School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS):

Our week 8 assembly was our last “Rollout” assembly and we shared Values Recognition Slips focused on Be an Active Learner. I’d like to thank Johanne Abbott for leading this value with the assembly while I was away. We are increasingly seeing our community demonstrate our new values and look forward to a final celebration of our rollout on Thursday in week 9 in sessions 4-6 in a whole school event.

Education Support Staff:

This term we warmly welcome Vika, who will be with us for the remainder of the year. A little bit about Vika:

Vika Vasyltsova brings experience as a Teacher Assistant and Activity Leader in a language school, as well as supporting creative coaches during workshops in film-making, crafts, and visual arts. She has also taught Russian and Ukrainian to young children in her home country and assisted teachers with their everyday needs. Currently, Vika is pursuing postgraduate research on the Ukrainian natïve artist Polina Raiko.

Through researching natïve art, she has come to see each child’s mentality as a unique form of art – a living poetry of being. She believes the role of educators is to protect and nurture this spark within every child in safe and supportive conditions. Vika believes that her values and vision for primary education align closely with those of South Melbourne Park Primary School, and she is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to its mission.

Additionally, we have had three Education Support placement students with us weekly for the last two terms and we will see them finish their placement up at the end of this term. I would like to extend my gratitude to Eva Bardonis, Grace Natik and Feifei Liu for their kindness, responsibility and their ever-growing abilities to support our students to be active learners.

Counselling Placement Students:

I would also like to extend my gratitude to our Counselling Placement Student, Xanelle Chai, as she finishes up with us this term and hands over the reins to Emily Wong. Xanelle has been supporting students on an individual level, and post-handover, Emily will continue to support our school. Emily is completing the same Master’s program at Monash University and has an exemplary background already supporting students. We warmly welcome Emily to the team in her placement.

Absences/ Incursions/ Excursions:

Please note: if your child is absent or has an incursion or excursion booked, parents/carers will need to be responsible for contacting Allied Health or Kidko in order to reschedule the appointment. As these appointments occur within the scope of private companies, we are not able to logistically manage these appointments and it needs to remain the responsibility of the parent or carer to manage. I thank you for your support in this space.

Magpies

The swooping season is upon us and we need to be mindful that in our Parks Victoria land we are inundated with magpies. This is just a reminder to be alert as you arrive to school in the morning or are leaving school in the afternoon. The administration team has been in touch with Parks Victoria who are due to put more signs up to remind us all.

Smartphones and Smartwatches:

Please be aware that student smartwatches and mobile phones are not allowed at school. If your child has one of these devices at school, they are to turn it in to their teacher during the soft start of the day. The teacher will in-turn lock it in a secure lockbox in the teacher office and your child can then collect it at the end of the day. This includes for excursions, such as gala days. Thank you for encouraging your child to abide by our smartphone and smartwatch rules.

Hats

In term 4 we will be enforcing our SunSmart policy where students are to wear SMPPS hats for play times. Any Prep who is not wearing a hat will be redirected back to the Prep playground on the terrace to play. Any year 1-6 not wearing a hat will be directed to be in the Breakfast Club turf. Both areas are undercover from the sun. Students were reminded to wear their hats for next term at the assembly in week 8. Additionally, our SVR will be ensuring classrooms have hat reminders.

Wishing everyone a restful school holidays!

Sam Smrekar Thompson

Assistant Principal

Community at SMPPS

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