Principal's

Message

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE DAY

MONDAY 04 SEPTEMBER - PUPIL FREE DAY

As part of the Victorian Government Schools Agreement, teachers are eligible for two professional practice days this year. The Department of Education also acknowledges the current teacher shortage, including casual release teachers, and has designated one of the days as a pupil free day. On Monday, 4th September, students will not be required at school. Teachers will be engaging in professional development, planning and assessment tasks, in line with our Annual Implementation Plan goals. TheirCare are providing care on this day and will be open for bookings shortly.

PARENT/CAREGIVER/GUARDIAN OPINION SURVEY

Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents/caregivers/guardians think of our school. The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education that is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behavior, and student engagement. The survey is optional but we encourage all families to participate. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies. All families are invited to participate in the survey.

You will receive the pin to complete the survey via compass on Monday 7 August. The survey will be open from Monday 7 August to Friday 8 September 2023.

The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the survey period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The online survey will be available in English and 10 other languages including Arabic, Greek, Hakha Chin, Hindi, Japanese, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Turkish, and Vietnamese. Survey results will be communicated to parents/caregivers/guardians through annual reporting to the community.

UNIFORM

Our uniform policy reinforces in students, a pride in their own appearance, creates a sense of belonging in our school community and assists in developing pride in representing our school. Some of our uniform requirements are also in place for safety reasons. Can I please ask parents and carers to ensure that the correct uniform, as per the policy, is worn each day? We understand that from time to time, an item might be misplaced or in the wash, however we’re also noticing that some students are continuing to make choices that don’t reflect our school policy.

A few uniform reminders: 

• Shoes should be black closed toe shoes, with plain black or white runners worn on PE days (white or non-marking sole)
• Students should wear plain white crew socks or grey tights
• Hair beyond shoulder length (all genders) should be tied back to avoid the spread of headlice
• Jewelry must be restricted to small studs or sleepers in ears (dangly earrings are unsafe). Wrist watches can be worn however smart watches must be handed in at the beginning of the day along with mobile phones, and collected upon dismissal

Students are able to mix and match the SMPPS uniform to suit their preferences.  Families who need financial support with purchasing uniform should not hesitate to reach out to the school. A reminder that we also hold second hand uniform stalls each term next one scheduled for 01 September.

Thank you for your support with this.

Nicole Arnold

Principal