News From Mr Smith
Dear School Community Members,
Like many schools, this week we are celebrating Harmony Week – a time where we celebrate the diversity of our school community and an opportunity to build on our culture of: ‘everyone belongs at Mano!’ At our Harmony Week launch at our assembly on Monday, two of our Grade 5 students, Finella and Stela, shared a wonderful message about Harmony week and some of the activities students will engage in throughout the week.
Students have engaged in activities focussed on diversity and respect, and all classes participated in our Harmony Week picnic lunch on Tuesday. I encourage families to have a family discussion about Harmony Week and the purpose behind it.
Thank you to Mrs Hardman and Ms Schuster for their coordination of Harmony Week.
Student Leadership – Junior School Council (JSC): Our Student Leadership Team are making a real difference for our school! Our Student Leadership Team includes our School Captains, School Vice Captains, House Captains, Junior School Council Members (Class Ambassadors) and our Positive Behaviour and Wellbeing Ambassadors.
Recently, our Junior School Council finalised plans for our Term 1 Social Service event and are well advanced in planning and implementing their Semester 1 project – details to come. Although Mrs Wakeman is present and supporting the discussion, the meeting is chaired and minuted by our JSC representatives with the utmost respect shown by all members.
Congratulations to our JSC and we look forward to their continued leadership throughout 2025.
School Council: We held our first School Council meeting of the new School Council on Monday night. I congratulate the following Councillors on accepting the Office Bearer positions:
President: Jonathan Connor
Vice President: Matt Cowdell
Treasurer: Paul Wigglesworth
Other School Councillors are: Sarah Francis, Ragini Flower, Emma Byers, Amy James, Keir O’Donnell, Alice Urquhart, Narelle Geary, Christian Smith, Aimee Forsyth, John Hambrook and Jess Chapman.
On behalf of the Mano community, I thank our retiring School Councillors: Jacklyn Richardson, Terry Gillard, Elly Hanlon and Naomi Doody. Jacklyn, Terry, Elly and Naomi have been wonderful contributors of School Council and their commitment, passion and enthusiasm for Mano is acknowledged and appreciated.
Below is a list of the key agenda items from Monday night:
- 2024 Annual Report: School Council finalised and endorsed our 2024 Annual Report (this will be available to our community following the Department of Educations quality assurance process has been completed)
- Finalised plans for a Farmers Market here at Mano – further details available in the coming weeks
- Endorsed Pupil Free day of Friday, 13th June
- Endorsed new uniform item: Mano student Beanie
Each of our School Councillors are deeply committed and invested in our school. Please contact them if you have any feedback or concerns.
Thank you for supporting our school!
Christian Smith