Principal's Message

Hello and Thank You

Thank you for your support this week as I have stepped in for Kim while she is on Long Service Leave. I have enjoyed being back full time and I am looking forward to the rest of the term as Acting Principal. It has been great to welcome Assistant Principal Amanda Nelson back from family leave, and I know many of you managed to catch up with her during our open morning. 

Amanda and I spent Thursday at the Inner East Principals' Forum, meeting with Principals and Assistant Principals from across the network, where we shared practice from our Mathematics classrooms, and delved into policy and strategy around safety, welfare, and planning & provision.   

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend! - Erin Davies (Bennetts).

Erin Davies (Bennetts) and Amanda Nelson, Assistant Principals.  

Open Morning

Throughout the year, we plan for lots of opportunities for parents, carers, and families to be a part of classroom life and build home-school connections. On Friday of Week 7, classrooms were open for parents, carers and families to visit and experience an English literacy lesson. As Amanda and I visited classrooms across the school, it was heartwarming to see and chat to so many community members. Thank you all for visiting, and to the teachers, ES, and students for opening up their rooms and welcoming us all in. What a community!

Digital Technologies Review

Our Digital Technologies review is progressing well and has proven a timely exercise, with the Department of Education releasing new guidance this week as well as new policy requirements. Teachers are reviewing iPad expectations in their Planning Days next week, and are exploring the new Digital Technologies curriculum that has been released through the Victorian Curriculum 2.0.

We are excited to invite you all to our Digital Technologies community forum on October 24, from 7:00pm. More information will follow, but please mark the date on your calendar!  The following week we will host our BYOD information night for families over Zoom. 

Tournament of Minds

On Sunday, our Tournament of Mind Arts Team will be participating in the State Final at La Trobe University. Accompanied by Kathy Wang, Ros Walker, and parents and guardians, students will participate in a packed day of activities, including a spontaneous challenge. A huge thanks goes out to the parents and to our staff for making these enrichment activities possible! We can't wait to hear how the event goes. Chookas, team!

P&F Thank You

Thank you to Leonie Semmens for her continued work around our Parents & Friends, and to all of the amazing volunteers who helped to facilitate the Great Book Swap this week. It was a fabulous event and we are so grateful for the support. 

This week I met with Leonie, Karen, Sarah, and Neil to prepare for the end of term and organise Term 4 events. Don't forget the Movie Night is on in the final week of term. There are only a few seats left, so don't miss out!

Marrung Update

Not used to seeing the word “Marrung”? Well, let me explain! MARRUNG (pron: MA-roong) is a Wemba Wemba word for the Murray Cypress pine tree, representing branches of education and knowledge. The Department of Education’s ‘Aboriginal Education Plan 2016-2026’ is named ‘Marrung’. To align with this plan, schools within the Inner East region of Victoria have an allocated staff member representing the school as the ‘Marrung Lead’. At MPRPS that’s Brooke Henwood. Brooke's role involves supporting First Nations students enrolled at the school, as well as empowering staff through professional learning, to more authentically, appropriately and respectfully acknowledge and celebrate First Nations peoples, cultures and histories in our classrooms. 

Over the last few weeks Brooke has been spending time collecting ideas from staff and students as we begin developing our Reconciliation Action Plan. Here is what Aira (5/6FL) and Jana (3/4K) had to say: “reconciliation should be about connecting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, so we can learn about how to better respect and honour shared land”. If you’re interested in being involved in developing a shared vision for reconciliation, we will be hosting a casual get together for parents and carers to have a yarn on Monday 16th September at 3pm.  

MPRPS Street Library

Our Street Library has been restocked with new books for you all to enjoy. Please come and have a look and treat yourself to a new book or two.