From the Principal
The beginning of the school year is always a special time, filled with opportunities for families to connect and become actively involved in school life. Whether it’s seeing the pride on your child’s face as they introduce you to their teacher and classroom at our Open Afternoon, cheering on students as they give their all for their House at Sports Day, or enjoying relaxed conversations at our Annual School Picnic, these moments help bring our community together. We are fortunate to have so many opportunities in such a welcoming setting to nurture a strong sense of connection and belonging.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
School Council plays a key role in shaping the direction of Murrumbeena Primary School, bringing together parents, teachers and the principal to make decisions on curriculum, finance, facilities, community initiatives and more. Supported by six sub-committees, council members help maintain our grounds, oversee programs, plan events, manage finances, and contribute to policy development all working together to ensure the best outcomes for our students. If you’re a parent or guardian, we encourage you to consider nominating for school council. A message has been sent yesterday on Compass for nominations. Your skills, ideas and enthusiasm are always welcome!
SCHOOL PHOTOS- Friday 20 February
We have booked Advanced Life Photography to take our annual school photos. Classes take turns moving to the photography area for both class and individual photos. Our school leadership captains will have photos taken on this day. Details have been sent home with information regarding purchase of these photos. The official school uniform includes the ‘Gold’ polo shirt.
ANNUAL SCHOOL WORKING BEE - Saturday 28 February | 9:00am – 1:00pm
The end of term will be here before we know it, and while the weather is still pleasant, we are excited to hold our annual working bee. We invite everyone: parents and students from Prep to Year 6 to join us, even if you can only spare an hour, to help weed garden beds and rake and remove leaves. It’s a wonderful way to keep our school grounds beautiful and welcoming, enjoy some fresh air, and connect with other families in our community. You know the old saying… ‘many hands make light work’ and your help will make a big difference.
KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE ONLINE – PARENT SESSION - Tuesday 3 March | 6:00 – 7:30pm)
Devices and the internet are part of everyday life, but they also bring new risks for children. As an eSmart school, we teach students to use technology safely, and now it’s your turn!
ThinkUKnow, a leading national program, will guide parents through the latest online risks, trends, and behaviours, and share practical strategies to help keep your child safe online — both at school and at home. With technology changing fast, this is a session every parent and carer will benefit from. Save the date so you don’t miss it or better still book your place now. Book here: https://www.trybooking.com/DJTOZ
HOMEWORK
This year, you may have noticed some updates to the Year Level Parent Handbook, including changes to our homework approach. We now have a single document that clearly explains the purpose of homework: to practise skills and develop regular work habits. It outlines what and when homework is set for each year level and summarises expectations for students, teachers, and parents. As an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program school, we explicitly teach students self-management skills, helping them establish routines and take responsibility for completing homework. In response to parent feedback, we hope this guide provides clarity, especially on those days when your child says, “We don’t have any homework!”
ANNUAL PERMISSIONS – ACTION REQUIRED ON COMPASS
Each year, we ask parents and carers to review and complete our Annual Permissions via Compass. These include:
- Local Excursions – This consent allows students to participate in learning activities within the local community. Families are still notified when excursions occur, however providing annual consent removes the need to collect individual permission each time. (Hard copy sent home)
- Photography, Filming and Recording Students – This indicates whether your child’s image may be used within the school and/or externally. Even when consent is provided for public use, families are informed about the purpose of any photo or video. For example, earlier this year the Herald Sun photographed our new Prep students for a positive back-to-school story, and we have an upcoming photographer capturing images for school publications such as brochures and handbooks.
- ICT Student Acceptable Use Agreement – While this does not require consent, it does require parents and students to read and acknowledge the expectations regarding safe and responsible use of devices and the internet.
If you have not yet completed these permissions, please return the local excursion form and please log in to Compass and finalise them at your earliest convenience.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN THE SCHOOL
When schools and the parents and carers engage in a child’s schooling, it encourages and supports them to enjoy their education. Positive relationships and attitudes towards education give children confidence that the system is supporting them to achieve their best.
Parents and carers are also invited to participate in many of the activities across a school year.
Volunteering
Our school has a range of volunteer programs where you can get involved with school activities.
This could include helping with:
- The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen and Garden program (see notes below)
- the school canteen (see notes below)
- school excursions and events
- school council (see notes below)
- carnival committees
- class representatives (see notes below)
- second hand uniform shop (see notes below)
You may need to apply for a working with children check (opens in a new window) if you don’t already have one. You will need to come to the office and complete school induction paperwork.
Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program
Our Year 3 and 4 students have enjoyed participating in the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program for many years, and its continued success depends greatly on the support of our parent volunteers. To ensure each session runs smoothly and safely, we aim to have a parent overseeing each small student group — meaning at least three parent helpers are needed every session. Your involvement makes a meaningful difference to this rich and engaging learning experience. You can volunteer here. https://signup.com/go/eHTWozo
School Canteen
Our canteen operates from Tuesday to Friday and as the week progresses there are more lunch orders made. Sue (our canteen manager) would be grateful for assistance, especially on a Friday.
If you have any time to spare during the day, please check the volunteer sign up sheet. One hour of volunteering in the canteen is appreciated.
School Council
School councils are groups that make decisions that set the direction of the school. School Council members join a sub committee to review, discuss and make decisions regarding the following:
- Facilities -maintenance and improvements of grounds and facilities
- Education – review of school policies and practices
- Social and Fundraising – providing opportunities for school community members to connect and have fun
- Canteen and Uniform – review canteen menus, pricing and uniforms
- Finance- reviewing revenue and expenditure- (spending this year’s parents payments on this years students) how our annual parent payments meet the needs of our students
We are now calling for nominations to join our School Council. A compass post has been sent to provide further information about the nomination process and its timelines.
Class Parent Representatives in detail
Class Representatives are valuable to the whole school community. They build relationships with community members and organisations for the benefit of students.
Class Reps may:
- create links between parents and teachers
- organise welcome events for new students and parents
- help with events like the second-hand uniform stalls, or Father’s and Mother’s Day celebrations
- promote and support fundraising
- promote cultural and social diversity.
Pre-Loved Uniform Sales
We are fortunate to have a small group of dedicated parents who coordinate and prepare our pre-loved uniforms for sale. They would greatly appreciate additional volunteers to help manage the stall on sale days. If you’re able to lend a hand, please keep an eye out for volunteer call-outs on Compass.
Chellee Plumb