Leadership Report
Joseph Hess - Assistant Principal &Maths Learning Specialist
This Term 4, our Maths teachers are excited to focus more on problem-solving lessons that engage students in real-life situations. By incorporating practical examples and challenges, the goal is to help students see how maths applies beyond the classroom. Teachers are collaboratively planning activities that encourage critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork, ensuring that every student builds confidence in tackling complex problems.
We are also proud to congratulate our 5/6 students Andreas, Arthur, Calvin, Evie, and Orlando for being accepted into the VHAP Maths program for Term 4. This opportunity will allow them to further develop their mathematical skills and passion through advanced learning experiences. Well done to these students — we can’t wait to see all the great things you’ll achieve this term!
Costa Missailidis -Wellbeing and Engagement Leader
Grandparents Morning
Grandparents Day is coming up on Sunday, 26th October, and we are excited to celebrate this special occasion at school on Friday, 24th October from 9:10am – 10:00am.
During this time, grandparents are warmly invited to visit classrooms and take part in a range of fun activities with their grandchildren. It’s a wonderful opportunity to share stories, connect, and celebrate the important role grandparents play in our lives.
If a student does not have a grandparent who is able to attend, a special person—such as a family member or close friend—may come along in their place. Students are also encouraged to join in the morning activities and create something special to share with their grandparents at home.
We are looking forward to a lovely morning of connection, creativity, and celebration of all the amazing grandparents and special people in our school community!
Biketober Update!
A big thank you to the Merri-bek community for your amazing participation in Biketober over the first two weeks! It has been fantastic to see so many students (and families!) riding, walking, and scooting to school while practising sustainable travel habits.
A friendly reminder that the Biketober Challenge ends on Thursday, October 31st. Every active trip counts — and the more participation we have, the greater our chances of winning a $1,000 sports equipment voucher for our school!
At the halfway point, the classes leading the way in sustainable travel are:
1. 1/2E with 94 sustainable trips
2. 5/6D with 88 sustainable trips
3. 1/2B with 87 sustainable trips
4. 1/2A with 86 sustainable trips
Keep up the great work, Merri-bek! Let’s finish strong and continue travelling actively for the rest of October!
Tristan Kelly - Literacy Learning Specialist
Literacy and VHAP Update
Literacy
At Merri-bek Primary School, all classes have the opportunity to engage with rich mentor texts. Mentor texts are pieces of text that we can hold up as examples of good writing. It could be a single sentence, a poem, a picture story book or an excerpt from a longer text. Every day, teachers read aloud to students and engage the class in discussions where they pull apart the text and discuss something specific that the author is doing. This supports students to develop their vocabulary knowledge, background knowledge, grammar skills and their ability to comprehend texts. It also provides a model for them to be inspired by in their own writing.
Here are some of the wonderful texts that students have been exploring this term. You might like to ask your child what they think about one of these mentor texts!
Prep
Year 1/2
Year 3/4
Year 5/6
VHAP - Victorian High Abilities Program
Congratulations to the following Year 5/6 students who will be participating in in the Victorian High Abilities Program this term: Asher Drew, Maddie Brown, Maude Ridge, Olive Owzcarek, Roisin Crawford, Sathya Chandra-Pithie, Andreas Daskalov, Arthur Van Copenhagen, Calvin Davis, Evie McLeay and Orlando Ortalizio.
The students in the English sessions will be engaging in a course called The Power of the Pen, where they learn about the history of writing, engage in narrative masterclasses and consider how writing can ‘change hearts and minds.’
Students participating in the Maths course, Patterns: From Symbols to Secrets, will be encouraged to view mathematics as a process of exploration. They will ask questions, make conjectures and test ideas through topics such as number patterns, alternative number systems and cryptography.