SCHOOL COUNCIL MEMBERS 2024

School Principal: Greg Sampson   President: Isaac Eldridge  

 Vice President: Josh Cook  Treasurer: Peter Down  DET Rep: Kelly Henderson  Secretary: Duanne Corbett Vice Secretary: Hannah Schwarz

Parent Reps:  Chris Avery, Ashlee Baker, Erin Wallace, Jenny Hauselberger

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.

I am writing to advise you that DMSC will be closed Wednesday 28th February due to a Catastrophic fire danger rating day in the WIMMERA fire weather district. As a result, buses will not run.

As we are deemed not to be a BARR (Bushfire at Risk Register) school, Dimboola Primary School will remain open. Should you decide to send your child to school will be your decision. We will understand if you make a judgement to keep your child at home based on your assessment. I encourage families to make a decision based on the well-being and best interest of your family.

Dimboola Primary School will still be operating but we are mindful that as buses will not be running we will have approximately 30% (at a minimum) of students not attending. There will be no new learning occurring on this day.

A reminder that Teacher Student Parent Interviews will be conducted on Tuesday 5th March. The interviews will be an opportunity to meet and greet your child’s teacher. A reminder that students should attend school for their interview only and that no students are to be at school apart from during the interview time. The interview is scheduled to run for 13 minutes with two minutes provided for a change over to the next interview. Interviews will occur in the classrooms. Bookings may be made by returning the reply slip provided by a previous communication, by calling the office or going into the UeducateUs app.

Go to event/interviews/Teacher Student Parent Interviews 5-3-2024

Our school council consists of 11 members. Seven are parent representatives, three are school employees and one is a community representative (optional). Each school council representative is on school council for a two-year term unless there is a casual vacancy created by a departure earlier than the completion of the two-year term. This year we have three vacancies on school council for the parent representative section. As mentioned, this is for a two-year term of office. School council meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month with a minimum of eight meetings held per year.

Nomination forms are included in this newsletter and close on Friday 8th March 2024. Forms should be returned to the office. The school council provides support to the principal and school largely on matters of policy, finances, buildings and grounds and are an invaluable sounding board for school direction.

Guiding Principles of Dimboola Primary School School Council

Whilst operating within the Education Act and Regulations, Dimboola Primary School Council has resolved that it will observe the following principles:

• Always act within the best interests of the school and adhere to the expectation of confidentiality

• The primary focus of all decisions will be the learning needs of students

• Major policy decisions will involve school community consultation

• Council members will honour and support decisions made at properly constituted council meetings

• Council members will respect the principal’s right to implement policy

• Council members will be given the opportunity to be trained regarding their responsibilities, current school practices and Departmental policies and directions

• Only the president and / or principal have the authority to comment publicly on behalf of this school council

• Decisions of school council will be publicly justifiable

• Councillors will declare a conflict of interest where appropriate.

You can be nominated by another parent or you can self-nominate. Nomination forms can be returned by your child or dropped off at the front office. Nomination close on Friday 10th March at 4:00pm. Please drop the form off at the office at your earliest convenience.

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.

Information packs have gone home with your children, in these packs are Enrolment information that may need to be updated. Please complete these forms asap and send them back to the office. They will also include photo slips for photo day which is on Monday 1st March. If you are wanting a family slip please come and see the office.

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 

Can Students please be reminded that you are to be at school before the morning bell goes at 8:55am. Classes start at 9:00am

This allows all students to complete their morning routines before the bell goes.

Thank you 

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.

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.

Due to New Department Regulations we have changed banks.

Below is a copy of our new account details

BSB -  063 000

Account Number -  14162144

Thank you 

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

Thank you 

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.

Wednesday 28th February – Little Desert Swimming – go Milla and Amelia – This has been postponed

Cultural Performance – Circus Challenge

Monday 4th March – School photos

Tuesday 5th March – Teacher Student Parent Interviews

Wednesday 6th March – Cultural Performance – It’s a Mad World

Thursday 7th March – AFL Clinic at Nhill Recreation Reserve – Grade 3/4/5 and 6 children involved (letters to follow).

Monday 11th March – Labour Day Public Holiday

Wednesday 13th March – School Council 6:30 pm start

Wednesday 13th March to Friday 22nd March – NAPLAN testing period

Tuesday 19th March – Science Expo in Horsham – Grade 6s involved – details to follow

Tuesday 19th March to Wednesday 27th march – Somers Camp for a small number of Grade 5/6 children who nominated for the camp.

Thursday 21st March – Harmony Day and Multi-age cultural day.

Thursday 28th March – Last day of Term 1 – 2:15 finish.