The Moorabbin Primary School Community touch the land and think of the Bunurong People and surrounding Clans of the Kulin Nation who cared for the land before us.

We share our gratitude to their Elders past, present and emerging. As we touch this land, we promise to treasure it, taking care of all its people, animals, plants and waterways. We at Moorabbin Primary School appreciate this land. Thank you.

Dear Parents and Carers,

Our school continues to be a busy and vibrant place!

Well done to our Year Three and Five students who have been participating in NAPLAN. The tests ran smoothly with the oversight of our very organised and diligent staff. It was pleasing to see students working hard and ensuring they were giving it their best shot. We started off the week celebrating and acknowledging St. Patricks day and it was wonderful to see children and staff wearing Green!

We finish this week celebrating two very important themes:

Everyone Belongs - Harmony Week
Celebrating Different Minds - Neurodiversity Celebration Week

At our school we have families that come from a number of cultural backgrounds, whether they were born in Australia or not, and whether they follow a religion or speak a language other than English at home.

At MPS students, staff and children speak 40 different languages and we have an incredibly diverse community that come from 84 different backgrounds along with families that are indigenous and Torres trait islanders including newly arrived families from war torn countries who are refugees that make up our School’s profile.

Today (Friday 21st March), as a final celebration, students and staff wore a 'Touch of Orange' to acknowledge Harmony Day!

Occurring at the same time has been Neurodiversity Celebration Week; In our SEL sessions and classrooms teachers spent time learning about the importance of celebrating our differences, and what inclusion means to them and exploring the idea of celebrating our unique strengths and differences.

At MPS our school supports and accommodates over 90 students who are neurodiverse along with 8 students who are funded under the Disability Inclusion Program. Our School has 10 aides, 3 Tutors and 1 speech therapist who not only support our funded students but also provide assistance to all that have been identified that require extra assistance.

This week all our aides attended a professional development session with Sue Larkey.

(Sue Larkey is a highly qualified educator who has taught students with autism spectrum disorder in the mainstream and special schools. She combines practical experience with extensive research having completed a Masters in Special Education and the research sections of a Doctorate in Education)

We know that they have gained extra tools and strategies that can be used in the classes with the students that they are working with. On a side note, all our aides are also MSL trained and use what they have learnt with the children during our phonics instruction ensuring they complement the structure of explicit instruction concepts taught in the classroom.

Interested in finding out more?

POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS | NEURODIVERSITY CELEBRATION WEEK

Here you can find our Neurodiversity Celebration Week Powerpoint presentations for primary schools and secondary schools. www.neurodiversityweek.com

Onwards and Upwards Psychology also developed a special Presentation specifically for Neurodiversity Celebration Week:

Onwards & Upwards Psychology | Sandhya Menon | Neurodiversity-Affirming Psychologist | Melbourne VIC

Onwards & Upwards Psychology is a safe space to grow, learn & build inclusive futures for neurodivergent children & families. We provide accessible, neurodiversity affirming resources, support and training.

www.onwardsandupwardspsychology.com.au

WORKING BEE SUCCESS- SATURDAY 15th MARCH

It was a very warm 35 degrees on Saturday, but many families braved the weather to come and help out at the working bee. Mr Chris Wende had a strong vision to open the front section of our main entrance near the bike shed and art room, along with repairing benches and moving 12 cubic metres of soil!!!!

Parents also helped with:

Removal of dead plants and Weeding
Pruning bushes and planting the garden beads along the basketball courts and at the front entrance
Spreading mulch and soil
Sweeping paths

Thank you to everyone that came along and to all the children that helped, I know that I speak on behalf of our community who really appreciate your dedication and efforts on such a hot day, achieving so much. THANK YOU!

FUNDRAISING NEWS

Our school council met on Wednesday evening and discussed a proposal for the area just outside the new building where it was originally a “sensory play area” for our students. We finally have the drawings and specifications of what will be installed on this space.

School council have endorsed this project that will be supported by the fundraising efforts of our MPS P&F from 2024-2025.

The project will cost around $60,000, please see below what will be installed and a very brief diagram of what it will look like when completed, I have engaged with the company who will take on this project so that it will start and hopefully be completed in readiness for the commencement of term 2.

Supply and install synthetic grass -x6 rubber domes -x2 hopscotch-x1 small mound tunnel

View of the current space

View of the proposed area

View of one of the tunnels that will be installed

SANDPIT AND PLAYGROUND TAN BARK TOP UP

You will have also noticed that this week our sand pit in the junior school and both playgrounds have been topped up with a fresh layer of sand and tanbark!

Over the holiday period we will have the installation of a new shade sail in front of the new building along with the sensory play area coming soon!

Our grounds and building works are certainly coming along.

FIRE SAFETY WITH OUR FOUNDATION STUDENTS

I absolutely love it when the fire fighters attend our school for the annual sessions with the Foundation students. I can hear the squeals of utter excitement from my office windows as the children are given a turn to sit in the fire truck and then have the chance to hold the pressure water hoses and squirt water “everywhere” it was just a little bit humorous when a couple of the children accidently squirted Ms Warman with the hose! Not sure that she was that impressed!

A FEWERAL REMINDERS

Label clothing: There is a rack and table near the junior sandpit with a large range of jumpers/ tops/ lunchboxes/bottles/ hats etc…just a reminder that we find it incredibly helpful when clothing is labelled with a student's full name and grade. This helps us return items direct to a classroom and skip the Lost Property stage!

EASTER EGG GUESSES - A CHANGE OF PLAN

The P&F have advised that due to the weather forecast and some issues around supervision, the Easter egg guessing will not start this week. They will get back to us on when the guesses will begin sometime next week. Can you please pass this on to your children.

ANZAC DAY MERCHANDISE

For the ANZAC day merchandise, the SRC Captains will be selling these before school on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays 8:45am in front of the new building. This will start next week.

Noxia Angelides

Principal

STUDENT LEADERS' COMMUNITY NEWS