Principal's Report

Principal’s Report

Dear families and carers,

Last Thursday and Friday, I had the pleasure of attending the Victorian Principal’s Association’s conference.  There were many highlights over the two days, most memorable being the excitement of all being able to reconnect with each other as colleagues and rekindle old, as well as build new friendships. 

Each of our keynote speakers offered insights for both professional and personal growth.  We heard from Dale Sidebottom who emphasised the importance of incorporating play into daily routines for both children and adults.

The idea of using play as a focus of everyday life is grounded in the concept that play is not just for leisure, but it also has numerous cognitive, emotional, and social benefits. Integrating play into daily activities can foster creativity, problem-solving skills, stress relief, and overall well-being. Play can also be a valuable tool for enhancing learning experiences, team building, and communication.

Angela Falkenberg was another speaker who focused on personal leadership and the importance of fostering skills of resilience and optimism among students, educators, and families. She also emphasised the significance of leaders being able to embody these qualities and effectively lead their teams.

Resilience and optimism are vital skills that can help individuals navigate challenges, setbacks, and uncertainties in both their personal and professional lives. Teaching these skills to students, educators, and families can contribute to a more positive and growth-oriented mindset, leading to better outcomes and overall well-being.

Happy Father’s Day or Special Person

While Fathers’ Day is a celebration of fatherhood, it is a time for us to honour, celebrate and to be thankful for all the men, father figures and male role models in our lives… including our dads, grandads, stepdads, uncles, godfathers, father-figures and even our male teachers. We recognise the very important role you have in the lives of children.

Thank you to all the dads and special people in our school community and we wish you a wonderful Father’s Day/Special persons day on Sunday. May your day be filled with laughter coupled with the smiles and love of those closest to you.

A big thank you to PnC and all who were also involved in preparing and running our successful Father’s Day stall, and raffle.  Thank you to all our families that donated goods, and MP Anthony Cianflone, who donated a $100 voucher for Palace Cinemas at Pentridge.  Thank you also to the parents who assisted.  We are very fortunate to have such an active parent’s group.

Grade 6 Graduation- Thursday 14th of December

The Grade 6 Graduation event is a significant milestone in the academic journey of our students. The grade 5/6 staff have been diligently working on organising a memorable graduation ceremony that reflects the accomplishments and growth of our students throughout their time at our school. 

After careful consideration and feedback from both staff and students, it was determined that the graduation event would be held at our school premises. This decision was reached to provide a familiar and comfortable environment for our graduating students, enhancing the sense of accomplishment and community.

The chosen venue will be our school hall, which will be decorated to create a festive and celebratory atmosphere. In line with the students' preferences, a food van has been selected to cater the event. The idea of having a food van was well-received by the students, as it adds an element of novelty and excitement to the occasion. The Food van will offer a range of burger options, including halal options, and vegetarian options, ensuring that there is something for everyone to enjoy.  The cost of the food is being covered by Merri-bek primary school.  Students will be allocated a $25 spend, which will include a burger of their choice, chips, dessert and a soft drink.  Anything extra will need to be purchased by the students. Students are asked to arrive at school at 5.30pm, and the food vans will be available for students and staff only, from 5.45-6.45pm.

Parents and guardians will be invited to the graduation ceremony, and the event will begin at 7:00pm. The formalities will commence promptly, highlighting the achievements of the graduating students and acknowledging the dedication of the teaching staff. This segment of the event aims to recognise the hard work and commitment that have led the students to this point in their educational journey.

Following the formalities, a light supper will be provided for the parents and guests in the hall. This will be a time for families to come together, mingle, and celebrate their children's achievements, while the students enjoy the disco held in the school performing arts room.  This disco will be led by DJ Costa, and will provide an opportunity for the graduating students to relax, dance, and enjoy each other's company.  The disco will conclude at 9.15pm, followed by a farewell speech, concluding the evening at 9.30pm. All children are to be collected and signed off by their classroom teacher by no later than 9.30pm.

We look forward to seeing you all, to celebrate your child’s graduation.

Please RSVP your attendance and the number of family members attending, via Compass, by no later than Monday 4th December, for catering and seating purposed.

Open Streets 

It was great to see everyone out for our fourth Open Street Day last week.  We had so many children and families walk or ride to school, and our bike shed was full that morning.

Blair Street was full of children, members of council and families having lots of fun!  Our teachers also got into the fun!  Thank you to Costa for setting up the activities today and to Sengul for taking lots of photos of the event.

Enrol now for 2024- Free logo top and more, for our new Foundation families

Our Foundation (Prep) numbers for 2024 are creeping up and Hana and I have been conducting numerous tours for new families keen to enrol their child in our school for 2024. A reminder to our current families who have a child who will turn 5 by 30 April 2024, that now is the time to complete enrolment papers. We are happy to send an enrolment pack home with an older child so call the office and ask for help from our wonderful office team. 

All new foundation families enrolled at our school for 2024, will receive a new logo top, a school hat and a school reader bag, for FREE!

The Foundation (Prep) Transition process 

In Term 4 2023, the incoming Foundation students will have their Orientation to school, they will be given the opportunity to explore their classrooms and the school as well as meet their teachers and their Grade 5 buddies.  Parents and Carers are invited to attend an Information session before Orientation commences, where they will meet the Foundation teachers and learn about what to expect when their child starts Foundation. During the Orientation sessions families will have the opportunity to attend a curriculum presentation and meet existing families over a cup of tea. The outline for Orientation is included below.

Our orientation sessions for new families commencing Foundation in 2024 include:-

Maria Giordano

Principal