Principal Message
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Parents and carers, students and staff all share responsibility for ensuring that Melton West PS is a positive, respectful and safe school environment. Adults have a particular responsibility to be mindful of the way in which we conduct ourselves in and around the school, noting that we are the role models that impressionable students look to.
I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who contribute to the positivity of our school community each and every week. Though I cannot thank each of you individually, I wish to assure you that your efforts do not go unnoticed.
A simple good morning or smile towards others really brightens my day and the day of those people receiving the simple gesture.
This is also an opportune time for me to emphasise that my door is always open to discuss any concerns you may have, simply contact the front office to schedule an appointment. There is an appropriate avenue to raise any grievances, concerns or constructive criticism. It saddens me when I hear of efforts to undermine our positive school culture by way of inaccurate or disparaging comments on social media or gossip, rather than addressing concerns with school staff directly. Thankfully, such instances are very rare.
I want to express my sincere appreciation for the cooperation and effort put forth by the parents and carers of Melton West Primary School.
Intervention: The 2020 school year was an extraordinary and challenging one for every school community. Many Victorian students spent much of Terms 2 and 3 last year learning remotely.
During Term 4, we focused on supporting students’ mental health and wellbeing, in addition to assisting students to readjust to on-site learning. Teachers also focused on assessing student learning, addressing individual learning gaps and identifying those students who need extra support for their learning, using classroom-based observation and assessments.
We know that the remote learning experience was different for every student. While some students thrived, some students may not have engaged as fully with remote learning. For most of our students, regular high-quality teaching in 2021 will be enough to help them progress to the expected level of learning. Some students will benefit from additional intensive learning support in 2021.
As you may be aware, in response to this, the Victorian Government is investing $250 million in the Tutor Learning Initiative to enable schools across Victoria to engage around 4,100 teachers as tutors in 2021 to support students who need extra assistance with their learning. Schools are able to determine how this initiative is best implemented for their students and will ensure that students will get this support in a way that minimises disruptions to other learning or school activities.
At Melton West PS we believe that the classroom teacher is best placed to provide additional support for those students requiring it. Each classroom teacher has been released from their classroom for 3 hours per week to work with small groups of children from their class. These groups will fluctuate throughout the year and all children requiring extra support will have the opportunity to be part of one of these groups through-out the year. We will send a note home with your child when they are part of these intensive teaching groups.
If you are concerned about your child’s engagement in their learning, while learning at home or following their return to school please contact your school.
OSHC Extend Survey: Recently a survey was sent out as part of the newsletter about whether families needed to access Out of School Hour Care before school. Thank-you to the families who participated in the survey, however the results were an average of only 2.6 children requiring before school each day. If your family would benefit from having access to Before School Care I encourage you to call them on 1300 366 437 to register your interest.
School Council Elections: Thank you to the parents who participated in the ballot to elect the new School Council Members. These votes will be counted after school tonight and I will publish the results on our social media outlets for your information.
Getting to Know Your Child Interview: Thank-you to the parents who participated in the Interviews last week. All were held either over the phone or via WebEx due to the continuing Covid restrictions. The feedback from the staff was that they learnt so much from you about your children, and that will have a positive impact on their learning.
Speaking to Other Children: At times I know some parents feel the need to talk to a child who may be upsetting their own child, with the intention of helping to ease the situation. This is NOT an acceptable practice at Melton West PS. If you have any concerns about another child, please ensure you speak to your child’s teacher who can follow up and address the situation. It can be very frightening for a child to feel they are getting reprimanded by an adult other than their parent or a teacher. If you have any concerns or feel the situation is not being resolved with the class teacher, please make an appointment to see Mrs O’Connor P-2 Assistant Principal, Mrs Kathy Cvitkovic 3-6 Assistant Principal or myself. We are committed to working together to resolve all issues brought to our attention
Sunsmart Policy: As part of the School’s Sunsmart Policy, children are required to wear a hat whilst outside during term 1 and 4, otherwise they will be directed to the shaded pergola area. Sunscreen is also available in every classroom and children are encouraged to apply throughout the day. It is a good idea to send your child with sunscreen at the start of the day as well.
Camps, Sports and Excursion Funds (CSEF): Students of families, who have an eligible Health Care Card, can apply for a grant from the Government of $125. Please bring your current Health Care Card to the office and complete the form.
High Levels of Learning for All
Michelle Costa
Principal