To download the recent newsletter please click on the link below or continue reading online.

Current Newsletter available for Translation.

News from the North

COVID-19 Precautions and Hayfever

The new “battleground” for COVID infections is schools – particularly primary schools. Our staff are vaccinated but students aged 5 to 12 cannot be vaccinated. Yet.

This means we have to be very careful to protect children from being sent home to isolate for 14 days because they have been in the same room as someone who actually has COVID-19.

But I know that most parents are confident that we will act quickly and decisively to protect others if we suspect that a child has symptoms associated with COVID infections.

Hayfever season provides us with an extra challenge. The symptoms of hayfever – runny nose, sneezing and blocked noses – are also symptoms of Covid.

Teachers have been advised to immediately send children to the school nurse if they have any symptoms that can be associated with Covid. If the nurse is not sure of Covid or hayfever and she recommends sending the child home, that is what we will do.

This can be annoying to parents who may have to leave work to pick up a child who simply is suffering from hayfever.

There are two things that might help and stop this situation from occurring.

Have your child’s doctor provide a note that the child is suffering from hayfever.
Make sure that any medication that you have to treat your child’s hayfever is given to them early in the morning so the symptoms are not evident as they begin lessons for the day.

Other than that, be aware that we cannot just accept a parental assurance that the symptoms are not Covid-related but are, in fact hayfever. We only have to get it wrong once to lose 14 days of schooling for about 20 children. The price is too high to make a mistake.

Yours sincerely,

Kevin Mackay

Principal

Weekly Special Awards

With the return of all year levels onsite, we were able to prerecord a whole school assembly to celebrate the achievements of the students who received a special award for last week. The awards were presented by our student leaders and watched by each class in their classroom on Monday morning.

These awards focused around the students ability to come back to school after a lengthy time in remote learning, and to settle back into class – working strongly and maintaining a focus on their learning.

Congratulations to all students who received an award over the last two weeks.

Prep A - Hashim	1M - Danish	2T - Emma	4P - Nafisa	5L - Shivesh
Prep A - Dia	1O - Yasmin	2V - Basir	4P - Nimalan	5L - Adina
Prep H - Sajad	1O - Aishe	2V - Theruni	4SN - Amir	6C - Maninder
Prep MP - Nyabiel	1T - Dekota	3A - Selen	4SN - Albert	6C - Nayab
Prep O - Noah	1T - Feda	3F - Muhammed	5D - Ezekiel	6F - Ajla
Prep Y - Maerweina	2C - Arash	3N - Roya	5D - Abualfazl	6F - Yousuf
Prep Y - Alina	2C - Muhammad	3V - Mubarik	5FC - Wahab	6G - Noorpreet
1F - Erfan	2M - Abinisha	4B - Kavein	5FC - Nadinsa	6L - Hashir
1F - Tyler - Jay	2M - Sahib	4B - Aarav	5H - Samaana	6L - Saleem
1LH - Sally	2N - Ryhaneh	4MD - Ansh	5H - Laviin
1LH - Claudia	2N - Wasim	4N - Taha	5K - Ekaksh
1M - Kamil	2T - Hares	4N - Shadien	5K - Mahdi

Hats for Term 4

Dandenong North is a Sun Smart School so it is expected that all students are to wear a navy blue school hat (broad brimmed or legionnaire), during Terms 1 and 4 of the school year. With the weather warming up, it is important that a hat is worn during any outside activities including P.E. sessions and during recess and lunch times.

All children should have their own hat and it should be brought to school everyday or alternatively it can be left in classrooms. Broad brimmed hats can be purchased from the Office for $13.95 or a bucket hat for $10.95

Please ensure your child has the correct school hat as soon as possible.

Students are also encouraged to wear an SPF 30+ (or higher) sunscreen to school, which they can reapply prior to the lunch break.

Thank you for your assistance with this matter.

School Owned Borrowed Devices

Once children have returned to full time onsite learning (1st November), we ask that parents remove from their child, all school owned borrowed devices. This is because students will no longer require these devices for EDUCATIONAL purposes.

However, with the current high level of COVID cases, and the recent history of snap lockdowns being called, we will extend the loan of school owned devices until Tuesday 30^th November. This is a precaution to ensure that if a lockdown is called, our students will have quick access to devices and they will be ready to undertake online learning if needed.

Please note date change: As of Wednesday 24th November, we ask that all children return loaned devices to the school. Class teachers will have an up-to-date list of students who borrowed devices and they will continue to question the students daily about the return of these borrowed devices and chargers.

It is important that each device is returned in the condition that it was borrowed, as all of these devices are used at school to assist children with their learning.

Once all devices are returned, they will then need to be cleaned and reimaged before they can be used in classrooms again.

We thank you for your assistance with this matter.

2022 Enrolments

We are currently in the process of organising grades and teaching staff for next year and it is very important for us to know our enrolment numbers for 2022.

If you know that your child will not be attending Dandenong North next year, could you please write a letter informing the Off ice staff of your 2022 intentions or print off the slip below and either return it to your child’s classroom teacher or to the office staff as soon as possible.

We thank you for your assistance.

Onsite Prep Transition Program

It is with great pleasure that Dandenong North Primary School can now welcome your child for Prep Transition into school.

We are committed and excited to work with you and your child to make a positive start to school in 2022. Your child is invited to spend an hour in a Prep classroom, to engage in familiar activities, meet some classroom teachers and take a tour around our school, finishing off with some outdoor play in the Prep playground.

This session is very important to helping your child build confidence and for them to have a positive experience to starting school, next year.

Due to Covid 19 restrictions, we can only have a two groups of twenty children every Wednesday so please RSVP as quickly as possible to secure your place on the day.

When: Beginning Wednesday 24^th November, 2021 and running for three weeks (Wednesday 1st and 8th December)

Time: 12:00 – 1:00pm

Where: In front of the office building (smiling staff will be waiting for you)

RSVP: As soon as possible by reply email or call the school office on 97947899

We look forward to meeting you and your child on the day.

Kind regards

Agathi Orologas

Prep Area Leader

Support for your kids to get active

Does your child love sport and being active? Does your family have a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card? You may be eligible for up to $200 to put towards the cost of your child’s participation in physical activities.

As children return to sport over the coming months, the Get Active Kids Voucher Program helps eligible families get their kids involved in organised sport and active recreation activities.

Under the program, children may be eligible to receive up to $200 to help with the cost of membership and registration fees, uniforms, and equipment.

The program also provides a special consideration stream to support children residing in care services as well as temporary or provisional visa holders, undocumented migrants or international students.

Applications for vouchers in round three of the program close at 5pm Tuesday 30 November.

For eligibility requirements and to apply, visit the Get Active Victoria website.

ICAS Assessments

ICAS Assessments were completed last week well after the initial planned date. Ms Varas and Mr Groom conducted the assessments in the Year 5/6 Tutoring room last Tuesday and Thursday.

Unfortunately, many children were absent due to having to isolate after being classed as a close contact to a positive Covid case.

For those students that were absent, Ms Varas will be completing “catch up” sessions on Thursday 18th November.

Robotics Program

Last week, Melbourne City FC and the year 6 students started a Robotics program at DNPS. Students were required to use an app on the iPads to follow steps to build and code a soccer robot. The program will run for 6 weeks with the final week being a DNPS robotics soccer tournament. Students enjoyed working in small groups and displayed an enthusiastic attitude throughout the day.

Thank you to Mr Fenby for organising this special event for the Year 6 students.

Under the Sea - Year 1 Incursion

The Year One students have been learning all about the wonderful creatures that live “Under the Sea”. Last Thursday the students were treated to an incursion which was an interactive wildlife presentation run by the company Wildlife Xposure and called 'Coastal Critters'. Here the ocean was brought to the students in Year One. The kids got to see and hold many different sea creatures such as a variety of starfish, sea snails, a shark pup, seahorses and many other aquatic items, in a fun and safe environment. They learnt about how to stay safe around the ocean and also around unknown sea creatures. There was also a strong message to our students about the things we can all do to keep our oceans and wildlife protected.

Past Newsletter

Term 4, 2021

28th October 2021

15th October 2021

Term 3, 2021

22nd June 2021

5th August 2021

15th September 2021

Term 2, 2021

27th April 2021

11th May 2021

25th May 2021