PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
Dear Parents and Friends,
The end of the term is nearly on us, what a whirlwind it has been! Students have worked hard to settle well into the school routine and quickly developed their excellent learning behaviours. Our focus on High Expectations continued throughout the term, with an emphasis on developing our Growth Mindset. I hope this has been evident in your children at home as well.
The end of the term is nearly on us, what a whirlwind it has been! Students have worked hard to settle well into the school routine and quickly developed their excellent learning behaviours. Our focus on High Expectations continued throughout the term, with an emphasis on developing our Growth Mindset. I hope this has been evident in your children at home as well.
Staffing News
The exciting news of last week was the arrival of Pippa Rose Riley on Wednesday 9th March. Congratulations to Mr Cameron Riley and his wife Bec, daughter Stella
and son Will - we hope you are enjoying your beautiful new daughter and sister.
There will be a few staffing changes for term 2 in the school. Mrs Barratt
will not be returning to her Year 3 class and instead we will welcome Miss
Joanne Siriwardene, who comes to Mentone Park with glowing references and a strong interest
in technology, as well as being a passionate and creative teacher.
In other news, we say bon voyage to Mrs Monica Smith for Term 2 as she heads overseas to see and support her daughter in Spain, along with some other exciting adventures I am sure.
Last week Mrs Lough and I attended the annual Inner South Regional Conference at Lorne. This was a fantastic 3 days of professional learning around the theme of "Re-imagining Education". There were some excellent speakers who really challenged us to consider how we can re-imagine schools and education to meet the changing needs of students and society. It certainly was thought provoking and raised some interesting questions and debate.School Council
School Council nominations closed last week and with the number of nominations equalling the number of vacancies, there was no need to conduct an election. Congratulations to the following members on their election or re-election, to School Council:
- Fiona Longmuir (Parent Rep - re-elected)
- Lisa Grimsey (Parent Rep - new member)
- Mary Sampiere (Staff Rep - new member)
Our new Council will meet on Monday night at 7:00pm, following our sub-committee meetings at 6:00pm. All members of the school community are able to be involved in the Education or Buildings and Grounds sub-committees. If you are interested in either of these, please come along on Monday night at 6:00pm to see what it is all about.
Education Sub-committee: This
committee has the important role of reviewing and drafting new policies which
include curriculum and some school operations. We would love some extra support with this
aspect of the school, which also provides parents with information about how
the school operates.
Buildings and Grounds Sub-committee: This committee ensures that our school grounds
and buildings are safe and well maintained.
Working Bees are a major priority for this committee, which plans the
activities to be undertaken at these days.
The Committee also develops our school maintenance plan to
ensure the upkeep of our buildings and grounds is maintained, as well as
developing ongoing plans for our buildings and grounds.
Please note: The School Council AGM that was advertised for Monday 21st March has been postponed to term 2.
Conference
Among all this change, it is also acknowledged that children are becoming more vulnerable to mental health issues and we need to help young people develop the skills to be resilient. We had an outstanding speaker, Hugh Van Cuylenberg, present to us on the topic of “Mindfulness, Empathy and Gratitude to Develop Resilience”. Some of the key points around this were:
- Gratitude – being grateful for what we have, not living in the “If only….then…” attitude
- Mindfulness – ability to be in the moment – to be present – to shut off destructive thoughts
- Empathy – ability to think about someone else before yourself
- How can we take control of our emotions (music, exercise and laughter have an almost immediate response on changing emotions)
- Positive emotions build cognitive capacity, though it is healthy to also have negative emotions (ratio of 3:1)
- The amount of information that children are taking in is HUGE and this is a big factor on mental health
- We should all practise gratitude – record 3 things every day that went well for you during the day or that you are grateful for. In 21 days you can rewire your brain to scan your life and environment for positives.
With the statistics showing that 1 in 4 adolescents have a mental illness and 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys suffer from an anxiety disorder, we really have to look at how we can develop gratitude, mindfulness and empathy in our children. We will be exploring this further for our classrooms and school programs as well.
Parent's and Friend's Association
Don't forget our next meeting of the PFA is this Monday at 9:00am in the Kids' Cafe. This will be our Annual General Meeting, where we will be electing the positions of President, Treasurer, Secretary and Fundraising Convener.
We would love to have a big turnout for our AGM and some new members on board. Please join us in the Kids' Cafe on Monday 21st March at 9:00am - coffee and morning tea will be available.
End of Term
Don't forget that the term ends on Thursday 24th March, with a final assembly in the hall from 1:50pm. This will include the very exciting Easter raffle draw.
Please note there will be no assembly on Monday 21st March.
Also, a reminder that the first day of Term 2 is a curriculum day. Students will return to school on Tuesday 12th April. Teachers will be using this day for professional learning around our next whole school Theories of Action - "Set challenging learning tasks" and "Frame higher order questions" as part of our Curiosity and Powerful Learning framework.
Curiosity and Powerful Learning
If you would like to find out more about Curiosity and Powerful Learning, there is a parent session being held at Mentone Primary School TONIGHT from 7:30 - 8:30pm. This event is open to all parents of schools in Kingston involved in this work.
The presentation will be delivered by Wayne Craig, former Regional Director in the Education Department, who developed the Powerful Learning and Teaching framework. Wayne is a wonderful, passionate speaker and will give you a solid understanding of the framework and how education is changing to meet the needs of our ever-changing world.
To book a place at the information session, follow this link:
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST BULLYING AND VIOLENCE -
TOMORROW FRIDAY 18th MARCH!
Special Assembly at 3pm tomorrow on the Basketball Court! Hope to see you there.
Students have been talking in their classrooms about bullying - what it means, how to recognise it and what to do if they see it or experience it happening.
So what is bullying?
Bullying is an ongoing misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that causes physical and/or psychological harm. It can involve and individual or a group misusing their power over one or more persons.
Bullying can happen in person or online and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert). Bullying of any for or for any reason can have long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders. Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying. However these conflicts still need to be addressed and resolved.
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES OF BULLYING
- In 87% of bullying interactions, onlookers play a central role in the bullying process.
- Hurtful teasing is the most prevalent of all bullying behaviours experienced by students.
- Having hurtful lies told about them is the second most prevalent of all bullying behaviours experienced by students.
- Online bullying appears to be related to age (or access to technology), with older students more likely to engage in cyberbullying that younger students.
Online bullying, sometimes called cyberbullying, is bullying that is carried out through Internet or mobile device technologies. Examples include:
- repeated hang up calls
- sending insulting or threatening text messages
- publishing someone's personal or embarrassing information online
- creating hate sites or starting social exclusion campaigns on social networking sites
It is important to be vigilant about what our children are accessing and how they are socialising and using digital technologies. Some alarming facts are:
- 48% of 8-9 year olds and 78% of 16-17 year olds claim to have personal information such as a photograph of themselves on their social networking profile pages.
- 61% of 16-17 year olds accept 'friend requests' from people they do not know offline.
We hope you will join with us tomorrow as we take a stand together and say:
Bullying. No Way!
More information about talking with your child about bullying can be found here:
WORKING BEE THIS SATURDAY 19TH MARCH
The first working bee for the year is on this weekend! Thanks to those who have returned their form to indicate their attendance. The original time advertised was for a 10am start but if you are able to come any earlier, we have secured the use of a bobcat which will be here from 8am. If you are able to drop in for a short time during the day and assist in some way, it would be much appreciated. We will be removing the old play equipment from the Junior Playground and preparing the grounds for arrival of the new equipment next term. Other jobs include tidying up the grounds - removal of old branches and materials; cleaning out and tidying storage areas; weeding and mixing fertilizer and mulch into the veggie gardens ready for planting and general gardening and pruning.
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Congratulations to our Achievement Award recipients for Week 6:
The first working bee for the year is on this weekend! Thanks to those who have returned their form to indicate their attendance. The original time advertised was for a 10am start but if you are able to come any earlier, we have secured the use of a bobcat which will be here from 8am. If you are able to drop in for a short time during the day and assist in some way, it would be much appreciated. We will be removing the old play equipment from the Junior Playground and preparing the grounds for arrival of the new equipment next term. Other jobs include tidying up the grounds - removal of old branches and materials; cleaning out and tidying storage areas; weeding and mixing fertilizer and mulch into the veggie gardens ready for planting and general gardening and pruning. ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Congratulations to our Achievement Award recipients for Week 6:
Week 7 and 8 recipients will receive their awards at our special assembly on Friday afternoon. We hope to see lots of parents there!
DIVISION SWIMMING
Congratulations to Josh, Shaedyn and Nat who competed at the swimming today. Fantastic achievement! Great results.
You should all be very proud of yourselves.
Alison Lough
You should all be very proud of yourselves.
Alison Lough
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
PARENT LINE - 13 22 89
There are many services available for parents and carers who would benefit from counselling or support. One of these services is Parentline. Parentline offers a confidential, anonymous telephone counselling, information and referral service for all Victorian parents and carers with children from birth to 18 years of age.
Counselors are available to discuss issues including child behaviour and development, parent-child relationships, education, bullying, living with adolescents, family violence, family breakdown and parental stress.
Parentline is available 7 days a week from 8am to midnight.
Phone 13 22 89 for support or visit parentline.vic.gov.au
PARENT LINE - 13 22 89
There are many services available for parents and carers who would benefit from counselling or support. One of these services is Parentline. Parentline offers a confidential, anonymous telephone counselling, information and referral service for all Victorian parents and carers with children from birth to 18 years of age.
Counselors are available to discuss issues including child behaviour and development, parent-child relationships, education, bullying, living with adolescents, family violence, family breakdown and parental stress.
Parentline is available 7 days a week from 8am to midnight.
Phone 13 22 89 for support or visit parentline.vic.gov.au
GOOD FRIDAY APPEAL
SUSTAINABILITY
*Needed please: empty ice cream containers, tyres and wooden pallets.
Thank you!
Miss Oates
Sustainability
TERM 1 CALENDAR
Here is the calendar of events for this term. It is updated fortnightly.
Dear Parents,
Here is the Kids Café class roster for Terms 1 and 2, please make a note in your diary of your class dates. I will send tiqbiz reminders to individual classes as your week approaches. To make things easier for the class reps, please call or text me on 0413 009 493 to let me know of your availability on your rostered day.
March
18th cleaning & counter sales, everyone welcome
Term 2
April 15th 2O
22nd 2UO
29th 3B
May 6th 3G
13th 4H
20th 4W
27th 5/6L
June 3rd 5/6R
10th 5/6S
17th Prep B
24th cleaning - all welcome
We are still looking for a volunteer to make pizza bases on a fortnightly basis with another parent. It’s not a difficult job and can be done on any day during the week.
Thank you,
Liz and the Kids' Café Team.
Working With Children Check
All parents/guardians, visitors & volunteers to the school MUST sign in & out of the school and display their WWCC in a lanyard, which is available at the school office.
The Department of Education requires any person involved in an activity where children may be present to have a current WWCC or have supplied proof that they have applied for a WWCC with the Department of Justice. All schools are required to comply with the Working with Children Act 2005.
Volunteers are expected to carry the WWCC card on their person at all times when working or volunteering at the school or during school related activities.
There is no fee for this check. Apply now by visiting: www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au
OSHC Newsletter
This week at OSHC the children have engaged in variety
of play everything from table tennis, dress ups, group games and outdoor play.
Holiday program is available online now !
RE: BOOKINGS, thank you to all the parents who let us know in
advance if their children are attending or also going to be absent. It is just
as important to let us know if your child is booked in and will not be
attending, as we have a legal obligation
to find each child on our roll.
Please also note if your child is booked into after school
sports program as well as after school care, please let your child know to
check in with us before they head off. For the safety of the children booked in
with us it is important we know where they are at all time.
Admin: if you are not receiving your accounts properly please call Kasey: 0438992017
If you are running late or wish to book your child in, please let us know on 0402 192 685. (our number here at Mentone Park.)
Admin: if you are not receiving your accounts properly please call Kasey: 0438992017
If you are running late or wish to book your child in, please let us know on 0402 192 685. (our number here at Mentone Park.)
CURRICULUM DAY 11TH APRIL 2016
The first day of Term 2, Monday 11th April is a Curriculum Day.
If you require care for your child please advise Annica no later than Wednesday 23rd March.
If you require care for your child please advise Annica no later than Wednesday 23rd March.
Finally don’t forget School holidays are just around the corner!
If you haven’t booked in jump online and do ASAP
Youth Leadership: http://ylv.com.au/holiday-programs/
Annica & OSHC Team
COMMUNITY SERVICE & ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Department of Education & Early Childhood Development and Mentone Park Primary School do not endorse the products or services of any private advertiser. They accept no responsibility for accuracy of information contained in advertisements or claims made by them.
PIANO LESSONS
Piano lessons are available for Grade 2-6 students during school time.
If you are interested, please contact Mrs Jocelyn Millard on 0418 629 586 or 9583 6172.
Come and Play Girls Footy in 2016.
Join us in season 2016 as we celebrate our 6th year of Girls Footy atOur club will be fielding 3 Girls teams in U12 & U15 in 2016. They will be supported with
Interested? Then Come and Join Us!
Interested in playing or would like to find out more? Contact Girls Footy Coordinator Jason Pribil 0458 988 264 or email jason.pribil@gmail.com.
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