Mentone Park Primary School Newsletter: Newsletter 12/2016

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

It has been the greatest pleasure joining and becoming a part of the Mentone Park PS community over these past two weeks – two weeks have certainly flown by very quickly indeed!

I have tried very hard over these two weeks to move in and out of classrooms learning student names, and have thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of your children over this time! Thank you very much to all of the parents, grandparents and family members that I have met during this time for your warm welcome and making me feel ‘at home’. And the same can be said for all of the wonderful staff here who have had lots of patience and understanding as I settle in and ‘learn the ropes’ of a new school! Mentone Park PS is certainly a very special school and over these 6 months as Acting Principal I look forward to working within the community and developing strong partnerships with staff, students, parents and the wider school community; furthering my passion for working in a community with the school at its heart, continuing to develop the vibrancy of the school as it reaches for continual school improvement, working together to inspire and bring about every opportunity for every child.

I do hear that I may be ‘under pressure’ to present jokes at tomorrow’s assembly of equal ‘funny’ value as last week…. So I am hoping that everyone may be able to cross their fingers and wish me luck! Might be a tough audience second time around! I have really enjoyed students that have come up to me over this last week to share jokes of their own!

2017 Prep Students

The time of year is soon near us where schools need to begin their next year planning structures around classes and staffing. To be able to do this effectively it is really important as a school that we know our expected 2017 prep enrolment numbers.

Can I please encourage parents who have a pre-prep child at home due to start school here at Mentone Park PS next year to begin to complete the enrolment information and hand this in at the office – this will assist us greatly in the beginning planning stages for next year. If you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to contact our office or our prep teaching team. Thank you very much in advance!

Parent Opinion Survey

Each year schools conduct a Parent Opinion Survey through the Department of Education. This survey goes home to 15 percent of families who are randomly selected to participate. The survey information is used to inform and support school planning and improvement, your opinions and feedback are very important to us. Responses are completely confidential.

Completed surveys are due back to the office by Friday 29^th July. Thank you very much to those parents who have already completed the survey and returned it to school, your assistance is greatly appreciated. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or queries at all.

Exhibition of Student Art

Federation Square is hosting a ‘Victoria – Wide Exhibition of Student Art’ on 23^rd July, celebrating works by Victorian students from Prep – Year 10. These art works, created under the theme ‘Our Sunset My World’, will be a part of live auctions to raise much needed funds towards disadvantaged children of Cambodia.

We are very proud of the 5/6 students at our school who contributed to the creation of a beautiful art piece as a part of this very special exhibit and fundraiser. This piece was created collaboratively and titled ‘Together We Can Make a Difference’. Thank you very much to all of the staff for supporting our students in this work and to Mary and Frank Sampieri for their time in delivering and mounting the piece at Federation Square.

Renée Kennedy

Acting Principal

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Welcome back everybody! It's been great to see the children bouncing back into school with their smiling faces and enthusiastic attitudes ready for another fun-filled term of learning and laughing!

A very big welcome to our new and returning students this term, and of course to our new Principal - Mrs Kennedy! It's great to have you here and I'm sure our lovely community have made you feel as welcome as they did I when I first started.

SELF-ESTEEM

What is self-esteem?

Self-esteem is the cornerstone of how we think and feel about ourselves as well as how confident we believe we are in dealing with the challenges life presents us. People with high self-esteem genuinely believe they are worthy of a meaningful and positive life and they take their responsibility for all of their choices regardless of outcomes. Over the next few newsletters, I would like to share some information around self-esteem, why it is so important and some exercises to help build a healthy self-esteem.

The following is a list of the basic characteristics of a person with high self-esteem:

Unique
Self Nurturing
Energetic
Industrious
Lovable
Playful
Confident
Attractive
Resilient

Self-esteem is greatly influenced by two things: our thinking (what we say to ourselves) and our actions (what we do to and for ourselves and others). Neither one alone is sufficient. We must work on both our thoughts and actions together to really boost our self-esteem.

As you know, at Mentone Park, we have worked hard on building Growth Mindsets. This is how we turn potentially negative thoughts into positive thoughts (e.g. from “I could never do that” to “I have what it takes to succeed”, or from “nobody likes me” to “I am lovable”).

Negative thinking is actually a bad habit but the good news is, with hard work, patience and discipline, it can be changed. Positive thoughts or positive self-talk nurture self-esteem and energise us for the challenges we face each day.

Changing our thinking and developing a growth mindset is not enough to increase our self-esteem alone, we must also DO things! We must not only believe in ourselves and tell ourselves “I can do it” but we need to also take some risks by trying something new or different. For example, if you tell yourself you can make the basketball team, you need to follow that up by taking the risk of actually trying out. If you tell yourself you are a good friend, you need to follow it by actually BEING a good friend – remembering a birthday, including someone, or simply sharing a smile.

How will you increase your self-seteem this week?

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS

Term 2, Week 11

Congratulations to our final achievement award recipients for term 2. Term 3 week 1 & 2 recipient photo will appear in next fortnight’s whole school newsletter.

Aussies of the Month – June

Congratulations to Thomas - Prep B and Jack - 5/6S for being selected as exemplary citizens for the month of June! Well done, boys!

Aussies of the month for July will be presented at next week’s assembly.

Have a great week!

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.

Administration Team

Anne, Trish & Jane

PFA UPDATE

During the school holidays we held an Election Day BBQ at our school and raised a profit of $1300
for the school. The day was busier than expected and it ended up being a great success.

Thank you to our volunteers who helped out on the day: Monica Jean, Wendy and Andrew Davis, Stacey and Grant Buchanan, Gabriel Grossi, David Grimsey, Michelle Morozov, Tiffany Corbin, Donna Williamson & Justin Adams, Jenny Olechnowicz, Justine Arentz and Anne Leggett. Also, thank you to the kids who also helped on the day – Jack & Mitchell D, Molly & Ben B, Kirby A & Thomas C.

The Parents and Friends Association (PFA) is also excited to announce a number of upcoming fundraising events. Helpers are needed for each activity, so if you can assist, please get in touch to help make sure each event is a great success for the school.

What's coming up?

Trivia Night - Saturday 6 August

Tickets - This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, so please get involved and support this awesome event. Purchase your tickets on QKR - tables and individual tickets are available NOW. Don't miss out just because you don't have a full table. Buy a single ticket and we'll make up a table - what an awesome way to meet new friends within the school community?

Class Hamper Donations - A notice came home yesterday requesting donations to class hampers. These hampers will be used as prizes and auction items on the night. Please contribute your donations by 4pm Friday 29 July.

Sponsorship - If you or anyone you know would like to sponsor the event or donate goods/services to be auctioned in the silent auction on the night, please contact Stacey@NatureDirect@gmail.com to arrange your donation.

Mentone Bunning’s BBQ - Saturday 20 August – 8.00am – 4.00pm

Another big fundraiser for the year is our Bunning’s BBQ. We will need a number of volunteers to help run the stall on the day, so please mark the date in your diary now.

More information to follow soon in regards to rosters.

If you have any further queries in regards to this day, please don’t hesitate to contact Wendy Davis on 0417 517 040 or wadavis@bigpond.net.au

Father's Day Breakfast and Stall - Thursday 1 September

We are looking to hold our Father’s Day Breakfast (Egg & Bacon Rolls) on Thursday 1^st September, but to be able to, we are looking for some-one to co-ordinate this. We will also need helpers on the morning. (This will be an early start).

The Stall will also be held on the same day and again we are looking for a Co-ordinator to run this day, purchasing of gifts and arranging roster of helpers for the day.

This can be a shared job for 2 people.

If you can assist with coordinating or volunteering for either of these activities please email Stacey.NatureDirect@gmail.com or Wendy Davis on 0417 517 040 or wadavis@bigpond.net.au

BOOK FAIR

This year our Book Fair will be held week commencing Monday 22nd August - Thursday 25th August.

We are looking for volunteers with a current Working With Children Check to assist before and after school at the following times:

8.00am - 9.00am
3.30pm - 4.30pm

Please click on the link below to nominate the day and time you are available.

Please click here to volunteer

Thank you for your assistance.

Danielle Searles

OSHC 21ST JULY

Welcome back

We are happy to report a great holiday care programme with many activities, including Rio Olympics, Silent Disco, Bowling, Laser Tag, Karaoke and slushy machine day, lots of cooking and wheels day. The numbers were excellent. We would like parents to suggest more excursions for holiday care.

The children seem to be enjoying being back with friends and discussing their holidays.

REMINDER TO PARENTS

For casual care, please remember to book children in, as we need to make sure we have the correct staff ratio.

A warm welcome to the Acting Principal, Mrs Renée Kennedy.

Thank you

Enjoy the rest of the week

From The OSHC Team

ANICA & JAMES

YOUTH LEADERSHIP VICTORIA

Welcome back to Term 3 in the Kids’Cafe

We will continue with our winter menu this term with soups and hot chocolates available and don’t forget we are running ‘Hot Chocolate Thursdays’ as a trial for the next few weeks. Hot Chocolates will be available at lunchtime only .You will need to order on Qkr before 9am on Thursdays as there will be no over the counter sales.

Please note that I am currently looking into a new supplier for the juice, we are short on stock this week. Hopefully I will have the situation resolved for next week.

Below is the class roster for the rest of the school year. Due to the short notice this week I have not rostered a class on, I would be very grateful for any assistance from any year level.

Please click on the link if you would like to volunteer for any of the dates below.

Please click here to volunteer

Thanks,

Liz & the Kids’ Cafe Team

Term 3
July                  22nd    no class - all welcome
                        29th                 Prep S

Aug                  5th                   1A
                        12th                 1O
                        19th                 2O
                        26th                 2UO

Sept 2nd 3B
9th closed - Footy Day

16th cleaning - all welcome

Term 4

Oct                  7th                   3G
                        14th                 4H
                        21st                 4W
                        28th                 5/6L

Nov                  4th                   5/6R
                        11th                 5/6S
                        18th                 all Preps & Grade 1
                        25th                 all grades 2 & 3

Dec 2nd all Grades 4, 5 & 6

9th cleaning - all welcome

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.