Mentone Park Primary School Newsletter: Newsletter 13/2016

Principal’s Report

Production

Well the buzz is certainly in the air around our school as we begin our organisation, practise and design for the end of term production, Alice’s Adventure. Our main cast are busy starting to learn their lines, the sets and props teams are busy thinking creatively about possible designs, colour (and most importantly how the sets can remain ‘upright’ on stage!), and our grades are learning their class acts during Performing Arts specialist lessons. It is an exciting time and we are looking forward to seeing how the production comes together in the next few weeks.

More information for parents and families about times, costs etc. will come out shortly.

3/4 Camp

Our grade 3/4 students also have an added excitement to this term with their upcoming camp to Log Cabin Camp in Creswick from Wed 17^th – Friday 19^th August.

These are some of the activities the students will experience during their time away:

Walking tour of the Sovereign Hill Open Air Museum, giant swing, archery, orienteering, flying fox, hut building, initiatives course, night hike and attendance at the ‘Blood on the Southern Cross’ Sound and Light Show at Sovereign Hill.

We look forward to sharing all their wonderful stories on their return.

Trivia Night

We are really looking forward to the PFA Trivia Night this Saturday night, with two staff tables joining the night with parents, friends and family members not only fundraising to support our wonderful school, but also having lots of laughs with each other!

A huge thank you to our amazing PFA members who have worked tirelessly in seeking and sorting donations from very generous local business and families, organising raffles and the entertainment for the night. It is going to be a great night!

Building Works Update

We believe we are getting much closer now to our building works beginning. This Friday Alison and I have a meeting with the department representative, architect and builder and hope to have good news about a start date and proposed completion date after this day.

This week we also received a letter through our local MP, Tim Richardson. Mr Richardson was able to share great news from our Deputy Premier, Minister for Education, that the department has allocated the demolition of our student toilet block within their demolition program this year. This will mean that the old toilet block will be removed when our new toilet facilities come on line. Great news for our school!

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 5th August. 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.

Renée Kennedy

Acting Principal

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Self Esteem

Last week I wrote about the importance of building a healthy self-esteem. Remember, self-esteem is influenced by two things – our thinking and our actions. Telling yourself you are a worthwhile person must be followed by taking care of yourself by choosing healthy habits and asserting yourself. If we can show respect for ourselves in this way, our children will be influenced to think and behave in a positive way also.

Self-Esteem of others

There is a critical “feedback loop” in achieving high self-esteem. We must not only work towards increasing our own self-esteem but work towards respecting others’ self-esteem as well. When we are considerate and respectful of others, they are generally considerate and respectful of us in return. This is a positive feedback loop. On the other hand, if we are disrespectful to others, they are generally disrespectful in return. This is a negative feedback loop. If we work on increasing our own self-esteem through positive thinking/self-talk and positive actions, we are more likely to experience many positive feedback loops during the day! These feedback loops naturally increase our self-esteem to higher and higher levels.

Changing Self-Esteem

Just like our appearance as we grow older, self-esteem can change. Levels of self-esteem can fluctuate greatly, particularly in the early stages of our self-esteem development. You may notice that on some days your self-esteem will be higher. On those days, pay attention to what’s different, noting positive feedback loops and even recording them in a journal or an app on your phone!

It is important to remember that we are each alone responsible for the quality and degree of our own self-esteem. With patience, discipline and consistency, we can develop our self-esteem until these fluctuations diminish and it becomes more stable.

With a healthy, stable self-esteem, a person:

can truly accept and appreciate themselves, their strengths and their weaknesses
is confident that they are capable and competent in being able to meet the challenges that life presents
genuinely believes they are worthy of a meaningful and positive life
takes full responsibility for all of their choices, regardless of the outcome

Try a positive feedback loop with your kids and note how it makes you and them feel! How else will you build your self-esteem today?

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS

Term 3, Weeks 1, 2 & 3

CONGRATULATIONS!!

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

'Planet Ark Tree Day'

Tuesday 9th of August is Mentone Park's 'Planet Ark Tree Day' and we are celebrating! Students will take part in some schoolyard garden maintenance and the planting of seedlings in vertical planters. If any parents would be interested in assisting with garden maintenance on the day,

Please click here to volunteer Please detail your availability include 'Planet Ark Tree Day'

Any time given is greatly appreciated in helping make Mentone Park beautifully green!

Maddie Oates
Sustainability

PFA UPDATE

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.

Please click here to volunteer Please detail your availability include 'Bunnings BBQ'

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).

Please click here to volunteer Please detail your availability include 'Fathers Day Breakfast'

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.

Please click here to volunteer Please detail your availability include 'Fathers Day Stall'

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 Please detail your availability include 'Book Fair'

Thank you for your assistance.

Danielle Searles

OSHC 4th AUGUST

We have had lots of activity with dress up's, drawings, soccer, music and movement, coloured squares and cooking. We have also had exercise sessions in the mornings the children seem to like this activity. We would like to advise that Joanna is now on maternity leave from this week. We wish her well in her confinement. James has been teaching more this term; therefore we will have Candice to help out. The weather is starting to warm up a little Yay! We are having a good week and hope you are too.

Thank you

Enjoy the rest of the week

From The OSHC Team

ANICA & JAMES

YOUTH LEADERSHIP VICTORIA

Dear Parents,

Below is the class roster for the rest of the school year.

Please click here to volunteer for any of the dates below.

Thanks,

Liz & the Kids’ Cafe Team

Term 3

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.