As we approach the mid-point of Term 3, it is so important that our student and families take the time to rest and stay well. As we are nearing the end of winter, we are starting to see some warmer days, but still having some very cold mornings. Please ensure that you send your child/ren to school with the appropriate uniform (jumper, pants, jacket etc), to ensure that they remain well and attend school regularly (and enjoy the weekends). We appreciate your support in taking every effort to stay well. Please read our Health Hub update with measures we all can take to reduce the spread of illness.

Over the last week, we have had our Foundation Bundoora Park excursion, our Year 5 e-safety sessions, district Athletics and Regional soccer competitions and our Year 1 Melbourne Museum excursion. We thank all our staff for organising these opportunities and experiences for our WNPS students.

Mary-Ann Skidmore

Last week, our school community received the very sad news of Mary-Ann Skidmore passing. As you are aware, Mary-Ann was a much-loved staff member, a long-time teacher and much-loved community member of the Williamstown North Primary School community.

As a school community, we pass on our sincere condolences to Mary-Ann’s friends and family.

Tribute to Mary-Ann and the impact she had at our school.
It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our beloved teacher, colleague and friend Mary-Ann Skidmore. Mary-Ann commenced her teaching career at Williamstown North Primary School in 2000 and after 18 years of dedicated, passionate, devoted teaching, she retired in 2018. After retiring, Mary-Ann realised her greatest role, as a grandmother to her beautiful grandson Murphy.

Mary-Ann was a much loved early-years teacher, with a keen interest in Numeracy, sustainability and wellbeing. She was a teacher that always aimed to make a difference with her students, without fuss or fanfare.

Mary-Ann was a teacher who nurtured her students, while also challenging them to achieve their full potential. She had a wonderful dry sense of humour, that often left her colleagues laughing down the corridor as we returned to our classroom trying to emulate what she did so naturally.

As her colleagues and friends, we send our deepest sympathies to her husband Jim, children Briony and Luke, and grandson Murphy. We all feel blessed to have known Mary-Ann and the better for having the chance to learn and work with her. She will be dearly missed!

Foundation 100 Days of School Celebration

Again, a huge congratulations to our Foundation students (and families) who celebrated 100 DAYS of SCHOOL last Friday 5th August. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing our Foundation students dress up and celebrate the milestone. As promised, here are some photos of the fun filled day!

School Gates
As we work to return to a post COVID world, we will now be opening our school gates on school days from 8:35am each morning. Our school leaders will be on duty each morning to ensure the safety of students, however we appreciate that if parents bring their child/ren early, to please stay with them where possible until at least 8:45am.

In the coming weeks, our Community Engagement Sub Committee will meet to discuss a plan for our Pentland Street gate to be opened on weekend, amongst other things.

Walk-A-Thon
We thank our parents and carers who have already donated to our Walk-A-Thon. Please visit www.willynthps.vic.edu.au/walkathon to donate. We really appreciate your support.

Our walk-a-thon is on next Wednesday 17th August. If you are interested in being a parent/carer helper to assist on the day, please email belinda.gill@education.vic.gov.au.

Students are encouraged to wear their house colours on the day. The timing of the event is as follows:

Foundation to Year 3 - 9.10am - 10.00am

Year 4 to Year 6 - 10.10am - 11.00am

On the day, can all classes please meet on the green/oval at the designated times. After a short safety briefing etc, classes commence their walk one at a time, with a one minute interval in-between.

We hope you will consider a donation to support the students at our school, by: scanning the QR code below or visiting www.willynthps.vic.edu.au/walkathon passing on money directly to the student

For the students who raise the most money:

1^st Prize: A children’s bike (age appropriate)

2^nd Prize and 3rd Prize—$100 Voucher (Officeworks or Smiggles)

4^th Prize: $50 Sports voucher

Download the KEEP App now! All information has been sent via Compass.

As Maryanne’s Skidmore’s funeral is scheduled for the same day, we are currently accessing the staffing arrangements for the day. If necessary, we may need to change the date of the Walkathon. This will be communicated or confirmed, via a Compass newsfeed asap.

Reading Writing Together Is Magic (RWTIM) – Thursday 25th August
This evening event will take place on Thursday 25th August and celebrates students’ literacy, as students will present a short piece of their own original writing to a small group of students and families.

On the night, students and families are allocated to small multi-aged groups, in classrooms across the school. As well as sharing their own writing, students will hear from peers in their year level, and from those in year levels above and below them. Our senior students host the event in each classroom, as part of their leadership development program. Students in Foundation to Year 2 will also receive a special RWTIM ribbon to acknowledge their first-ever participation in this much-loved Willy North tradition.

All information has been sent via Compass.

Book Week and Parade
We are so glad to announce that our WNPS Book Fair is back! During Week 6, 22nd August to 26th August, as part of our celebration of Book Week, the Book Fair will be set up in the library. Students will have the opportunity to preview the books, and complete a special 'Wish List' of books they really like. On Wednesday 24th August we will also have our Book Parade. More information to come.

Foundation Tours Due and Enrolments
If you or a family you know have a young one that with start will us in Foundation in 2023, please ensure that you book in for a Foundation Tour or complete your child’s enrolment at:
Student Enrolment: https://www.willynthps.vic.edu.au/enrolment/enrol-your-child

Foundation Tours: https://www.willynthps.vic.edu.au/enrolment/book-a-tour

With Foundation enrolments now due, it is vital that you enrol your child so we can plan for all our students for 2023.

2023 Enrolment Intentions – Student Exits
We know that some families unfortunately won’t be with us next year, due to moving house or relocating. If that includes your family, we are sorry to see you leave our community.

Please ensure that you call the school on 9397 7722 or email williamstown.north.ps@education.vic.gov.au to let us know.

This supports us with our planning for 2023. We thank you for your support and understanding.

Father’s Day Stall
In helping to celebrate the upcoming Father’s Day (or special person day), we will be hosting a Father’s Day stall on Friday 26th August from 9:15am—1:30pm, whereby students will be able to purchase a small gift for dad or someone special in their lives. We recommend that students bring $5.00 to spend at the stall (for Junior students, a clearly marked envelope with their name and class is suggested).

A huge thank you to Rachelle Burbidge and Jasmyn Keane (parents), who have once again volunteered to coordinate the stall. They would be grateful to any parents who may be available to assist during the morning of the stall. If you could spend an hour or two, please email Jasmyn at: markandjas@me.com or racheburb@bigpond.com

6P Kinder visit – Robina Scott

Over the past month the Year six cohort have taken turns visiting Robina Scott Kindergarten. This is Years 6P’s experience. We walked from the main office of WNPS to Robina Scott with Mr Pearce and the rest of our classmates. Many of our peers were flooded with memories of their younger years – having made lifelong companions. As we walked through the entrance some of our friends remarked that nothing had changed and that the building and front garden looked the same as it did seven years ago.

First, we spent time with yellow group and Mr Pearce sung old McDonald had a farm accompanied by his ukulele. After we finished singing each Year 6 went up to a Kinder kid and ask them if they would like to play some games. Some of the activities that we could do included drawing, making things out of clay, playing make belief with animals and playing shops. Our buddies had the chance to ask us any queries about being in primary school. After 20 minutes we said our goodbyes to the children and went across to the Red group

The same course of events occurred with the red group, and it was a lot of fun seeing how their young minds worked.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable experience and majority of the students in our class would jump at the opportunity to do it again.

By Imogen and Alessia Year 6P

SEEKING PARENT SINGERS/MUSICIANS
Rehearsals for the Year 3-6, Semester 2 production of Aladdin Jr are underway!

We are looking for a parent helper who is a singer/pianist/musician to volunteer their time and expertise to assist with some rehearsals. You would be working with some of our talented principal cast members on their solos, duets and small group vocal pieces.

You would need some flexibility with your availability during the week in order to attend some rehearsals at lunch times (between 1:40pm-2:30pm) and/or some afternoon rehearsals (from 2:30pm-3:30pm).

If this sounds like something you’d be willing and able to assist with, please get in touch via email at: missbarnes@willynthps.vic.edu.au

Looking forward to hearing from you. Michelle Barnes – Performing Arts Teacher.

Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge
Only one month to go until the 2022 Challenge is over! But it’s not too late to participate.

Children from Foundation to Year 2 are encouraged to read or ‘experience’ 30 books with their parents and teachers – with 20 from the list. Children from Year 3 to Year 6 are challenged to read 15 books – with 10 from the list.

All students have been given a unique username and passcode.

To log on to the Premier’s reading challenge:

· Click on this URL: https://vprc.eduweb.vic.gov.au/home

· Click on the VRPC login.

· Fill out your child’s log in details

· Log any books that your child reads.

To read the Premier’s letter to parents, view the booklist and for more information about the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge, visit: www.education.vic.gov.au/prc

So far 22 students at WNPS have completed the Challenge and will be receiving their certificates at assembly. Come on and get reading everyone!

BOOK FAIR 2022 MONDAY 22nd – TUESDAY 30th AUGUST ONLINE PAYMENT & ORDERING
The Willy North PS Book Fair is back again after 2 years of cancellations!

As part of our celebration of Book Week, the Book Fair will be set up in the library from Monday 22nd to Tuesday 30th August. During this time, students will have the opportunity to preview the books, and complete a special 'Wish List' of the books they really like. If you would like to make a purchase, ordering and payments can be made online only via the special Book Fair portal. Full instructions for ordering will be provided on the back of the Wish List. Once you’ve paid online, we will receive notification and prepare your order. Books will be delivered to classrooms as soon as we can!

PLEASE NOTE: THE ONLINE PAYMENT PORTAL WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY 2nd September at 4:00pm.

This is a wonderful opportunity to generate excitement about books and reading, as well as being a major fundraiser for our school library. We earn 30% of total sales in books!

We thank you in advance for any purchases made at this year’s Book Fair.

PARENT HELPERS NEEDED: To complete student orders, we will need assistance to pick books from the fair and deliver these to classrooms. If you can assist on any of the following days/times, please let me know via email. My address is: vivien.daquino@education.vic.gov.au

Tuesday 23rd August—from 2:30pm onwards

Wednesday 24th August—from 12:30pm onwards

Thursday 25th August—from 11:30am onwards

Monday 29th August—from 8:45am onwards

Tuesday 30th August—from 8:45am onwards

Wednesday 31st August—from 8:45am onwards (packing orders, and packing up the Book Fair)

Please include in your email, the day/s you can help on, and a contact phone number/email address. I will put together a helper roster that will be emailed out.

Vivien D’Aquino—Book Fair Coordinator

House Colour Theme

Wednesday 17^th August - Parent Helpers Needed

The Walk-a-thon is shaping up as a fun event. Lots of helpers will be needed to make it a really successful activity. We need Marshals along the route and Checkpoint Checkers.

We thank KEEP (Kids Emergency Education Project), for sponsoring our Walk-A-Thon event. Every child will receive a water bottle for participating in the event.

If you can help, please email Belinda at school on Belinda.gill@education.vic.gov.au specifying what timeslot you can assist with by Monday 15^th August.

Foundation to Year 3 – 9:10am to 10:00am and Year 4 to year 6 – 10:10 to 11:00am

Magic Milk Pictures

Materials - milk, cotton bud, dishwashing liquid, food colouring, paper

click here for an instructional video

Oobleck

Materials - corn flour, water, food colouring (optional)

click here for an instructional video

Lava Lamps

Materials - baking soda, vegetable oil, food colouring, vinegar

click here for an instructional video

Reading & Writing Together is Magic!

Book Your Child's Attendance:

Date: Thursday 25^th August

Time: 5:45pm - 6:30pm

Venue: Williamstown North Primary School

Students: Foundation - Year 6

We are excited to announce the return of our annual student writing showcase event, Reading & Writing Together is Magic!

This evening event celebrates students’ literacy, as they present a short piece of their own original writing to a small group of students and families. During class in the lead-up to the night, students will draft, revise, edit and publish their writing and rehearse their presentation in preparation for reading it aloud in front of you and the rest of their audience.

On the night, students and families are allocated to small multi-aged groups, in classrooms across the school. As well as sharing their own writing, students will hear from peers in their year level, and from those in year levels above and below them. Our senior students host the event in each classroom, as part of their leadership development program. Students in Foundation to Year 2 will also receive a special RWTIM ribbon to acknowledge their first ever participation in this much loved Willy North tradition.

Book your family’s attendance at this community event using our online booking system:

Website: www.schoolinterviews.com.au

Event Code: yhuyb

Bookings Close: Friday 19th August, 4:00pm

To assist with organisation, it’s vital that you register your attendance and the names of your children participating on the night. Families will be provided with their room allocation details on Wednesday 24th August.

All students and families from across the school are invited to participate, however attendance is optional. Please note, all students must be accompanied by an adult.

We also ask your support to minimise COVID and influenza health risks through the following measures:

• Families will be grouped together into a single classroom. To avoid overcrowding, please limit attendance to immediate family members only.
• Masks are strongly encouraged for all audience members;
• Please stay home if you are unwell;
• Classrooms will be kept as ventilated as possible, air purifiers will be in use and hand-sanitiser will be available.

We look forward to a wonderful community celebration of our student’s literacy!