East Bentleigh Primary School acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we work and learn, the Boon Wurrung people.We pay respect to their elders, past, present and future for they hold the memories, traditions, cultures and hopes of Aboriginal Australia.
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to Term 3. I hope you all had a restful break and managed to unwind after a very busy Term 2. A special welcome to those new children and families who are joining our fabulous East Bentleigh community for the first time. I know that you will all be made to feel part of the community in no time. An especially good way to meet new people is at our weekly market on Thursdays from 3.15pm onwards- why not come and have a sausage or a milk shake? It has been great to see how strongly our school community supports this event every week. My thanks to Anita Creeley who is our behind-the-scenes champion, along with our senior students who assist in the setup and pack up, as well as serving at the BBQ and the milkshake stall. It is a big job which doesn’t go un-noticed and is much appreciated by all.
School Council
We held our Term 3 School Council meeting on Monday 22nd July. We meet twice a term, on the 2nd and 6th week. We have a very productive school council that is continuing to make decisions to improve our school.
Our Education committee upgrades our school policies and presents to school council for ratification. These polices are important for the successful running of the school.
On Wednesday I emailed out the new Parent Payment Policy. https://www.eastbentleighps.vic.edu.au/uploaded_files/media/east_bentleigh_ps__parent_payment_policy_2024.pdf
There are significant changes in this policy that all families need to be aware of moving forward.
The second policy that was ratified was the new Dress Code Policy.
https://www.eastbentleighps.vic.edu.au/uploaded_files/media/dress_code_policy.pdf
This policy is a guide for families to know what is acceptable to wear at East Bentleigh P.S. I have asked staff to contact parents if a child is not in suitable school uniform.
We have a very proactive Grants committee that have recently applied for the Schools Upgrade Fund.
Our Buildings and Grounds committee have held 3 working bees this year and will have the next one in term 4
Our communications committee organized our very successful Open Day this year and at present designing posters and communication around the Andrew Hill presentation on 15th August.
Our Parent, Carers and Friends - PCF - committee had their first official meeting - President: Lisa Cleland, Vice President: Megan Wandel, Treasurer: Clare Eden last week. The purpose of this meeting was to brainstorm ideas for building the school community and fundraising. A color run is in the planning stages for term 4
Mobile Phones
A reminder to all our families that as per Department of Education policy, if your child must bring a mobile phone to school, this device must be housed in the office during the day for safe keeping, not left in individual school bags. This applies to apple watches also.
Parent/Carer/Guardian Opinion Survey
Our school is conducting the annual Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey and is seeking your feedback. The survey, offered by the Department of Education, is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behavior, and student engagement.
Your opinions are important to us and will contribute to identifying areas for improvement and professional development needs in the school, to target school planning and improvement strategies. The department will use the results from the survey for research purposes and to improve outcomes for students.
This survey will be open online from Monday 29 July to Friday 30 August 2024. A link will be provided via COMPASS on Monday 29th July.
Invitation - Andrew Hill Presentation - CEO Steiner Education Australia - Thursday 15th August 5:30-6:30pm in the pack.
To register - please click this link
https://forms.office.com/r/2c7CutdPz9
Kind Regards,
Sue Jackson
Acting Principal
On Friday 26th July, we had 3 Winter Sport teams represent the School in District Grand Finals.
Our T-Ball team played Tucker Rd PS who had defeated us twice during the regular season. After being behind by 8 runs at one stage, the team produced a comeback for the ages. After the final innings EBPS had secured the title winning 21-20.
The Boys Hockey team matched up against the no 1 seed in Mckinnon Primary. After conceding the first goal, some strong play saw us equal the ledger. Unfortunately Mckinnon proved too strong in the 2nd half taking the win 3-1. A great season for the Boys saw them win 6 games and only lose 2, both to Mckinnon.
The Girls Hockey team went into the Grand Final raging favourites, being undefeated for the season. We faced Hughesdale PS who pushed us all the way and had many chances to score. With one minute remaining we pushed forward and took the lead via a Healy Lewis goal. The whistle blew and EBPS took the win 1-0. Well done girls.
I would like to thank all of the players and coaches of our Winter Sport teams for a great season.
Our Girls Hockey and Girls Soccer teams are off to Division Finals next week. We wish them both well.
John Seeary - PE Teacher
The Prep students at EBPS are bursting with excitement as we prepare for our whole school Potato Olympics next week! We have been engaged in a series of fun and interactive lessons centred around measurement, using their very own potato athletes.
Each student selected a potato, chose a country, and transformed their spud into a true Olympian, complete with names and faces. Throughout the week, we have been busy measuring the height, weight, and rolling distance of our potato athletes. We're even going to set up an obstacle course to help our spuds train for the big event!
These hands-on activities not only make learning about measurement enjoyable but also foster a sense of community and teamwork among the students. The enthusiasm is palpable as we count down the days to the Potato Olympics, where our potatoes will compete in various events and show off their skills.
We can't wait to see which potatoes will bring home a medal next week. Stay tuned for the results and join us in cheering on our young mathematicians and their spud-tastic athletes.
By Stewart McCallum - Prep Teacher
Embracing Determination in Our Students
This term, we have been focusing on instilling a crucial life skill in our students: determination. Determination is the inner drive that keeps us going, even when things get tough. It's the perseverance to push through challenges and the resilience to keep trying until we succeed. This quality is fundamental for personal growth and achieving long-term goals.
The Hula Hoop Game: A Lesson in Persistence
To illustrate the concept of determination, we engaged our students in an interactive and enjoyable hula hoop game. In this activity, students stood in a circle, holding hands, with several hula hoops placed around the circle. The challenge was to pass the hula hoops around the circle without letting go of each other’s hands. This required not only physical coordination but also a great deal of patience, persistence, and teamwork.
As the game progressed, students encountered various difficulties, such as getting the hula hoops stuck or losing their balance. However, they quickly learned that by staying focused, communicating effectively, and encouraging one another, they could overcome these obstacles. This game beautifully demonstrated how determination, coupled with collaboration, leads to success.
Building with Meccano: The Power of Teamwork and Determination
In another activity, we challenged our students to construct their own structures using Meccano sets. Working in small groups, they faced the intricate task of assembling complex designs. This activity was not only about building physical structures but also about building character. The students had to plan, problem-solve, and, most importantly, persevere through the difficulties they encountered.
Through this hands-on experience, students discovered that mistakes and setbacks are part of the learning process. They learned to view these challenges as opportunities to improve and grow. Each time a structure collapsed, or a piece didn’t fit, they had to reassess and try again, reinforcing the idea that determination is key to overcoming hurdles and achieving success.
The Impact of Determination
These activities have provided our students with invaluable lessons in determination. They have learned that: