Thursday 18th July

Welcome to Term 3. I hope all our community had the chance to spend some quality time together with family and friends. We have enjoyed seeing the staff and students reconnect with each other as they have started another term of learning with many things to look forward to this term.

We have lots to look forward to this term and I would like to acknowledge the staff for their preparation for these events. We have many incursions, excursions, camps and production taking place.

Please ensure you are checking Compass for planning ahead for consents and/or payments prior to the day to avoid any disappointment.

Some of what we are looking forward to:

NED is coming to our school next Friday 26th July at 9:30am (for students)
Trivia Night next Friday 26th July at 7:00pm (for the adults)
MCPS Mini Olympics on Friday 2nd August (for students)
Whole school excursion to Healesville Sanctuary on Thursday 15th August (for students)
Our Parents’ Battle of the Bands at Sooki in Belgrave on Thursday 22nd August (for the adults)
Whole School Production on Thursday 12th September
AFL Roadshow on Friday 13th September
Year 3/4 Camp to Gundiwindi Lodge from Monday 16 – Wednesday 18 September

Student Conferences – next Thursday 25 July 12pm – 5pm

This is a pupil free day. Students are only at school to attend the conferences. We will be having our three-way conferences to discuss the semester 1 progress, celebrate achievements and reset for this semester. Families can make bookings via compass.

Conferences will go for 12 minutes. If you find you need to make another time you are welcome to arrange this with your child's teacher, as is normal practice.

Please ensure you have read your child’s report prior to the conferences, as well as the learning tasks as these form the basis of the conferences. If you are unsure how to access this please let your child’s teacher know.Please contact the office if you are having trouble making a booking – but by the looks of it almost everyone has managed to do this which is great.

Foundation 2025 Enrolment and Term 3 School Tours

Schools across the state are utilising the enrolment process for Foundation in 2025. New and existing families are invited to tour the school by making an appointment. Book a Tour or Enrol Here

A reminder to any families with Prep students starting in 2025 that Enrolments are due by Monday 29 July. Please use the link above to enrol now. Please also contact us if you have any queries. It would be great if you could pass this information on to any families you know of who may wish to enrol their Foundation child for next year. Families will be advised regarding confirmation of the placement at MCPS.

School Attendance

We have been identified in the Dandenong Ranges Network of schools as a High 5 priority school. This is because we have high rates of absence that are unexplained and many students with higher than average school absence. Working together with our families to continue fostering positive school attendance and school engagement will be a focus for us as we look at our current whole school approach and the processes and practices that monitor student attendance. Whilst we understand and appreciate when families are keeping students at home when they are unwell so to avoid spreading any illness; we need to ensure these absences are accounted for. Thanks to those families who are entering this information into Compass. If you need any help with Compass please contact the office or communicate with your child’s teacher.

Thank you

Over the holidays we had some staff and families continue to support our school in various ways. We would like to acknowledge the Butcher family for hosting our chickens again

Over the break we have had some works done:

Replaced the retaining wall in the greenspace area (thanks to Scott Wicking for this)
Had new dishwashers installed in the staffroom kitchen and hall kitchen
Had the gardens and grounds tidied in preparation
Cleaned out the rubbish, recycling and FOGO bins using a pressure hose
Replace the mulch in the Junior playground (old mulch redistributed on gardens) - thanks to Ryan Moulday, Kate Keys and Stuart & Joel Bienvenu for their efforts - it looks great.
Pest control stations placed around the school
AED delivered and awaiting placement in the foyer
New nets put on the basketball rings

We have also scheduled a working bee for the 6th of September from 3.30 - 5.30pm with a BBQ provided for all helpers. It would be great to see families attend.

Washing

If anyone is able to assist us this term with any washing we would be very grateful. Each week we have aprons and tea towels from plot to pot as well as the sick bay linen. Please contact the office if you are able to assist. Thanks in advance.

Parking

We are always mindful of safety around our school at drop off and pick up times. Please ensure you are abiding by the road rules and parking appropriately.

With the roads being slippery with winter in full swing please take your time around the school, be mindful of students walking and avoid U-turns on School Rd. We don’t want any avoidable accidents. We have also contacted the Yarra Ranges Council to address the potholes that have formed again along the front of the school so hopefully this is actioned quickly.

Take care and keep warm

Dale McInerney

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