Leadership @ MPS

Welcome to Term 3

Welcome back, MPS community! After an especially long Term 2 of 11 weeks, it’s great to see everyone refreshed and ready for the new term ahead. Although Term 3 is a bit shorter at 9 weeks, we expect it to be just as busy and full of exciting opportunities for our students and families. We hope everyone had a chance to relax over the break, whether at home or away, and we’re looking forward to another fantastic term together.

 

Celebrating 100 days of Foundation

Today marks a special milestone as we celebrate 100 days of our youngest students being in Foundation! While they look absolutely adorable in their "old people" costumes and creative outfits showcasing collections of 100 items, this day is also a wonderful opportunity to reflect on their incredible growth over these first 100 days of school.

 

The transformation we've witnessed has been remarkable—both physically and emotionally. Our Foundation students have blossomed into confident learners, developing new friendships, mastering classroom routines, and discovering the joy of learning. From tentative first steps through our school gates to now eagerly participating in discussions and activities, their progress fills us with pride.

 

We are so proud of each and every one of our Foundation students for their resilience, curiosity, and enthusiasm. And of course, we must recognize the most patient people in the world—their incredible teachers—who have guided them through this journey with dedication, creativity, and endless care.

 

Here's to the next 100 days of learning and growth!

 

 

Athletics Day Success!

Today our Years 3-6 students walked to Willinda Park for our annual Athletics Day, and what a fantastic day it was! We were incredibly fortunate with the weather, despite a chilly start to the morning.

 

Days like these are what we treasure most—watching children step out of their comfort zones, give new activities a go, and sometimes even surprise themselves with what they can achieve. The atmosphere was filled with camaraderie, encouragement, and the pure joy of physical activity. It was wonderful to see all the new House shirts in action and witness the incredible House spirit and togetherness on display.

 

We cannot thank Mrs Costa enough for the countless hours of preparation that went into making this day run so smoothly and seamlessly. Her dedication ensures these special events are memorable for all the right reasons.

 

Our enormous gratitude also goes to Linda Leverton (parent of Eva, Leila and Indi), who has generously donated banners and equipment to our school for use on occasions like today. Such community support makes these events truly special.

 

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to all our parent helpers who volunteered their time today. These events simply wouldn't be possible without your generous support and enthusiasm.

Congratulations to everyone—students, staff, and helpers alike—on making this such a wonderful day!

 

NAPLAN 

Depending on which media outlet you’ve been listening to lately, the recent NAPLAN results might sound either alarming or encouraging — but as always, the full picture is more nuanced. What’s worth celebrating is that Victoria achieved some of the strongest overall results in the country and we’re proud to say that Montmorency Primary delivered another standout performance.

 

While we always approach NAPLAN as just one snapshot of student learning, the results this year reflect the consistent effort, high expectations and strong teaching that happen every day in our classrooms. Across multiple areas, our students performed exceptionally well, and we’re incredibly proud of both their achievements and the dedication of our staff in supporting them.

 

NAPLAN now reports student achievement using four proficiency levels: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs Additional Support — aiming to give schools and families a clearer sense of where each student is at in their learning journey.

 

The tables below show the percentage of MPS students who achieved results in the top two proficiency levels (Exceeding and Strong) across each domain, alongside average results for schools in the Banyule/Nillumbik network and the state

 

Year 3

Domain

Monty Primary

Network 

State 

Reading

87%

78%

69%

Writing

98%

86%

79%

Spelling

89%

69%

63%

Numeracy

83%

77%

66%

Grammar & Punctuation

84%

67%

57%

Year 5

Domain

Monty Primary

Network 

State 

Reading

90%

87%

74%

Writing

84%

82%

72%

Spelling

76%

76%

68%

Numeracy

90%

81%

69%

Grammar & Punctuation

91%

79%

64%

These are incredible results, and with an average overall participation rate of 94% across both cohorts (with a few students missing due to illness and family holidays), we’re proud of the dedication shown by our students and staff. At the same time, we recognise that NAPLAN captures only a part of the whole picture of learning, and we remain committed to nurturing each child’s wellbeing alongside their academic growth.

 

Production - the term highlight!

One of the most exciting highlights this term will undoubtedly be our school production, "Monty's Got Talent Camp," taking place on August 27th and 28th.

 

Children across all year levels are working tremendously hard in their performing arts lessons, while our talented cast members are putting in extra rehearsal time to perfect their performances. Their commitment and enthusiasm continues to impress us all.

 

Please keep an eye on Compass for important production updates, which will be posted regularly (most likely weekly). We encourage all families to check these updates carefully to stay informed about rehearsal schedules, costume requirements, and performance details—this will help keep Miss Clancy's email inbox manageable and ensure everyone receives consistent information.

 

We can't wait to share this special production with our school community!

 

Book Week 2025 is Coming!

Get ready to "Book an Adventure" with us! Book Week 2025 is fast approaching, and we're excited to celebrate the joy of reading with our school community.

Key dates to remember:

  • Book Fair: Monday, August 18th
  • Annual Book Parade: Friday, August 22nd at 9:30am

We know some families are already busy crafting creative costumes for their children, while others are quietly googling "easy book character costumes that can be completed the night before!" Whether you're a planning enthusiast or a last-minute scrambler, we've got you covered with this friendly reminder!

 

Remember, Book Week costumes don't need to be elaborate or expensive. Simple, creative interpretations of favorite book characters are just as wonderful as detailed costumes. The most important thing is that children feel excited about celebrating their love of books and stories.

 

We can't wait to see all the amazing characters that will come to life during our Book Parade. 

 

Janene Worsam, Principal (Wed - Fri)janene.worsam@education.vic.gov.au

Paul Wickham, Principal (Mon, Tues) and 

Assistant Principal

paul.wickham@education.vic.gov.au
Matt Lewis, Learning Specialist (Curriculum)matthew.lewis@education.vic.gov.au
Ady Wall, Disability Inclusion & Wellbeing adrienne.wall@education.vic.gov.au
Margarita Strateas, Wellbeing & Engagement margarita.strateas@education.vic.gov.au