Principal's Message

Welcome to 2022 - YIPPEEEEEE!!!

Here we are, team! Welcome all families to a new year. A special welcome to any families new to the school. Our families are the best in the world, so things will be great!

In the first iNewsletter of the year, I am compelled to remind everybody of the important policies that operate in the school. These are included on the second page and I invite all families to read them. I know reading policies can be a bit dry - but they do make the world go around and I would hate for anyone to be 'surprised' by these policies later in the year.

Today, I also make a special request for all parents to support our Parent Payments so we can run the school to its fullest capacity. We are very lucky that the government funds lots of great things for our kids - but we ask that you put in too so we are all paddling the boat together in the same direction. I have an article below seeking your support in this important area. Families of SMPS have been absolutely magnificent in the past (with about 90% of us paying full fees and donations) and we hope this will continue.

Students return to full time schooling on Tuesday this week at 9am. I have sent numerous Compass Newsfeeds about our COVID-safe arrangement so I hope you feel fully informed. Thanks to all families and students who supported the pop up vaccination held on site last week. The response was incredible. We were on all of the major news services and in the Herald-Sun last week - so it was very positive.

Students will come home with RATs for self-testing this week (twice per week) and the school has acquired 31 air purifiers which will be up and running on day 1. We feel as prepared as we can be given the circumstances. Remember to report any positive COVID cases to the school IMMEDIATELY and keep your child home if they have ANY SYMPTOMS that are flu-like in nature. We must do all we can to protect each other so please play the game (as you always do).

Onwards and upwards team! Bring on 2022 and any challenges it can throw at us because we are ready!!!

Welcome All Staff to 2022 - Please Read Bios

There are a lot of pages in the iNewsletter today. This is deliberate so we can introduce ALL of the staff with their photo and little story of aspirations for the year. Please take the time to read the little bios - lots of work has gone into them.

Parent Payments 2022 - Support Sought

SMPS families have been incredible in their support of financial contributions over the years. Our device program, for instance, which helped sustain us through the pandemic, was made entirely possible by parent payments. We seek your continued support in 2022 with parent payments to meet our operating costs. I have included a graph below and some explanations so parents are aware of where their money goes when they make contributions.

• On the left hand side (blue bar) are our approximate operating costs for 2022 for running the school (about $940,000). Operating costs include monies for electricity, water, gas, building maintenance, books, pens, pencils, sporting equipment and other materials used by the students
• On the right hand side of the graph is a breakdown of the funding sources to equal our outgoing expenses. It has a breakdown of:
  • Department of Education contributions (about $400,000)
  • Other Contributions: including hiring of facilities, overseas paying students and fundraising (about $70,000)
• The remaining $470,000 comes from parent contributions through your support and generosity

School Council asks parents and carers to contribute as much as they can to get us up to $470,000 as a community. Every red cent makes a difference. Your support benefits every single child. This term, monies raised by the Families and Friends will ensure children have wonderful line-marking games painted on the forecourt hard surfaces - another example of your money at work for our kids.

Please see the News Feed on Compass for payment instructions and contribute where you can. The school year has 200 days in it. For the price of a hot coffee per day, all our children benefit when you decide to contribute. Contact Tess in our office if you have any questions.

Lunar New Year - Message from Miss Lucy

Dear SMPS Families,

1st of February will be the first day of Lunar New Year. It is celebrated throughout Asia where it is also called Chinese New Year or The Spring Festival. As the celebrations follow the lunar calendar, the date for Lunar New Year changes each year.

Each Lunar New Year we also celebrate the change of the Chinese zodiac (or Sheng Xiao in Mandarin). This is a repeating 12-year cycle of animal signs based on the lunar calendar. In order, the zodiac animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.

2022 is the year of the Tiger. The Tiger represents being brave, confident and adventurous.

Traditionally, celebrations last for 15 days. The first week is celebrated with visits to friends and family following delicious food and special traditions designed to bring good luck. The second week ends with a feast and the Lantern Festival on the evening of the 15th day of the lunar month.

I wish you and your family a Happy Lunar New Year and may this year bring you good fortune and good luck.

Xīn NiánKuài Lè！

新年快乐！

Happy Lunar New Year!

Miss Lucy