PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

The Moorabbin Primary School Community touch the land and think of the Bunurong People and surrounding Clans of the Kulin Nation who cared for the land before us.

We share our gratitude to their Elders past, present and emerging.  As we touch this land, we promise to treasure it, taking care of all its people, animals, plants and waterways. We at Moorabbin Primary School appreciate this land. Thank you.

Dear Families, carers, and friends of Moorabbin PS,

SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS

On Tuesday evening our school council met, and we discussed a number of items pertinent to our school community including upcoming events for term 4 and beyond. There has been a long-standing item around safety of our children and parents who walk and drive to school each day. One of our parents Jasmin Moore has been on a huge quest to try and engage with our local councils to put into place safety measures around the pedestrian crossing. She unfortunately has been met with much resistance from the Bayside and Kingston councils. 

Our Councillors have also been trying to lobby in the background to see if we can support Jasmin’s ongoing and at times frustrating quest to make the necessary changes. The Local council will be sending representatives to the crossing to collect data. It will be important for our community who use this crossing to do so safely but to actually walk, ride, scoot so that the local council can collect valid and important information to hopefully make the change required for the crossing at Whickham and Highett roads. 

We have also been working with our council members to review our communication procedures and how we can streamline our processes effectively. This newsletter is one important avenue where there is often a lot of information, and I know that many of our parents and carers do take the time to read it, but we also know and have been told directly by parents that they “don’t bother” with the newsletter. We have feedback that sometimes there are too many compass messages, and they become last in the plethora of emails and texts that are sent. We also have “what’s app” groups that provide great information but on the other hand “what’s apps’ groups that don’t send out anything. 

This can be for a number of reasons and is solely dependent on the parent reps who may or may not choose to use this platform for the class. We must remember that this is voluntary. Information has also been shared with us that sometimes there is misinformation in the “what’s app” groups and that they can sometimes be used to exclude, shame or become a space for gossip or send messages that do not align with our community values. We ask that all parents and carers please revisit their connection to these groups and respectfully and appropriately engage with these platforms. Messages can be taken out of context and behind a "text or keyboard" it can often take away the intention of the original message.

Communication is an area that certainly needs to have a balanced approach and even though we will not be able to please our whole community we do offer a wide range. Newsletters, team newsletters, compass messages, “what’s app” groups, emails, communication from the office, the staff, specialists team newsletters, the class reps, P&F committee, including our Facebook and Instagram pages. 

(Let's be kind to each other no matter what platform we use)

A COUPLE OF CHANGES COMING UP THIS TERM WILL NOW LOOK LIKE THIS:

• All consent forms for incursions/excursions and any financial payments will now be completed via one platform- “COMPASS- (Please see instructions of how to complete this process further along in this newsletter)
• QKR will become obsolete as of next week
• There will be a weekly edition of the newsletter to share important information
• Compass will have specific headings so that messages can be more targeted to the audience group that it is intend for 
• Messages from me will only come out once instead of twice

We have lots of exciting events planned for this term from a colour fun run to incursions/excursions and an end of year Soiree. Please keep an eye on the newsletter, Calendar dates and Compass to ensure you don’t miss any information about upcoming events.

UNIFORM REMINDER

Just a reminder about school uniform; please ensure that students are wearing blue bottoms, not black, with their school top.

A huge thank you to our parents who are supporting our uniform policy and now sending children to school wearing the approved uniform from School Council Policy.

It has been great to see so many students wearing their hat in the yard from the beginning of this term. Students without a hat are required to play in a shaded space outside. During Terms 1 & 4, students are required to wear hats when outside as this is usually the time of the year when UV index levels are 3 or above. If you need to purchase a new school hat, this can be done so from our supplier Spartan.

UPCOMING EVENTS

From our school council member Laura Bos. A workshop for parents

• What the sigma? Social media, screens and our kids
• Come along to the Moorabbin Alliance’s parent get-together on WEDNESDAY 13th NOVEMBER 6.30pm-7.30pm to navigate the digital parenting landscape together.
• Are you worried about the impact’s social media, smart phones and gaming is having on your child’s development? Are you feeling lost in a complex digital landscape? What does ‘sigma’ even mean??

The research shows that the shift from ‘play-based childhoods’ to ‘phone-based childhoods’ has led to a mental health crisis. More and more children and teens are experiencing:

• Anxiety and depression 
• Social isolation
• Disrupted sleep
• Diminished focus
• Expectations of instant gratification

But all is not lost! The Moorabbin Alliance is being set up for concerned parents who want to navigate the digital landscape together. Through collective problem-solving, sharing of strategies and small wins, parents can turn these harmful patterns around.

While the government works on a policy to raise the legal age of access to social media, it’s up to us as parents to make a difference NOW to our children’s lives.

Come along to the Moorabbin Alliance’s first get-together on WEDNESDAY 13th NOVEMBER 6.30pm-7.30pm to share concerns, stories and strategies. This session will be a judgement-free, supportive place where parents can discuss their concerns and work collaboratively to make positive impacts on their children’s lives.

If you’d like to come along, and/or join the Moorabbin Alliance, email Laura Bos at moorabbin.alliance@gmail.com (mailto:moorabbin.alliance@gmail.com)

HALLOWEEN DRESS UP AND CAKE BAKE SALE THURSDAY OCTOBER 31ST

Halloween is almost upon us! With this in mind, Students and staff are welcomed to dress up in their costumes. If your child wishes to wear a costume for Halloween, we ask that all families and students be mindful of which costumes are appropriate for school use and that whatever is worn children will still be expected to partake in their normal curriculum activities. For the purpose of safety, no hidden identities to disguise children’s identity in any fashion while on school property. 

Because of this, please do not wear costumes that include masks or headgear that cover the face. 

Please ensure that the costumes have No weapons or ‘fake’ weapons, sticks, brooms.

We ask that there is no offensive, indecent or disturbing costumes. 

Offensive costumes would include costumes that are insensitive or racist. Examples of indecent costumes would include costumes that are too revealing, and examples of disturbing costumes would be ones that are overtly violent or gory or age inappropriate. For children who do not wish to dress up they can either wear their school uniform or casual clothes.

Children in year 2/3/4 who will be swimming may need to think about a costume that they can quickly change in and out of on the day of their swimming lesson. 

Our P&F will also be hosting the very popular cake bake sale with a Halloween theme. Straight after school. Please bring along your loose change! 

CURRICULUM DAY : MONDAY 4th NOVEMBER

MELBOURNE CUP: TUESDAY 5th NOVEMBER

As mentioned in last week’s edition, there will be no school for students on Monday 4th and 5th November. This is a whole school Professional Development Day that we have attached to a public holiday. Team kids will be offering a modified service for families that require this service on the Monday.

LUNCHTIME CLUBS WILL RESUME AFTER OUR SWIMMING PROGRAM IS COMPLETED ON THURSDAY 31st OCTOBER

CELEBRATING OUR AMAZING TEACHERS: HAPPY WORLD TEACHER'S DAY - FRIDAY 25th OCTOBER

Next Friday we will pause to celebrate World Teachers' Day, let’s take a moment to reflect on the incredible contributions of our teachers and express our heartfelt gratitude for their unwavering dedication and hard work. Teachers play a pivotal role in shaping the minds and lives of our students. They inspire curiosity, foster creativity, and instil a love for learning that lasts a lifetime. Every day, our staff at Moorabbin go above and beyond, creating inspiring and supportive learning environments that help each child thrive.

Their commitment extends beyond the classroom. Whether staying up late to plan, collaborate, plan for extra support, developing innovative lesson plans, or creating engaging extracurricular activities, our teachers demonstrate an unrelenting passion for education and a genuine care for our students. They are mentors, advocates, and encourage our children to dream big and achieve greatness.

On this special day, let us celebrate the resilience, patience, and love our teachers show every day. We invite you to join us in expressing your appreciation—maybe a simple thank you, a note of encouragement, or sharing a memorable experience you've had with a teacher.

Together, let's honour their hard work and dedication. Happy World Teachers' Day to all the remarkable teachers in our community. Your impact is profound, and we are truly grateful for all that you do!

Mr Corrigan and I will be putting on a very special morning tea for all our staff and there will be a coffee van onsite Friday morning before school for all of us that love a “caffeine start to the day”

Click on the link below of staff from MPS website

https://www.moorabbin.vic.edu.au/school-staff-2024 

Noxia Angelides

Principal