Principal's Message

Headlines - Please Note

We encourage you to read this entire newsletter as lots of effort has been put into its production.  Here are the most urgent and important details to read in this edition (not just on this first page):

1. Celebration of Learning Day (This Page and School Leaders Page)
2. Open Day for Prospective Parents (This Page and School Leaders Page)
3. Key Dates

Here is the corrected text — I've made only minimal changes (noted below):

Principal's Message

Welcome to the first week of Term 2. With daylight saving over, the shorter days will make it feel like the weather is closing in quickly. It feels strange, but I feel more productive when the weather is cooler. Don't get me wrong, I don't love terrible weather. But I don't mind it being cool where you can put on a jumper and breathe some fresh air. Broadly speaking, I think the children feel more productive when it's not stifling hot.

I hope you and your family enjoyed time together over the break. There is always an element of excitement and nervousness returning for a new term. I hope you and your family are safe and healthy.

Term 2 runs for 10 weeks, finishing on Friday, June 26. We have our annual Parent-Teacher-Child chats on Thursday, June 25. Students will not attend their classes on that day, but rather turn up with their families for an appointment with their teacher. OSH Club will operate all day on that day.

This is an abbreviated family iNewsletter; just introducing ourselves to the new term and getting the key information, especially the dates, across to families so they can plan ahead.

We have a Curriculum Day planned straight up on the Monday, which is our usual practice. I'm very excited about this Professional Development led by Bronwyn Ryrie-Jones. Bronwyn is an expert in pedagogy, which is an area of passion, not only for me, but for our staff. Effective pedagogy translates content into both engagement for students and a deep wondering/excitement for learning. Teachers can have good content but not teach effectively unless their pedagogy is on point. I can't wait for the day.

A reminder that OSH Club will be operating all day, but there are no formal classes for students. Formal classes for students begin on Tuesday, April 21.

I very much look forward to seeing your wonderful children's faces, and yours, of course, at the front door on Tuesday morning. They bring with them an infectious enthusiasm, which makes us all feel young. It's a beautiful gift that they keep giving.

Editorial

I hope any editorial comments that I make are seen in a positive light. I offer commentary because I think that, as principal, the ideas that I have permeate through the organisation. Staff often model themselves on who is running the show; which is a fair and reasonable thing to do. 

Our values are Character, Community, and Learning. As a group we are determined to turn these values into behaviours, and not have them as dusty posters. I believe we succeed most times, and, like all humans, fail occasionally. I like to think that our failures represent learning.

I had the opportunity during the holidays to travel overseas for the first time since before COVID. I was at an international airport, and after purchasing a drink, I dropped a one yen coin. I was walking away from the 7-Eleven when a lady ran towards me and tapped me on the shoulder to give me my one yen coin back. Oddly, this was the most memorable part of my journey. I had a great trip, but thinking that a person would look after you to that extent was moving. Human kindness lives.

We often say to the children that character is what you do when no one else is watching. If you are doing something kind because you know that someone is looking, then your motivation is questionable. How do we bring kindness to scale?

Fundamentally, in my experience, as a group, the families at SMPS are skewed towards kindness on the bell curve. I wonder if the reader of this editorial would have given me my one yen coin back? I'd like to think that the vast majority of students would. This ethic comes from somewhere. I believe that kindness comes from the families first, flows through the children, and SMPS is the finishing school to ensure that behaviour becomes eternal.

Excellent societies and organisations are not built from policies out. Policies exist to ensure that wrongdoing is handled correctly. The driver of great communities is manners and kindness. Without these, there is no glue holding it all together.

Save the Date – Community Open Day: Wednesday 20th May, 2:40–5:00pm

One of the highlights of our school calendar is coming up, and I'd love to see as many families there as possible. On Wednesday 20th May, we're opening up our learning spaces for parents to walk through the school and join their child in a lesson - a wonderful opportunity to see your child's learning environment in action. This will be followed by a community BBQ, cake stall, face painting, student performances, and games on the forecourt.

To make the day a real success, we need your help - whether that's volunteering your time, donating supplies, or simply coming along and soaking up the community spirit. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference.

Full details - including how to volunteer, what to donate, and how to pre-purchase vouchers for a cashless event - are on the next page of this edition.

Tuesday May 19 – Open Day for Prospective 2027 Families

Alongside our Celebration of Learning, we're also hosting an Open Day for families considering enrolment at SMPS for 2027. While the Celebration of Learning is a chance for our current community to come together, the Open Day is an opportunity to showcase our school - our teachers, students, and programs — to prospective families from the wider community.

If you know of anyone looking for a great school for their child, please point them to the registration link on our website.

Full details are on the next page of this edition.

Key Dates for Term 2

• Monday 20th April: Curriculum Day – No School for Students - OSHClub Operating
• Thursday 23rd April: Catch Up and Sibling Photo Day
• Friday 1st May: Whole School Assembly (2:40pm–3:30pm)
• Tuesday 19th May: Open Day for Prospective 2027 Families (9:30am–11:00am)
• Wednesday 20th May: Celebration of Learning – Current Families Welcome (2:30pm–5:00pm), followed by Community BBQ and Games
• Friday 22nd May: Whole School Assembly (2:40pm–3:30pm)
• Monday 8th June: King's Birthday Public Holiday – No School - No OSHClub
• Friday 12th June: Whole School Assembly (2:40pm–3:30pm)
• Thursday 25th June: Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews
• Friday 26th June: End of Term 2 Assembly – Rockstar Day (1:30pm–2:30pm). 2:30pm finish on this day!