Leadership Report
Michelle Carland - Disability and Inclusion Leader
Disability Inclusion
Merri-bek Primary School is excited to introduce Disability Inclusion, a new approach to help us improve support for students with disability and build a more inclusive school for all our students.
Inclusive schools have better outcomes in learning, engagement and wellbeing for all students.
Disability Inclusion will help our school better understand what our students need to help them learn, through:
- a new funding model with more investment
- a new strength-based process called the Disability Inclusion Profile to help identify the student’s needs and required adjustments
- more training and coaching for teachers and school staff about the best ways to support student learning.
A new funding model with more investment
The new funding model provides additional investment that our school can use to support many students including those with autism, learning difficulties and more.
This additional investment will provide more support for students with disability, including students who haven’t been eligible for individual funding through the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) in the past.
Our school can use this funding for a range of activities including:
- more training and professional development for teachers and school staff
- getting expert advice about disability
- hiring teachers or other staff to help plan and deliver changes for students
- equipment and resources to support learning.
The Disability Inclusion Profile
The Disability Inclusion Profile will help us find out more about your child’s strengths and needs. It will inform personalised funding allocations, help us plan student learning and any changes a student may need to better learn.
The new Disability Inclusion Profile process will replace the Educational Needs Questionnaire used as a part of the current PSD.
As we transition over the next three years, families of students who are part of the PSD will be asked to attend a meeting to complete a Disability Inclusion Profile.
People who know your child will be involved in the meeting, along with an independent, trained facilitator who will help our school and families complete the profile.
If your child is part of the PSD, we will work with you to find the most suitable time to complete their profile.
The profile will also be available to a broad group of students with high needs.
We will identify students who are not currently part of the PSD, who may benefit from a Disability Inclusion Profile. If we consider that your child’s education will benefit from having a profile, we will contact you.
More training and coaching for teachers and school staff
Disability Inclusion will give more teachers and support staff a better understanding of disability and how to respond. This could include access to:
- more professionals in schools who are experts in disability
- coaching
- professional learning
- evidence-based guidance and resources
- scholarships.
More information
Visit www.education.vic.gov.au/disabilityinclusion to find out more about Disability Inclusion.
If you would like to talk about your child’s needs at school, or if you need translation or interpreting assistance, please email me at michelle.carland@education.vic.gov.au
Kind regards,
Michelle Carland
Disability Inclusion Leading Teacher
Costa Missailidis -Wellbeing and Engagement Leader
As we settle into Term 1, I’d like to take this opportunity to remind parents, carers, and students about the School Wide Positive Behaviours Support (SWPBS) program and the positive impact it has had at Merri-bek Primary School.
This program has been consistently implemented across our school, providing clear expectations for behaviour and supporting all students in fostering a respectful and inclusive learning environment.
Included in this newsletter, you will find a copy of our SWPBS Matrix. This document outlines our school-wide behaviour expectations, along with the consistent language used by staff and students to promote positive behaviour.
We encourage you to use this Matrix at home, as reinforcing behaviour through a shared language between school and home is invaluable. By working together, we can create consistent behavioural expectations that support the success and wellbeing of all students.
Thank you for your ongoing support in creating a positive school culture.
Open Streets – A Fantastic Community Event!
Our recent Open Streets event was a wonderful success, bringing students, families, and the community together for a morning and afternoon of fun, activity, and connection. With the road temporarily closed to traffic, students had the opportunity to safely enjoy a range of activities, including hula hooping, skipping, testing their skills on skate ramps with their bikes and scooters, chalk drawing and dancing.
The road closure played a crucial role in ensuring the safety of all participants, allowing children to move freely and confidently while engaging in active play. Events like Open Streets highlight the importance of creating safe, shared spaces that promote physical activity, social interaction, and community spirit. It was fantastic to see so many smiling faces as they embraced the chance to be active and enjoy the outdoors.
A big thank you to the volunteers and everyone who participated and supported this initiative. Events like Open Streets help promote not only physical activity but also a strong sense of community and well-being. We look forward to the next one on Friday March 28th!
Harmony Day Friday
Harmony Week is the celebration that recognises our diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds. The message of Harmony Week is everyone belongs. It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.
On Friday, 21st March, students are encouraged to celebrate diversity by wearing clothing that represents their cultural heritage, incorporating a touch of orange, or wearing their full school uniform.
"At Merri-bek Primary School, we acknowledge the diverse and unique backgrounds of all peoples' religions, traditions, cultures, bodies, abilities, appearances, genders and languages. We celebrate and welcome these differences, fostering a culture that is always inclusive, accepting and respectful."
Students will be participating in football (soccer) matches at lunch time Monday – Thursday to acknowledge and recognise our school's diversity.
Soccer games are as followed:
Wellbeing Day
At Merri-bek Primary School, we prioritise the wellbeing of our staff, students, and families. With this in mind, we are excited to announce our upcoming Wellbeing Day, which will take place on Thursday, 1st May (Term 2).
On this special day, students will participate in a range of activities designed to promote relaxation, self-regulation, and happiness, all while fostering a sense of fun and calmness.
Our Junior School Council (JSC) and Wellbeing Leaders will collaborate with the school leadership team to plan the day's activities. Further details will be shared soon.
We look forward to a wonderful and refreshing Wellbeing Day on Thursday, 1st May.
Best regards,
Costa Missailidis
Wellbeing and Engagement Leader
Joe Hess - Maths Learning Specialist
This term, our students have been thriving in Numeracy as they dive into a variety of real-life math challenges. From budgeting for a pretend event to calculating travel distances, the kids have been thoroughly enjoying applying their problem-solving skills to scenarios they can relate to. Their enthusiasm for solving puzzles, working through complex word problems, and exploring different strategies has been inspiring. It’s exciting to see them not only grasp mathematical concepts but also build confidence in their ability to use these skills in everyday situations. It’s clear that their love for learning maths is growing, and we’re proud of the progress they’re making
Joseph Hess
Maths Learning Specialist
Tristan Kelly - Literacy Learning Specialist
Literacy
The Department of Education has some helpful guidance to support parents and carers to engage in activities at home that build students’ literacy skills. The guidance includes general tips about building speaking and listening skills, helping your child to read and helping your child to write.
There is a lot of information so don’t feel like you need to do it all! When you have the bandwidth, you could browse the tips via the links below and think about which things you do already and what you might try next.
How to build your child's literacy skills from birth to Grade 2 | vic.gov.au
How to build your child's literacy skills from Grades 3 to 6 | vic.gov.au
Birth to Grade 2
Note: Refer to the guidance sent out by the Foundation and Grade 1/2 teams regarding decodable texts.
Grades 3 to 6
