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Calendar

Templestowe Valley Primary School

STUDENT BANKING

Mon 20th April Neil Barker Melinda Minuzzo

Mon 27th April Rebecca Crouch Cathy Evangorou

WORKING BEE DATES Saturday, 16 May Saturday, 25 July

Saturday, 29 August Saturday, 17 October

Saturday, 21 November

27 March 2020 Issue No: 5

Valley Views

Fri 27th 2:30pm END OF TERM

APRIL Tue 14th Pupil Free Day –

Curriculum Day for Staff

Wed 15th First Day for Students

Tue 14th Gymnastics Program Starts

Thu 16th Yr5 & Yr6 Cyber Safety

Mon 20th Whole School Assembly

Thu 23rd P&F Call for Nominations

Sat 25th ANZAC DAY

Mon 27th Whole School Assembly

Mon 27th School Council Meeting

Thu 30th Yr5 & Yr6 Cyber Safety

Thu 30th Yr5 & Yr6 Parent Forum

MAY

Fri 1st Yr2 Science Incursion

Important Dates for the Calendar Unless we hear otherwise, Term 2 officially

starts for all Templestowe Valley students on Wednesday April 14th at 8:50am.

DO NOT SEND YOUR STUDENTS TO SCHOOL ON THE FOLLOWING DAYS – SCHOOL WILL BE CLOSED • Monday April 13th – Easter Monday Public Holiday • Tuesday April 14th – Pupil Free Day – Curriculum

Day for Staff

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK – ALISON REES

I’ve ummed and aahed my way through a number of ideas on how to start this newsletter and what might be of help at this time. Our world is very different to the one we expected and its taking a little time for all of us to adjust to this new “norm”. This newsletter begins by celebrating the positive attitudes and commitment that many parents and students are making to our school. Then the focus is on providing you with some readings and resources that you might find useful during this challenging period – both for parents & students. Here are a few favourites to start: • Stuck inside with the kids during the coronavirus pandemic? Here are some

ideas for creative play. (Source: ABC)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-25/coronavirus-covid-19-children-creative-play-at-home/12074628

• 113 Fun activities to do at home with kids while self-isolating https://www.northshoremums.com.au/fun-home-activities-with-kids

• Ways to help families stay happy and hopeful during self-isolation (Source: Red Cross) https://www.redcross.org.au/stories/covid-19/coronavirus-tips-for-self-isolating

Mr Cretney & I have a few surprises planned; a few “Community Challenges” if you will, that we hope will keep us connected with a smile, so watch Seesaw next term. Please stay positive. Take each day as it comes. Enjoy this quality time with your family. Stay connected to those around you and please stay safe & healthy. We will get through this. I’ll finish with a favourite quote. Erma Bombeck was an American humourist who wrote, "Worry is like a rocking chair: It gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere."

Reflections ~ Service to the Templestowe Valley Community

“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” ― Martin Luther King Jr

We have now completed the School Council election process for both the DET members and the Parent Category members. Thank you to all those people who nominated for a position and so put their hand up to be of service to our community. Our first meeting of the new TVPS School Council was last Monday March 23rd and we elected our new Office Bearers. Congratulations to the following people who have been elected to Office Bearer positions:

• Eva Wong – President • Faith Toy – Vice President • Daniel Esslinger – Treasurer

• Rob Cretney – Assistant Treasurer • Nicole Bisas – Minutes Secretary

It is with great pleasure that I now introduce Templestowe Valley’s 2020 - 2021 School Council to you. (Those “missing faces” will be filled after our next meeting!!) One of our aims as a school council is to raise our profile within the community so members are easily identified and available for chat or questions. Please go up to any of your School Council members; introduce yourself and have a conversation about our school.

Alison REES Executive Officer

Principal DET Member

Eva WONG President

Parent Member

Faith TOY Vice President

Parent Member

Daniel ESSLINGER Treasurer

Parent Member

Robert CRETNEY Assistant Treasurer Assistant Principal

DET Member

Nicole BISAS Minute Secretary

DET Member

Anne Hillman DET Member

Jenni BEVACQUA DET Member

John CHU Parent Member

David CURSIO Parent Member

Cassian JAMES Parent Member

Anthony TOSCANO Parent Member

Kate TOTA Parent Member

Veri VERIDIANA Parent Member

Christine GOURAMANIS Community Member

A School Council’s functions include:

• establishing the broad direction and vision of the school • developing, reviewing and updating the policies of the school • arranging for the supply of goods, services, facilities, materials and equipment that are required for the conduct

of the school • raising funds for school related purposes • regulating and facilitating the after-hours use of school premises and grounds • exercising a general oversight of the buildings and grounds and ensuring that they are kept in good order and

condition • providing for cleaning and sanitary services necessary for the school • providing meals and refreshments for staff and students and charging for this • ensuring all money coming into the hands of the council is properly expended for purposes related to the school • informing itself of, and taking into account, any views of the school community for the purpose of making

decisions in regard to the school and its students • ensuring that an annual report relating to financial activities and the school’s strategic plan is published and

made available to the school community • stimulating interest in the school in the wider community.

Source: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/principals/management/partnershipwork.pdf

Another way that we’re trying to raise our community’s understanding of the work that the TVPS School Council is to inform you as to our discussions and plans. After each School Council meeting, our President, Eva Wong will provide a report as to our actions. The first is included here.

TVPS School Council President Report

Dear TVPS Community, My name is Eva Wong and I am Kyuss Powell’s mum. I am humbled and grateful to be your School Council President for 2020. I look forward to working with my fellow Parent School Councillors; Christine Gouramanis, John Chu, David Cursio, Daniel Esslinger, Cassian James, Anthony Toscano, Kate Tota, Faith Toy (Vice President) and Veri Veridiana. I also look forward to learning more from Ms. Rees, Mr. Cretney, Jenni Bevacqua, Nicole Bisis and Anne Hillman. “Together is better” I will continue to empower every child to shine and love their unique journey at TVPS. Please feel free to approach me and say “Hi”. Kindest Regards, Eva Wong

Student Leadership Celebrations – 2020 Junior School Council

Templestowe Valley’s Junior School Council (JSC) is a student group that aims to understand the issues impacting on the students around the school, to problem solve solutions and act on them to improve the school. At Templestowe Valley, the JSC is made up of an elected representative from each class in Years 3-6. We know that students have a positive contribution to make within the decision-making processes of our school. When students are actively involved in these processes, they have an enhanced sense of commitment to the school and its programs. At Templestowe Valley, our Junior School Council aims to:

o provide students with a sense of pride and achievement o develop caring and responsible attitudes within the children o provide an avenue for the development of ‘student voice’ within the school,

and o raise student awareness of local and global issues and associated support options.

Our elected representatives commit for a year of service to our school community. They meet regularly with our JSC Coordinators – Carly Bertelli, Alicia Drew and Nicole Hudson, and are able led by the Year 6 Head of JSC Leaders – Tia A and Ben T. Templestowe Valley’s JSC is responsible for:

o discussing issues raised by students and teachers, o reporting back to their own class, and for some, another junior school class, o making recommendations to Leadership on aspects of school life, and o supporting those who are less fortunate by providing services or by contributing to fundraising activities

arranged within the school community or by outside agencies. Normally, our badge presentation to these students would have happened at our whole school assembly. This was planned for last Monday, but . . . Instead Rob Cretney and I went around to each class or year level and we congratulated the following students on their commitment and service to Templestowe Valley and presented them with their Junior School Council badge. We know that they will wear it with pride. Photos were taken and these were

Source: http://allinadaysworkblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/giving-back2.jpg

uploaded to Seesaw for families. The majority of the students were at school, and for those who we missed, we will present their badge to them when school returns. Congratulations and “Thank You” to: Head of JSC - Tia A and Ben T

Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

• 3LR - Maia F. • 3GO - Alexa B. • 3NF - Ivy N. • 3EB - Evie T.

• 4KS - Willow B. • 4PS - Lucy B. • 4EP - Lucy T.

• 5/6AH - Yara L.

• 5NH - Jodi G. • 5JV - Christos S.

• 6NB - Cameron E. • 6DH - Lucia R.

Student Leadership Celebrations – 2020 Sustainability Captains

Our Sustainability Team works towards reducing our ecological footprint through establishing and maintaining sustainable practices. The team this year is led by our Year 6 Sustainability Leaders - Taya V and Oliver M and they met regularly with the Sustainability Coordinator – Deborah Hicks. We have two Sustainability Captains from each class in Preps to Year 6 they play an important role at Templestowe Valley Primary School. They speak regularly at whole school assemblies, monitor and encourage their peers to bring rubbish free lunches as well as help hand out awards to students that are demonstrating good environmental practices. Again, our badge presentation to these students would normally have happened at our whole school assembly. Rob Cretney and I went around to each class or year level and we congratulated the following students on their commitment and service to Templestowe Valley and presented them with their Sustainability Captain’s badge. They were very excited and proud to receive their badge and the smiles are on Seesaw for families to view. If we missed anyone, those badges will be presented next term. Congratulations and “Thank You” to: Sustainability Leaders - Taya V and Oliver M

Preps Year 1 Year 2

Prep CP • Liana F • Levi A

Prep KG • Leith C • Ariana B

Prep SM • Mariella S • Xavier A-B

1/2S • Amelia E • Erin P

1BD • Mason R • Dempsey D

1JM • Astrid H-B • Samuel H

2GF • Joshua K • Isabella T

2SM • Milla V • Lucas M

Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

3EB • Tyler A-B • Abbie F

3GO • Stella B • Vivienne P

4EP • Angelique P • Ella C

4KS • George A • Campbell M

5/6H • Raph D-J • Alessia B

5NH • Callum LG • Jaimee S

6DH • Jessie H • Tayah E

3NF • Isabella A • Mason N

3LR • Anshu P • Giovanni B

4PS • Oliver J • Chloe M

5JV • Bastien F • Lucy C

6NB • Vania B • Aleksandar T

With more than 440 students and 50 staff members are at Templestowe Valley Primary, reducing the trash produced by these 100 people and the energy used in our school will go a long way toward improving our natural environment. It is the role of the Sustainability Leaders and Captains to promote and model sustainable practices and to encourage us all to act in environmentally responsible ways as we go through the school day.

In order to be more sustainable in our daily actions, here are a few things that we try to do each day at TVPS:

• Reduce our lunch waste o Tuesday is our official “Nude Food” day, but it would be wonderful if all our students could bring their

food and drink in reusable containers. We ask that parents don’t pack excess food that will be thrown away and to avoid pre-packaged items.

• Recycle whatever can be reused by us or others o We have lots of bins set up in each classroom to help us to remember to do this. (Our chickens LOVE

the food scraps!) • Reuse paper and other material

o We try to use both sides of a sheet of paper. If we do this consistently, it will cut the school's paper usage by half.

• Reduce our printing o Our staff try to print only what they must. We all have to ask ourselves the question, “Do you really

need to print that email or report?” • Reduce our energy consumption

o We try to remember to turn off the lights when the last person leaves a room. The Sustainability Leaders and Captains also assist in the planting and maintenance of the school vegetable garden and look after the compost. We look forward to involving our leaders in more school initiatives this year, giving them a sense of responsibility to look after their school environment as well as their future environment.

Together we can make a huge difference. P&F Easter Hot Cross Bun Drive

THIS WEEK IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO ORDER! Once again Templestowe Valley Primary School is being supported by Bakers Delight Macedon Plaza in doing a Easter Hot Cross Bun drive. The school will receive $2 for every 6 pack of Hot Cross Buns purchased! Help us to raise some funds for TVPS by purchasing some Bakers Delight Macedon Plaza's delicious Hot Cross Buns. Please following flyer attached for order details. Ordering is easy and it's all done online and you will collect your products from Bakers Delight Macedon Plaza. Orders close: 5pm Monday, 6th April 2020 Collection date: Wednesday, 8th April 2020 Collection venue: Bakers Delight Macedon Plaza

Parent Support ~ Holiday Reading

Jenny Vasiliadis found this a great Podcast from Maggie Dent. She talks to parents about how to deal with all the unpredictability and stress they’ll experience at this time. https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/parental-as-anything-with-maggie-dent/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-coronavirus/12081182 Commonly known as the “queen of common sense”, Maggie Dent has become one of Australia’s favourite parenting authors and educators, with a particular interest in the early years, adolescence and resilience. Maggie’s experience includes teaching, counselling, and working in palliative care/funeral services and suicide prevention. She is an advocate for the healthy, common-sense raising of children in order to strengthen families and communities. She is a passionate, positive voice for children of all ages. Maggie is the host of the ABC’s Parental as Anything podcast. Her other blogs can be found at: https://www.maggiedent.com/blog/category/maggie-in-the-media/radio-podcasts/ Talking to your child (about coronavirus (COVID-19)) Source: DET https://www.education.vic.gov.au/parents/Pages/coronavirus-advice-parents.aspx?utm_source=email+marketing+Mailigen&utm_campaign=Direct+Send+-+Emergency&utm_medium=email#link32 You can follow these tips for talking to your child about coronavirus (COVID-19). They include how to have a safe and reassuring conversation and links to resources to help you and your family. Don’t be afraid to discuss coronavirus (COVID-19) with your children

• Most children will have already heard about coronavirus. Parents and carers should take the opportunity to talk to them about the current situation.

• Honest and regular communication is key. Not talking about something can make children worry more. • Children often rely on their friends and social media for the news. Parents and carers can help by positioning

themselves as a trusted source for information and as a person who can help children with their questions. Adapt information depending on your child’s age

• Try to remain calm and positive when talking to your child. • Think about your child’s age. Offer information using language and examples they’ll understand. • It’s okay if you can’t answer everything – and to say you’re not sure. Use this as an opportunity to find out

information together. Being available to your child is what matters. • Be careful not to share too much information all at once, as this may be overwhelming. • Avoid talking in a way that could make your child feel more worried.

Be guided by your child

• Ask your child to tell you anything they may have heard about coronavirus (COVID-19), and how they feel about this situation.

• Check in with your child often. Give them opportunities to ask you questions over the coming weeks and months.

• Some children will worry more about others than themselves. Find ways for them to connect with family and friends as much as possible using technology.

• Be reassuring. Tell children that the changes in their life have been introduced to make us all safer. Tell them that eventually, things will go back to normal.

• Be aware of the language you use with your child while you're around them. Remember that children will be listening to adult conversations more than usual.

• Don’t dismiss your child’s fears. It's understandable for them to be concerned because they have probably never experienced anything like this before.

• Tell your child that doctors and scientists all around the world are working really hard to learn more about coronavirus (COVID-19) and to keep us safe.

Focus on what you’re doing to stay safe

• Give them some control over what is happening. Teach the importance of physical distancing, hand washing and how to do these things properly. Remind them of their responsibility to protect others from coughs and sneezing.

• Remind them to call 000 if they or their family are unsafe. Stick to a routine

• Over the school holidays, structured days with regular mealtimes and bedtimes are still an important part of keeping children happy and healthy.

• Where you can, have a daily routine. Create a shared timetable with your family and put it up on the fridge where everyone can see.

• If possible, find a time every day to talk about the importance of good hygiene. Teach them the essentials of practicing physical distancing.

• Include things like outside time, play time, free time on technology, creative time and learning time. • It is okay to be flexible and respond to the needs and emotional state of your child.

Keep talking

• Find out what your child already knows or is worried about. It’s important to find out if they have heard incorrect information.

• Ask questions that don’t have yes or no answers. • If your child asks you something and you don’t know the answer, say so. Use the question as a chance to find

out together. • If your children don’t seem interested or don’t ask a lot of questions, that’s okay. • Let them know that we're all going to keep listening and talking.

Close conversations with care

• It’s important not to leave children feeling worried after a conversation. • When you wrap up your conversations, look for signs they're feeling anxious. This might be a change in their

tone of voice, their breathing or body language. • Comfort them if they feel this way.

Things to look out for in your children It is normal for children and young people to show signs of distress. Common reactions include:

• fear and anxiety • anger and frustration • confusion • sadness • denial.

Remember to look after yourself This situation can be stressful – regardless of your age. To look after the people you love, you also need to look after yourself.

• If you notice that you're feeling anxious, take some time to calm down before having a conversation or answering your child’s questions.

• If you're feeling worried, tell your child that you will find some information and talk to them soon. The following resources are also available to support your mental health and wellbeing:

• Headspace – for family and friends

• Beyondblue – COVID19 • Lifeline – Mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak

To support you when talking to your child

• Raising Children Network – Coronavirus (COVID-19) and children in Australia • Emerging Minds – supporting children during the coronavirus outbreak • KidsHealth – Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to Talk to Your Child • eSafety Office – COVID-19: an online safety kit for parents and carers • Royal Children's Hospital – supporting children and young people to cope with the coronavirus COVID-19

pandemic • Royal Children's Hospital – talking to your child about COVID-19 (video)

Building Resilience Below are readings from three different resilience “experts” – Michael Grose, Bonnie Bernard and Edith Grotberg – that might be of help and of interest. Parenting and work-family expert Michael Grose says: “Resilience is a 21st Century parenting concept that every parent needs to understand. Some kids are resilient by nature – their temperament helps them to be mentally and psychologically tough. You know those kids. They get straight back up after a setback or disappointment. Rejection in the playground doesn’t faze them. Unfortunately, not every child has such natural resilience. The good news is that most of the research shows that resilience can be nurtured and developed, particularly when parents themselves are resilient and they actively foster it in their kids. Resilient kids share four basic skill sets –

• independence, • problem-solving, • optimism and • social connection.

From a resilience perspective parents need to coach kids through some of their more challenging moments and reviewing what they may have learned for next time. Avoid solving all their problems for them. You can promote a lasting sense of resilience in your kids by:

• Having a positive attitude yourself. Your attitude as a parent impacts on their ability to bounce back from some of the difficulties they face. Make sure you model a ‘you can do it’ attitude for your child when he meets some of life’s curve balls.

• Look for teachable moments. Many kids’ learning opportunities are disguised as problems. Make the most of these opportunities so that kids can grow and learn from some of the challenges they face.

• Make kids active participants in the family. Active participation in a family develops the self-help, problem-solving and independence skills of kids that are necessary for resilience.

• Build kids coping skills. There are plenty of strategies you can pass on to kids to help them cope when life doesn’t go their way, including acceptance, getting away for awhile, and normalisation.

Promoting resilience in kids is a not a single event but a continuous process that requires adults to be supportive and empathetic when things don’t go their way. It also requires you as a parent to have an understanding of resilience, so you have faith in yourself, and your child’s ability to cope.” Reference: http://www.parentingideas.com.au/Parents/resilience Bonnie Benard (1995) provides specifics that help us empower children to become resilient. She believes we are born with an innate capacity for resilience, by which we are able to develop social competence, problem-solving skills, a critical consciousness, autonomy, and a sense of purpose. She defines these as: The Qualities of:

Social Competence Problem Solving Critical Consciousness

Autonomy Sense of Purpose

• The ability to elicit positive responses from others

• Flexibility • Ability to move

between two cultures

• Empathy, communication, and a sense of humour

• Planning • Resourcefulness

in seeking help from others

• Thinking critically, creatively, and reflectively

• A reflective awareness of the structure of oppression and creating strategies for overcoming it

• Sense of one’s own identity

• Ability to act independently

• Ability to exert control over one’s environment

• Sense of task mastery

• Internal locus of control

• Self-efficacy • Resistance • Detachment

• Belief in the future

• Goal direction • Educational

aspirations • Achievement

motivation • Persistence • Hopefulness • Optimism • Spiritual

connectedness

Initial Source: Benard, B. (1995). Fostering resilience in children. (ERIC Document No. ED386327) Edith Grotberg, a well-known international researcher, believes, “Resilience is a universal human capacity to face, overcome and even be strengthened by experiences of adversity.... The Genetic makeup and temperament of a child are also important aspects for understanding and defining resiliency.... Whether a child is more or less vulnerable to anxiety, challenges, stress and unfamiliarity, whether the child is inhibited or uninhibited, determines how a child perceives himself or herself, how he or she interacts with others and how he or she addresses adversity.” (1998, p. 1) She believes that we promote resilience through our words, actions, and the environment we provide and that to face adversities, children draw from three sources of resilience, which she labels I have, I am, and I can:

I Have . . . I Am . . . I Can . . .

• People around me I trust and who love me, no matter what—trusting relationships

• People who set limits for me so I know when to stop before there is danger or trouble—structure and rules at home

• People who show me how to do things right by the way they do things—role models

• A person people can like and love—lovable

• Glad to do nice things for others and show my concern—loving, empathic, altruistic

• Respectful of myself and others—proud of self

• Willing to be responsible for what I do—autonomous and responsible

• Talk to others about things that frighten me or bother me—communicate

• Find ways to solve problems that I face—problem solve

• Control myself when I feel like doing something not right or dangerous— manage feelings and impulses

• Figure out when it is a good time to talk to someone or take

• People who want me to learn to do things on my own—encouragement for autonomy

• People who help me when I am sick, in danger, or need to learn—access to health, education, welfare, and support services

• Sure things will be all right—possessing hope, faith, and trust

action—gauge my temperament and that of others

• Find someone to help when I need it—seek trusting relationships

One does not need all these attributes to be resilient, but one alone, such as to feel loved, is not as helpful if a child does not have inner strength or social skills. Self-esteem is not enough; one needs competency skills as well. Resiliency is a dynamic process of all these factors in relationship, as Rutter (1987) has asserted for decades. Grotberg (1995) suggests some guiding questions for discussion with parents:

• If the parent or other adult protects the child from all adversities, can the child strengthen his/her sense of autonomy, control and responsibility?

• If the adult speaks for the child in a conflict with another child, can the child learn a social skill like negotiation? • If the child does things independently without help or advice from adults, is he or she at greater risk of harm

or failure? • How do these dynamics change with age? How are they influenced by individual differences? (p. 41)”

Initial Sources: Grotberg, E. (1995). A guide to promoting resilience in children: Strengthening the human spirit. Retrieved February 1, 2007, from www.resilnet.uiuc.edu/library/grotb95b.html . Grotberg, E. (1998). The international resilience project. Retrieved February 1, 2007, from http://resilnet.uiuc.edu/library/grotb98a.html .

Maintaining Good Hygiene at School and Home

Good hygiene practices are the most effective means of minimising the spread of Novel coronavirus (COVID-19). We all have a responsibility to help stop the spread of infection by using soap and other hygiene consumables to support good hand hygiene. Everyone – children, families, schools - can protect against infections by practising good hand and respiratory hygiene. Here are some tips that we talking about at school and everyone can follow:

1. Cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing with a tissue, or cough into your elbow. 2. Dispose of the tissue into a bin and then wash your hands afterwards. 3. Wash your hands regularly, using soap and water, including after using the toilet, and before eating. Alcohol-

based sanitiser (greater than 60 per cent alcohol) is a good back-up if soap and water is not readily accessible. Health promotion materials The following resources were sent to school and are available for all to use: Wash your hands regularly - poster (attached to Compass message) Cover your cough and sneeze - poster (attached to Compass message) Be a Soapy Hero! – video link and resources that you might like to watch together at home. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/campaigns/soapy-hero If you have any health-related questions, email health.advice@edumail.vic.gov.au. Please refer to the Department’s coronavirus web page https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/department/Pages/coronavirus.aspx for the latest advice and information.

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