Welcome Back to our Mill Park Heights Community

I hope you have made the time to enjoy some sunshine in the past fortnight ? despite the ever changing Melbourne weather. A reminder to parents that despite the weather we remain SunSmart and students are required to wear their hats outside for this term. If the temperature hits extreme heat, we enact a hot weather timetable, and students are asked to stay indoors to remain cool.

While we have completed our early entry tests and data collection, we now prepare for the Year 3 and Year 5 Naplan. The testing process will begin on Tuesday 17th March and will conclude on Monday 23rd March. We wish all of our Year 3 and 5 students the very best as they share their learning and knowledge during this process. Naplan is a measure of a point in time and is an adaptive test. Students begin with the same test question however their following questions are then tailored based on the previous responses. This allows students to respond to answers at their level and hopefully alleviates any angst. Don’t hesitate to talk with your child’s teacher if you have any Naplan questions.

We have now concluded our School Council nomination process. I am pleased to announce our 2026 parent representatives - Sally Murphy, Jo Sutherland, and Karen Marcon. These parents will continue their tenure on Council and we look forward to their collaboration and contribution. The new School Council begins on March 16th. We will hold our AGM prior to the new Council and will then elect our 2026 officials. Our School Councillors play an important role in our school and we are grateful for their thoughts, considerations, and perspectives.

Following on with our Parent theme, it was terrific to have several parents attend our Volunteer Induction session on Thursday. All parents and carers interested in volunteering at MPHPS must complete an Induction session to be able to sign off on Child Safety, OHS and confidentially requirements. This is a Department of Education mandate which we have tailored to suit MPHPS. Once you have attended the Induction session, you do not need to return, unless of course you wish for a refresher. You would always be welcome. Parents must have an active Working With Children’s check which we take a copy of. We also collect your signed agreements which do need to be updated yearly. If you have signed these in the past and are wishing to volunteer again, pop into the office to update your forms. If you missed the Induction session, please leave your details at the office and we will contact you.

You will notice some new sections in our newsletter which we hope will continue to build a link and understanding around Learning and Wellbeing at MPHPS. We are incredibly proud of our Learning and Wellbeing programs and have been recognised as a high performing school within the Network. We hope the information we share helps you gain a greater understanding of what happens in our school and in your child’s classroom. Of course, students learn best when they arrive at class on time and are able to work in a calm and orderly environment. We are aware that many students find settling into new year level, new classroom routines and new friendships challenging and I ask you all as parents and carers to give this a little time. Please be mindful and respect that teachers do their best to respond and support you as they teach and care for your child. Working collaboratively together helps build positive and trusting relationships.

As a continuation in strengthening our partnerships, we have appreciated the support of families when discussing and managing student concerns. We are always open to respectful communication and feel it is important to reach out early if we begin to see elements of behaviour that does not support our school values. We will contact parents if there has been property damage, inappropriate or excessive language /behaviour, and violence in any form. We will always work privately and confidentially with both parties and will only share outcomes or consequences with your own child and not another student. We must all follow strict privacy guidelines and can only discuss your child with you.

Don’t forget Monday 9th March is a Public Holiday and this gives you all a 3 day weekend. I hope you get to enjoy it with people who make you smile.

Have a great fortnight.

Chris, Mel & Kate

Farewell Lyn

We say a heartfelt farewell to Lyn, our incredible school office administrator, who has been a valued part of our school community for the past 25 years.

Lyn’s warmth, dedication, and unwavering support have touched the lives of students, families, and staff alike. Her calm presence, friendly smile, and tireless commitment behind the scenes have helped make our school the welcoming and caring place it is today.
We wish her every happiness in her well-earned retirement.

Heights Hero