Our cover photo captures Year 3M during Reading

We all shared a sense of relief with the announcement last weekend that restrictions would be further eased. Although some aspects of our lives will be positively impacted, there have been minimal changes for schools so far. We can start library borrowing for each class (accompanied by hand washing/sanitising). Please ensure your children have returned their books so they can once again enjoy our library resources. As well, home reading with 'real' books resumes next week.

After the significant sacrifices made to control COVID-19, we can't become complacent. The school was inspected on Monday as part of the COVIDSafe Assurance Program. The three-hour site visit included a checklist and review of LPS health and safety strategies to minimise the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission. We recorded a completely positive checklist and the follow-up email noted that 'you and the team have done a great job with the school in general and the COVID situation'.

This is definitely an area where we want to be doing everything properly, so thank you to Bernadette, Donna, all our staff and students for their ongoing efforts. Parents received positive recognition as well, as our school drop-off procedures were observed, noting the success of our staggered starting times and parents' social distancing! 

In this week's eNews, and on our website home page, we include the new DET flyer on what to do if your child is unwell, which has some useful links and reminders for parents.

If you borrowed a school laptop for remote learning, please return those before December 7, via your child's classroom teacher. 

Yesterday, our students observed Remembrance Day, which Commonwealth countries dedicate to those who have died as a result of war, particularly from World War I onwards. Our students were led by the School Captains in a simple and developmentally appropriate observation of this day, including the playing of 'The Last Post'.

Unfortunately, our response rates for the Parent Opinion Survey are very low. Please check your email for the link to this - we'd love to gather some more data before the survey closes tomorrow.

Kim

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

from the Assistant Principals, Kathy and Jo

The 2020 year has seen families across Victoria dramatically alter their usual daily routines to decrease the spread of the COVID-19 global pandemic. As a state-wide community, we have kept ourselves indoors, working, parenting and schooling from home, and reducing our interactions with family and friends.

The result of these restrictions have meant that our infection numbers have been dramatically suppressed and, as a state and country, we have almost reached a new ‘COVID normal’. What a fantastic achievement!

Now that restrictions are easing, it is timely to remind each other of the importance of regular routines for our children, including reducing screen time and increasing physical activity and sleep. You’ll find the Australian Government’s Department of Health Movement Guidelines here. This resource provides the evidence-based recommended levels of screen, physical activity and sleep for 5 – 17 year old children.

It is also incredibly important to ensure your child’s online safety at home by monitoring what they are accessing via digital technologies. Locating your child in a common area where an adult can actively view their screens (not bedrooms), as well as filtering the applications or websites that they can log on to will increase the likelihood of their online safety. Co-viewing is a beneficial alternative to sole child participation. 

Our Technologies page has some useful resources for parents, including information on age-appropriate apps and programs. Please review our LPS Acceptable Use of Technologies Agreement with your child to ensure that they are fully aware of the behaviours expected, both at school and at home, when using digital technologies and the internet.

**If you would like to explore some current research by the OECD (2019), please read ‘What do we know about children and technology?’

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

One of the most important things we can do to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in our community is to stay at home when we are unwell, even when we have the mildest of symptoms.

What you need to know

 

1. If a child is unwell, even with the mildest of symptoms, they must stay at home

If a child becomes unwell during the day, they must be collected from school/early childhood education and care (ECEC) as soon as possible.

 

2. If a child has any of the symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) outlined below, however mild, they should get tested and they must remain at home until they receive their results*:

 

• fever
• chills or sweats
• cough
• sore throat
• shortness of breath
• runny nose
• loss of sense of smell or taste.

In certain circumstances headache, muscle soreness, stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea may also be considered symptoms.

 

For further advice:

 

• call the 24-hour COVID-19 Hotline 1800 675 398
• call a general practitioner
• visit Getting Tested for further information on where to get tested.

 

3. Once a child has had a confirmed negative COVID-19 test and their symptoms have resolved, they can return to ECEC/school. A medical certificate is not required, however may be helpful in following circumstances:

 

• Children with persistent symptoms due to underlying conditions such as hay fever or asthma whose symptoms are clearly typical of their condition can continue to attend ECEC/school. They should be tested for COVID-19 if they develop symptoms that are different to or worse than their usual symptoms. They should consider getting a medical certificate** from their GP to attend ECEC/school if they have persistent symptoms that may overlap with symptoms of COVID-19 such as cough or runny nose. Written medical clearance for COVID-19 is not required.
  
  
• Younger children (pre-school up to Grade 2) may have prolonged post viral symptoms such as a runny nose or cough and may return to ECEC/school following a negative COVID-19 test even if they are not completely free of symptoms. Where symptoms persist, an ECEC/school may request a medical certificate** to confirm the child is otherwise well or has recovered from their acute illness. Written medical clearance for COVID-19 is not required.

For information on the minimum periods students and children need to stay at home for other conditions, refer to the DH school exclusion table.

 

4. If a child has tested positive for COVID-19, has been identified as a close contact, or has otherwise been advised to self-quarantine, e.g. they have visited a public exposure site, they must isolate/quarantine until they receive written medical clearance from the Department of Health (DH).

 

This advice has been prepared by the Department of Education and Training, Safer Care Victoria and the Department of Health

* Please send a copy of your child's COVID-19 test result to laburnum.ps@education.vic.gov.au
** Please also see our LPS Forms Page for Rhinitis (Hay Fever) and other Medical Forms

 

Year 1

During our wellbeing morning lessons, Year 1 have been focusing on the school values, in particular Resilience. We know resilience means having a positive attitude, taking risks and learning from mistakes. This week we read “The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes” and had a discussion about the importance of making mistakes and learning from them.

In our new inquiry History topic, we have been curious learners wanting to find out more about our family history. We have discovered what school was like for our parents, where they were born and what experiences they had growing up.

   1W      

Year 2

Every morning in Year 2, we have been focusing on student wellbeing, using  the L.P.S Matrix  to identify how we can demonstrate positive behaviour. We have been practising our active listening and demonstrating how this looks in the classroom.

Resilience has also been a focus this week. We persisted when challenged to make origami and were proud of our achievements. The Year 2 teachers were proud of how students encouraged each other to have a growth mindset.

In Year 2 we have been very curious about our family history. It has been interesting finding out where our family are from, what types of houses they grew up in and how their school life differed from ours. We have been busy publishing our family history posters and are very proud of our finished work.

      

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute 

Year 3 Coding

In Year 3 this term we have been exploring the program Scratch, learning the basics of coding. Each week we have been exploring a different focus, ranging from creating motion, recording and uploading sound and designing animations.

Our goal this term will be to create our own videos, telling a story through coding.

   

Year 4 Writing

In Writing, the Year 4’s have begun creating a narrative that we will be working on for the remainder of the term. This will allow students to see how their learning has evolved over the weeks, by comparing their original draft to their final product.

The students understand the importance of planning before they write to help organise their thoughts. They created a visual planner to guide their narrative drafts. We can’t wait to see everyone’s narratives later in the term!

  

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience 

Engagement and Wellbeing Committee:

The final 2020 meeting of the Engagement and Wellbeing sub-committee of School Council will be held on Tuesday 24 November at 7 p.m. via Webex.

The main discussion item will be the LPS Bullying Prevention Policy, which is still in draft form.

If you would like to receive Webex details for this meeting and a copy of the Bullying Prevention Policy (draft), please contact the school office via email: laburnum.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Uniform Shop News:

 

Click on these links for Community News or information:                     

OSHClub - please register your child - it's free to register and you'll always have that option for childcare, even in unexpected circumstances.

Box Hill South Pre School Vacancies for 3 Yo Kinder 2021. Click on the image for further information.

 

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

by Michael Grose

Children of all ages enjoy parental recognition. They like when their parents make a fuss over their behaviour or highlight something they’ve done well.

Sometimes parents will reward their children’s behaviour with a treat, money or a gift. This is okay in small doses, but parental recognition alone is a high enough driver of children’s behaviour most of the time.

First borns, in particular, love approval. Youngest children just love that you have noticed them! Second borns can sometimes do things in spite of their parents, but deep down they love the recognition too, even if they don’t let on that they do.

The behaviour you focus on expands
If you want your kids to be neater then focus on their neat behaviours. “You’ve tidied your toys up before dinner. Top job!” You don’t have to throw a party, just let them know that you noticed and you approve of their tidiness. You may also let them know how it affects you. “You’ve tidied your toys up before dinner. It makes my job easier.” The behaviours that you notice and comment on will expand.

Noticing kids’ tidiness once won’t suddenly turn messy kids into exceptionally neat ones, but do it often enough and you’ll start to get some turn around.

You can give kids a thumbs up for all sorts of behaviours. Here’s some examples.

Being co-operative
Stubborn kids need a pat on the head when they respond on your terms not theirs.

Being brave
Nervous and anxious kids need to have their bravery pointed out to them. It’s reassuring and empowering.

Being helpful
Want helpful kids? Then you need to notice helpful behaviours.

Being tolerant
Sometimes older siblings need to be very tolerant of younger siblings. Tolerance is a very giving behaviour and should be promoted.

Being patient
Something to encourage in boys, in particular. It’s often not their strong point.

Being persistent
Let kids know when ‘hanging in there’ pays off. The link between persistence and success is massive but persistence needs to be promoted. It’s also the one factor of temperament that can be affected by parenting.

Being friendly
If your child struggles in social situations then recognise pro-social behaviours such as sharing, initiating contact with another child or taking an interest in another person.

Don’t wait until you get perfect behaviour to give recognition, particularly for very young children. Kids have L-plates when it comes to behaving (co-operatively, bravely, patiently) so their attempts and close approximations need to be verified by the significant adults in their lives – their parents.

Recognising kids’ positive behaviours is easy to do, but it’s also easy not to do. We often get tied up with other things and forget to show appreciation and nurture the behaviours our kids need to develop. It’s important to be aware of this. It’s the little things such as giving positive recognition that have the biggest impact on kids’ development.

Michael Grose, founder of Parenting Ideas, is one of Australia’s leading parenting educators. He’s an award winning speaker and the author of 12 books for parents including Spoonfed Generation, and the bestselling Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It . Michael is a former teacher with 15 years experience, and has 30 years experience in parenting education. He also holds a Master of Educational Studies from Monash University specialising in parenting education.

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience