Principal's report
Dear Parents, Carers, , Students and Community members
We are coming up to an exciting time Book Week! This year we are launching Book Week with Dress Up Day on the first day of the week! Next Monday Aug 19th we will move from the assembly to the multi-aged classes for a group activity around a book! We will also ask the students who dress up to do a ‘twirl to show off their theme. Come along if you can. It is sure to be fun. Please note change to our calendar.
District Athletics this week
On Friday our students will be participating in the District Athletics. Over the last couple of Fridays the students have been training for their events. Good luck to all involved and remember it is the participation that is most important, winning is the additional icing!
MVIMP Camp
Another wonderful week of learning for the students who participated in the Music Camp. The concert on the final evening was full of great playing, fun and for some courage. Playing in front of an audience takes courage and commitment to the team. Learning a musical instrument requires time and practice. The more you practice, the better you play, the more you enjoy. One student told me once that he saw a model of how he wanted to play, and changed his practicing to 10 minutes every day instead of half an hour on Saturdays. The result was incredible. Learning a musical instrument? Here’s my challenge to you, practice 10 minutes every day for 21 days and see if your skill improves! It’s a life lesson.
Thank-you to Katherine Ayrton who assisted our students on the camp and to Robyn the CRT who continued the learning in Katherine’s class during that week.
Resilience in our children
Over the weekend there was an interesting article in the Age on Anxiety in our children. How can we build resilience in our children so they can bounce back from adversity? Parenting isn’t easy and being over concerned doesn’t help either. At present we are hosting a Parenting Program called '1-2-3 Magic and Emotion Coaching' to assist parents in working with children and young people. The facilitation is from our Network School Student Support Officers (SSSO) and there are 25 participants. The program runs for 3 sessions and is being held in our Community Room. Whilst it is too late to join in now, think about joining the next program when you see it advertised.
School Fun Run
Get out the running shoes our FUN RUN is coming! As always this is a shared fundraiser for the school and a nominated charity. Sponsorship is encouraged, and parental help is essential as we run on the streets surrounding our school. We will have special sign in sheets for parents on this day, so that this process doesn’t hamper the organization. Bree has already put out the call for assistance, so keep those offers rolling in. In most schools the Fun Run is the biggest fundraising event of the year. Let’s make this happen for MPWPS as well.
Rodents
Since we started the re build of the old toilets we have had a number of rodents (seen and unseen) in the building closest to the corner of Eglinton and Lennox Street. We have employed many and varied strategies. We think (according to the experts) that all creatures have now been eradicated. However, we are re thinking the couch situation and discarding the older ones. These will be replaced with something similar sometime into the future. Our cleaners are vigilant in ensuring that all class spaces are thoroughly cleaned and ready for students.
Teacher learning
Over this term your class teacher maybe out of class to participate in learning around Mathematics, English (reading and writing) or Inquiry. These days are full of thinking and planning and learning. In mathematics the Mathematics Leadership and the 3/4 teachers have been working with our consultants (expert Chris Coombes) to develop lesson sequences in additive and multiplicative thinking in mathematics. Such guides will assist teachers to diagnose where students are, and plan developmentally where to next. It is important work and that is why we are giving the time to develop the lesson structure collaboratively. We are also building mathematical content knowledge by doing this work. When teachers are out of their class but at school the learning they have planned continues. The teacher and the Sub-School Leader (Barb or Jarrod) check in during the day. Most of the out of class learning as described concludes this term.
Well that’s about it from me. The secondary placements are now out, so I hope our year 6 students are satisfied with their placement for 2020.
Until we meet in person
Sincerely
Kerri Simpson
Principal (Acting at Moonee Ponds West PS.)
Sibling Enrolments
A reminder to MPW families that if you have a sibling starting school in 2020 to collect an enrolment pack from the office. We are in the process of finalising our 2020 enrolments.
Come down and support the Maribyrnong Bunnings BBQ this Saturday
Moonee Ponds West will be hosting the Bunnings Maribyrnong BBQ this Saturday the 17th August. This is always a great day with high demand for a Bunnings Sausage and a great fundraiser for our school. Please pop down to say hi, grab a snag and support your school!