Thursday 11 November

Dear Families,

Student free day

On Monday 6 November our students are not required at school as our staff are having our last professional practice day. This is the day before the Melbourne Cup day public holiday.

Theircare will be available if you require assistance with supervision, please contact them for a booking if required.

MCPS School Fang Run – was brilliant.

We ran like zombies were chasing us and raised money for our school at the same time. It was such a great afternoon on Tuesday and we had plenty of kids, big and small running around having a great time. Thanks to our community relations subcommittee for organising this and harnessing support. The school looked fantastic to really embrace Halloween. Students were buzzing with excitement which was lovely to see. Thanks Tash and Mel and the many parent helpers that decorated the school. A big thanks to Menzies CFA crew who made it even more special. Check at the photos taken by Laura to capture the event.

Congratulations

Last week Coen 56D and Isabel 56S represent MCPS at the Emerald Rotary club’s annual primary school public speaking speech competition. It was a great night and Coen and Isabel have much to be proud of.

Save the date

On Friday 8 December we will celebrating 2023 with some Christmas Carols, professional Santa photos and fun activities for everyone as we close the school year for 2024. Past students, staff and families all invited so spread the word and save the date.

Extra curricula events

We have had the chance to provide our students with some activities that enrich their learning and I want to thank the staff and the families for supporting these events.

On Monday our Junior school celebrated their learning by having grandparents/special people come to school and join in the fun.
Last Friday our Junior students participated in Fire Safety lessons which were provided by Jenny Stevenson and the Menzies Creek CFA. This included a look at a fire truck too and even a chance to listen to the siren.
Tomorrow we have some Year 5 students representing us in indoor soccer – good luck!

Transition to 2024

This term we will be conducting a number of transition sessions to support all our students prepare for 2024.

Our new Foundation students will come to school this term on the following days:

Friday 1st December (9:15am – 1:15pm)
Tuesday 12th December (9:30am – 3:00pm)

Our students who will be moving year levels will also have a chance to taste what next year can be expected to bring as we start the process of our internal transition sessions and 2024 class creation. Always a fun time! Today we had the cohorts for 2024 together before swimming to look how the students mix with one another.

Placement of staff and students into classes for 2024

Over the last month our school has been confirming our 2023 school structure and staffing. Following that exercise, our staff will begin the task of allocating students to classes for 2024. As per the norm, our staffing allocations and final class structures will then be announced in late December.

As with our teaching teams, class groups are developed after careful consideration, balancing a range of issues and needs. These include factors such as academic ability, behavioural challenges, friendships, and previous teachers.

A valuable part of the process is stakeholder feedback:

In the coming weeks students will be given the opportunity to list friends they would like to be with for the following year. They will be placed with at least one friend on that list.
Parent perspective can also add information to support this process. If you have any valuable information, regarding the class placement for your child for 2024, that is above and beyond what we already know please write to me outlining any relevant educational considerations for next year. I ask that written requests are based on educational grounds and reach me by Friday 4th November. Any request received will be carefully considered, but not guaranteed and specific teacher requests won’t be considered.

I encourage families to trust our school’s judgement and, like I do, value our teachers as high-calibre people that care first and foremost for your children. Ultimately, it is our current class teachers, as professionals with all available information, that are in the best position to place students in classes. Further, I am sure that you would understand that it is not always possible to accommodate all requests and that an important part of any student’s journey through their schooling is the development of vital life skills. This includes meeting, getting to know, and working with different personalities.

Emergency Management

Please access the fire rating for LGA’s- https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/warnings-restrictions/total-fire-bans-fire-danger-ratings/central-fire-district

Schools and children’s services such as Menzies Creek Primary School are listed on the DET Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR). We are classified as category 3 school on the BARR (Bushfire At-Risk Register) and will only be closed on days where the fire danger rating is Catastrophic in the central fire district. Closure of our school due to a forecast Catastrophic day will be confirmed on the day prior and we will provide you with advice before the end of the school day. Any information regarding potential or confirmed Catastrophic fire danger days will be communicated to you by a news feed notification via Compass and a SMS text message.

Once confirmed, the decision to close will not change, regardless of improvements in the weather forecast. This is to avoid confusion and help you plan alternative care arrangements for your child.

It is also important to note that:

No staff will be on site on days where the school is closed due to a forecast Catastrophic day.
Out-of-school-hours Theircare will also be cancelled on these days.

What can you do?

Make sure your family’s bushfire survival plan is up-to-date and includes alternative care arrangements in the event that our school is closed.
Ensure we have your current contact details, especially if we need to send a SMS via Compass. We require the most up to date records to ensure we can contact you. If you have changed address, got a new phone number or changed employment could you please let us know.

With fire season fast approaching it is a good time to remind our families to ensure that all your details are up to date at the school.

Assembly

We will have assemblies on the following Fridays at 2:45 this term:

November 17
December 15

Take care,

Dale

Colour fun run