Principal's Message

Principal's Message

Welcome to the long weekend. Phew, it is going to be a hot one. I write this on the Saturday morning before the heat. I hope you all stay hydrated and have some fun doing family-things over the next few days. Remember to send your child to school in some traditional dress next Friday to celebrate Harmony Day. Lastly, Ramadan Mubarak to our families who recognise this time of year. Enjoy reading the newsletter.

Social Media and Custodianship

My commentary below is not in reference to any particular case, it refers to our general custodianship of SMPS as a collective and my broader views on social media.

We live in interesting times and life continues to throw up unexpected lessons. I was greeted at the front gate on Friday with a lot of energy from the parents and families as they walked into the school. It was lovely to receive the vibe. Whilst the children are usually the ones who provide that high-octane feeling, it was reversed somewhat on Friday. There appeared to be concern related to my wellbeing which, whilst lovely, was not necessarily required. 

When it comes to storms on social media, I am one of the most ambivalent persons you could ever meet. Simply, I don't care. I'm too busy focussed on providing support for students and staff to be bothered turning my mind to the meandering thoughts of social media users. It is just not my game. I don't respect attention-seeking behaviour so don't indulge in the rubbish side of social media. Every minute spent on an irrelevant problem on social media is a minute spent away from the children. Why would I use my time in such a way?

One comment I will make is this...our First Nations people tended to the land for tens of thousands of years. Their connection to country is one of the biggest sources of pride they have, along with traditions of lifestyle. The Indigenous people did over 60,000 years what we have not done in 250 - taken care of the environment without causing permanent damage. First Nations people realised their sense of being custodians and not permanent owners of the land. They treated it with loving care. 

At South Melbourne Primary School, our community is no different. If you have one child who stays the journey, you have a seven year custodianship of the school. Any damage you inflict in that time may indirectly damage the reputation and lives of future generations. I always say to the staff, "If you are at a barbecue, in a pub, at a family dinner - talk SMPS up!" It is their place of being - why would they talk it down? Remember, you can't just pollute your section of the pool. Ink you put in water damages the entire tank so be careful what you say or write.

I have a strong belief that the vast majority of our families understand their sense of custodianship of SMPS. They value it, they protect it, and they understand the implications of thoughtless criticism. Clearly, when something is not working, find your voice. Approach the school, request a meeting and see how you go. If you are dissatisfied after that, then maybe another setting would be more suitable for your family? That's your call. Life is full of dissatisfaction. If I don't like Kmart, I just don't shop there. I couldn't be bothered trashing it on the way out. It reflects who I am more than who Kmart is.

I love the way our families engage in our Facebook site. They are a role model for their children in how to make it fun and constructive. Every now and then, some lunatic posts something derogatory, but the vast majority of users are poster-children for how adults can function healthily online for the sake of children and their school. This is social media as it was intended. Incidentally, there is a Facebook link recognising Ramadan below. 

In the end, your child attends the school. Do you want the school your child is in to have an enhanced reputation as a result of your commentary? Or are you trying to deliberately hijack your child's school to make it a worse place for them to be? Think it through, folks. Barack Obama, in his inauguration speech said, "When you extend the hand of friendship, you cannot make a grip if what you are met with is a clenched fist." Working together for the greater good is always better than tearing down the walls. It takes a long time to build the sandcastle and one stray moment to stomp it down. It is far easier to destroy than to create. 

At SMPS, we are not perfect - we never will be. But, hand on heart, each staff member and child is trying their best with what they've got. Warts and all. 

That is my commentary on the matter of social media. I am now going back to what I am paid to do....caring for and educating your children. I appreciate you supporting me and the staff so that remains our sole focus. 

Ramadan

A number of the wonderful SMPS families will be observing Ramadan, beginning on the evening of March 9th. Ramadan is then ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.  Ramadan Mubarek to all SMPS families observing this special time! 

To learn more about Ramadan, please visit the SMPS Facebook Page and enjoy the video featuring some of our very own SMPS students!

Harmony Week

Harmony Week is a celebration to recognise the rich multiculturalism of our country. It is a day of inclusion and respect so that everyone may feel a sense of belonging. This year, we will celebrate at SMPS on Friday the 15th of March, and we invite students to wear clothing representative of their culture or the colour orange on the day. Students are asked to bring along a gold coin donation, with the proceeds going towards multicultural resources for our school. 

We will be holding a special assembly on the 15th of March to mark the celebration that will begin at approximately 2:45 pm. Families are welcome to attend. We are privileged to have a culturally diverse community at SMPS and look forward to sharing and learning more about the cultures within our school community.