From the Principal

Welcome and good-bye

As we settle into the term we welcome three new students and two families to Mullum Primary School - Radman (FS), Tahliah (2T) and Jayden (3R).  We trust that their time with us is very enjoyable.  

As we welcome students, we are also saying good-bye to Adielle Murray. Adielle has been at Manchester Primary School since the beginning of the school year and has been successful in picking up a twelve month contract as Business Manager over there for the remainder of 2020.  We congratulate Adielle on this appointment and wish her all the best.

Morning snapshot of our classrooms between 9:00 - 10:00 this week

Check out these photos of the first hour of Tuesday morning.  Students are actively engaged in learning activities from the very beginning of each day.  Between 9:00 and 10:40, at least four times per week, children are actively involved in the required ten hours of literacy per week.  It is so important that children are at school during this important work. 

School Council AGM

On Monday 23 March at 7:30pm our School Council Annual General Meeting will be held.  This is an open meeting for all of our community and a great chance to hear about the work of the school over the last twelve months.  We will be accepting our nominations for Council and appointing our key positions of School Council President, Treasurer and Secretary.  Following this meeting is our first meeting of the new School Council, where we will welcome our new members and attend to business.  We hope you can join us.

Student-Led Walk Throughs

On Tuesday 24 March we are opening our classrooms to all families.  Families will be asked to book at 30 min session with their child in the classroom in the afternoon to discuss their learning, share an activity, look at their child's work and celebrate the achievements so far this year.  Next week you will receive a link to the booking site.  We look forward to seeing all our families at this event.

Parent's Association

On Monday night we ran our extra-ordinary Annual General Meeting for the Parent's Association.  On behalf of the school I would like to congratulate the following office bearers:

President - Mark Penny

Secretary - Claire Capon

Treasurer - Kelly Dobson

A meeting of all people interested in coming along to our first meeting for the year - Tuesday 17 March at 7:30pm.  The first half of the meeting will be dedicated to meeting new members, sharing in supper and celebrating the work of the Parent's Association.  The meeting is due to finish at 8:30pm.  We look forward to seeing you there.

Foundation 2021

We have commenced taking tours for our Foundation classes of 2021.  Each tour is unique and covers the wide range of programs, approaches to curriculum delivery, monitoring student learning and the wellbeing approaches being delivered at Mullum Primary School.  Our tours are personal and taken at a time that suits the prospective family.  If you have friends at kindergarten, childcare or neighbours I encourage you to invite them to make contact for a personal tour.  If you have a child  starting Foundation in 2021, enrolment forms are available at the office.  

Spread the word.

Student of the Week Awards

Developing your child's vocabulary

Over the next few weeks the classroom teachers will be working to develop a deeper understanding about vocabulary and why it is so important in being an independent and successful writer and reader.   Vocabulary is the ability to understand words when they are read or heard.  Vocabulary is not some that naturally improves with each birthday you have, or the number of years you spend at school.  Although some words are incidentally learned, other useful and important words do not necessarily teach themselves.  As children grow and move through school, the depth and range of vocabulary understanding increases in importance as the texts they read become more complex.  So... is there anything we can do to improve my child's vocabulary, I hear you ask? The answer is yes, and it is actually enjoyable.  Here are a few useful ideas...

• Provide opportunities every day to listen to and speak with a range of people about experiences, feelings, visuals, print and digital texts
• Read to your child a fiction or non-fiction text everyday
• Designate a time each day for your child to read
• As a family be curious and develop general knowledge about the world in which we live, generating questions and finding answers to how the world works.

Working on place value

Our Grade 5 & 6 students have been building models of the pattern in our place value system, as the number increases up to one million.  Check out these photos.

Cubby building

Have you noticed the cubby building area near our Nature Play Space?

Here is a photo of our Grade 2 students working collaboratively to build a cubby house of their own design.  This intentional space is part of our school's design to create  spaces that engage children in collaborative, creative play.  We are encouraged to see the children talking to and helping each other, negotiating and solving problems together.  All without an adult to help!  

Teeth on Wheels

Teeth On Wheels is an on-site dentist service that Mullum Primary School contract to provide a high quality, convenient dental service for our families.  Check ups, scale and clean, x-rays, preventative sealants, fillings and extractions can all be conducted in the van in an supportive environment that does not remove your child from school for hours.  Teeth on Wheels visits Mullum Primary School every six months and is due here in May.  Forms were sent home on Tuesday this week and are for you to complete, if you are interested in your child receiving dental care at school.   Forms due back at school on 23 March.

Dates for your Diary

The last two Curriculum Days have been set by School Council.  Please add these to your diary:

Monday 25 May

Monday 3 November