SMPS Family iNewsletter

Principal's Message

Our children are our future...

Headlines - Please Note

The most urgent and important details to read on this page are as follows:

  1. Celebration of Learning This Wednesday
  2. Curriculum Day This Friday - No School
  3. Before and After School Supervision by Parents

Please read our iNewsletter - the staff put so much effort into creating it and we want to keep you informed about the most valuable person in your world - your child. It is all about them!

Principal's Message

Welcome to Week 5 of an 11 week term. I have changed the structure of this landing page to include the "Headlines" first. These are topics that I really need you to know - so please read below for the expanded version of the Headlines. They are the more urgent things I want you to know or follow.

 

The safety of our children, staff and community is paramount. I want to explain the tangible steps we take at SMPS to support this goal.

 

We are incredibly well supported by the school community. I have written in the past about your generous donations to allow for a school First Aid Officer (Jo) to be employed exclusively to take care of student health issues through the day. I have included a story with some photos below about our evolution of the Library space - again made possible by your contributions to the Library Fund. Our school office refurbishment was made possible by your contributions to the Building Fund. We are incredibly grateful that your money allows us to improve these systems and facilities.

 

Late last year, we employed our OHS Compliance Officer (Mr. Ralph) and his job is to review all safety aspects inherent to the school. He conducts inspections and calculates risk registers to ensure SMPS is both highly compliant and safe for all users of the building (including students, staff and community). 

 

I often say that we want our children and staff to be "safe, happy, connected and achieving". The word 'safe' is deliberately at the top of the list. Whilst there are no iron-clad guarantees of safety in this world, the positions of First Aid and OHS Officers are our best attempts to step towards a safe and orderly environment. We can prevent and then treat issues with highly qualified staff and Ralph and Jo are living examples of that aspiration. 

 

The Building and Library Funds that you contribute to ensure that every red cent that you put in goes back to your children in tangible ways. We are incredibly thankful. I encourage you to keep giving (where you can) to the school as it tries its best to build a great environment for your precious children. I hope you enjoy reading about the Library evolution below. 

 

I look forward to seeing as many of you who can make it to the Celebration of Learning session this week. I thank the many volunteers who put up their hand to prepare. Remember to contribute to the cake/sweet stall and to come along to buy a sausage at our BBQ on Wednesday. 

Headlines - Expanded Version

  • Before/After School Supervision and Device Supervision
    • Forecourt Gate will be open from 8:30am for families to use the forecourt
    • 8:30am-8:45am students should be supervised by parents. SMPS staff are not on duty then. 
    • Students must be supervised by their parent before and after school if playing in the forecourt.
    • Students who have permission to walk home by themselves cannot play in the forecourt unsupervised by themselves.
    • No student devices on forecourt (laptops/iPads/phones)
    • If students are being supervised but there are still serious behaviours occuring that are then reported back to staff, this may result in a break from before/after school use of the forecourt for the individual. 
    • If multiple different families are encountering issues when supervising their children at the forecourt we may have to close the forecourt before/after school (we don't want to do that)
    • If you are still in the forecourt and you see a staff member locking the gates - please leave immediately as it adds to their already long day when you hang around for that extra 5 minutes
    • New dismissal points for Year 5 and 6 are in the picture below
  • Celebration of Learning Wednesday
    • Join classrooms from 2:40pm-3:15pm
    • Parents can then take their children with them down to the forecourt to start queuing for the BBQ/Cake Stall or finding their picnic spot.
    • The BBQ and Cake Stall will only start selling from 3:45pm to ensure that all students have been dismissed safely first.
  • Curriculum Day Friday
    • School closed on Friday 23rd May - OSH Club available by booking online

Celebration of Learning

Please find a summary of the interactive lessons your families will get to participate in on the Class Updates and Reminders Page. When parents come in - they will get to see these lessons so check them out beforehand..

Library - Thanks for Your Financial Contributions

These are photos taken in June 2021 when our wonderful Librarian/Technician (Miss Zoe) started at SMPS...

In 2022, we purchased some new materials including a fancy new rug, teacher chair and side table. Check out the 2022 images below

As we increased our library collection, we were running out of space to hold the books. We needed to buy more shelves for our picture books and novels.

In order to maximise book shelving without losing floor space, the built-in cupboards along three walls were removed during the summer holidays 2024/25. This created space to install five fiction book shelves and four picture book bays. These have just gone in this week.

The ‘Better Together’ sign was relocated to make space for the shelves and a wall mounted TV which was bought with combined JSC fundraising and library funds.