Dear Families,

Winter

Winter has certainly arrived in Melbourne with the temperature dropping to the low teens as we all feel the chill of the cold wind and rain. A reminder to families to keep their children home if they are feeling unwell so that we can avoid the spread of any viruses. I also ask families to ensure their children wear their full winter school uniform. Our school uniform has some very warm pieces, especially our school winter jacket, and with the uniform shop having a sale period coming up, it may be a good time to replenish winter uniform pieces.

A reminder that our lost property box is overflowing. Please check that your child has their own uniform and not someone else's. All items in lost property will be donated to the second hand uniform shop at the end of this term.

First Semester Reports

Our first semester reports will be sent home on Monday, June 24 and Parent-Teacher-Student conversations will be held on Thursday, June 27, and Friday, June 28. Parents will receive a notification about booking a time to meet their child’s class teacher and specialist teachers to discuss the progress of your child early next week. Interviews will be held in person or via Zoom or Google Meet, no meetings will be held via telephone.

Children will finish Term 2 on Thursday June 27 at 2:00pm.

If you require care for your child on either Thursday afternoon or all day Friday please contact TheirCare to make a booking.

Please note that Term 2 will finish at 2:00pm on Thursday June 27. There is no formal school on Friday June 28 as Parent Teacher Student Conversations will be taking place. Children are asked to attend interviews with their family.

When your child brings home their reports you may have mixed feelings. Pleasure if they are performing well or angst if they are not progressing as you hoped. Our children can also feel anxious wondering if their parents are going to feel disappointment or be proud. Psychologist Michael Grose has some helpful tips for when you rip open the envelope containing your child’s report.

1. Are your expectations for your son or daughter realistic and in line with their ability? Pitch your expectations in line with your child’s abilities. A quick check of your child’s last report cards may provide you with a good yardstick.

2. Do you believe that children learn at different rates? Avoid comparing your child to siblings, your friends’ children, and even yourself when you were a child. Instead, look for individual progress.

3. Are you willing to safeguard your child’s self-esteem rather than deflate it? Self-confidence is a prerequisite for learning, so be prepared to be as positive and encouraging as possible.

4. Focus on strengths. Do you look for strengths or weaknesses first? The challenge is to focus on strengths even if they are not in the traditional 3Rs or core subjects. Take into account your child’s effort and attitude to learning. If your child is putting in the required effort, then you cannot ask any more than that, regardless of the grading.

5. Broaden your focus away from academic performance to form a picture of your child’s progress as a member of a social setting. How your child gets along with his or her peers will influence his happiness and well-being. The skills of independence and co-operation are highly valued by employers so don’t dismiss these as unimportant.

6. Discuss the report with your son or daughter talking about strengths first before looking at areas that need improvement. Ask for their opinion about how they performed and discuss their concerns.

7. After reports are read and discussed, celebrate your child’s efforts with a special activity or treat. In this way you will recognise progress and remind them that the holidays are just around the corner when they can forget about assessment, tests and reports

Parent Portal

During this week you received information regarding access to our new parent portal which will give families access to their child's Semester 1 and Semester 2 reports for this year and all reports for the years they have been at St Michael's school. I ask all families to log into this portal as your child's Semester 1 report will be posted on Monday 24th June. For this Semester we will also send home a printed copy of your child's report.

Learning Expos

It has been wonderful to see so many families coming into our school to see their children's learning in action. Both our Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 classes invited families to come in and see all the learning they have been engaged in during their Make Know Do Act time. During next week our other year levels will invite their families in to see their learning. I encourage you to take this opportunity to be a part of your child's learning.

Garden Grant

Congratulations to our Student Sustainability leaders, Dylan and Chloe along with our staff gardening green thumb, Rachel who have been awarded a $500 Garden Maintenance Grant sponsored by the Department of Education.

They have also worked with Fiona to source support from Bunnings in the form of some new plants for our gardens. They have been very busy working to improve our school surroundings, we look forward to seeing our garden grow.

Principal News

In Semester 2, I will be transitioning to a 4-day workweek by taking one day of Long Service Leave each week. My work schedule will alternate between Monday-Thursday one week and Tuesday-Friday the next. This arrangement will provide me with the opportunity to spend more quality time with my family.

During my absence, our Deputy Principal, Angela Flint, will assume the role of Acting Principal. Angela has my complete support in this role, and I trust that you will also extend your full cooperation to her during these periods.

Denise Hussey

(Principal)

'The most simple thing I can do is to be good today but better tomorrow'

Catherine McAuley - Mercy Sisters Foundress

All students attending St Michael's Primary School have the right to feel safe. The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a fundamental responsibility of all within our school./

Prayer