have signed the school code of conduct (this needs to be completed annually).

Taylah Smith
Physical Education Teacher and Sport Co-ordinator

COMPASS – How to Fill Out the Code of Conduct

Secondhand Uniform

We have tubs of secondhand school uniform available outside the Chaplain’s Office.

Name Your Belongings

We know you treasure your uniform and books. Please remember to label all uniform, books and belongings coming to school. Like most years, we have had an incredible amount of lost property through the year. The majority was unnamed, along with illegible tags. We would love lost items to boomerang back to your kids.

With such a success last year, this year is going to be BIG!!

BHPS School Disco

Chocolate Drive

Father’s Day Stall