August 2009
Olive Phillips Kindergarten.
Preparing your child for the future.
www.olivephillipskindergarten.com.au
President‟s Report – Brenda Wightman
It has been a very busy month for both Of course we certainly can‟t run this Art
the staff and committee. Many exciting Exhibition without your help! We will be
things have been happening in the Olive asking for volunteers to help out on the day.
Phillips Kindergarten Community! Lists will be going up in the foyer shortly, so
please help us make this a successful event,
Lots of preparation has been taking place and don‟t hesitate to put your name down to
for our 5th Annual Children’s Art assist!
Exhibition. This very exciting event will be
held on Sunday 13th September between For further information, please contact our
2-4pm and will be the only opportunity Social Officer, Sarah Carr on 0418 591
you‟ll have this year to see your child‟s 617.
individual art work displayed in our „gallery‟.
NEiTA, Inspirational Teaching Award
The exhibition celebrates the artistic
talents of the children through both Angela Barr has been nominated for a
individual and collaborative artworks. It NEiTA, ASG Inspirational Teaching Award.
will show special artworks displayed in a The nomination has been submitted as
frame created by the children attending Angela is certainly deserving of the
the kindergarten. Families will be able to recognition of such a prestigious award.
take home the framed artworks at the end
of the exhibition. This was highlighted so many times in the
The children love seeing their own art work Parent Satisfaction Survey, we only wish we
displayed on the wall, framed and being could include a copy of all the wonderful
admired by their family and friends. comments that were made.
In keeping with the Art Exhibition theme, Over 200,000 teachers have been
there will be some nibbles provided, but nominated this year and we wish Angela the
please bring your own drinks. It‟s a lovely, best of luck in her nomination. The
relaxing way to spend the afternoon with a nomination letter that was written can be
glass of bubbles, mixing in the OPK viewed on the sign in table this week.
community and admiring the work of the
children.
Invitations for this event have been
distributed in your pockets - sincere
thanks to the very talented Sharina
Delves for designing these gorgeous 1
invites!
Olive Phillips Kindergarten
Report Continued…
Building/Interior Redevelopments
1. Better general communication to
The committee has once again committed to parents from teachers about the
enhancing the Kinder‟s facilities this year. times they are available to make an
This will include an upgrade to the office appointment to discuss their child.
area to provide a comfortable, inviting and
relaxing space to work in. This will be stage 2. Any new parents coming to the kinder,
1 of the plan and all plans and specifications who are joining a fairly established
have been completed with the talents of group of kinder children, will be
Lisa Tadich who has worked in conjunction assigned a „buddy‟. This will be a
with the staff to come up with what will be parent who is happy to introduce the
an amazing work space. We thank Lisa in new mum/dad to everyone and be
advance for co-coordinating this project and there for a bit of support.
look forward to the results.
3. Class representatives to attend OPK
Committee meetings and provide at
Stage 2 is currently in planning stage and
least 2 social get-togethers per term.
will involve a student ART STUDIO. Stay
They could just be a morning tea, play
tuned for upcoming details.
in the park, dinner etc.
Parent Satisfaction Survey
If you would like a copy of the survey
A big thank you to all those parents who results, please send your request by email to
completed the recent Parent Satisfaction the Vice President, Sue Grima at
Survey. We really value and appreciate your suzannegrima@bigpond.com
feedback and will use it in our future
planning of the programs offered at the Many thanks to Sue for compiling the
Kinder. results into a report.
Overall, the results of the Survey were If you have any suggestions or questions
extremely positive and certainly a huge regarding the kindergarten, please contact
credit to Angela, Emma, Christine and Pam. me on 0408589267 or via email
brenda@sedagroup.com.au All enquiries and
Actions taken from the Parent Satisfaction feedback will be treated confidentially.
Survey
Kind Regards
4. A social fundraiser to be organized by Brenda Wightman
a subcommittee at the end of Term
One. This will be run by parents who
are not on the committee.
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Teaching at Olive Phillips Kindergarten
We are passionate about our There are many methods of
work with children and families, communicating.
and operate at the highest You can write a message, email
teaching level. the kindergarten, telephone or
make a time to meet with us.
In order for the programs to run Urgent information should be
smoothly we are asking all family passed on and addressed
members to recognise the immediately. Please do not
importance of children arriving hesitate to speak to us.
and leaving the kindergarten on
time. The meeting/teaching time Angela (Blue group/Director)
occurs at the beginning of each Available on;
session. Children not arriving on Monday 1.00pm-2.30pm
time are missing out on valuable Wednesday 10.00am-12.00pm
information and collaborative
work. Please make an effort to Emma (Red and Green group)
have your children at the Available on;
kindergarten on time. Monday 11.00am-12.00pm
Wednesday 1.00pm-2.30pm
We are employed to design the
environment and set up learning olive.phillips.kin@kindergarten.vic
experiences during the allocated .gov.au
non-teaching times. 9589 3300
We have allocated planning time Regards
to meet with family members, Angela and Emma
write reports, document
observations, evaluate programs,
complete portfolio entries,
attend to administrative tasks,
co-ordinate meetings, analyse
projects, research topics, find
resources…the list goes on.
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Children’s Programs – July and August 2009
This term the children have been We had a very successful
engaged in a variety of restaurant area. All the children
experiences and activities. It has loved cooking, preparing tables,
been a busy time. serving food and most
importantly interacting with
We have focused on the art others.
exhibition. The children have all
completed their beautiful The children have been involved
individual pieces that will be in physical play and development -
framed. We have also made some soccer, challenging obstacle
fascinating sculptures…no more courses, hoops, basketball,
telling until the art exhibition. skipping, mini Olympics,
parachute and lots more.
Buttons have been used in a
variety of ways – sorting, There have been many mini
classifying, creating a projects. Most have been
collaborative art piece, practicing centered on children‟s ability to
buttoning and unbuttoning and plan, design and create
threading. something.
We continue to develop children‟s Some children‟s comments on the
social and emotional development. work projects:
We have been discussing areas of
respect, friendships, turn taking, What does work mean?
good manners, helping others, You can work together as a
including others in play, listening, team.
caring… When you build stuff.
Building houses and cutting
The children have opportunities trees that have too much
to express themselves through branches.
the performing arts. There have Work means if you‟re
been many puppet shows, dress telling someone you are
ups, dancing, being an audience working, then they can‟t
member and the use of large come till you are finished
pieces of fabric as costumes. and it‟s dry.
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Work is when you work on the computer, print it out and take it
home.
Work means when you work very hard for other people.
It means you are doing something really hard and you have to
concentrate.
You get money when you work. You can do all kinds of things. You
can sell things, make movies or do normal work like work on
computers.
Thank you to all the families who have contributed to the program. It has
enriched the children‟s lives and extended their development.
Regards
Angela, Emma, Christine and Pam
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History of the Olive Phillips Kindergarten
Building
The residential boom that took place their own children had attended a
in Beaumaris in the immediate post- different one, the Jack & Jill
war period saw a considerable Kindergarten in Grandview Avenue,
number of young families move into much closer to their home in
the area. The provision of associated Balcombe Road. Ursula Godsell
facilities, namely kindergartens and recalls that her husband obtained
infant welfare centres was thus a the commission for the new
high priority. In 1948, plans for a kindergarten simply because the
combined kindergarten and infant council had a policy to employ local
welfare centre were drawn up by the architects wherever possible and,
architectural firm of Seabrook & moreover, to continue the
Fildes – the latter partner of which established tradition of modern
had been a resident of Beaumaris architecture in Beaumaris. Godsell‟s
since the early 1940‟s. Their first scheme, which included engineering
scheme, dated September 1948, was input from the noted firm then
for a simple timber-framed building known as Johnston & Partners, had
on an L-shaped plan. This was been fully documented by March
revised over the next two years, and 1974.
the final building was of T-shaped
form, incorporating two separate Architecturally, the building is
playrooms and a doctor‟s consulting significant as a rare example of a
room with waiting area. non-residential building designed by
noted architect David Godsell. He
The Olive Phillips Free Kindergarten, was one of Melbourne‟s leading
as it was known, remained in use until exponents of the Prairie School
it was destroyed by fire in October style that was revived by a new
1972. Within a few months, the site generation of young architects in
had been cleared and an architect the years prior to, and just after,
appointed to design a replacement. the death of Frank Lloyd Wright in
This was another local, David 1959. Best known for his Wrightian
Godsell, who had lived in Beaumaris houses, Godsell designed very few
(in a striking house of his own design non-residential buildings, and fewer
at 491 Balcombe Road) since 1960. still were ever built. A long-time
Godsell and his wife, Ursula, had no
prior connection with the Olive
Phillips Free Kindergarten; indeed,
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History continued...
resident of Beaumaris (from 1960 pergola, since covered by corrugated
until his death in 1986), Godsell PVC sheeting. On the north (Bodley
designed a number of houses in what
Street) frontage, eaves are
is now the City of Bayside (including penetrated by square openings.
his own) but the Olive Phillips Free
Window openings on that side,
Kindergarten remains as his only defined by a row of concrete block
realised non-residential building in
piers, have large black-painted
the municipality. The building is also
timber-framed sashes with
significant for its distinctive form, rendered spandrels below,
with the twin functions of
incorporating a projecting rectangle
kindergarten and infant welfare motif.
centre expressed as two discrete
pyramid-roofed pavilions linked by a Elsewhere, there are sashless
breezeway. This represents a double-hung windows. The south end
contrast from the far more
of the breezeway is infilled by a
conventially planned counterparts continuous bay of fixed panels of
that were built in the municipality
tinted translucent glazing.
during the post-war period.
Aesthetically, the building is
The kindergarten and infant welfare
significant for its unusual form,
centre is a single-storeyed building finishes and appearance. Although
of split concrete block construction.
less overtly Wrightian than some of
The respective functions are Godsell‟s other works, the building is
contained two discrete hip-roofed
nevertheless eye-catching for its
pavilions, roughly square in plan, unusual form, its split concrete block
which are connected by a flat- walls, prominent egg-crate eaves,
roofed breezeway. The pyramidal
slender window openings and
roofs, clad in corrugated steel, have panelled spandrels. Sited in open
prominent eaves with broad timber
parkland at the corner of two
plank fascias (painted) and timber streets, the building remains a
plank lining (unpainted). The
distinctive element in the landscape.
breezeway originally had an open
(Taken from: City of Bayside Inter-
War and Post-War Heritage Study
Job 2007-02)
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Forthcoming Events
National Gallery of Victoria – Excursion
Red Group - Tuesday 1st September
Blue Group - Thursday 3rd September
OPK Curriculum Day - Monday 7th September
Kindergarten closed for staff professional
development
Children’s Art Exhibition
Sunday 13th September 2.00 – 4.00pm
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – Excursion
Wednesday 7th October (Blue and Red Groups)
End of year break up and family events –
children’s play/performances:
Green Group – Friday 11th December 4.00-5.30pm
Red Group – Monday 14th December 4.00-5.30pm
Blue Group – Wed 16th December 4.00-5.30pm
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NOTICE TO ALL PARENTS
1. New rules for using child Restraints
and booster seats
From 9 November 2009 there will be some changes to Victoria‟s road
safety rules. These changes include new rules for the use of child
restraints and booster seats in vehicles and will help parents and carers
ensure their children are in the safest child restraint or booster seat for
their age.
The new rules for using child restraints and booster seats
Starting 9 November 2009, children under seven years of age must wear
a child restraint or booster seat when travelling in a car for improved
safety.
The type of restraint will depend on the age of the child as follows:
Children aged under six months must wear an approved, properly
fastened and adjusted, rear facing child restraint
Children aged between six months and under four years must
wear an approved, properly fastened and adjusted, rear facing child
restraint OR a forward facing child restraint with an in-built
harness
Children aged between four years and under seven must wear an
approved, properly fastened and adjusted, forward facing child
restraint with an in-built harness OR an approved booster seat
which is properly positioned and fastened.
There are also new laws for where children can sit in vehicles.
If a car has two or more rows of seats, then children under four
years must not travel in the front seat
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If all seats, other than the front seats, are being used by children
under seven years, children aged between four and six years
(inclusive) may travel in the front seat, provided they use an
approved restraint or booster seat.
The road safety reasons
On average, nearly 300 children under the age of seven are injured
or killed as passengers in vehicles on Victorian roads each year
Parents are generally moving their children into adult seatbelts
from about the age of five and a half years – research suggests
this is simply too early
Children up to seven years are at least four times more likely to
sustain a head injury in a crash when sitting in an adult seatbelt
only
Other research shows seating children aged four to seven years
old in an appropriate booster seat reduces their risk of injury in a
crash by almost 60 per cent, compared to if they were sitting in an
adult seatbelt without a booster seat.
What you have to do
To comply with the new child restraint rules you:
have to know which is the correct child restraint(s) to use
have to ensure that each child passenger is wearing a properly
fitted and fastened child restraint or booster seat suitable for
their age every time they travel in a vehicle.
Exemptions
Taxis will continue to be exempt from the child restraint requirements.
However, parents are encouraged to use their own restraints in taxis
where possible. When there is no suitable child restraint available a
seatbelt must be worn.
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Frequently asked questions
2. What can I do if my child is too big for the restraint for their
age?
The new laws aim to cater for the majority of children; however
there is a provision to allow a child who is too tall or heavy for the
recommended restraint to use the restraint in the next age
category. This website has information to help you choose the right
child restraint depending on the size of your child.
2. What should I look for when purchasing a child restraint?
All child restraints sold in Australia must meet the Australian
Standard AS/NZS 1754. However, independent testing has shown
that some restraints provide more protection and are easier to use
than others. When purchasing a restraint consider the following:
its suitability for the child in relation to their age, weight and
height
the size of the seat space and vehicle (where possible take your
car with you to test that the restraint/booster fits).
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2. Birthday Invitations
In the past it has been common practice to give out children‟s
birthday party invitations via the Class Group pockets in the
entrance to the Kinder where other notices for parents are
distributed.
To avoid any awkwardness should a child not receive an
invitation, Olive Phillips Kindergarten has kindly requested that
any party invitations be given out externally, i.e. outside of the
kinder environment.
3. Your Thoughts & Impressions
We would love you to share your thoughts, impressions etc of
Olive Phillips Kindergarten. Please let us know how you and/or
your child feel about the preschool, friends, teachers, learning
environments, programs etc by recording your thoughts in the
notebook which is outside the kinder on the sign-in table.
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Your Thoughts & Impressions of OPK
“Xavier loves kinder and I love how it is such a nurturing intelligent
environment for him to be in.”
Skye (Green Group)
“Just outstanding. Marcus is very enthusiastic about all aspects of kinder
program, including creative arts, playtime, and social interaction. Becoming
very self-confident and social well-adjusted.”
Sylvie (Green Group)
“Billy can be an anxious child, unsure of himself when away from family
members, so starting kinder was a bit of a challenge for him. We cannot
speak highly enough of the gentle and caring way in which Billy has been
welcomed to the kinder. He now, finally, looks forward to coming to kinder
and to seeing his friends, not least of all, Emma and Pam.
The philosophy of the kinder is perfect for Billy‟s personality and is certainly
a nurturing and stimulating environment for the children. So a big thank you
to Emma and Pam. We are more than pleased with OPK.”
Caroline (Green Group)
“Marty and I wholeheartedly agree with the previous comments highlighting
OPK as an environment that is both nurturing and stimulating. It is a real
team effort among all the teaching staff that creates this wonderful
creative space, and we are thrilled that Charlie is experiencing his kinder
journey with you. We especially enjoy the regular updates on the kids kinder
experiences through artwork, photos, and the children‟s responses to
specific questions are a particular favourite. What stands out for us as
parents is Charlie‟s growing satisfaction of joining in with „drawing time‟. You
are all doing a brilliant job – thank you so much.”
Megan & Marty (Blue Group)
“We are thrilled that both our children have the extreme fortune to attend
a kindergarten with such brilliant, inspiring and passionate teaching staff.
We can‟t speak highly enough of the ways in which we see the effects of the
teaching and kinder environment in our children. The staff seems to go above
and beyond what is expected of them. Each child is seen as an individual with
their own strengths. The staff initiatives for bettering the classroom
environment, facilities and communication with parents are outstanding.
Thank you all.”
Warren & Andrea (Green & Blue Groups)
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