SCHOOL COUNCIL MEMBERS 2024

School Principal: Greg Sampson   President: Bree Myers 

 Vice President: Chris Avery  Treasurer: Isaac Eldridge  DET Rep: Kelly Henderson  & Erin Mitchell Secretary: Duanne Corbett 

Parent Reps:  Ashlee Baker, Erin Wallace, Andrew Heatley.

Dimboola Primary School would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Wimmera Mallee area:

the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagalk peoples, and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Nine students represented Dimboola Primary School and the West Wimmera School Sports Association at Stawell on Thursday 15th September. Their results are listed below. Highlighted events mean that the student has qualified to compete at Greater Western Region in Ballarat on Friday 11th October! Further information for this event can be found on the SSV web site. Go to : region - Greater Western Region - Primary - dates.

The end of Term 3 is nigh. A summary of the events from this term include:

· Miss Kimberly McQueen became a part of our team and has had a significant impact on the Prep students in her care.

· Mrs Jodie Lehmann commenced work as an education support staff member working in QuickSmart and supporting student learning in the classroom.

· Mrs Laura Zordan commenced work as a School-Based Wellbeing Worker working in the playbased therapy area.

· Scarlette Williams ran at the State Cross Country

· Year 1 and 2/3 students participated in swimming lessons at the Horsham Aquatic Centre thanks to funding sourced by the Hindmarsh Shire Council.

· Kindergarten visits by the Prep students.

· 100 days of prep was celebrated.

· The Alpha Show Snow Queen Cultural Performance was held

· Grade 1 Morrish hosted Chloe Jones (pre service teacher).

· Book week celebrations occurred with lots of special friends attending.

· Scarlette Williams broke the record for the 1500 metres at the WWSSA Athletics.

· Sussing out the Solar System Cultural Performance

· Visits to DMSC for Science Week this week.

· 3/4 Camp to the Little Desert was held.

· Patch Theatre and Sea of Light conducted last week.

A reminder that term three finishes on Friday 20th September at 2:15 pm. I trust that people have an opportunity to recharge their batteries either at home or away. I look forward to the return of students on Monday 7th October.

Unfortunately, the bus work's have now been postponed again until November 20th. Students will be dropped off and collected from their normal location until the 20th November.

Dear parents and carers,

In Term 4, 2024, families with a child enrolled in a government school from Prep to Year 12 in 2025 will receive the one-off $400 School Saving Bonus.

The $400 School Saving Bonus provides families with support for education-related costs, such as school activities and/or school uniforms and textbooks.

The School Saving Bonus is not available for full-fee international students, home schooled students, TAFE students and students attending kindergarten in 2025.

Actions for parents and carers

Before 18 October 2024, the Department of Education is asking parents and carers to:

- Complete enrolment: If your child, or children are changing government school for Term 1 2025, or starting Prep or Year 7 in 2025. For more information, read about Enrolling in School.

- Check your contact information: Ensure your email address and phone number is up to date with us. You can check this information by contacting us directly.

We need to ensure your contact information is up to date as the Department of Education will email you twice:

- in October, to verify your email address

- in November, with your $400 School Saving Bonus.

Please check your junk mail regularly to make sure you do not miss an important email. To learn more about the School Saving Bonus, download the School Saving Bonus Information sheet for government school parents and carers or visit vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus.

Students in Prep to 6 were involved in a circus day at the VRI Hall where they showcased their gymnastics skills. Thanks to Mrs French and to the Patch Theatre Company for providing this opportunity.

What a wonderful afternoon/evening was held last Friday with so much community engagement and fun. Students, families and the wider community enjoyed the conditions to participate in class activities, climbing walls, the Dimmy Dash, eating donuts, the spinning wheel, popcorn, barbeques, pork rolls, tiny goats, art auction and outside traders.

The winner of the raffle prizes were:

1st Sam Wundersitz – 5 x $50 traders vouchers

2nd Emma Bond – family pass to the Ballarat Wildlife Centre

3rd Laura Millington  - passes to Horsham Lanes and Games and Inflatable World

4th Sydney Pilmore - Permanent & Personalised Jewellery

Thanks to the businesses for their support of our school.

I acknowledge the work of the school council, parent’s club, volunteers, students and staff in making the day a success. Thanks also to various people who assisted with putting up the big tent and also dismantling this on Saturday morning.

My gratitude extends to all the businesses who donated prizes for the spinning wheel. Businesses were:

Dimboola Store

Rural Industry

Wimmera Bakery

Dimboola Imaginarium

Dimboola IGA

Dimboola Vintage

Mel Obst Art

Nutrien

Desert Blooms

Chemist

Post Office

Cafe

P&P Jewllery

Glenda King Art

Bendigo Bank

2'JS

Eleven & Us

Wimmera Native Nursery

Enchanted Forest

Kayl's Hair

Victoria Hotel

Dimboola Trading Co

Generous Donations

COVID and sickness has hit Dimboola Primary School with lots of student and staff absences. On Monday was perhaps one of the more difficult days to navigate as there were six staff members away and every Casual Relief Teacher I tried (at least eight) were unavailable. I encourage students and staff to remember good hygiene protocols; wash your hands in warm soapy water, cough and sneeze into your elbow, wear a mask if able to try to limit the transmission of the germs. I know that school encourage students to attend school, however if your child is sick, please allow them time to recuperate prior to returning to school.

Student safety at Dimboola Primary School is our highest priority and the safe and appropriate supervision of students is an important element of our duty of care to students. Part of this duty is ensuring parents and students are aware of our student supervision arrangements before and after school.

Before school: School grounds are supervised at 8:30 am

After school: School grounds are supervised 3:25 pm.

Students on school grounds outside these times will not be supervised (unless they are attending a before or after school care program or supervised extracurricular activity).

Parents/carers are requested to ensure that students do not attend school outside of these supervised times unless they are attending before or after school care, or a pre-arranged supervised activity (i.e. sports practice).

For a copy of our school’s Yard Duty and Supervision Policy through the Dimboola Primary School Website or contact the school office. This policy includes Dimboola Primary School’s student supervision arrangements across the school day, including before and after school.

A reminder about the importance of safety around students who have severe food allergies. We currently have one student who has anaphylaxis to nuts. This student is in Grade 2/3 so we ask parents to be mindful of lunches and snacks that contain nuts particularly in this classroom. Students are reminded not to share food with classmates.

Please refer to our Anaphylaxis Policy attached to this newsletter for further information.

Please remember on lunch order days, to either use the app or place your lunch orders in the class room tub on a Tuesday morning.

Make sure your childs year level is correct on the bag so DMSC know which tub they go in .

If this helps you can also put lunch orders through the app for a fortnight as we are all busy sometimes we forget, so this can be very useful.

Thank you 

Orders must be completed before 8.40 each Tuesday morning.

Please remember to bring the lunch wallets in on the Tuesday. If YOU have ordered on line using the QKR APP - You only need to write the CHILDS NAME ON THE LUNCH BAG. (Not the order)

If you are still paying CASH please Have the order written on the lunch wallet.

Thank you 

School fees for 2024 for essential education items are to be $125. This pays for your son/daughter to have books, pencils, glue sticks, scissors, photocopying. This is a voluntary payment

A $40 cultural performance fee, per child, for 2024 is required for your child to participate in the performance. Those that do not pay up front will be asked to pay per performance of $10.00. Those who do not pay will not attend.

Payment Policy below - 

The Victorian Government has announced new Child Safe Standards to further strengthen child safety across organisations, including schools. The new standards recognise the critical importance of families and the broader school community in maintaining and promoting child safety and wellbeing.

Dimboola Primary School has reviewed and updated our child safety policies and procedures to ensure they meet the requirements of the new standards. These are available to view on the Dimboola Primary School website or available at the front office

We are committed to continuous improvement in our approach to child safety and wellbeing and welcome feedback from families and members of our school community on ways we can further strengthen our child safety policies, procedures and practices.

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions,

please contact Greg Sampson, principal.

With school returning it would be a timely reminder to all that:

o Drivers need to give way at school crossings until the pedestrians are well clear of the crossing

o Park in designated spots so as not to create ‘black spots’ for other drivers

o The ‘Kiss and Drop Zone’ at the front of the school is for a quick drop off or pick up.

o Obey the 40kmh speed limits around the school.

o There is a large ‘drop off’ zone in Wimmera Street that has a gate to allow children to walk across the big oval if it is too congested at the front or back of school.

o Bike riders will dismount from their bikes at the front gate (Hindmarsh Street) or the back gate (Church St) and wheel their bikes to the racks.

o Please assist with the education of your child by using the school crossing. Near misses have occurred due to people taking short cuts.

o Bike/scooter riders are to dismount prior to using the school crossings.

Please call into the office if you require a form to fill out

Thank you 

Parents club will be holding an end of term 3 lunch for all students. 

It would be appreciated if we could get some volunteers on the last day to help with the lunches.

Thank you

 Friday 20th September – Last day of Term 3 – 2:15 pm finish.

Monday 7th October - First Day of Term 4