End of term 3… What a way to end the term!

 

Art4All Weekend

Art4All was an amazing weekend all round and we were blessed with the one non-raining day on the Family Day.

 

DSC0373This year, our Art4All was again a spectacular success with the sequence of events that truly does offer Art for everyone. I hope all families had a fantastic weekend taking the opportunity to enjoy the many different opportunities on offer. This year it was like a festival that started on Friday and ended on the Sunday. An occasion like Art4All cannot take place without the effort and support from our community at large and I would like to thank all of the parents, staff and patrons for supporting this event.

 

A special thank you must go to the Art4All committee who had been working for months behind the scenes in many different ways. The committee, led by Leeanne Coughlin and Trish Phelan, can be well satisfied and rightly proud and tired this week.

  • Publicity: Leanne Coughlin, Trish Phelan, Lisa Knott
  • Graphic design: Lee Hodson
  • Treasurer: Rachel Rodda
  • Gallery: Wendy Diamond, Sarah Browne, Nerissa Beattie
  • Gallery shop: Helen Dellidis, Julie Calvert
  • Raffle: Donna SchijfDSC0415
  • Gala evening: Briony Lewis
  • Artzone: Corrin McNamara, Taleen Malone, Lee-Ann Dateline, Krystal Gregory
  • Catering and paella: Kim Berkers
  • Café: Kate Crawshaw, Julie Wise, Liza Grage-Perry
  • Kids cafe and t-shirts: Mandi Naylor
  • Bar: Tyler Telfer
  • BBQ: Kim Cureton
  • Teacher support: Marjie Tkatchenko

DSC0360It was great to see how the Indigenous art theme transpired across the amazing food prepared by Kim Berkers with both parents and students assisting. As a sensory reminder, here were some of the treats:

  • Kangaroo tartare with egg yolk gel on black rice crisps
  • Bush tomato, avocado and artichoke bites
  • Chicken, sandalwood and macadamia tarts
  • Barramundi burgers with capers and lemon myrtle aioli
  • Lamb and pepperberry meatballs with davidson plum sauce
  • Prawn dumplings with a quandong and chilli sauce
  • Wild mushroom and mountain pepper risotto
  • Pavlovas with wattleseed cream and muntries
  • Citrus, rose and almond cookies
  • Coconut, corn and cocoa brownies

 

The Art Prizes were highly competitive with many beautiful works for consideration. Congratulations to the following artists who received the following awards:

  • First Prize: Sarah Hardy
  • Highly Commended: Roland Harvey, Jole Di Florio, Geoffrey Ricardo, Efrossini Chaniotis and Libby Schreiber
  • Hangers Prize: Dean Bowen

 

The School Council award for 2017 was for Simon Normand’s The Capok Dancers. This piece will be hung in the school entrance and join the series of yearly acquisitions by the school.

 

We also congratulate Amelie Rodda in class 3/4D who won the iPad mini for selling the most Art4All raffle tickets. Well done Amelie!

 

Congratulations to our Art4All raffle winners

  • First prize: Jo Callahan
  • Second prize: Peter Chernishoff
  • Third prize: C Krydcon
  • Fourth prize: Sandra Yownie
  • Fifth prize: Isobel Gribble

 

There are many highlights to celebrate and there are some glorious photos being circulated and available to view through the Art4All instagram and the Art4All Facebook page, as well as through our gallery.

 

Child Safety Standards

 I would like to share with you the Victorian government’s commitment to child safety and the new standards that all organisations that provide any service to children, must comply with.

The Victorian Government is introducing child safe standards to improve the way organisations that provide services for children prevent and respond to child abuse that may occur within their organisation. The standards are compulsory for all organisations providing services to children, and aim to drive cultural change in organisations so that protecting children from abuse is embedded in the everyday thinking and practice of leaders, staff and volunteers.

 

This will assist organisations to:

  • Prevent child abuse
  • Encourage reporting of any abuse that does occur
  • Improve responses to any allegations of child abuse

 

The child safe standards are a central feature of the Victorian Government’s response to the Family and Community Development Committee of the Victorian Parliament’s Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations (Betrayal of Trust Inquiry).

 

Background to the standards

The Betrayal of Trust report was tabled on 13 November 2013. It found that while the majority of children are safe in organisations, there are inadequate and inconsistent approaches to child safety in organisations across Victoria. It provided 15 recommendations, including the introduction of child safe standards in Victoria to ensure child safe environments in organisations that work with children.

 

The Victorian Government has committed to implementing all of the recommendations of the Betrayal of Trust Inquiry. The Department of Health and Human Services is leading the development and implementation of the child safe standards, and has held consultations with organisations in Victoria likely to be subject to the new standards. You can download a copy of the outcomes report of the consultation on the Department of Health and Human Services website.

 

What is child abuse?

The child safe standards aim to protect children from abuse in organisations. Under the Act, child abuse includes five categories of abuse as outlined below. These definitions are based on the Victorian Child Protection Practice Manual.

 

  • Physical violence

Physical violence occurs when a child suffers or is likely to suffer significant harm from a non-accidental injury or injuries inflicted by another person. Physical violence can be inflicted in many ways, including beating, shaking, burning or use of weapons (such as, belts and paddles).

  • Sexual offences

Sexual offences occur when a person involves the child in sexual activity, or deliberately puts the child in the presence of sexual behaviours that are exploitative or inappropriate to his/her age and development.

  • Serious emotional or psychological abuse

Serious emotional or psychological abuse occurs when harm is inflicted on a child through repeated rejection, isolation, or by threats or violence. It can include derogatory name-calling and put-downs, or persistent and deliberate coldness from a person, to the extent where the behaviour of the child is disturbed or their emotional development is at serious risk of being impaired.

  • Serious neglect

Serious neglect is the continued failure to provide a child with the basic necessities of life, such as food, clothing, shelter, hygiene, medical attention or adequate supervision, to the extent that the child’s health, safety and/or development is, or is likely to be, jeopardised. Serious neglect can also occur if an adult fails to adequately ensure the safety of a child where the child is exposed to extremely dangerous or life threatening situations.

 

As a response to this, at Fairfield Primary School have been reviewing our relevant policies, the main one being the Student Wellbeing Policy and ensuring that all standards are met.

 

Staffing Changes for Term Four

We welcome Rebecca Burnam who is replacing Sue McMillan in Foundation B. Rebecca is already well known to the children, having been here on a number occasions teaching French and across general classrooms.

 

Claire Hopper will be extending her music program to year six as well as all of the year 1/2 students.

 

We also welcome Keri and Geoff’s baby girl, Amelia. How wonderful to welcome a new addition to our community.

 

It has been a tiring but wonderful term for all and as we move into term four, we can continue to delight in the curiosity, the abilities and dispositions of our wonderful children. I hope every family and staff member finds time to relax and enjoy the holidays.