PRIMARY NEWS PRIMARY NEWS
ORTHSIDE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE WEEKLY PRIMARY NEWSLETTER
Dear Parents and Carers,
I would like to extend to all our families a very warm welcome to the 2025 school year! It has been lovely hearing from students and families this week about what they have been doing during the break. What amazes me is how much the students have grown since we last saw them. I am certainly feeling refreshed after the break and had many opportunities to spend time with my family I pray that the break has offered you and your children an opportunity to rest and recharge.
We welcomed our new Prep students this week and it was wonderful seeing them settle into new school routines. I must thank our Prep Teaching team and Enrolments team, who thoughtfully plan for a smooth transition. It is our desire for every student to feel safe and connected at school.
I understand that for some students, it may take a little time to adjust to the school environment and new routines. It may also take time to form friendships, particularly for those who are new to our community If you have any concerns about your child’s adjustment, please do not hesitate to reach out to their classroom teacher for support. We are blessed with an exceptional team of staff who are dedicated to the wellbeing of every student. Our Wellbeing team is also available to provide additional support if needed, so please let us know if your child is struggling in any way
I would like to give a gentle reminder for all families to please ensure that your child comes to school in the correct uniform. Teachers will inform you if there are any issues regarding uniform compliance.
Common areas of uniform breaches include:
Wearing long-sleeved tops under the school dress or PE polo top.
Wearing leggings instead of the PE pants.
Wearing incorrect shorts for PE.
Wearing the PE uniform on non-PE days.
Wearing unapproved jewellery.
Wearing incorrect shoes or socks.
Unapproved hairstyles and cuts.
Wearing hair accessories that are not the school colours
I am very much looking forward to the year ahead. I have been encouraged by the well known Psalm 23:1-3. "The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul." It is encouraging to remember that we can find all that we need in Him!
God bless you,
Chris Drowley Director of Primary Learning
NO PRIMARY CHAPEL
Friday 7th February
There will be no Primary Chapel next week due to the Dedication Service held in the morning for students in Years 1 – 12.
YEARS 3 – 6 SWIMMING CARNIVAL
Wednesday 5th February
The Years 3 – 6 Swimming Carnival will be held at Splash in Craigieburn All students will be bussed to this event at staggered times.
Years 3 - 4
* Students need to be at the College by 8:15am
* Students will return to the College at 1:40pm.
* Students have classes in the afternoon and will be dismissed at 3:05pm, as per normal
Years 5 - 6
* Students to be at school by 8:40am as per normal.
* Students will have classes in the morning, and will leave the College at 9:50am to travel to Splash.
* Students will return to the College by 3:05pm for dismissal, as per normal Parents wanting to spectate will need to collect a Centre Pass from Northside Reception to avoid paying an entrance fee Passes are now available at Reception.
Parents wanting to volunteer can contact Mrs Venegas at avenegas@ncc vic edu au Please be aware that all volunteers must have completed the Volunteer Induction process. You can do this by clicking on the following link: https://linksafe.com.au/ncc-volunteer/
Please look out for the permission form on Consent2Go All permission needs to be granted by Monday 3rd of February.
Students are to wear their sport uniform with the house coloured t-shirt It is helpful to already have their bathers on underneath
Please send a separate bag with a towel, packed lunch, water bottle, fresh underwear and goggles (optional).
NEW FAMILIES WELCOME MORNING TEA
Friday 7th February, 8:40am - 9:30am
Parents who are new to Northside, you are invited to a Morning Tea in your honour!
Please sign in at Reception, then meet some members of the Parents and Friends Association in the Courtyard outside Reception).
HOMEWORK
Homework will be handed out on Fridays and will need to be returned the following Friday
Although students are not expected to complete homework on the weekend, having homework sent home on a Friday allows your family some extra time if you have a busy weekly routine.
Mode of Delivery
Paper-based for Prep - Year 2 students
MyEdOnline for Years 3 - 6 students
If you experience any issues logging on to MyEdOnline, please let your child’s teacher know
Suggested Homework time allocation (per night)
Prep: 5 – 10 mins
Years 1 – 2: 15 – 20 mins
Years 3 – 4: 20 – 30 mins
Years 5 – 6: 30 – 45 mins
PLEASE CARE FOR OUR BOOKS
We kindly ask for your support in ensuring that home readers and library books sent home with students are treated with care.
Last year’s annual stocktake revealed that a number of our texts had been written on, torn, or mishandled. Unfortunately, this affects the experience of other families who receive books in poor condition.
Please note that lost readers incur a replacement fee, and books that are significantly damaged will also need to be replaced. We greatly appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain our resources for all students to enjoy
Thank you for your understanding and support.
VOLUNTEER INDUCTION AND PARENT HELPER TRAINING
Northside Christian College is most grateful for the support of our parents and volunteers.
If you would like to build up your Parent Participation hours in 2025 by helping in the classroom, on excursions, around the school grounds, in the Mini Movers Program, or in any capacity, this training must be completed first.
Please refer to the link below to complete the induction registration and modules:
https://linksafe.com.au/ncc-volunteer/
Thank you in advance for your willingness to volunteer at Northside.
COLLEGE CAR PARK PROCEDURES, RULES, TIMES AND ZONES
With over 350 families accessing the College car park during drop-off and pick-up times every day, it is important that families follow all directional signage in and around the car park, including instructions from staff. Some quick reminders:
The maximum speed in the car park is 10km/h, but the safety of students, parents, visitors and staff should dictate the speed of cars at all times
Entry to the car park is via the main car park only between 8:00am – 9:30am and 2:30pm – 4:00pm. The oval car park driveway is exit only between 8:00am – 9:30am and 2:30pm – 4:00pm.
Please collect your children from the designated gates if you are using the drive-through pick-up option:
o 3:05pm: All Worthy Warriors need to be collected from the Main Gate
o 3:05pm: All Noble Knights need to be collected from the Oval Car Park
o 3:15pm: All Courageous Conquerors need to be collected from the Oval Car Park.
Primary School students must not walk through the car park unless they are accompanied by a parent, carer or Secondary School sibling.
Please be aware that McLeans Road has “No Standing” signs along parts of the road during school times – these restrictions are enforced by the City of Whittlesea and are not drop-off or pick-up zones.
Cars must always give way to pedestrians walking on the footpath of McLeans Road When exiting the car park, please stop at the gate and ensure the path is clear of pedestrians before exiting – whether they are students or members of the public.
In addition, please do not approach staff on car park duty to discuss any student issues that have arisen during the day as this impacts their ability to perform their car park duty. Instead, contact staff via SEQTA to make an appointment to discuss any issues that you have so that you can have their full attention.
If you have any questions regarding the car park rules and procedures, please contact us at the College
COLLEGE CAR PARK MAP
REMINDER TO LABEL YOUR CHILD’S UNIFORM
Every year, a high amount of lost property is left at the College Reception, unable to be reunited with their owners because they haven’t been clearly labelled. Please ensure you have labelled every uniform item, as well as lunch boxes, so that they can be returned to you and your child if they are found Please also double-check that their names haven’t been washed off or rubbed off through wear and tear. For safety reasons, please avoid writing their names on the outside of their uniform.
Lost property tubs are located near the Finance Office – if your child has lost an item, please check the lost property tubs.
PRIMARY SWIMMING
Term 1 Tuesdays: Years 3 - 6
Lessons for the Years 3 - 6 classes will be held on Tuesdays and will run for 6 weeks. The first lesson will commence on Tuesday 4th February and the last lesson will take place on Tuesday 11th March The swimming lessons will take place at Mill Park Leisure Centre.
Students will travel to their lessons by bus They will be picked up from Northside half an hour before their lesson begins. It is anticipated that students will arrive back at school half an hour after their lesson ends.
Your child will need to come to school wearing their bathers under their Sport uniform to maximise their lesson time. Please send a swimming bag with a towel, water bottle, thongs, goggles and fresh underwear.
Please look out for an email in your Inbox with the Consent2Go permission form.
Prep - Year 2 students will have their swimming lessons in Term 4.
ART SMOCKS
If you have not already done so, please provide your child with an Art Smock labelled and ready for their Art classes.
An effective Art Smock needs to be waterproof with long sleeves.
An apron-style smock is not suitable.
The Art Smocks are not a uniform item and can be a unique colour or design so that your child can easily identify their own.
All Art Smocks need to be clearly labelled with your child’s name
Extra Curricular Activities at ARTS & DESIGN
Northside Christian College
Dive into a world of creativity with our 8week Arts and Design program, where every child’s imagination can flourish! In this dynamic and supportive environment, kids will explore a variety of art forms, from drawing and painting to crafts and beyond With hands-on activities and exciting guided projects, they'll develop their artistic skills, experiment with different techniques, and bring their unique ideas to life Our enthusiastic instructors are dedicated to nurturing a love for art, encouraging selfexpression, and boosting confidence It’s a fun-filled journey of creativity and discovery!
Your OSHC by Camp Australia provides enriching experiences for children during term – before school, after school and on pupil free days At Your OSHC we give children a supportive space to continue their development, build confidence and socialise with their friends.
Once registered, you'll be able to easily make and manage your bookings online via our Parent Portal
or
Please feel free to visit the program with your children to meet the team and see what happens in our great program each school day New articles are added each week for parents and cover various topics to help families.
