Principal’s Report
Bookings are now open for the Parent-Teacher Connect Meetings on Thursday 16th February, running from 12.30pm to 8pm. This year the meetings will be in-person and you can book times via Compass. Students are dismissed at 12pm on the day, but we are able to supervise students from then until 3.30pm if you are not able to collect your children earlier. Please advise your child’s teacher or the Office Staff, or send an email to : emerald.ps@education.vic.gov.au, if you need to have your child/children stay until 3.30pm.
These meetings are a great opportunity for parents and carers to help teachers to get to know their child/children, reflect on the student’s learning growth and data from 2022, and to establish the ongoing learning partnership to support the students to do their best throughout the year.
Please note that this program has been paused at the moment due to staffing shortages within the program.
During coming weeks and throughout Term 1, we have Monash Health workers at school delivering the ‘Feeling Safe Together Program’ to all students. The focus of the program is protective behaviours and the sessions take a proactive approach.
This program has been designed following research into protective behaviour education programs from both Australia and abroad. Schools are in unique positions to be able to reach children to raise awareness on a range of issues that can impact on a child’s learning and development. The program is aimed at raising awareness of safety, our personal safety and the environment around us. The sessions are tailored to be age appropriate. An outline of the program and some information tips for parents and carers is attached.
Research clearly states that children who understand prevention techniques are not only at less risk of being abused or bullied, they are also more self-confident and better able to judge the safety of situations they meet in daily life. However, we must remember, it is ultimately the responsibility of the adults caring for the child to seek support or report if they are concerned about a child’s wellbeing.
When we talk to children about staying safe in a calm and caring way, we are indicating to the children that if they are confused about something that is happening, they should never feel that something is SO bad that they can’t tell anyone. We all have the right to feel safe!
Please contact myself, Carice D’Rozario (Assistant Principal) or Bianca Appleby (Student Wellbeing & Inclusion Leader) at school if you have any queries
We are excited to once again start off our Check Mates Chess Club for 2023! Thank you and welcome back to the Wegman-Wills family (Sharon and Mike), who set up and run our Chess Club weekly. In 2023, we would love to welcome any other parents or carers who would like to volunteer their time on Tuesdays at lunchtime (set up from 12.40pm, pack up at 1.40pm). Please email us at school if you would like to be involved somehow – you don’t have
to be a Chess Champion and don’t need to e available every week! We are planning on drafting up a Term 1 roster. School email for all enquiries is emerald.ps@educatoin.vic.gov.au .
Our first School Council meeting for 2023 will be Thursday 23rd February, 7pm for Finance Committee and 7.15pm for the full meeting. We will be advertising the positions vacant on Council in a newsletter in the next few weeks – we love parents and carers to be involved in our school! If you have any queries, please contact me at school: emerald.ps@education.vic.gov.au
Fire danger ratings and warnings are used in Victoria to provide clear direction on the safest options for preserving life.
Schools and children’s services listed on the DET Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) will be closed when a Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating (FDR) Day is determined in their Bureau of Meteorology district. Our school has been identified as being one of those at high bushfire risk and is listed on the BARR.
- Where possible, we will provide parents with up to four to seven days’ notice of a potential Catastrophic FDR Day closure by letter and Compass message. A Catastrophic FDR day will be determined by the Emergency Management Commissioner no later than 1.00 pm the day before the potential closure. Once we are advised of the confirmation of the Catastrophic FDR Day, we will provide you with advice before the end of the school day.
- Once confirmed, the decision to close will not change, regardless of improvements in the weather forecast. This is to avoid confusion and help your family plan alternative care arrangements for your child. It is also important to note that:
- No staff will be on site on days where the school is closed due to a forecast Catastrophic FDR Day.
- School camps will be cancelled if a Catastrophic FDR Day is determined by the Bureau of Meteorology district in which the camp is located.
- Depending on which Bureau of Meteorology district is impacted, bus route cancellations may affect our school
On these Catastrophic FDR Days families are encouraged to enact their Bushfire Survival Plan – on such days children should never be left at home or in the care of older children.
- For those of us living in a bushfire prone area, the CFA advise that when Catastrophic FDR Days are forecast, the safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Catastrophic FDR Day.
- As part of preparing our school for potential hazards such as fire, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management Plan, including reprioritising any maintenance works that may assist in preparing for the threat of fire and cleared our facility’s grounds and gutters.Fire danger ratings and warnings are used in Victoria to provide clear direction on the safest options for preserving life.Schools and children’s services listed on the DET Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) will be closed when a Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating (FDR) Day is determined in their Bureau of Meteorology district. Our school has been identified as being one of those at high bushfire risk and is listed on the BARR.
- Where possible, we will provide parents with up to four to seven days’ notice of a potential Catastrophic FDR Day closure by letter and Compass message. A Catastrophic FDR day will be determined by the Emergency Management Commissioner no later than 1.00 pm the day before the potential closure. Once we are advised of the confirmation of the Catastrophic FDR Day, we will provide you with advice before the end of the school day.
- Once confirmed, the decision to close will not change, regardless of improvements in the weather forecast. This is to avoid confusion and help your family plan alternative care arrangements for your child. It is also important to note that:
- No staff will be on site on days where the school is closed due to a forecast Catastrophic FDR Day.
- School camps will be cancelled if a Catastrophic FDR Day is determined by the Bureau of Meteorology district in which the camp is located.
- Depending on which Bureau of Meteorology district is impacted, bus route cancellations may affect our school.
- On these Catastrophic FDR Days families are encouraged to enact their Bushfire Survival Plan – on such days children should never be left at home or in the care of older children.
- For those of us living in a bushfire prone area, the CFA advise that when Catastrophic FDR Days are forecast, the safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Catastrophic FDR Day.
- As part of preparing our school for potential hazards such as fire, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management Plan, including reprioritising any maintenance works that may assist in preparing for the threat of fire and cleared our facility’s grounds and gutters.
At Emerald Primary School, we have a very thorough Emergency Management Plan, which is checked, updated and approved annually by the Department of Education. It is located on the school website in the “Information” section/tab. We are required to do four emergency drills per year and there are different types we need to do, for example, a practice evacuation to our Shelter In Place (the Stadium) or a practice lockdown, where students stay in their classrooms with staff. After we do each practice drill, we discuss what we can improve on for next time, and of course, should a real situation arise, our students and staff know what to expect. These drills are also important as we know that in an emergency it is hard for everyone to think clearly, but with a strong framework, everyone can do their jobs automatically. All students have name tags and detailed information on these tags, which staff give to them in the case of an emergency – this means we can identify everyone really quickly and make sure everyone is present. Parents & guardians would be notified through the Compass message system or the internet. All staff in the school have a job when the alarm sounds, eg. moving their grade to the designated safe place, collecting all student medications, checking all classrooms are empty/locked, liaising with Emergency Services etc. there is a back-up person for each job, in the case of staff absences. In the case of an evacuation due to fire, students will be cared for until such time as they can be safely collected by parents. Please contact the school should you have any queries or need to seek clarification.
What can parents do?
- Make sure your family’s bushfire survival plan is up-to-date and includes alternative care arrangements in the event that our school is closed.
- Ensure we have your current contact details, including your mobile phone numbers. Keep in touch with us by reading our newsletters and notices home.
Health, Safety and Family Bushfire Survival Plans
Most importantly at this time of year, if you’re planning a holiday or short stay in the bush or in a coastal area, you should check warnings in advance of travel and remain vigilant during your stay.
If your child is old enough, talk to them about bushfires and your family’s bushfire survival plan.
You can access more information about children’s services closures on the Department of Education and Training website – see
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/pages/closures.aspx
For up-to-date information on this year’s fire season see:
- Facebook (facebook.com/cfavic)
- Twitter (twitter.com/CFA_Updates)
- ABC local radio, Sky News and other emergency broadcasters
VicEmergency Hotline (1800 226 226)
School Closure due to nearby fires
On occasion schools may close due to nearby fires and we will not always have much warning. These decisions are made by Department of Education regional staff and Emergency Management Incident Control staff, all while liaising with Principals. Some schools and educational settings may close due to fire threats, but also poor air quality. In order to communicate this decision to EPS families, should the situation arise, we will use our Compass messaging system and Facebook. You can also check on the following website for school closures and bus services which may be affected, as mentioned above:
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/Pages/closures.aspx
Air Quality – Protect your health from smoke during bushfires
- Victoria experiences bushfires every year during the warmer months; and where there’s fire, there’s smoke.
- Bushfire smoke can reduce air quality and may affect people’s health.
- How smoke affects you depends on your age, pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma or heart disease, and the length of time you are exposed to the smoke.
- Take action to protect your health and the health of your family if it’s smoky outside.
Check for fire warnings in your area if you see smoke: www.emergency.vic.gov.au
- Avoid physical activity outside – especially people with heart or lung conditions (including asthma), children, pregnant women and those over 65
- Take a break away from the smoke where there’s air-conditioning (such as a local library or shopping centre)
- Avoid breathing smoke by staying inside if you are not under threat from a fire
- Check on elderly neighbours and other people at risk
- Follow your treatment plan if you have a heart or lung condition (including asthma)
- Call NURSE-ON-CALL on 1300 60 60 24 if you are experiencing any discomfort that may be due to smoke exposure such as itchy eyes, sore throat, runny nose or coughing
- Call 000 if anyone is having difficulty breathing, wheezing or experiencing tightness in the chest
For further information, go to: www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bushfiresmoke
Extreme Weather/Heat Days
When the temperature is over 38 degrees here at school, we move to an alternate timetable, whereby we have a longer recess and shorter lunch – the intention being that the students and yard duty staff are not outside for a long time in the hottest part of the day. In cases where the “Extreme Weather” includes strong winds or poor air quality, we do not go outside, but rather the students have their breaks inside, just like for a rainy day.
Emma Clark
Principal
In Schools Music Program is starting again for Senior students.
Students have a lesson on a Wednesday or Thursday in school hours.
Phone Andrew McAlister on 0408 467 147 if you are interested or have more questions
Community News
Canteen Special!
Friday Meal Deal
With lettuce cheese and mayo roll
+
Billabong rainbow icecream
$6.50
Breaking up is hard to do!!!!!!!!
It’s time for the canteen to break up with single use straws, these will not be available in 2023
More than 8 million tonnes of plastic enters the world’s ocean every year and over 90% is single use plastic.
So let’s say bye bye to straws and hello to BYO. We highly recommend reusable options over all disposables. Students can purchase a reusable silicone straw in its own case with the school Emblem for $4 from the canteen (over the counter or via online) or uniform shop.
