In our Classrooms

Next Thursday and Friday marks our first round of "You Show Us" mornings. I’m excited about this opportunity for students to showcase their work and learning to parents and carers.

As I’ve said in previous updates, this is a student-led process rather than an opportunity for parent-teacher interviews. Should you wish to discuss your child’s learning or wellbeing with their teacher, please make contact with the classroom teaching team to arrange an appropriate time.

The format of these mornings is detailed below:

You Show Us Mornings

Dates:

Week 4: Thursday 26th and Friday 27th October
Week 7: Monday 13th November and Tuesday 14th November

Overview

8:45 a.m: Parents can come into the classrooms.
8:45-9:00: Students will display some of their work.
9:00-9:15: Teachers will begin their standard routines. Parents can observe.
9:15: Sessions conclude and parents leave classrooms.

I had the pleasure of attending the Year 3 camp last week. This was a wonderful experience and provided me with an opportunity to build deeper connections with students, teachers, and our volunteering parents. A big thank you to the Year 3 team who, like other year level teams this year, poured hours of hard work into organisaing such a successful camp and addressing student needs so well. I’d also like to thank the parents who volunteered for this and other camps this year. These events would not be possible without this parent support. The camp was excellent, with my personal highlight being games of two-ball knockout on the basketball court. Luckily, I have the coordination of a competent 9-year-old meaning I was able to hold my own.

In Our Community

There's growing concern regarding unsafe driving and pedestrian behaviours around the school during pick up and drop off times. I remind all members of our community to please adhere to traffic rules and prioritise the safety of our children. This is a high-stakes situation and it would be devastating to our community if one of its members was affected by dangerous behaviour on the way to or from school.

Tuesday October 31st will be a Halloween themed dress-up day. This initiative is led by our School Captains. More information about the day and fundraising cause(s) will be provided shortly.

As summer approaches, remember our Sunsmart Policy is active. Ensure students have and wear a hat when outside.

It's regrettable to report significant damage to some of our toilet facilities has occurred recently, primarily due to student vandalism. The repair costs exceed $30,000, affecting our budget and diverting funds from key educational initiatives. It's disappointing to face such issues especially as all of our facilities have only recently been constructed or refurbished. We're reviewing procedures for toilet access to prevent future incidents to maintain the hygiene and safety of all our facilities. To help us with this, I ask that all families discuss the importance of respecting school facilities with your children.

Recently, I wrote to parents and carers regarding support for families affected by events in the Middle East. With these tragic and distressing events unfolding, Australia's independent regulator for online safety, eSafety, has issued guidance to help parents and carers support their children in dealing with distressing online content.

The eSafety website has resources for parents and carers about online safety. These include information on extra precautions you can take to protect your children from seeing disturbing content online.

eSafety encourages parents and carers supporting young people who may be more vulnerable to check in with them. If they are presenting with signs of distress, support is available through external services including:

Headspace: 1800 650 890
Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636.

This past weekend, the Commonwealth government held a referendum about recognising the First Peoples of Australia in our Constitution. As you will be aware, based on the votes tallied, it is apparent that the proposed change will not be adopted.

This was Australia's first referendum in two decades and represents a significant part of our democratic process.

It's important to acknowledge that this topic carries deep emotional significance for many. Given the varied reactions, it's essential that we approach discussions with understanding and respect.

Some in our school community—students, staff, or families—might be feeling a range of emotions, from disappointment to confusion. If you or your child needs support or clarification, please don't hesitate to reach out.

I wish you all a relaxing and enjoyable weekend,

Port Melbourne Primary School Newsletter

Curiosity ~ Kindness ~ Courage ~ Resilience

Fortnightly Newsletter - Term 4 - Week 2 · 20 Oct 2023

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