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Principal’s Report

At Merri-bek Primary School we have an extremely committed team of professionals who work together to make our school one of the great schools within the area. The achievements of our students are regularly acknowledged within the local area, both academically and socially. We truly have a wonderful and supportive ‘learning community’.

As with all organisations, regardless of the industry or sector, the true measurement of a ‘successful’ organisation is the ability of the organisation to remain focused on the most important aspect- our students!

At Merri-bek Primary School we have a strong Leadership Team, amazing teachers and a highly engaged learning community. On a professional level, our leadership structure is complemented by a well-developed ‘succession plan’. The smooth start to 2023, along with the high level of academic rigour occurring in each classroom is evidence of the philosophy of our school; ‘The students are at the centre of everything we do.’

School Leaders:

It was a very special moment to see our school Leaders presented with their badges at last Friday’s assembly. Their leadership appointment and badges, signify the importance of their roles within the school and community. We look forward to seeing our School Captains, Vice Captains and all Leaders perform their roles throughout the year and lead by example as role models for students across the school. Congratulations to you all!

‘Meet and Greet:’

The ‘Meet and Greet’ night was an excellent way for our school community to get together at the start of the year. The teachers were really excited about meeting with the parents and getting to know the children better, in their class for 2023. This initial meeting at the beginning of the new school year is so important to ensure the connection between home and school are linked. By effectively communicating information between the teacher, student and parent demonstrates to your children that their education is important. The evidence is overwhelming regarding the success children have at school if parents are involved with their children’s education. Our recent Parent Helpers session is another way parents can get involved in their child’s education, through assisting in the classroom.

International Women’s Day

Wednesday 8 March is celebrated around the world as International Women’s Day. The day encourages us to stop and reflect on the challenges women have faced over the years to earn equal rights to men. This has included being granted the right to vote (1902 in Australia) or to continue working after getting married in the 1970s if they had children.

I can remember my great grandmother telling me she had to resign her teaching post once she married my great grandfather. Fortunately, she was able to go back to teaching after she had raised her children and I am grateful for that as she had such passion for her job. It was important for her to make a difference to the children she taught.

There are lots of incredible women who have fought hard over the years for the rights of many over the years. Did you know . . .

Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and the first woman to win a second Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911. This is despite being denied the same educational opportunities as males with regards to attending university. Her achievements are even more remarkable when you realise that only 23 Nobel Prizes in Science out of 622 prizes awarded have gone to women. Without Marie Curie, there would be no x-rays! Her efforts during the war is estimated to have saved more than a million soldiers.

Rosa Parks is considered the ‘mother of the civil rights movement’ who invigorated the struggle for racial equality when she refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man in Montgomery Alabama. Her arrest in 1955 launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott by 17 000 black citizens which sparked the American civil rights movement.

Malala Yousafzai initially became famous for her childhood activism against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan's (TTP's) restrictions on education for girls. She appeared on television and wrote a blog for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Her fame soared after a gunman shot her in the head in 2012, when she was 15 years old, and she survived. She still continues to fight for the right for girls to receive an education. To date, she has received over 40 awards and honours for her bravery and activism including the Nobel Peace Prize when she was just 17!

Curie, Parks and Yousafzai are just three of the incredible women who have helped pave the way for many of us. Let’s all work together to help keep advancing women’s rights as equals in the world. When we have equality, we are ALL richer for it, regardless of our gender. And, who knows what the incredible girls at our school will achieve in their lifetime!

NAPLAN Commences March 15th:

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students are held in March each year. In 2023, the NAPLAN test window is between Wednesday 15 March and Monday 27 March. NAPLAN tests assess student knowledge and skills in writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy. The results of the tests provide information for students, parents, teachers and principals and can be used to improve student achievement.

NAPLAN tests are delivered in an online format. This delivers many benefits including:

a ‘tailored test’ design that adapts to correct and incorrect student responses providing a more precise understanding of student achievement;
innovative use of technology, including a more engaging test design and a wider range of item types;
an extended and more flexible test window, allowing schools greater opportunity to schedule the tests at times that suit them best and increasing student participation.

A public demonstration site is available for schools, teachers, parents, carers and students to familiarise themselves with the online tests.

Further parent informationhere:https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/assessment/f-10assessment/naplan/Pages/parents/index.aspx

Maria Giordano

Principal

Assistant Principal’s Report

Mental Health and Wellbeing – Michelle Carland

National Be Kind Day

Last week we acknowledged and promoted the important message of being kind. In our classrooms, students discussed and demonstrated a variety of ways that we can be kind to others. On National Be Kind Day, our students reflected then wrote an example of how they had shown kindness throughout the week on a sticky note. Each student’s sticky note was used to create our ‘Throw Kindness Like Confetti’ display. This week, we have loved watching students stop as they walk past the display and find their sticky note. Students have also enjoyed reading how others in our school have shown kindness.

International Women’s Day

Thank you to those families who joined us for our International Women’s Day celebration on Wednesday. It was an empowering afternoon where students were prompted to choose an influential figure in their lives who inspires them and illustrate a portrait. We also had Claire Marshall, a human rights lawyer and gender equality expert, as our inspirational guest speaker. Thank you, Claire!

School Concert

We are excited to announce the theme and date for the upcoming school concert of 2023!

After launching the new school library this year, we have thought that a literacy theme would be fitting. The school concert will be called ‘Stuck in the Library’, following a narrative of characters being stuck in the library overnight, getting lost in different books and celebrating their love for literacy.

The school concert will be on Thursday the 31st of August at Moonee Valley Racing Club.

More details are to follow in the coming term!

A Message From School Council

Join School Council - help make our school the best it can be

We’re looking for parents to join the School Council. The School Council annual election period is just about to start and there are at least three parent vacancies to fill.

If you are interested, please fill in a nomination form, which will be available at the school office.

What does the role involve?

School Council is responsible for establishing the broad direction and vision of the school and helps to maintain the efficient governance of the school. You would attend 2-3 Council meetings per term and become a member of a Council sub-committee such as Finance, Parents and Carers, Education, Building, Grounds & Environment. You’ll read papers prior to the meeting and come along prepared to contribute to discussion and decision-making in the best interests students.

Being a Council member gives you unique insight into the way our school operates and an opportunity to contribute to the long-term development of the school. You would start as a Councillor at our March meeting and serve on Council until in Term 4 and serve on Coun March 2025.

What kind of person are you looking for?

Generally we are looking for someone who is a good team player and able to take a big picture view of the school. Being able to engage with strategic and governance issues is an important part of the role. Specific skills which are useful to us include:

• Communications and/or marketing skills

• Financial skills (including familiarity setting budgets and reading financial statements)

• Governance and policy skills

Most of all, we need people who have the time, interest and energy to commit to being on School Council.

If you are interested in contributing to the development of the school, we would love to hear from you.

I'm interested, but I can't commit right now.

Please consider nominating for a Council position at the next Council elections held early in the 2024 school year. There are also plenty of other opportunities to get involved in the life of the school, including joining a Council sub-committee, volunteering in classrooms, or helping run any of the numerous fundraising or social events throughout the year. Newcomers are very welcome!

What if I have questions?

Please contact Lee Cath, School Council President via email moreland.ps@education.vic.gov.au (mark email attention: Lee Cath). Alternatively, Lee will be outside the Blair Street gates after drop-off each morning next week