From the Principal’s Desk

The start of 2025 at Mitcham Primary School has been a smooth and settled, yet extremely productive period. It has been wonderful to see students, staff, and families engaging enthusiastically in school life. This newsletter celebrates several of the highlights we have experienced over the past fortnight.

One particularly special milestone was the completion of our Indigenous Mural, created this week by local Aboriginal artist Simone Thomson. Inspired by her deep connection to her Wurundjeri and Yorta Yorta heritage, Simone’s artwork reflects the themes of community, storytelling, and cultural pride. The mural beautifully embodies the values of our school, fostering respect and understanding of First Nations culture. This incredible piece was made possible through the generous contributions from our Bake Sale fundraiser last year. A huge thank you to our parents and the wider community for your support in making this project a reality. We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to our Marrung Lead, Judith Sivasubramaniam, for her dedicated efforts in coordinating the fundraiser and working closely with Simone to ensure the artwork is meaningful to our school community.

Three-Way Conferences/Getting to Know You Interviews

Our Three-Way Conferences/Getting to Know You Interviews took place from 10th – 12th February and were exceptionally well attended. These meetings provided a valuable opportunity for students, parents, and teachers to connect and establish goals for the year ahead. Thank you to all families who participated and contributed to these important conversations.

Volunteer Training Information Session

On Monday afternoon, Val Berardini hosted our Volunteer Training Information session. It was wonderful to see so many community members eager to support with school activities and in our classrooms. We look forward to welcoming our volunteers as soon as their Confidentiality Agreements and Working with Children (WWC) Certificates have been returned to the school office. Thank you for your commitment to our students and school community. Please remember if you were unable to make the training you can email the office for access to the digital recording.

New in 2025 – A Parents’ and Carers’ Association

We are excited to introduce a new Parents’ and Carers’ Association at Mitcham Primary School! This initiative aims to strengthen connections between families and the school, providing a space for parents and carers to play an active role in school life.

This month, our discussions will include:

Harmony Night
Cross Country Day
Parent Events
Additional ideas from attendees

Meetings will take place on the last Thursday of each month, with our first meeting scheduled for Thursday, 27th February at 2:30 PM in the staff room. If you cannot attend, meeting notes will be shared via the school newsletter. We look forward to seeing you there!

School Council Report

On Tuesday evening, School Council held its final meeting of the 2024 members. We were joined by Sonya Houth (TeamKids Operations and Partnerships Manager) and Michael Ford (National Operations Manager) to discuss the recent incident in which a child left the Vacation Care service unsupervised. Fortunately, the child was quickly located by a member of the public and safely returned. Council members had the opportunity to ask questions and were satisfied with the steps taken to enhance supervision and safety within the service.

Buildings and Grounds Report

Exciting progress is being made on our school grounds!

Senior School Playground and Ninja Warrior Course: Construction is well underway at the Tirana Street end of the school, with completion expected in two weeks.
Gaga Pit: Preparations have begun near the Chess Centre for an exciting Gaga Pit, which will be installed soon.
Gentle Play Area: A new, gentle play space is being developed at the Mitcham Road end of the school, to support students who need a quieter play environment. Materials are still arriving, but we anticipate completion by early March.
Middle School Playground: The Finance Sub-Committee sought and received School Council approval for the final stage of our playground refurbishment—upgrading the middle school playground. These works will commence in June.

2025 Annual Implementation Plan

Each year, we identify key priority areas to enhance student outcomes. In 2025, our focus areas will be:

Strengthening instructional practices – Implementing the new Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM 2.0) to align with our instructional model.
Enhancing student well-being – Developing a consistent understanding of Tier 1 and Tier 2 strategies to support student well-being and learning.
Building student voice and agency – Embedding a whole-school approach to ensure student perspectives are actively considered in teaching and learning.

Our March School Council Meeting on Tuesday, 18th March is open to the entire school community. During this meeting, we will present the 2024 Annual Report and provide further details on the 2025 Annual Implementation Plan. We encourage all families to attend and learn more about the exciting initiatives planned for our school.

Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement in our school community.

Warmly,

Erin

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