Mentone Park Primary School Newsletter: June 2016

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Dear Parents and Friends,

FAREWELL

What a whirlwind the past week has been for me! Last week I was informing you of my news of a secondment to BASTOW, and then I find out that I have also been successful in securing the position of Principal at Lysterfield Primary School. I have barely had time for it to register!

Just as it happened when I came to MPPS in term 2 2011, these decisions seem to be made quickly and before we can be too sad about it, we are off to our next challenge and opportunity.

As with many changes in our lives, they are often a double-edged sword. I am excited at the opportunity of leading a new school, but obviously I am sad at leaving behind Mentone Park. Over the almost 5 ½ years I have been here, I have made some wonderful connections with staff, students and families and will be sad to leave these behind.

I wrote the following message in my first newsletter to the school community in 2011:

I am thrilled and proud to be working with the community at Mentone Park PS, a community which shares my values of working collaboratively and cooperatively to provide students with the highest quality learning environment. It is an exciting year to be joining MPPS with our school review coming up and the opportunity to set the direction for student learning for the next four years.

I look forward to working with MMPS students, staff and parents in developing further our approach to Teaching and Learning to prepare our students for the “new millennium”. I believe strongly in children leaving primary school competent in both literacy and numeracy and will ensure this remains a priority in our new Strategic Plan.

When I reflect back on my time at MPPS, I am proud of the work that we have achieved and I feel confident that we achieved the goals I outlined in 2011. I leave feeling like I have helped lay the foundations for the students of Mentone Park into the future. I think our teaching is among the best in Kingston, with the focus we have had on our professional development over the past 5 years. From Writing and Reading workshops, to Maths Specialists, our whole school inquiry focus and now the work on Curiosity –what a forward-thinking and vibrant learning community we have created!

I regret that I will not see the building works through, or other exciting projects that are coming up for MPPS, but I know that I have put years of effort into improving the environment in which our children learn and play and I look forward to returning to see it all completed.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the school and me personally over the years. I look forward to hearing of the continued success of Mentone Park and its students.

NEW PRINCIPAL

I am pleased to be able to inform you that a new principal (Acting) has been appointed and will commence in term 3. Mrs Renee Kennedy has been an Assistant Principal at Skye Primary School for many years and comes with a wealth of experience as a teacher and educational leader. I know that she will love the community of MPPS like I do and that you will make her feel welcome.

Wishing you all a safe and happy holidays,

Kendra Parker

PRINCIPAL

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

So long, farewell…

It is an emotional time for the Mentone Park Primary School community with Kendra leaving us to take on bigger challenges at BASTOW and then on to Lysterfield Primary School. In my 18 months here, I have been very lucky to work alongside Kendra. She has worked tirelessly to make improvements to our school and to ensure that our students have every possible opportunity to achieve high levels of success. On behalf of all the staff, students and wider community, I would like to thank you, Kendra, for your unwavering commitment, dedication and support to all members of Mentone Park PS. We are going to miss you.

Music Performance

Ms Parker and I, along with some lucky parents and students, were treated to a lunch time concert on Tuesday and Wednesday. Some of the students who have been having independent music lessons for guitar, piano and keyboard, each performed a solo piece for us. We were very impressed with their ability to read music and remain composed to perform for an audience! Well done!ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Achievement Awards

Congratulations to the latest achievement award recipients!

The Aussie of the Month certificates for June will be awarded at tomorrow’s final assembly for the term!

Holidays are here again...

Hooray for the winter holidays! I’m looking forward to spending some quality time in my slippers, curling up with a good book and relaxing! That will be somewhere in between trips to the local playground, walking the dogs and going on all sorts of day trips as instructed by my children of course!

Holidays are an obvious time to schedule relaxation into your diary, but it is equally important that we take time for relaxation when we are at our busiest. At school, teachers use a variety of guided relaxation techniques with their students. Techniques such as: brain gym, meditation, breathing exercises, creative problem solving, visualisation, drama, art, sport, singing or body mathematics. Relaxation and focusing methods are not always passive or quiet however. Exercise, sports, and rhythmic activities energise and focus brains.

Mindfulness is something we hear about a lot these days. The world of adult colouring books has taken off because of it! Mindfulness is about being aware and being present “now”. Create family rituals where everyone can stop and bring their energies and their awareness into the present.

In everything we do, if we want great outcomes we need to lesson anxiety. We can achieve this by focussing less on the results and more on awareness and commitment. Have a go at practising relaxation and mindfulness these school holidays.

Alison Lough

Assistant Principal

FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM

Dear Parents & Guardians,

Please see below some reminders from the Administration Team.

Tiqbiz

Just a reminder that parents must come into the office to SIGN IN your child if they are late and also SIGN OUT your child if they are leaving early.

Please also note you can record your child's absence if you are going on extended holidays. Select the first date of absence and the last date of absence and submit.

Year 3/4 Creswick Camp Excursion Deposit and Permission Form

Please log on to QkR under School Payments and Camps
Select Year 3/4 Creswick Camp Deposit.
When you have added the $100 deposit payment to the cart you will receive the following message.

To complete this request you will now be asked for some additional information.

Select OK

Administration Team

Anne, Trish & Jane

OSHC 22ND JUNE

WOW! We are at the end of Term 2 already and we hope that everyone has made great plans for their holidays.

This week at OSHC we have enjoyed free play. We are looking forward to vacation care and the fun that it will bring. If you haven’t booked your child/ren in, please book in as soon as possible, the details are below and on our YLV website.

Have a safe and happy holiday.

Kind regards the OSCH team

ANICA & JAMES

YOUTH LEADERSHIP VICTORIA

Dear Parents,

It’s been a busy term in the Kids Cafe - our winter menu returned, we brought back (and improved) the Troppo pizza and introduced a new soup flavour.

A huge thank you, to everyone who volunteered this term. Also a special mention to the regulars who come in every week, whether it’s on a Friday or during the week. There are also volunteers who come in to do behind the scenes jobs. Kids Cafe could not run without you, you all do a brilliant job.

Please remember there are no lunch orders this week as it’s a cleaning day (everyone welcome) we will be open for stock sell off (frozen items and drinks) at RECESS only.

Next term we will be trialling THURSDAY Hot Chocolates. They will be available at LUNCHTIME only you will need to order on QkR before 9am as there will be no over the counter sales.

Have a happy and safe school holidays and I look forward to seeing you in the Kids Cafe next term!

Liz and the Kids Cafe Team.

Working With Children Check Reminder

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

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.