Dear Monty South Community,

Welcome back and I hope you all had a restful change of pace during the school holidays.

We are off and running again and already past the halfway mark until the end of the year. As our new ‘Bridges to School’ group will commence next week, I was reminded how quickly the cycle of schools seems to go round. With the Bridges program our 2023 Prep group are gradually transitioning to the school environment and at the other end, in Year 6, we have started to prepare our goodbyes, with the Year 7 school selection completed and notification to parents coming next week. With both groups eager to start their new beginnings, it is exciting times.

Bridges Program for Preps commencing 2023

We have received 113 applications for Foundation next year and have confirmed enrolments for 101. This means there will be five Foundation classes next year. We are excited to have these future Monty South students commence the Bridges to School program next week. For the next 14 weeks, we will be introducing our youngest members

of the school to various aspects of Monty South. Please make them welcome.

MSPS Achievers

Congratulations to Jessika Blair and Matilda Mitchell who competed in the State Cross Country recently. They both had impressive results with Jess finishing in 13:23 mins in the 11yo girl category and Matilda finishing in 8:42 mins in the 9-10yo Girl category. Well done getting to the top level in the comp girls; truly an impressive effort from you both.

Data Report Conferences

It is that time of the year again when we hold our Data Report Conferences. The conferences will be held throughout the day on Wednesday 27th July. This will be a student free day whilst teachers meet with parents and students throughout the day. Bookings can now be made via Compass. The meeting with your child/ren’s teacher will be held via WebEx. Your child’s teacher will email you a link to their WebEx room in advance. The 15-minute conference time includes 10 minutes for the student, teacher, and parents to discuss learning goals together, and then a further 5 minutes for the teacher and parent/s /carers alone if required. Of course, if you have concerns regarding your child’s progress, an appointment can be made with their teacher at any time. Our teaching staff are available and can be contacted via email or by contacting the office.

We hope all parents can attend these interviews, with student reports providing a springboard for conversation and celebration. Effective learning involves planning and goal setting, monitoring progress and adapting as needed. By supporting our students to develop these skills (which can all be learnt) we can improve learning.

Covid-19 update

Vaccines - Staff, contractors, volunteers and visitors working at Victorian government schools are no longer required to meet mandatory vaccination requirements to attend work or volunteer.

RATs - The Victorian Government will provide further deliveries of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) in Term 3 and again in Term 4 to schools. We anticipate fewer tests will be delivered and that those staff and families who are symptomatic or who are household contacts will be able to request them from the school.

Face masks - the current advice from the Victorian government is that it is recommended face masks are worn in indoor settings (except for close contacts, who must wear a mask indoors unless an exception applies).

School Nurse visit and reminder to return Health Questionnaires

The Primary School Nursing Program offered by the Department of Education and Training provides a confidential health service to children and families. All Prep students have been provided with a School Entrant Health Questionnaire (SEHQ). The Primary School Nurse reviews the information provided in the SEHQ and completes a health screening if required.

If you have not completed the Questionnaire for your child and you would like the Primary School Nurse to assess your child’s health and wellbeing needs, please return the form asap. If you have misplaced your Questionnaire, please contact us at Montmorency.south.ps@education.vic.gov.au or pop into the office to obtain another one.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN 2022 results will be available late August/early Sept.

It has been announced that NAPLAN 2023 will be held earlier in the year to give teachers and parents important information about a student’s skills and capability sooner, so that more targeted support can be delivered to improve literacy and numeracy skills throughout the year.

In 2023, NAPLAN will be held during Term 1 from Wednesday 15 March to Monday 27 March. Existing NAP sample assessments in Science, Civics and Citizenship, and ICT Literacy, will now take place in Term 2 from 2023. This involves testing every three years of a sample of students in Years 6 and 10. ICT literacy will be renamed and re-designed as Digital Literacy. In addition, the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) will offer separate opt-in assessments in these same domains and year levels in Term 2 each year for any school or system to access. Science will be available from 2024, followed by Civics and Citizenship in 2025, and Digital Literacy in 2026.

NAIDOC Week

This year’s NAIDOC week theme was “Get up! Stand up! Show up!”

Although NAIDOC week falls over the school holidays we have loved hearing from all our staff and students who participated in events to celebrate with our First Nations communities.

At MSPS we recognise that schools have an important role to play in helping to educate and empower our students to become active citizens and help bring about positive change across our society.

Our Country and Culture Day, later this term, will echo this message and remind us all of our ongoing responsibility to Get up! Stand up! Show up!

Whether it’s seeking proper environmental, cultural and heritage protections, Constitutional change, a comprehensive process of truth-telling, working towards treaties, or calling out racism—we must do it together.

BEYOND THE BEANSTALK Concert information

This year’s long awaited Junior Concert will be held at Eltham High School on:

Tues. 2nd Aug: Night 1-surnames A-K
Wed. 3rd Aug.: Night 2-surnames L-Z

ARRIVAL TIME for performing students and choir:

Students come in costume at 6pm for a 6.30pm start. Lead Performers follow the information forwarded to you on your individual costume note.

FINAL REHEARSAL DATES:

Wed 20th July - Dress Rehearsal at school
Mon 25th July - Dress Rehearsal at school
Mon 1st Aug - Costume comes home ready for performance.
Tues 2nd Aug - Surnames A-K - Performance Day rehearsal at Eltham High School**
Wed 3rd Aug - Surnames L-Z - Performance Day rehearsal at Eltham High School**
**Buses for Eltham High Rehearsal will arrive 9am and return at 2pm. Please pack a lunch on this day. No lunch orders.

TICKET ALLOCATION: Tickets will cost $20. Entry is by general admission.

A link for ticket purchase will be provided in a Compass newsfeed soon. Each family will be allocated 2 tickets for the performance your surname falls on. Your child performing in the production WILL NOT require a ticket. Lead performers can purchase 2 tickets on either night.

Tickets will be allocated in two rounds with the first enabling families to be given the opportunity to purchase their 2 tickets. Once this occurs, any remaining tickets will be offered in a 2nd round (1 week before concert), for an additional ticket.

FILM RECORDING OF THE PERFORMANCE: You are able to purchase a streaming version of your Concert, available for streaming on School Memories Captured website forever. They professionally film and edit your child’s concert performance. The pre-paid price is $25. This price we will only hold for 3 weeks after the concert. After that, the price increases to $40 as duplication has taken place and a one off run is required. Previous parents have been very happy with the quality of the production, a wonderful gift for family members! Details are included on this flyer.

Many thanks to those who have brought in costume items already. Here’s where the excitement really begins!

Your Performing Arts team, Jude, Andy and Em.

Food Drive for Emergency Pantry at Greenhills Neighbourhood House – Please donate

With so many families across Victoria struggling with the rising cost of living, Food Bank Victoria is currently feeding the equivalent of a Grand Final crowd every 2 days. The Emergency Pantry at Greenhills Neighbourhood House is run by volunteers assisting our local community by providing food relief hampers to those in need.

Evie, Lacie and Austin Hume are helping Greenhills Neighbourhood House to support families in need and they are asking for your help. At the school office is a collection box for non-perishable food items and toiletries etc. Some of the most in-demand items are canned fruit, vegetables, soups and meals, breakfast cereal, pasta, noodles, rice, long life milk and juice, coffee, tea, spreads, muesli bars, dried fruit and nuts, sauces, seasoning, cooking supplies like flour, oil and sugar, shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, dental floss, toothpaste and toothbrushes, tissues and toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, household cleaning items, nappies, wipes and baby toiletries.

Please help by providing these items over the next two weeks – Monday 18th to Friday 29th July.

Lego Club – reminder

Just a reminder that we are seeking resources for a new Lego Club. If you can, please donate any excess Lego so that we can commence running this program asap. We plan to run the club once a week and once we have enough Lego to commence, we will let you know more details. If anyone has any Lego robotics they are willing to donate, that would be amazing too.

Dates for the diary

19 & 21 July - Literary incursion (Yr 3-4) - Author Jane Godwin writer's workshop
26 & 28 July - Literary incursion (Yr 5-6) - Author Adrian Beck writer's workshop
Weds 27th July – (online) Data Conferences (Pupil Free day)
Thurs 29th July, 9am to 11.30am - Mini Athletics Carnival (Prep to Yr2)
2 & 3 August - School Concert (performed at Eltham High School)
Weds 3rd August - 100 days of Prep
Weds 24th August – Book Parade
Friday 16th September - Pupil-free Curriculum Day

Term 4

Monday 31st October - Pupil-free Curriculum Day (Day before Melb Cup)
Monday 19th December – Final day of school for students
Tuesday 20th December - Pupil-free Curriculum Day

Leanne Sheean

Principal

Montmorency South Primary School acknowledges traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to elders both past, present and future.

‘Montmorency South is an inclusive learning community where students are inspired to be respectful, creative, curious and independent learners.’

Our Belief:

We believe that every person in our Montmorency South school community has the capacity to assist each student in attaining our vision.

Motto - Together we learn, lead and achieve

Community Information