From the Principal's Desk

Into the swing of things...

It is really hard to believe that we have completed nearly 3 weeks of schooling so far after what felt like such a long break. I have had lots of conversations with families and along with myself agree, that the Christmas break felt like it went on forever. I certainly felt it with both of my own children who attend high school having finished earlier than we did in Term 4, getting them back to routines and school life has been interesting to say that least! However, it really does feel like a rhythm and routine is in place here at MPS with students bouncing in the gate in the morning and attending their classes with enthusiasm. This year our well-being hub has moved spaces into a smaller area due to an additional class occupying that previous space, however it still operates as normal for any students that might need some extra support before the bell. Please speak with your child's teacher if this might be the case.

Learning to Learn...

The first two weeks of school at MPS is always about learning to learn. Setting up with best practice routines, getting to know our teachers, learning where all our belongings go and where and how to line up with our class. Along with this, we focus on everyday classroom routines and our morning circle and then move into learning to learn within reading, writing, maths and wellbeing. All students were part of this program including our Preps who have done an amazing job at learning to be at school for a starter! It is always fantastic to see the journey of our little people when they begin school for the first time with so many eager and ready to learning students. Well done to all students on a successful learning to learn program.

Student Leadership

Our wonderful school captains grace the front page of our newsletter along with this cover page and I am so impressed already with the way they are taking on their new responsibilities.

Our school captains traditionally coordinate school assemblies each week and along with this role all captains take on a variety of extra jobs around our school including raising and taking down our flags each week, changing our school sign including working out what to put on there (this can be a challenge believe me), distributing school lunches each Wednesday including icy poles, donuts and drinks after the main lunches are delivered, putting our bins out and collecting them each week, recycling responsibilities around the school and our sports shed to ensure students have equipment to play with at lunch and recess.

Along with all these jobs, recently all our Year 6 students participated in a learning development program for leadership called PLAY. PLAY is an acronym for Postivity, Leadership and Activated Youth and supports senior students to lead safe and fun activities for our younger students during breaks in structured sessions. Year 6 sudents, regardless of captaincy, will be given opportunities to lead PLAY activities for younger year levels across the year to engage them all in leadership opportunties at our school. 

Staffing Profile 2025

Please find a list of staff in various roles for the school year. Not all staff work in a fulltime capacity and some education support staff (ES) work in different buildings and classes on different days. 

As a staff with quite a few new additions, we are working on getting to know one another and our students as much as possible in order to continue to support our students as best as possible. 

Administration-

Jess Peters- Business Manager

Melinda Counihan- Administration (front office)

Leadership-

Mel Maccora- Principal

Erin Gleeson- Assistant Principal (Wellbeing)

Dale Evans- Learning Specialist/Mentor

Team Leaders-

Prep- Ryan Fischer

1/2- Maddi Rhodes

3/4- Kylie Craig

5/6- Dale Evans

Teachers & ES-

Prep- Ashlee Merchant and Ryan Fischer

ES- Sue Buckle, Ally Smith, Jess Ljubic

Year 1/2- Bree Anderson, Maddi Rhodes, Emma Rodgers 

ES- Jess Ljubic, Leila Owens, Etta Moretti

Year 3/4- Dan Tabuakoto, Kylie Craig, Mattea Coppe

ES- Indy Parish, Sue Buckle

Year 5/6- Will Jacobs, Mik Vawdrey, Dale Evans

ES- Chris kelly, Jaz Joseph

Specialists-

Peter Aquilina- Sport and SSA Coordination

Jared Smith- Performing and Visual Arts

Lisa Edwards- Science and STEM

Brie White- Learning Tutor

Brodie Saunal- French

Attendance

Every Day Counts — is your child at school today?

Being at school every day counts. If your child is absent one day per week, this quickly adds up to two months of missed school in a year.

Every day counts is an initiative aiming to improve attendance at school. The initiative promotes four key messages:

1.  All children should be enrolled at school and attend on every school day.

2.  Schools should monitor, communicate and implement strategies to improve regular school attendance.

3.  Truanting can place a student in unsafe situations and impact on their future employability and life choices.

4.  Attendance at school is the responsibility of everyone in the community.

Student Voluntary Contributions

Thank you very much to those families that have already contributed to the voluntary payments so far. As a Victorian Government school, payments are completely voluntary however they do make a huge difference to the school in terms of supporting programs we implement, supplies and resources for the students as well as equipment items we need as well. We appreciate all the families supporting us with this that are in a position to do so and are happy if you would like to pay via compass or would prefer to come in and pay via EFT as well. These payments can be made at any time during the school year.

Family Community Evening- Meet the teacher

Thank you to all the families that joined us this week for our family community evening and informal meet the teacher session. We had a magnificent turn out and it was again such an amazing feeling seeing and being part of our tight night school community. I have had lovely feedback from many families who really enjoyed the time wandering around our school and meeting teachers and other staff. 

In addition thank you immensely to our Parents and Friends Committee who have supported us with this event coordinating a bake sale and sausage sizzle with funds going towards an important school improvement list which council will prioritise this year.

Thank you to the following businesses for their support of our evening with kind donations to our school via our PnF group. We greatly appreciate their support and would like to acknowledge this-

Mount Moriac Beef- donated all the delicious sausages for our sausage sizzle

Kinsfolk Farm- donations of onions and bake sale table set up

Winchelsea Community Bendigo Bank- for the trailer and cooking of our sausage sizzle

Lou Ellis- Coola Wine- box of wine donation for the raffle

Moriac Firewood- load of wood donation for the raffle

Mt Moriac Hotel- Food voucher for the raffle

However to the many members of our PnF group led by Portia and Julia, as well as those families that continue to jump in and support during these events, it is noted and GREATLY appreciated! Including the many families that went above and beyond baking and delivery goods, to the extra late addition of a lolly jar (thank you to the Rennick/Sier family), the donations of zooper doopers and drinks (Siedel family), organisation of the sausage sizzle inlcuding extra sausages just in case (Sarah Cunningham). Everyone that chipped in at the bake sale that was a big hit with everyone, thank you. 

Overall, Jess tells me we raised $1853.85 last night which is a massive effort and just amazing! School council meets next week and we will discuss what to put this towards! Thank you one and all!

Geelong Cats visit

We were fortunate enough to have some Geelong Cats players come and visit us last week and run a mini clinic with some Year 5/6 students as well as our Preps. Despite the high heat that day, our students really enjoyed meeting the players, asking lots of questions and participating in some photo opportunities.

Acknowledgement of Country...

It is always lovely to go and visit classrooms and take a peak at what is being done and recently I visited 3/4 B and was so impressed with students working on their own versions of an Acknowledgement of Country. Many students shared their work with me and I have included Nicolas, Isla and Troy below as some excellent examples to share. Well done to these 3 students on their efforts and thank you for sharing!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone,

Mel