Principal's Report
Dear Parents and Carers,
“Getting to Know Your Child” Parent Teacher Interviews:
Thank you to the families who took the opportunity to meet their child’s teacher today/tonight. This is an important step in helping us really get to know your child, your hopes and dreams for their year at school, what they like and things you know that may hamper their learning. It is an important opportunity for you to share relevant information with your child’s teacher. If you have yet to make an appointment, you can call the office, and they will let you know a time you could come to school.
Harmony Day:
On Friday 21st of March we are celebrating Harmony Day, a day to celebrate our country's diversity as a multicultural society. Our school has families from a range of cultures, all bringing a unique experience and richness that enhances our school community. It is also about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, from the Traditional Owners of the land to our most recent arrivals. Australia is united by the our values of freedom, respect, fairness, democracy and equal opportunity. On the 21st March, we encourage our students, and their families to come dressed in clothes that represent their culture or in Orange to show our appreciation of the multicultural society Australia is and that Everyone Belongs – the theme of this year’s celebrations. There is NO gold coin donation for this event. Please check out the link Harmony week - Everyone belongs
Child Safety Standards:
At Melton West Primary School, we are committed to acting in the best interests of our students and keeping them safe from harm. The school regards its child protection responsibilities as being of the utmost importance. This means that in practice we are focused on providing the necessary resources to ensure compliance with all relevant child protection legislation and regulations; and to maintaining a child safe culture.
The following principles underpin our commitment to child safety at Melton West Primary School:
All students deserve, as a fundamental right, safety and protection from all forms of abuse and neglect.
Our school works in partnership with families and the community to ensure that they are engaged in decision-making processes, particularly those that have an impact on child safety and protection.
All students have the right to a thorough and systematic education in all aspects of personal safety, in partnership with their parents/guardians/caregivers.
All adults in our school, including teaching and non-teaching staff, volunteers and contractors as well as the broader school community have a responsibility to care for children and young people, to positively promote their wellbeing and to protect them from any kind of harm or abuse.
The policies, guidelines and codes of conduct for the care, wellbeing and protection of students are based on honest, respectful and trusting relationships between adults and children and young people.
Supervision at Park:
As you may be aware, there is a park on the corner of Coburns Road and West Melton Drive, where a number of students wait for their parents afterschool. Please be aware that the school is not able to provide teacher supervision in this area. I therefore suggest that you consider an alternative location at which your child waits to be picked up. Can I also remind you that we have an After School care facility run by Extend that is safe and well supervised and children can attend at a minimal cost. Please contact the school if you would like further information about Extend. Enrolment Packs are available at the office.
We have staff on yard duty, within the school grounds, before school from 8.30 am when gates are opened and afterschool until 3.20 pm. Please ensure your child is collected promptly at 3.05 pm when they are released from their classroom, as it can be very stressful for a child to be the only one left in the playground when all other children have gone home. I would like to remind parents that it is your responsibility to:
Ensure that your child arrives to school safely and are in the care of school staff at the beginning of the school day, and,
ensure that your child is collected from the school premises at the end of the school day, or that alternative arrangements have been made for your children.
Breakfast Club:
Our school continues to partner with Foodbank, that we have had for many years. They provide food for Breakfast Club on an ongoing basis, allowing all children to enjoy breakfast with their friends. Breakfast Club is open from and can arrive after 8.10am, entering through the office.
Speaking to Other Children:
We occasionally have situations where parents or carers of a child feel it necessary to intervene with an incident involving a different child. It may be because they see inappropriate behaviour they feel needs addressing or that the child may have had an incident with their own child that they feel needs to be followed up. It is important to let the school deal with these situations as it can be quite frightening for children to have unknown adults talk to them or reprimand them. If you have witnessed a situation in the yard that concerns you, please speak to myself or Sarah Mills about your concerns. Due to privacy reasons, we probably can’t go into much detail, however ensuring you know we are aware and are dealing with the situation hopefully will help alleviate any concerns you may have. There can be numerous factors impacting a child’s behaviour and observing a small part of a situation does not usually adequately depict how we may be managing the situation. We appreciate your understanding and trust that we are doing all we can to support the child and others who may be impacted, including utilising external supports as and when required.
High Levels of Learning for All
Michelle Costa
Principal
