25 May 2016

Newsletter 09/2016


PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Dear Parents and Friends,

Winter weather has really settled in this week, with lots of cold days and rain.  Not as cold as our happy campers in Canberra though!  From all reports, and photographs on FaceBook, our year 5s and 6s and staff are having a wonderful time.  Some of the places they have visited are the War Memorial, Australian Institute of Sport, the Royal Mint, Electoral Education Centre and Parliament House.  They have had a fantastic time and will have wonderful stories to share when they return tomorrow.  We are expecting them around 5:00pm, but all parents of campers should keep an eye on TiqBiz as their time of arrival will be posted on there once it is known.

FOUNDATION 2017
Mrs Lough and I have been very busy with school tours for Foundation 2017.  It is terrific to hear from our potential parents that Mentone Park has such a wonderful reputation in the community (something we already knew!) and that they are so keen to come here.

Don't forget if you have younger siblings beginning at MPPS next year, please collect an enrolment form from the office and complete ASAP.

POSITIVE PARTNERSHIPS
Last Friday, Fiona Longmuir, our School Council president, Mrs Lough and myself met with Mr Tim Richardson our local State MP to discuss our school needs, what we are aiming to achieve as a school and how the government can support us.  It was on open and positive meeting.  Keep your eyes open for future developments. 

FAREWELL AND WELCOME!
Just as our chickens are beginning to hatch in the Junior Hatching Hub we farewell Mrs Gilly O'Connor who is soon to 'hatch' her little chick!  Mrs O'Connor has worked at our school beginning as a student teacher in 2014 working in the Grade 3 and 4 area, to blossoming as our much loved Grade 2 teacher. 
The Mentone Park community wish her and her husband Darren all the best for the safe arrival of their new baby.  Next we look forward to a visit and seeing photos of the happy family.
We welcome Miss Madeleine Power who will be teaching the Grade 2.  She is excited to be joining Mentone Park following on from her two years working at in the Geelong area. 

COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS
The Department of Education have developed a Community Code of Conduct for parents, students and staff working in our schools.  Schools are working with your most valued possession - your children!  When issues arise at school for your child, it is natural that you always want what is best for them and to ensure matters are resolved quickly and positively.  As schools, we want the same outcome!  It is my role as Principal to ensure the well being of all students at Mentone Park PS and to maintain a positive, harmonious school climate.  By following the Code of Conduct we work together to achieve our goal of providing a safe, supportive and inclusive environment for your children to become confident and creative individuals.  Click on the link below to review the Code.


COMMUNITY CODE OF CONDUCT

Have a great week!

Kendra Parker  

PRINCIPAL

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Congratulations to the achievement award recipients for weeks 5 and 6:







SCIENCE SPECTACULAR FAMILY EVENING

Last week we held our Science Spectacular Family Evening.  This year the Science Professional Learning Team chose to showcase the science areas we are covering across the school this year - Life and Living and Earth and Space Science. 
To link and communicate the work we have been undertaking as part of our Curiosity and Powerful Learning project, we developed activities which reflected the various levels of thinking, ranging from lower level to higher order, as outlined in Bloom's Taxonomy.



With their science passport in hand, families completed activities including: The Planetarium, Radical Rainbows, Vicious Volcanoes, Analyse This......, Evaluating and Biodiversity Questionnaire and Crazy Creatures.

At each activity a question was posed and families used their investigative skills to find the answer.

At last Friday's assembly the lucky winners were drawn and they received Super Science Prizes!

Here are some science links which may be of interest:
Scientists in Schools- http://www.scientistsinschools.edu.au 
Australian Citizen Science Association - http://csna.gaiaresources.com.au/wordpress/
Atlas of Living Australia - http://www.ala.org.au/
School of Ants - http://schoolofants.net.au/
Gaia Resources citizen science hub - http://citizensciencehub.gaiaresources.com.au/wordpress/

Some from the US - 


Creativity is intelligence having fun!



Sue Grisdale

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.
Visitors Passes
Please make sure you SIGN IN at the office if you are volunteering in the classroom or helping out in Kids Café. Could we please ask you to check if you have accidently taken any Visitors passes home, as we are missing quite a few.

Year 5 & 6 Scienceworks Excursion - Thursday 2nd June
Please return your signed Permission form to your child's teacher by Monday 30th May.
For families that haven't paid their $120 Excursion Levy, we ask for payment to be paid by QkR or to the office.
If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please come in and speak to Anne Leggett or Kendra Parker.
Kids Café
Just a reminder to please make sure you place your child's order before 9am Friday mornings. Orders can be placed at any time during the week.
Every Friday we have a number of students coming to the office at lunch time to advise that they haven't received their order.
To check that your child's order has been placed successfully, go into QkR and sign into My Receipts to ensure your child's order has been placed successfully.
We appreciate your assistance with this.
Thank you
Administration Team
Anne, Trish & Jane

PFA

Dear Parents & Guardians,
Our next PFA meeting will be held on Monday 30th May at 9am in the Kids Café.
We look forward to seeing you there.


Stacey Buchanan
PFA President

ITALIAN DAY

A huge thank you to Roman from Maros Pizza for once again kindly donating the pizzas. Also to Cheryl Nancarrow and the wonderful PFA helpers for all their hard work to co-ordinate the Italian Pizza Lunch on Italian Day.
Grazie
Signora Beer




OSHC 25TH MAY

This week at before & after school care we have been playing lots of group games, as well as some serious games of Monopoly & Connect 4! We have also spent some time making tents and cubbies as well as cooking.
School Holiday program for July is available. Please book in as soon as you can!
We hope you have a fantastic week!
Thank you
ANICA & JAMES
YOUTH LEADERSHIP VICTORIA

TERM 2 CALENDAR

Here is the calendar of events for this term. It is updated fortnightly.


Dear Parents,
Here is the Kids Café class roster for Term 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.

Term 2

May      27th    5/6L

June       3rd       5/6R
             10th     5/6S
             17th    Prep B
             24th    cleaning - all welcome
Thank you,

Liz and the Kids' Café 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.


















MM