Wednesday 1^st February - No school for Foundation students
Monday 6^th February - House Swimming Carnival–Yrs 3/4/5/6
Wednesday 8^th February - No school for Foundation students
Wednesday 15^th February - No school for Foundation students
Friday 17^th February - Division Swimming Sports
Friday 17^th February - 2023 Community Street Fest
Wednesday 22^ndFebruary - No school for Foundation students
Wednesday 1^st March - Regional Swimming Sports
Monday 13^th March - Labour Day Public Holiday
Thursday 6^th April - Last day Term 1

Welcome back to school for 2023 and welcome aboard to children and families who are new to Yackandandah Primary School. I encourage everyone to help families new to our school community feel welcome. Over the next few weeks the children will settle into the routines of the school and their class. The school values of We are Learners, We are Fair, and We show Respect guide all of us – students, staff and families.

Class teachers will send weekly or fortnightly emails sharing what learning will be happening in the class, any events to be aware of and any other information of note. Newsletters are posted on the website and emailed on Monday each school week. If there are any whole school notices that cannot wait for a newsletter Sandra or I may occasionally send out an email to all families.

During Term One teachers and parents usually catch up for a chat about your child, with the aim that both the teacher and the parent can share any information necessary to help with schooling. This catch up can be an informal chat at pickup time, a phone call, video conference or face to face meeting. For many, the catch up may not be much more than a quick hello as the parent – teacher – student may already have a close relationship. Remember that you can always email your child’s teacher if you have any questions.

COVID safe practices
While there are no explicit rules for attendance around COVID we encourage families to take a common sense approach to infection and keep children home who are ill or testing positive. We still have a plentiful supply of RATS for anyone who needs them – they can be picked up from the school office.

Privacy
Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Department of Education’s Privacy Policy. The policy can be read here: https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Pages/schoolsprivacypolicy.aspx.

School Council
I would like to introduce our School Councillors. School Council serves a very important role in the governance of the school.

• Jane Dowlsey, President, Parent Representative
• Leigh Atwood, Parent Representative
• Hannah Glanville-Jones, Parent Representative
• Michael Walsh, Treasurer, Parent Representative
• Orrin Pritchard, Vice-President, Parent Representative
• Sophie Dewar, Parent Representative
• Kate Stagg, Parent Representative
• Carly Frank, DET Representative
• Robyn Wilson, DET Representative
• Michael Edwards, DET Representative, Principal

School Council elections take place in Term One each year. There are four parent representative positions that will become vacant. Current councillors may renominate and other parents are also welcome to nominate. More information regarding school council elections will be in future newsletters. If you would like to discuss what is involved in being on School Council or what School Council is responsible for please feel free to chat with any of the current school councillors (including Michael, Carly and Robyn at school).

Swimming Sports
The House swimming trials were scheduled to take place this Friday. Poor weather predictions have prompted us to change the swimming trial day to Monday next week (6^th Feb).

We also had plans for a pool party on Friday afternoon. Due to the expected poor weather we are cancelling this event.

Waste Wise
We are encouraging students to bring ‘nude food’ to school. This means bringing food in reusable containers rather than in disposable wrapping. If wrapping does come to school with lunches we will ask students to place it back in their lunchbox after they have finished eating and take it home again. Students will not be ‘in trouble’ if there is wrapping – we are simply trying to work toward the Plastic Free Yackandandah goals. Please ensure all containers and lids have your child’s name clearly marked on them.

Counselling at School
This year we are fortunate to have a counsellor available for a day a week at Yackandandah Primary School. You may have already met Jules Millward as a teacher and parent of a child at our school. Jules is also a fully qualified counsellor and will be available for one day a week at our school in that capacity. Information explaining Jules’ role will be included in with other information being sent home this week. You can contact us at school if you have questions, or contact Jules directly via the contact details in the information being sent home.

Michael Edwards
Principal

Uniform prices
Due to an increase in prices from our supplier the cost of a couple of items has been increased this year.  The prices are as follows:

• Polo shirts $27
• Short Zip Polar Fleece $34
• Full Zip Polar Fleece $39
• Hat $23
• Softshell Jacket $73

Uniforms are available for purchase from the school office.

Parent Payments
Last week families were emailed a copy of the Parent payments for this year.  A hard copy has been sent home today in the envelope with the eldest student.

The Department of Education and Training has reviewed parent contribution practices and have made changes to how schools seek contributions. This means that we can no longer send statements out to families for Curriculum and Other Contributions.  Parents will still receive statements for Extra-Curricular Items and Activities such as camps and excursions.

Our school relies on the ongoing support of our families to ensure that we can offer the best possible education and support for our students.  Your financial contributions assist us in doing this.  Within our school this support has allowed us to provide an enriched learning and teaching program for every student and is highly valued by our school community.  The commitment from parents to contribute benefits students and results in improved achievement outcomes, wellbeing and engagement in learning.  At Yackandandah Primary School, we design and develop learning and teaching programs drawing on the best educational knowledge and practices and strive to offer broad and enriched opportunities to students that are above and beyond what is required in the standard curriculum and what is provided for by Government Funding.

Forms
The eldest child in each class has today taken home an envelope with the following forms for each child in the family:

• Local Excursion Permission Form – Permission form to cover any local excursions (not adventure activities) that students walk to in Yackandandah. This form needs to be returned by Friday.  Please complete a form for each child.
• Year 3 – 6 School Swimming Carnival Permission form – Permission form needs to be returned to school by this Wednesday.
• Photography/Filming consent Form – Please read this form and only return it to school by this Friday, 3^rd February if you do not consent to any or part of it. If you have read the notice and are comfortable with the school using photos, video or recordings of your child as described in the notice you do not need to take any further action and you do not need to return the form.
• Student Details - At the start of each year a copy of the student information that we have on file is sent home for parents to check and update.  Please check this form and make any updates to it and return it to school. It is very important that all the detail we have are correct including contact details, occupation codes and student medical information.  

 Also included in the envelope are:

• Parent Payment Letter – letter outlining parent contributions for 2023
• Counselling in Schools information

Absences
If your child is absent from school the office as well as the classroom teacher needs to be informed. Absences can be reported by emailing the school on yackandandah.ps@education.vic.gov.au, phoning the school on 60271 729 or on the school website at https://www.yackaps.vic.edu.au/ and click register an absence. It is Department regulations that all absences and a reason are recorded.

Late Arrivals/Early Departures
If your child arrives at school after 9am or is being picked up prior to 3.30 they must be signed in or out by a parent or guardian.

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you have a valid means-tested concession card, such as a Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. There is also a special consideration category for asylum seeker and refugee families.

Payment amounts this year are $125 for eligible primary school students Payments are made direct to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions and sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

If you applied for CSEF through our school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances or you have a new enrolment at the school.

If you would like to apply for the first time, please call into the school office and ask for an application form.

Enjoy your week,
Sandra

Marliah Barnes & Cameron McIntosh

Hello YP school community, another school year begins and so too does the hot lunch program!

A 'hot lunch' option is offered to students on most Friday's during the school term. 

Each Hot Lunch meal costs $5; this includes an individually served hot meal and fruit.

Parents, carers and senior students volunteer their time (Friday's 9am-11:30am) to collect ingredients, prepare, cook and serve the hot meal.  The meals are delivered to the classroom, where the class teacher will hand them out to the students that have ordered them.  

Here is the school hot lunch menu for Term 1, 2023.

** We do our best to cater for students with special dietary needs, please indicate on the form.

If you would like to make an order, then please use the link below; complete the google form and submit (for each student).

We also welcome kitchen helpers, so please indicate on the form if you would like to assist us.

T1 Hot Lunch Order Form - https://forms.gle/Yft6bzrzoTuV3mhQ9 

Orders must be submitted by 6pm MON 6th February 2023

If you require any assistance please contact Jane Murphy.

Jane Murphy
YPS Hot Lunch Coordinator
0416 051 473
ypshotlunch@gmail.com

Hello everybody and welcome to a new year of school sport!

For those of you who are new to the school, my name is Brendan Hogan and along with being a Year 5/6 teacher I am also the sports co-ordinator for the school. It’s my job to organise a number of sporting events throughout the year. Some events, such as cross-country and athletics, are for the whole school, while others, such as the swimming carnival, winter sports, and cricket, are just for students in years 3-6. All students in the school also belong to one of four ‘houses’: Hammond (blue), Kars (green), Wellsford (red), and Windham (yellow). If you’re not sure what ‘house’ your child belongs to, don’t stress, they will become familiar with it in the first few weeks of Term 1. I’ll also put out occasional calls for assistance in the running of events (aths is a biggie), so please put your hand up if you are able to help out. The success of these events often hinges on the generosity of volunteers.

For now, we look towards the swimming carnival (see below) and the whole school cross-country which will take place at the end of Term 1.

2023 House Swimming Carnival
The House Swimming Carnival is taking place next Monday, February 6, at the Yackandandah Swimming Pool. We will begin at 9.30am, with all events finished by approximately 11.30am.

Students will swim in the age group relating to the age they will be by December 31, 2023. The event is open to students turning (or have already turned) 9 years or older by December 31, 2023. The age groups are:

9/10-year-old girls
9/10-year-old boys
11-year-old girls
11-year-old-boys
12/13-year-old girls
12/13-year-old boys

Students have the option of trying out for freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly, with students representing and earning points for their ‘House’. All events are 50m (up and back of the Yack pool). We will be walking down to the pool and students are encouraged to come dressed in their house colours. Students still need to dress in line with our Sunsmart policy, including a school hat and a shirt that covers their shoulders. They do not have to wear a ‘rashie’ when racing, but will need one if there is a free swim after the events. Students should also bring plenty to drink and eat, including their lunch. Students won’t be able to purchase things from the kiosk at the pool, so please don’t send along any extra money. Even if some students are not swimming, they are encouraged to come along and cheer on others and take part in the free swim.

Permission forms have been sent home tonight and need to be returned by Wednesday.,  Pool entry cost is $3.  If you have pool membership please let Sandra know by this Friday otherwise you will be charged.

District and Division Events
Qualifying for the next level of competition is based on time. The table below gives an idea of the approximate qualifying times needed for students to advance to the next level.

At this stage, it is unclear if there will be a District event, usually held at Chiltern. If this event does not go ahead, students will qualify directly for Division. The Upper Hume Division event will be held at Waves Wodonga on Friday, February 17. Regional swimming is scheduled to take place in Shepparton on Wednesday, March 1.

Please note: as a general rule, the school organises transport for students to District and Division level sporting events (depending on numbers). If a child qualifies for Regional events and beyond, it becomes the family’s responsibility to organise transport etc.

Fee increase  
At the last school council meeting in December, school council approved the increase of OSHC fees for 2023.

New Fees:

After School Care:               $18 per session

Before School Care:            $12 per session

After Kinder Care:               $22 per session

Vacation Care:                     $40 per session (no increase)

https://prodadmin.myxplor.com/enrollment_v2/centre/WWJsbWTyMn1RnUchHWzhZw

Our XPLOR App
Our OSHC Service is all run electronically and the parent portal is on the XPLOR HOME app. This makes the signing in and out process easier by simply scanning the QR code on our IPad when collecting your child.

You are also able to view your children’s observations and experiences, book online, handling the childcare financials, and any important correspondence from our service.

Follow the link below for enrolment and bookings

https://prodadmin.myxplor.com/enrollment_v2/centre/WWJsbWTyMn1RnUchHWzhZw

Find XPLOR Home on your app store.

Summer Vacation Care





WOWEE!! What a busy vacation care we had over the January holidays! It was so lovely to see our vacation care program back up and running.

Our program consisted of crazy hair, science experiments, cooking experiences, art and craft experiences, movies and popcorn, pyjama wearing, lots of child lead play, and cubby building!

Big thank you to all staff that helped make our vacation care possible!

Kerryn

Community Street Fest
‘A connected community is a resilient community’, this is the theme of the 2023 Community Street Fest, an event that brings together people from across the Yackandandah community to celebrate all that our town has to offer.  Local clubs, committees, and community groups will be showcasing their wares in street stalls, there will be free local music, free food, and entertainment for the kids.

The event takes place on Friday 17^th of February, commencing from 5pm

Yackandandah Primary School supports the community street fest by preparing 500 hamburgers and 200 sausages in bread for give away by the event sponsors.  This is an important funding raising activity for the school, with last year’s event raising money to purchase a new oven for the canteen.

We once again call for volunteers from the school community to help make the Community Street Fest event.  Volunteering is a great way to meet other parents from the school community, and your hosts Trish and Paul Anderson always make the food prep, cooking and service a fun affair.

A help sheet has been sent home tonight with the eldest child in each family.  Please nominate yourself for a time slot that best suits your availability.  Thank you.

3^rd January            Henry Wyatt

4^th January            Eliza Westbrook

6^th January            Oscar Bulman

8^th January            Angus Glanville

12^th January          Lucia-Mary Gosling

12^th January          Pippa Graham

12^th January          Lenny Graham     

13^th January          Freya Vorbach

15^th January          Patrick McIntyre 

15^th January          Kaitlyn McGlead

15^th January          Peter Kellaway     

19^th January          Penelope McNicol

19^th January          Jed Walker

22^nd January         Charlie Killen

24^th January          Raff Gargiulo

27^th January          Olive MacCalman

29^th January          Zack Dickeson

29^th January          Hugo Dickeson

31^st January          Lara Bebbington

1^st February          Richie Burston

1^st February          Laycee Nocentini

Former Yackandandah Primary School  student Jack Gregory is playing 2 concerts this weekend with the exceptional soul folk artist Joel Havea

Jack is a bright new country music talent and Joel has played Yackandandah Folk Festival on several occasions. Details below:

• Saturday Feb 4 - 6pm onwards at Kergunyah Hall
• Sunday Feb 5 - 2pm onwards at Rutherglen Convent
• Full details incl ticket here https://indigofmradio.com/2023/01/catch-joel-havea-live-in-february/