WELCOME BACK TO TERM TWO
MOTHERS’ DAY STALL – FRIDAY 6TH MAY
Looking ahead to this Sunday we wish all of our Mothers, Grandmothers a very happy Mother’s Day! Our Parents’ Club held a Mother’s Day Stall today for students to attend in the morning. Each class was given an opportunity to visit the stall during the day to purchase something special to take home. A huge thank you to Rakesh for planning and organising the event supporting the Parent Club to raise funds for the shade sails and seating we have been targeting. This money is all contributing to the large expense of the shade sails which are currently being installed on the eastern oval.
NAPLAN – WEEK 3 FROM MAY 10TH TO MAY 13TH FOR YEAR THREE AND FIVE STUDENTS.
NAPLAN assesses literacy and numeracy skills that have already been learnt through the school curriculum. Teachers have been ensuring that students are familiar with the test format and conditions and will provide appropriate support and guidance.
The best way you can help your child prepare for NAPLAN is to reassure them that NAPLAN tests are just one of many assessments they will complete this year and to advise them to simply do the best they can do on the day.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SCHOOL COUNCIL – MONDAY16TH MAY AT 6:00PM AT SCHOOL IN THE STAFFROOM
On Monday 16th May at 6:00pm we will be holding our Annual General Meeting of School Council where we will speak about and share the the school’s annual report for 2021. You are all welcome to join. Please also find a copy of the annual report attached to this newsletter post.
EDUCATION WEEK AND STUDENT LED CONFERENCES MONDAY 23RD AND TUESDAY 24TH MAY FROM 3.45-4.45PM
We are thrilled to welcome parents back into the school as part of Education Week! On Monday 23rd May and Tuesday 24th May between 3:45pm and 4.45pm your child will be welcoming you into their classroom to reflect, demonstrate and share their learning. This continues the school’s priority of enhancing students ownership and agency. More information will be provided in the upcoming weeks via Compass, including a booking system. The theme of Education Week is ‘150 Years of Public Education’ and we are excited to be able to invite our community in again and share the learning spaces the students and teachers have created.
CROSS COUNTRY
On Wednesday 27th April students from Year Three-Six participated in the McKinnon PS Cross-Country at McKinnon Reserve. There was much excitement surrounding the day and also yesterday as winning classes and winning house teams were announced at assembly with some incredible przies being given out. A big thank you to all staff and students who contributed to the success of this fantastic physical event!
SEX EDUCATION NIGHTS – PRESENTED BY SEA
We are very happy to be working with SEA to provide Parent as well as Parent and Child Information nights.
SAVE THE DATE:
- Wednesday 8th June – Parent Only ONLINE webinar at night (a chance to ask anything without children present)
- Wednesday 15th June – Parent & Child Night Face to Face (between 5-8pm depending on year level)
The Parent and Child Night will cover the following areas:
Year 1 & 2 (45 mins)
- body safety messages explained
- explore the characteristics of positive and caring relationships
- identify a network of trusted adults children can go to when they need help and support
- learn the parts of the body that are private and proper names used to describe them
Year 3 & 4 (60 mins)
- learn the names of male and female reproductive body parts
- talk about body safety, including identifying the people to go to when feeling unsafe or uncomfortable
- simple explanation of the beginnings of a baby, pregnancy and birth
- introduction to puberty
Year 5 & 6 (60 mins)
- learn the names and functions of male and female reproductive body parts
- reinforce body safety messages
- learn about the physical, social and emotional changes of puberty and how to manage them
- discuss responsible and respectful use of technology and social media
Please save the date and look out for more details to come on Compass in the coming weeks.
EVERY DAY COUNTS – SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
We all want our students to get a great education, and the building blocks for a great education begin with students coming to school each and every day. Missing school can have a major impact on a child’s future – a student missing one day a fortnight will miss four full weeks by the end of the year. By Year ten they’ll have missed more than a year of school. There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind and can affect their educational outcomes.
Lateness is also an important form of absence to consider. Students regularly coming to school late miss out on vital explicit teaching experiences. Students can feel unsure of what they have missed even if it is re explained to them when they arrive – a little bit like walking into a movie theatre half way through a film.
Coming to school every day on-time is vital, but if for any reason your child must miss school, there are things we can do together to help. If you’re having attendance issues with your child, please let your classroom teacher know so we can work together to get your child to school and on-time every day.
VOLUNTEERING AT SCHOOL
We have recently seen great support from the school community for Parents’ Club events. Volunteering supports the school, and helps you connect with the community. If you would like to volunteer for any events – run by the school or Parents’ Club we need to have a copy of your Working With Children Check card on file at the office. The volunteer card is free, and applications are made on line https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/
Wishing you all our mothers in the community a lovely Mother’s Day this weekend,
Simone, David and Suzanne.