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Message from the Head of Campus

Welcome back to Term 4. I trust the recent holidays were a refreshing break for all families. Students and families can look forward to a wonderful final term of 2022.

Book Week

I know the children loved our Minimbah Book week last week. It was so fantastic to see dress-up day back on the calendar. All the children who dressed up as favourite book characters did an incredible job. It’s always a highlight of the school year. The teachers, too, enjoyed performing Busting by Aaron Blabey for our Book Week assembly. Thank you to Briony Wright, our Librarian, for organising authors Danielle Binks and Patrick Guest to inspire our young writers, and for the Dream Puppets Theatre Company, who shared some very creative puppet storytelling with the students.

Year 2 Sleepover

Parents of Year 2 students will have enjoyed hearing tall tales from Friday’s sleepover. After a day out adventuring and hiking in Mt Martha, the children enjoyed activities back at school before pitching tents and having fun at their first school sleepover. Thanks to Alexis Tame for organising her team to support the students throughout the activity.

Music Soiree - Tuesday 18 October

We look forward to welcoming you to our next Music Soiree on Tuesday afternoon from 3.30 pm in the Minimbah Music Centre. These casual afternoons give children learning an instrument at school or outside, the chance to perform in a supportive and relaxed environment.

Camp Licola - Monday 24 to Friday 28 October

When Week 4 rolls around, we will farewell our Year 5 and 6 students as they head off to Licola Wilderness Village for their annual outdoor education camp. The children will be challenged by and enjoy a week full of active outdoor activities, including high ropes, giant swing, flying fox and initiative activities, just to name a few. The opportunity to support and work together in the outdoors helps build lifelong skills the children will continue to develop as they make their way through the School’s outdoor education program. For many, this trip to Licola will mark their first outdoor education camp, so we wish them much fun and adventure.

Year 6 Dinner - Friday 25 November

Further, into the term, our Year 6 students have their end-of-year dinner to look forward to on Friday, 25 November.

Other dates to keep an eye out for

We will hold our Team Athletics Day on Friday, 25 November also. We have a chess competition planned and a day to celebrate our Indonesian Language Studies. A step-up 2023 / Orientation morning is scheduled for mid-November.

It’s going to be a busy but rewarding final term!

Staffing News

This term, we welcome Brydie Hepworth to the Minimbah Team. Brydie has taken on Minimbah Enrolments and provides lunchtime release for Kerrie. I know you will all make Brydie feel very welcome as she settles into her new role and gets to know you all.

We also welcomed Andy Hicks back to school after his period of Long Service Leave.

Pam and Mel Pegler, our long-time cleaners, have decided to retire. Many of you will know that Pam has been unwell following a severe infection caused by a spider bite. Pam’s recovery has been steady but slow. The Peglers have been overwhelmed by the kindness and support shown to them by the Minimbah Community. Their presence here at Minimbah will be sorely missed. Pam and Mel have a long association with the School as both parents and employees. No one can clean like them, and Pam will be especially missed by the children as she was so beautifully connected through programs and activities. I am sure you will join me in wishing Pam, Mel, and their Family all the best for the future.

I have also received a formal resignation from Mrs Sarah Gow, who leaves us at the end of 2022 after 14 years of exceptional service to the School. Sarah is on leave exploring new opportunities in support and inclusion education. I am currently in the process of recruiting a new Head of Inclusion here at Minimbah.

Forthcoming Mid-Term Holiday and Pupil Free Day

Just some advance notification regarding our mid-term holiday and pupil-free day. On Monday, 31 October, the School provides a mid-term holiday before the Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday on 1 November. The School has also scheduled a pupil-free day on Friday, 4 November.

Monday 31 October – Mid-term Holiday

Tuesday 1 November – Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday

Wednesday, 2 November – School Day

Thursday, 3 November – School Day

Friday 4 November – Pupil Free Day


Updated Covid-19 Advice

You may be aware that the Victorian Government has announced changes to the COVID-19 isolation requirements.

This means that the mandatory orders around isolation for people with COVID-19 have ended, and instead, we move to health advice and recommendations for people with COVID-19 or COVID-19-like symptoms.

Our school will continue to adhere to the Department of Health’s recommendations to ensure that our school remains a safe environment for our staff and students.

The Department of Health strongly recommends that students and school staff:

  • who test positive for COVID-19 stay home and isolate for five days and do not attend school after five days if they are still symptomatic
  • who are symptomatic but have not tested positive, do not attend school. This does not include students with pre-existing conditions such as hay fever.

Parents and carers are recommended to continue to report their child having COVID-19 to both the school and the Department of Health.

We will, however, no longer report occurrences of positive cases to the school community.

We ask parents and carers to continue to remain vigilant in preventing COVID-19 transmission. Any unwell student should continue to stay at home. This is about keeping students healthy and well in our school and reducing the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.

Parents and carers will be contacted if their child shows symptoms while at school.

Students who wish to wear a mask should continue to do so.

To keep our school as safe as possible, we will continue using COVID-19 prevention measures.

Thanks for your continued efforts to keep our school community safe and well.

Best wishes, everyone, for the term ahead.


ROD
Head of Minimbah Campus