WHAM!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

Milgate Primary School would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land of the Wurundjeri People and we would like to pay our respects to the elders both past and present. Staff, students and the school community understand that we thrive, learn and live on Wurundjeri Country and we stand with all cultures united as one.

NO SCHOOL - LABOUR DAY HOLIDAY | MONDAY 10TH MARCH

A reminder that we have a long weekend this weekend which means there will be no school or Team Kids on Monday.

NAPLAN

Our Y3 and Y5 students will be participating in NAPLAN next week. The students have spent time engaging in the online NAPLAN example tests and practising working under ‘test conditions’. We like to reinforce with our students that NAPLAN is one test at a moment in time and that it does not define their academic ability, we encourage the students to give it their best go.

STRENGTHENING BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT

A DAY OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WITH DAN PETRO

At Milgate Primary School, we are committed to fostering a positive and supportive learning environment for all students. To deepen our understanding and enhance our approach to behaviour management, our teachers and education support staff recently participated in a full-day professional learning session with renowned behaviour analyst Dan Petro.

Dan, a specialist in behaviour support and intervention, shared evidence-based strategies to help us strengthen positive behaviours and effectively respond to behaviours of concern. His key message was simple yet powerful: all behaviours—whether desirable or challenging—are influenced by the responses they receive. By reinforcing positive behaviours and responding strategically to behaviours of concern, we can guide students toward more productive and respectful interactions.

Throughout the day, Dan provided practical strategies that align with our school’s values and support our students' social and emotional growth. He emphasised that most human behaviours are naturally reinforced by positive outcomes. For example, when a student greets a teacher with a smile and receives a warm response, they are more likely to repeat that behaviour. Likewise, how we respond to challenging behaviours plays a crucial role in whether those behaviours decrease or persist.

Our staff engaged in real-world scenarios to explore how we can create a more supportive and structured learning environment. By applying these strategies in the classroom and the playground, we aim to help students develop self-regulation, social skills, and a greater sense of responsibility for their actions.

We are excited to put this learning into action and continue fostering a school culture where every child feels safe, supported, and encouraged to thrive.

WELCOME TO COUNTRY & SMOKING CEREMONY

This week, our school community came together to participate in a significant and moving cultural event: a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony. This special occasion, led by a local Wurundjeri Elder, acknowledged the Traditional Custodians of the land and offered a moment for reflection, respect, and connection.

A Welcome to Country is a ceremonial practice conducted by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders or Traditional Owners to welcome visitors onto their land. It is a deeply respectful and meaningful gesture that recognises the continuous connection of First Nations peoples to Country—land, waters, and skies. By taking part in this ceremony, we acknowledge the deep cultural heritage of the Wurundjeri people and honour their ongoing custodianship.

The Smoking Ceremony is an ancient Aboriginal custom that has been used for thousands of years to cleanse and purify people, places, and events. Using native plants such as eucalyptus leaves, the smoke is believed to ward off bad spirits, promote healing, and bring people together in unity. As the fragrant smoke drifted around us, we reflected on our role as a community in fostering reconciliation, respect, and inclusion.

This event was a powerful way to begin our year, reminding us of the importance of embracing and celebrating the rich cultural traditions of the First Peoples of Australia. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Wurundjeri Elder who shared their knowledge and wisdom with us, and we look forward to continuing to learn from and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in meaningful ways.

As we move forward, let us carry the spirit of this ceremony with us—one of respect, learning, and unity.

CELEBRATING FIRST NATIONS CULTURE, HISTORIES AND PEOPLE

CALENDAR & FORTNIGHTLY WOI WURRUNG WORD

WORKING GROUPS

This week, teachers began their work in newly established Working Groups, led by Curriculum Leaders Claire Harvey-Beavis (Wellbeing), Sian Katsineris (Numeracy), Megan North (Literacy), and Sarah Brown (Student Agency). These groups are designed to improve student outcomes by strengthening formative assessment practices and ensuring clarity in learning goals.

The Working Groups will focus on leveraging the expertise of teachers to refine assessment strategies, enhance feedback processes, and support targeted teaching approaches. Through collaboration and professional discussions, teachers will work towards implementing effective strategies that support student progress and engagement.

Each group will explore best practices within their focus area, contributing to a structured and evidence-based approach to teaching and learning. Regular updates on the progress and impact of these initiatives will be shared as the work continues.

REFLECTING ON LITERACY DEVELOPMENT IN FOUNDATION - TERM 1

Our Foundation students have had an exciting and productive start to their literacy journey this term. Here is an overview of the key skills and knowledge they have been developing daily:

Systematic Synthetic Phonics 

Students have been introduced to letter-to-sound relationships (codes) in a carefully sequenced way, starting with simple VC and CVC syllables and they will be progressing towards more complex words. Through blending and segmenting, they’re learning to read and spell words with confidence.

Word Reading & Spelling

So far this term, our students have focused on reading and spelling irregularly spelt words or ‘Heart Words’. They have been learning to connect the letter strings to their phonemes and are practicing how to retrieve spellings for these words. 

Phonemic Awareness

From day one, blending and segmenting have been a key part of our students' learning. Through daily practice, they are developing their phonemic awareness, which is essential for both reading and spelling. As the year progresses, they will continue to strengthen these skills and move toward more complex patterns.

Handwriting

Our Foundation students have been practicing their handwriting skills, with a focus on both uppercase and lowercase letters. They are learning proper letter formation, sizing, and baseline alignment. These daily 10-minute handwriting sessions help strengthen their connection between sounds and letters.

Paired Fluency 

Students have been reading decodable books daily that are aligned with the scope and sequence of their phonics instruction. 

Foundation Students' Conceptual Development through Discovery Play

In addition to their phonics and literacy skills, our Foundation students have been strengthening their conceptual understanding through Discovery play-based learning. This approach provides students an environment to explore, experiment, and engage in hands-on activities that support their literacy development in meaningful ways. 

Through play, students have opportunities to build language skills by interacting with peers, problem-solving, and connecting new ideas to their prior knowledge. Whether it is exploring new vocabulary during role play, building stories through creative engagement, or experimenting with letters and sounds in an interactive environment, Discovery play encourages children to make real-world connections that enhance their understanding of literacy. 

It’s been a wonderful beginning to the first term of school for our Foundation students, and we’re excited to continue watching them grow and develop their literacy skills as they move through the year!

FUN RUN

We have currently raised $13,390. Keep up the great work everyone!

CYBER SAFETY PROJECT

This year, Milgate is continuing to partner with the Cyber Safety Project, a wonderful program that provides students with authentic learning opportunities that help build them as digital citizens. All students across the school are taught Cyber safety lessons by their classroom teachers, using the engaging online resources from Cyber Safety Project. 

In addition to the resources, students in Years 3-6 will have an opportunity to engage with a presenter in Year Level workshops, which will occur on Thursday 3rd April. The Incursion will empower them to be Principled and take control of their own digital safety and wellbeing. The students will gain an understanding of the way that they can be Communicators and connect and interact through digital platforms, devices, sites, apps and gaming networks. This experience provides the students with a wonderful foundation to build on their future learning.