WELCOMES & FAREWELLS

We are sad to say to goodbye to one of our Education Support staff, Giulia. I would like to sincerely thank Giulia for the nurture and care she has shown our children and for the collegiality she has shown her colleagues. Giulia will be starting a new role a lot closer to home, after many years of travel. We wish her all the best!

I’m pleased to let you know that we have Aashna returning and Swapna and Tippy commencing as Education Support officers…

I am thrilled to introduce myself as the newest addition to our school community. My name is Swapna, and I have joined the team as an Education Support officer. I am deeply passionate about education and supporting students in their journey. I like music, reading, cooking, yoga and socializing. I am grateful for the warm welcome I have received so far, and I looking forward to getting to know each of you better. Together we can achieve the school goals and make a positive difference in the lives of the students. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this incredible team. Looking forward for the fantastic journey ahead!!

My name is Tippy and I’m a proud mum with a 10-year-old daughter. Our family includes a delightful cat named Felix. My Asian background inspires my love for cooking and baking, especially Asian cuisine. There’s nothing quite like the joy of seeing my family and friends savour my culinary creations. Among my most popular dishes is my cheesecake. Our home is in the picturesque South Melbourne, surrounded by parks and between the market and the beach. When I’m not creating in the kitchen, you’ll find me exploring the South Melbourne Market or visiting Bunnings.

5/6 CAMP

Our grade 5/6s returned from Camp Log Cabin in Creswick, on Wednesday. They had an action packed few days and were lucky to have great weather. A HUGE thank you to our dedicated staff for giving up their personal time, sleep and precious time with families to give our kids this opportunity. It was so lovely to hear that our kids were encouraging of each other and that everyone felt they achieved something new. It is a mammoth task to prepare for camp and I am indebted to Mr Beattie, Mr Sandison and Ms Rosengarten who put in many hours to ensure that the camp ran as smoothly as it did. And to parents, Scott Barden and Robert Thompson, our sincere thanks for supporting our staff and students for the three days. We are very appreciative!!

ENVIRONMENT & FACILITIES UPDATE

2023 COMMUNITY-RAISED FUNDS

As you know, last year we fundraised as a community for a soccer pitch. I have been busy through the procurement process, seeking quotes and designs that work within our footprint. The process has resulted in a slight change of plans. My preference is to add multiple green spaces to our playground, rather than one pitch. With the support of an expert, I have identified 5 spaces in the school that could be turfed. The benefits of this include:

enhancing the environment,
providing a surface to play various games, including but not confined to soccer,
providing quiet, calm areas for children to play, sit and interact.

I am still in the procurement stage and look forward to giving you more detail as it comes to hand.

DISCOVERY BUILDING

Over the holiday break, we had a small office removed from the Discovery building. This is in preparation for next year, when we will need an additional one or two classrooms. The removal of the office allows for much better use of the space.

I am also in the procurement phase of the proposed installation of dividing walls in the Discovery building. Student engagement is a critical factor in gaining optimal student outcomes and the current design with open, flexible learning spaces is resulting in some of the following challenges:

visual distractions
noise/acoustic challenges
a lack of physical walls to display anchor charts, student work and other educational resources
additional sensory challenges for neurodiverse learners

Keeping the aesthetics of the building at heart, I am looking to install a dividing wall between each class. I will also be enclosing two more classrooms with glass sliders that can open up for flexibility. This is an exciting project and I look forward to sharing more information with you in the coming months. If this piques your interest, please join the environment and facilities sub-committee of school council, where you can have greater insight into these types of projects. Email me at south.melbourne.park.ps@education.vic.gov.au for more information.

SCOOTER RACKS AND WORKING BEE

New scooter racks are being installed in the coming week. A big thank you to Michael Grech and Steve Shaw who are giving up their time on Friday, 26th to complete the installation. Students who park their scooter in the new racks will be asked to take their helmet to their classrooms so they don’t get wet. On the day, Michael and Steve will also be moving some timber etc. out of a new learning space, into a skip. If you are available to help on the day, please email me at south.melbourne.park.ps@education.vic.gov.au.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)

On the 22nd May, we will hold the AGM, from 6-7pm, in the staffroom. Please come along if you would like to hear the presentation of the Annual Report, which captures student outcomes and results from student, staff, and parent opinion surveys from 2023.

A message from the Education Minister and Deputy Premier– the Hon. Ben Caroll MP

short video message

Nicole Arnold

Principal

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