Moonee Ponds West Primary School

Principal's Report 

Dear families and friends of MPW

Thank you to our parent volunteers for running our Father’s Day stall last Thursday. I hope those dads, granddads or special people that were able to come into our open morning on Friday enjoyed the opportunity to spend some time with their child(ren) at school. Congratulations to Sascha in year 3 who was the lucky recipient of our Father’s Day hamper at assembly yesterday.

Last week, we held our 2024 MVIMP Music Soiree on Wednesday night.  The soiree is our school based concert and provided a chance for our students to perform in their instrumental music groups and for the band to perform together.  As always, the students’ performances were outstanding and provided the experience performing to an audience and showcase their learning and talents. I would like to congratulate the students for their commitment and effort to this aspect of their learning.  I would like to thank Sandra and the music tutors for their work leading into the concert  and on the night.  Our final celebration is the MVIMP Combined School Concert on Thursday 21st November at the Clock Tower, this provides students from all four MVIMP schools to come together to perform.

Thank you and Farewell Brian

Many of you will be aware that our maintenance man, Brian, has been absent the past 18 months on personal leave and has recently made the decision to retire.

Brian has been at the school since 2011 and is well known by many of our students and parents.  I would like to thank Brian for his work maintaining and repairing aspects of the school grounds and facilities, and his support and engagement with our students and community. Brian will be missed, and we wish him all the best for his future endeavours into retirement.

We have invited Brian to school on Monday 9th to attend our whole school assembly at 9am, so that we can acknowledge and farewell him in person.  If you would like to say goodbye to Brian, you are welcome to attend out assembly next week.

Show Day is approaching!

As we draw to the end of Term 3, we are preparing for our annual MPW Show Day.  This year Show Day will be held on Friday 13th September between 12.15pm-2pm. Parents are welcome to attend and participate in Show Day, the Athol St gates near the soccer pitch will be opened from 12.10pm.

Show Day is a student led community event, that provides classes the opportunity to create and run a stall for other students and the community to engage in.  Classes are busy working out their 2024 activities and stalls in preparation for Show Day. Typical activities include a whack a mole table, hair spray and nail polish, hit the target (teacher) games and a haunted house.

We hope you can make it down on Friday 13th September at 12.15pm to enjoy Show Day with us. 

SunSmart Reminders - Hats

It is the time of the year again (from September to May) where students are required to wear SunSmart (broadbrimmed) hats when outside for play, PE or class activities. Students without hats will be asked to play or sit in shaded areas. Caps and visors are not suitable alternatives for SunSmart protection.  The school supplies students with Sunscreen on hot and high UV days, however children can bring their own should they require a specific type. 

School Saving Bonus 

In Term 4, 2024, families with a child enrolled in a government school from Foundation to Year 12 in 2025 will receive the one-off $400 School Saving Bonus. The $400 School Saving Bonus provides families with support for education-related costs, such as school activities and/or school uniforms and textbooks. 

The School Saving Bonus is available for parents and carers of each Victorian government school student from Foundation to Year 12 in 2025, except for full-fee international students, home-schooled students, and TAFE students.   

Actions for parents and carers before 18 October 2024, the Department of Education is asking parents and carers to: 

• Complete enrolment: If your child, or children are changing government schools for Term 1 2025, or starting in Foundation or Year 7 in 2025. For more information, read about Enrolling in School.   

• Check your contact information: Ensure your email address and phone number is up to date with us. You can check this information by contacting us directly. 

We need to ensure your contact information is up to date as the Department of Education will email you twice: 

• in October, to verify your email address 

• in November, with your $400 School Saving Bonus. 

Please check your junk mail regularly to make sure you do not miss an important email. 

To learn more about the School Saving Bonus for government schools, download the:

End of Term Reminders

Planning Week for teacher’s will be held in the last week of term (Monday 16th –  Thursday 19th September). During this week class will have a change to when their specialist classes operate to support team planning on their planning day. Specialists will run on the following days: Monday 16th - F/1, Tuesday 17th – Year 2, Wednesday 18th - 3/4, Thursday 19th - 5/6.

The last day of Term 3 is Friday 20th September, dismissal time for this day is at 2.30pm. As usual we will be holding our final assembly for the term at 9am in the gym on Friday morning.

Dress Code Reminders

As we move into the warmer seasons of the year, a few reminders regarding the expectations for our Dress Code Policy (which can be viewed in full on the school website):

  • It is expected that a logoed school uniform top will be worn to school and on identified offsite school events. 
    • Casual/non-school logoed jumpers and hoodies should not be worn
  • Uniform Items and clothing must comply with the school’s SunSmart policy 
    • loose, cool, tightly woven fabric 
    • shirts with a collar and/or high necklines 
    • tops with elbow length or long sleeves 
    • longer style shorts and skirts 
      • These should cover most of the student’s upper legs. If the school top is longer than the shorts, then the shorts are not long enough.
  • Students will be required to wear hats which protect their face, neck, and ears from September to the end of April, when they are outside. 
  • Hats must be broad brimmed, legionnaire or a bucket hat. Baseball caps and visors are not considered a suitable alternative.
  • Students are not permitted to wear decorative jewellery to school. Stud earrings and sleepers worn in the ears, and watches, are the only acceptable jewellery.
  •  Smart watches are permitted but must have ‘connectivity’ functions turned off during school hours, as per the school Mobile Phones policy. 
  • Cosmetics may not be worn at school. 
  • Any student with shoulder length or longer hair is recommended to be tied back to help restrict the spread of nits and lice and for student safety. Students may be asked to tie back their hair when required for certain activities.

School Planning for 2025

It is that time of the year where we are beginning to plan for the 2025 school year, offers to our future foundation families have been distributed and acceptances are coming in, many very excited to be joining the MPW school community.

We do ask that if you are planning on your child(ren) not being at Moonee Ponds West in 2025 that you please complete the form below and return to the office or email to: moonee.ponds.west.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Enrolment intentions 2025.pdf

Regards,

Jarrod Sutton

Principal