Newsletter
News from the Principal
Greetings Parents, Carers and community members of MPWPS,
Well, we all made it back to school! It was wonderful to see the children returning through the correct gates with BIG smiles on their faces. Well done you at home! First day without the children would have felt different, even a bit weird but soon will be normal again!
I have asked staff to take appropriate photos to mark the event, as it is part of our school’s history. I am hoping to make a ‘montage’ of photos and captions for the Front Office TV. We will see what we get and how well I can put this together. Might need help from others!
Enrolments
I ask if you are yet to enrol a sibling for 2021, please do so as soon as you can as we are already starting a waiting list.
If you are to advise us that your child is NOT returning please do this asap. Thank-you to those who have fulfilled both of the above.
Community Engagement Sub-Committee
We are always looking for new members for this important team. The Community Engagement Sub-Committee of School Council links the community with the school and creates opportunities for engagement. If you are interested in finding out more please let us know via the school email address @
moonee.ponds.west.ps@education.vic.gov.au
School Assembly
This term (until further notice) we will be continuing with our Assemblies virtually. The Assembly will be from 9.05-9.30 ish each Monday. The link will be forwarded via COMPASS so please look for it. Having our parents and community present provides an audience for the students and what they are presenting. We will continue to have our students host as before. Our next assembly will be Monday October 19 at 9.05am . Hope you can join us.
The School Bell
For those of you that may live close to the school, I hope you have enjoyed the sound of the school bell. The last time we rang the bell (Dec 2018) we broke the rope and so how to fix it? During the holidays we had a ‘cherry picker’ onsite and so a new rope was attached and so voila! it now is a working part of our school.
Given that many of the rituals for year 6 have changed this year, we think that bell ringing could be a substitute. I have invited the senior team to allocate two students to ring the bell in the am and pm each day as these are the consistent times with others being split as part of our COVID-19 plan. We will see how it goes.
Translation of our Newsletter
Each week there is an option on our Newsletter for translation into your family’s first language. Such an option makes our information more inclusive and provides access for all. The direction to this option is:
- go to the translation section in the newsletter
- click on the dropdown box to find your chosen language
- select and enter.
Instantly the text will change. Enjoy!
Newsletter circulation
From this week we will be reverting to offering the Newsletter on a fortnightly basis. Every second Tuesday the Newsletter will be uploaded for your convenience. Please remember the newsletter is still the main communication line for our school so I urge you to seek it out and stay informed especially in Term 4 which is a very busy term. Our communication to you is also supported by COMPASS (directly to you), our Website and recently updated Facebook page. To receive the newsletter you need to subscribe. To subscribe to the newsletter please go to the SUBSCRIBE option on the front page of the newsletter, complete your registration and you will receive an alert when the newsletter is published. All published newsletter are also uploaded onto our website for your information.
Continuous Reporting
Continuous reporting continues this term so that parents can be informed of the learning your child is involved in and view their current performance. This method is an ‘in moment’ capture of learning and maybe new for you especially if your own education was centered around a long and lengthy, and often out of date assessment report. We produced a little booklet (electronic and hardcopy) explaining the process and directions for access via COMPASS. We will post again onto the website for your information. On the Parent Term 4 Calendar (circulated last week) we have the dates when the samples of learning will be available for you. Each sample will have a contextual statement to outline the intent of the task, a sample of your child’s learning in relation to the task, and a rubric to outline how they went; that is what they demonstrated they could make, say write or do. The rubric will show what is next for the child, and what they already can complete. Taking time to understand the elements of the rubric will help you see your child as the learner, and support them to the next level. In PE last term Corinne completed these elements for each child against the skills being taught. Revisit these uploads with your refreshed knowledge, and prompt the learning conversation with your child.
The Progressive Report (which is also part of our reporting process) indicates your child’s behaviour and effort within the class learning. Last term the Progressive Report gave information about your child’s learning during remote learning. Teachers looked for engagement in the virtual environment, completion of learning tasks, and effort given both within the small groups and independently to complete tasks given. Again, there was a rubric to support the progressive report so that students and parents could identify the relevant elements for the judgement. Knowing this you may care to revisit the progressive report and identify with your child the next steps. You will notice that all elements of the rubric are stated in positive terms or behaviours and teachers look for demonstration of these elements.
The Progressive Report encourages self motivation and direction from structured feedback. These are desirable characteristics for successful life-long learners.
Well, we have had a fantastic start to our unusual term. Thank-you again for all your effort and commitment during remote learning.
Stay well and safe
Sincerely
Kerri
Kerri Simpson
Principal
Curriculum Day and Public Holiday reminders
A reminder to community members that in Term 4 we have a Public Holiday next Friday 23rd October and a Curriculum Day on Monday 2nd November (day before Cup Day).