Leadership @ MPS

Fire Services

Works on the fire services upgrade that are required to make our new Discovery Centre compliant with Fire Rescue Victoria have now begun - you may have noticed some changes in Zone 4 this week. 

Unfortunately, the location of the pump was completely out of our hands. The placement was dependent on where the relevant pipes already are under the ground, as well as  compliance with the many regulations from the FRV. Luckily, we have a very considerate Site Manager who was respectful of the amazing gardening work that has been done in the area by Claire and many parent helpers. There has been minimal disruption to the garden area and we consider ourselves very lucky! 

For anyone following at home, you will now see a 4m x 2m concrete base in the area, on which the new fire pump box will sit. We are expecting delivery of the fire pump and box itself in the next few weeks, at which point works will recommence.

Front Entrance Update

We are nearing the final planning stages of the new front entrance with a few minor tweaks to be ironed out with the architects next week. We are hoping for a grand entrance to be the final piece of our recent capital works puzzle. The unsuccessful grant outcome to have the VSBA fund, or even part-fund, the aforementioned fire services upgrade basically wipes our contingency amount for the build project. We were hoping that this could have been used to offset the school's contribution for the new entrance - alas no luck! However, we are still committed to finishing the project and we can't wait to see how it ties the whole school together once it's all complete.

Solar Possibilities 

When designing The Discovery Centre, we were unfortunately prevented from including solar panels. This was certainly a frustrating part of the planning and building process. As the project is coming to a close, we are looking at retrofitting solar panels and installing these on the roof of the new Discovery Centre. By generating electricity from sunlight, we can reduce our reliance on grid-supplied power, leading to lower electricity bills. We know that solar energy is clean and renewable, produces minimal greenhouse gas emissions and therefore will reduce our school's carbon footprint. We are currently in the process of investigating grants that may assist us get this up and running. The approximate cost for solar panels is around $100,000, with an expected saving of approximately $118,000 by the year 2030!  Watch this space!

Oval Update

We are also in the process of lobbying politicians and local sporting clubs to assist with the funding of an oval upgrade - a cost that will be close to $750,000! The grass oval, as it stands, is by no means perfect. However, playing on natural grass can foster an appreciation for the environment, encourage creativity, and teach resilience as our children navigate various terrains and conditions. As we wait patiently for funding (and realistically, it may be a while), please be grateful for what we do have. Overall, our facilities at MPS are outstanding and we must be mindful of the fact that we have just completed a multi-million dollar major capital works. Our most recent project (The Discovery Centre and admin upgrade) has been in the pipeline for approximately 6 years and the outcome has changed the way our community learns and works, for the better!   

Outdoor Speakers

We are certainly enjoying using the spaces in The Discovery Centre, particularly for whole school events. Each time we use these spaces, particularly the hall, we are becoming better versed with the mechanics and capability of some of the functions. Our events have surpassed our expectation in terms of attendance -  which we are thrilled about - and our overflow tiered seating area is being well used! We have received a quote for outdoor speakers to be installed near the tiered concrete seating area where the overflow of our assembly guests spill. We look forward to having these installed in the near future, so that visitors outside of the hall can easily hear what is going on inside.

Mother's Day/Special People Assembly

Our children shone, once again, in their presentation of yet another beautiful tribute assembly this morning. The students are learning so many vital skills of video recording and editing, reading, researching, and of course, presenting. While there may be some glitches occasionally in the making of the multimedia presentations - we are so proud of the way in which the children show growth, resilience, courage and gratitude for the learning opportunities that student lead assemblies offer. While overseen by staff, it is the students who record the videos and then edit them into imovie montage videos. Each week, they fine tune their skills and learning in these areas and we could not be more proud of what they create for the school community to enjoy. Thank you, especially, to all of the generous families who contributed to our morning tea for our mothers and special guests this morning - Happy Mother's Day on Sunday!

Sibling Enrolments 2025

We ask that parents of current students who have a sibling commencing in Foundation next year to please submit an enrolment form as soon as possible as planning for 2025 has already commenced.

Puberty/Online Safety Parent Session

For community members of our Years 3 - 6 families, please see a Compass News Feed from Friday about an upcoming information eveing. This will include information about the challenges of our young ones being part of the 'online' world, how this relates to their understanding of sexuality and relationships as well as some general puberty information. Similar sessions have been very well attended and accepted in the past.

Comedy Night

Silent Auction

We have already received some donations, that will possibly, be too good to place in a hamper! Therefore, we will run a small Silent Auction on the night, alongside the raffle. If you come across items that you think could be great for the silent auction, or know of any business that would be willing to donate something of value, please let us know or bring them to the office. Mrs Gardner is also working with the grades to complete art pieces that will be also auctioned on the night.  

Hamper/Raffle 

In addition to purchasing tickets for the event, we kindly ask for your support in donating items for hampers to be raffled off during the event. If you wish to donate, please drop off your items at the school office by Monday, June 3rd. 

Date: Friday, 14 June

Time: Happy Hour 6 - 7pm, comedy begins at 7:30pm

Venue: Petrie Park Community Hall

Tickets: $50 per ticket (tables of 10 or purchase single tickets)

Drinks at bar prices.  BYO food only.

For ticket purchases, please click here or see the flyer below.