PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Milgate Primary School would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land of the Wurundjeri People, and we would like to pay our respects to the elders both past and present. Staff, students and the school community understand that we thrive, learn and live on Wurundjeri Country and we stand with all cultures united as one.
FND 2025 ENROLMENTS
Enrolments for Foundation 2025 are due today. If you have a younger child you would like to attend Milgate next year, please see our website for the link and more information on how to enrol. Enrolments (milgateps.vic.edu.au)
HOUSE ATHLETICS
Our Year 3-6 students all participated in the House Athletics at the George Street Athletics track on Tuesday. The students enjoyed taking part in a variety of activities including relays, shot put, high jump, long jump and running races. Congratulations to Streeton who was the winning house. Well done to everyone for their participation and supporting their house team. Thank you to Mr James Will and Mrs Emily Collins, teachers and the many parents and volunteers who assisted and went to support their children. A great day was had by all. Please see the Sports News page for more details and photos.
YEAR 2 EXCURSION | Edendale Farm
On Monday, Year 2 went to Edendale Farm as part of their inquiry into Sharing The Planet. They explored Earth’s natural resources and investigated a range of ways to be more sustainable in everyday life. The Year 2’s learned about how bees help the world go round, how important worm poo is and they even got to hold some wriggly worms! Students participated in a guided tour of Edendale Farm they got to feed a range of different animals including chickens, sheep, goats and even guinea pigs! They had a fabulous time learning about how much water this is in the world and exploring water use and how to save water at home. It was a fabulous and dry day for all of the Year 2 students.
YEAR 3 EXCURSION | Cranbourne Gardens
This week, 3SY, 3NK and 3ES students went on an excursion to Cranbourne Botanic Gardens as part of their ‘Sharing the Planet’ inquiry. During the excursion they participated in a program focusing on different Australian environments and the diversity and adaptations of plants and animals within these environments. They also went ponding, searching for aquatic life and thinking about the health of the waterway. Students loved looking at the desert environment as well as hiking to the lookout where they saw the impacts of growing housing developments on the bushland. 3NY and 3JL will be attending next week and we know they will have a great time.
FOUNDATION | 100 Days Celebration
Today our Foundation students celebrated their first 100 days of Primary School. To celebrate this fantastic occasion, students participated in a range of exciting activities throughout the day. Students came to school in their celebration clothes and enjoyed a breakfast together in the stadium. They completed an amazing 100 challenge with their Year 6 buddies and then feasted on pizza for lunch. They ended the day watching a movie while enjoying a Zooper Dooper treat.
FOUNDATION INCURSION | Mad About Science
On Monday Foundation embarked on their ‘How the world works’ unit of inquiry with a science incursion. The students were introduced to forces through assisting in experiments such as keeping ping pong balls in the air using a hairdryer and observing the generation of electricity. Lots of fun and learning was had!
LANGUAGE ARTS
As our remarkable Foundation students mark their own first 100 days, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the incredible transformation they’ve undergone—from their early days in kindergarten to becoming confident, curious and open-minded primary school students.
The newly released book, 100 School Days by Deborah Frenkel and Laura Stitzel is the first picture book in Australia to celebrate the one hundred days of school milestone. It is lovely for our students to see significant events in their own lives reflected in literature.
When you start school, there are a lot of firsts. Your first friend! Your first excursion! Your first sports day! As the days go by, all those firsts add up ... and soon you've reached 100 days of school. And once you've reached this milestone, you know you can reach for absolutely anything.
Writing
Our talented authors at Milgate are midway through their current writing units. Year 1 students are immersed in an Author Study, exploring the wild and imaginative world of Philip Bunting. Meanwhile, Year 5 is delving into the art of poetry, and Year 6 is crafting engaging short stories. These diverse explorations of writing craft, genre, and process are setting a strong foundation for the students as they prepare to transition into their new units in just a few weeks.
Book Week
We are excited to announce this year's theme for Book Week: "Reading is Magic!" Throughout the week, from August 23rd to August 30th, our students will explore the wonders of storytelling, unlocking new worlds and expanding their imaginations. As part of the festivities, we invite you to join us for our sustainable Book Week Parade on Friday the 23rd of August at 9:00am. Embracing our commitment to sustainability, we will build on last year’s parade and we encourage students to dress up as their favourite book characters or authors, using recycled materials or items from home. Let's celebrate the magic of reading while demonstrating our dedication to taking action towards a more sustainable future. We look forward to seeing you there!
Parent Reading
Alongside our eco-conscious focus, we are celebrating the richness of our diverse community. Parents are invited to read to our students in various languages, emphasising the importance of cultural understanding and linguistic diversity. This unique opportunity to share stories from around the world will enhance our students' appreciation for different cultures and experiences. If you’re interested in participating during week of 26th- 30th August please email:
Lauren Parsons- lauren.parsons@education.vic.gov.au
Classroom Activities: Throughout the week, teachers will guide students through thought-provoking discussions, creative projects, and collaborative learning experiences that foster a deep connection to literature and the world around us.
Classroom Activities
Throughout the week, teachers will guide students through thought-provoking discussions, creative projects, and collaborative learning experiences that foster a deep connection to literature and the world around us.
Author visits
We are thrilled to announce that Coral Vass and Andrea Rowe will be visiting Milgate Primary School as part of our Book Week celebrations! These talented authors will be sharing their love for storytelling and inspiring our students with their creative journeys.
Foundation - Year 2
Andrea Rowe is a best-selling award-winning picture book author, freelance writer and nationally awarded writer of short stories. Her debut picture book Jetty Jumping, illustrated by Hannah Sommerville was awarded the 2022 CBCA Picture Book of the Year – Early Childhood. Andrea believes in the power of stories, of reading out loud and in secret spots surrounded by cushions and stacks of books.
https://andrearowe.com.au/author/
Year 3 - 6
Coral Vass is an award-winning Australian Children’s Author. She has over 20 books published with Scholastic Books Australia, National Library of Australia, Penguin Random House Australia, Larrikin House, Wombat Books, EK Books, New Frontier and Windy Hollow Books.
Her book, Sorry Day won the 2018 Speech Pathology Awards Book of the Year for Language and Literacy Development Indigenous Children and the 2019 CBCA Book of the Year - Eve Pownall Award. Coral also won the Caleb Book of the Year Award in 2021 for Grandma’s Treasured Shoes and has also been shortlisted for the REAL AWARDS (CROC, KOALA and YABBA Awards) voted by the children of Australia, as well as the Environmental Awards for Children’s Literature in 2023/24, the CBCA Book of the Year Awards 2023/24 and the Speech Pathology Awards 2023.
https://www.coralvass.com/about
How You Can Get Involved:
- Eco-Friendly Costumes: Begin collecting recyclable materials to create imaginative book character costumes with your child. This activity is a fantastic way to reinforce the importance of environmental responsibility.
- Join the Parade and Activities: Mark your calendar for the 23rd of August and be ready to join the Book Character Dress-Up Parade. Stay connected with your child's teacher for updates on classroom activities throughout the week.
- We are so grateful for our wonderful Milgate community and thank everyone for their open-mindedness and commitment to sustainable practices at Milgate Primary School.
CURRICULUM DAY | Mon 29 July
A reminder that we have a Curriculum Day on Monday so there is no school for students. Teachers will be using the day to look at the wellbeing needs of our students, student agency, as well as the Numeracy and Language Arts curriculums. It will be a great day of learning for staff. If you require care for your child, please contact Team Kids.
YEARBOOK ADVERTISING
Within our 2024 Milgate PS Yearbook we are offering local businesses an opportunity to purchase advertising space to promote their business.
Last year we sold and distributed 400 copies of our 2023 Yearbook to the families of Milgate PS. Our Yearbook is of the highest quality, and it will be professionally produced.
This is a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure for your local business and support our wonderful school.
If you are interested in advertising your business in the 2024 Milgate PS Yearbook, please contact David Mander for further information on costing and specifications.
PARENTS VICTORIA | School Saving Bonus Survey
The School Saving Bonus will be available to parents and carers of every child enrolled in a Victorian government school in 2025. If you are a parent or carer of more than one child, your school will receive the $400 credit for each child under your family account. The Department of Education is currently working on how the School Saving Bonus can be spent. The department is seeking feedback from parents and carers through a short survey. Your feedback is important. More information about the School Saving Bonus is available here School Saving Bonus | vic.gov.au (www.vic.gov.au). The department will provide more guidance about the Bonus in Term 3, 2024.
Click this link to take the survey now
ART COMPETITION
