Principal's News

June Keystone
"Be Positive"

Dear Families,

At the end of this week we farewell Holly Bartley (3/4 teacher) and wish her all the very best with the upcoming birth of her beautiful baby. We will miss Holly very much and look forward to her visiting with her new baby when they are ready to be up and out in the world.

We will be welcoming Vanessa Dillon to the staff of St Mark's to replace Holly while she is on parental leave and look forward to working with her and having her as part of the 3/4 team. Please stop and say hi and make Vanessa feel welcome at St Mark's if you see her around.

We had a wonderful celebration of Reconciliation Week on Friday and finished off with a beautiful assembly expertly run by our four FIRE Carrier Leaders, led by Mrs Bredin.

On Wednesday Mr Davies and the 5/6 staff hosted the Year 6 families at the Confirmation Information Night. This was an opportunity for families to work with their children to unpack some of the key concepts associated with the Sacrament and find out about some of the more practical logistics of the event. Thanks to Andrew and the 5/6 team for organising and being present at such a great eveninig.

Eye Screening for Foundation and Year 1 Students:

On Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th June one of our local optometrists will be running free eye checks for our Foundation and Year One students (for those childen who have returned the permission form). If you have not yet done so it is not too late to return the form. There are spare copies on the ledge in the office.

Group Play Therapy Holiday Program:

...running at St Mark's if there is enough interest.

Monday 1st of July - Friday 5th of July / 9:30am-10:30am

St Mark's PS Dingley - if there are 4 or more interested families.

Also being run at: Balwyn North Clinic and Malvern East clinics

$850 for the 5 x 1 hour sessions / maximum of 6 children in each group

We are offering an intensive group play therapy program for children and an intensive group play therapy program for families (parent-child pairs). Based on Integrative Play Therapy approaches, our therapists facilitate tailored and unstructured therapy groups to meet the unique needs of all families attending. Each group has a maximum of 6 children, or 6 parent-child pairs, along with three therapists.

The groups are thoughtfully designed to include children and families with a range of presenting needs and goals. This 'mix' of group members gives children and parents/carers the opportunity to experience therapeutic benefits from supported 'peer modelling' - that is, the opportunity to spend time with, and around, others who may have varying and unique strengths and difficulties. This allows children and parents to gain from time with peers and with play therapists.

PARENTING WORKSHOPS AT ST MARK'S:

We had the first of our parenting workshops on Tuesday evening with a wonderful turnout of parents interested in developing their parenting skills and finding out some tips and ideas to help create a calm and engaged family life at home with their children and spouse using the "Optimal Relationship Approach.

The next two workshops will take place on the 11th and 18th of June from 6.30 - 8.30 p.m. and support the mental health and wellbeing of our St Mark's families, through helping to develop optimal family relationships. The Optimal Relationship Approach is an evidence based approach that the staff of St Mark's have been learning about and using in our classrooms. We have had many of our staff become fully TORA (Teacher Optimal Relationship Approach) certified and found it a very useful approach to help us to create calm, well managed classrooms. It made sense for us to share this approach with you as parents, as we are well aware that the more we can work together to support our children the better the outcomes are for our children.

Please book in on 0478 389 793 to secure your spot. The series of three workshops is FREE for St Mark's family - normally this would cost $200 per family.

Best Teacher Competition:

Do you have a favourite teacher? Nominate them today!

For the second year, News Corp is running its Australia’s Best Teachers campaign, recognising inspirational and innovative educators across the country.

The campaign will launch on Sunday 28 April, calling on the community to nominate teachers who have had an incredible impact on our students and all our lives.

A panel of expert judges will then select and announce the top 50 teachers on Sunday 30 June.