Principals’ Blog

At Home Together – Staff Stories of Stage Four Lockdown

It is with pleasure we share with you our stories from lockdown as we all work together to beat this virus. Please find the stories below.If you would like to share your family’s story, please send a photo and a short paragraph and we will share with our community. Please email your contribution to mckinnon.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Suzanne Khatib’s Lockdown Story

Andrew Lusted’s Lockdown Story

Jodi Geri’s Lockdown Story

Science Week

Science Week has been a huge success with many of our students uploading videos of their science experiments and sharing their learning. Currently Chris Barker is creating a video to share with the whole community. It will be a must see!

Family Challenge – Wellbeing Walk – Make Someone Smile

As we are all confined to our homes and many of us are enjoying family walks around the neighbourhood, we thought we would invite families to share a wellbeing message in their yard or in a window that promotes wellbeing for the people walking by. Draw a picture, create a foil sculpture or find the quote that brings joy to your family and place it where people can see it as they walk by.

If you would like to take a picture of your wellbeing message and send it in to mckinnon.ps@education.vic.gov.au we will share them via Compass. We can’t wait to hear about the wellbeing walks!

Michael Carr-Gregg Webinar – 15th September at 7:30pm

Minister for Education James Merlino introduced child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg for a webinar on Tuesday 25 August – and following high demand, a second will be held on Tuesday 15th September – aimed at providing parents and carers with practical skills, knowledge and strategies for managing the lockdown period and remote learning. The webinars will focus on strategies and tools to help families manage their wellbeing, including establishing a supportive parental role and dealing with uncertainty and disappointment. Families will have an opportunity to ask Dr Carr-Gregg questions.

Places are still available for Managing the Coronacoaster – Tips for building resilient families webinar on Tuesday 15 September at 7:30pm. For more information and to register, visit: eventbrite.com

Child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg:

“Coronavirus has turned the lives of many Victorian families upside down, asking them yet again to navigate a new reality of remote learning, working from home and for some, financial hardship.”

“Never has it been more important to provide families with simple, practical and evidence-based strategies to help them maintain the family’s wellbeing and build resilience.”

10-episode podcast: ‘Raising Learners’ commencing 1st September

The Government has partnered with Raising Children Network funding a 10-episode podcast called ‘Raising Learners’ featuring parenting experts from organisations including the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Career Education Association Victoria and eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman-Grant. Raising Learners will provide parents with practical advice, tips and ideas for supporting children’s health, wellbeing and engagement at school. Topics will include connecting with your child’s school community, how to best support your child’s learning, what to expect for VCE and VCAL students and how to keep your child safe online. These themes were drawn from common parent questions received by the Department’s coronavirus hotline and Parentline. The first three episodes will be launched on 1st September; the remaining episodes will be available throughout Term Three and Four. Raising Learners will be available via Raising Children Network and podcast apps. Quote attributable to Raising Children Network, Executive Director, Professor Julie Green “All parents need support to help their children thrive, and podcasts are great ways to deliver engaging, reliable and credible information on topics that are on parents’ minds. Raising Learners will focus on how parents can support their children’s learning at school, and at home.”

REMINDER: ANNUAL PUBLIC MEETING

On Monday 31st August at 6pm we will be holding our annual public meeting to table the Annual Report. If you would like to join us please email the office mckinnon.ps@education.vic.gov.au and we will send you through the link for the meeting.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend,

Simone, Suzanne, Chris and Andrea