Principal’s Report

Dear families and carers,

It’s hard to believe that this is the final newsletter for 2024!

It has been a very productive year with many happenings across all areas of the school. All staff have worked above and beyond to cater for every child’s needs emotionally, socially and academically as well as being very supportive of all. The leadership team commends them on their professionalism, and the effort that every teacher and staff member throughout our school has displayed throughout the year.

Our children have continued to impress us with their ability to persist and value their learning. This is clearly demonstrated in our data, that shows that the teachers are targeting the children’s learning and are making academic growth and progress.

As the year comes to an end, I’d like to farewell four staff members and two retiring. Firstly, it is with a heavy heart that we announce the departure of Lina Ventura. Lina started at Merri-bek in 1991 and has been with Merri-bek Primary School for 28 years and a further 5 years on family leave. Lina is embarking on a new adventure, commencing work at a brand-new school, opening in 2025. We extend our best wishes to Lina. Your contributions to our school have been invaluable, and you will be greatly missed.

After three wonderful years with us, Lexie will be relocating closer to home. Lexie has been an excellent teacher, making a significant impact on her students and our school community. We are incredibly grateful for her dedication and wish her all the very best in this next chapter of her journey.

Similarly, Keerththana will be leaving us this year. We express our gratitude to Keerththana for all her work and we wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

We also wish Ruth, who has been with us this year, all the best moving forward and thank her for all her work in her education support role.

This year, we bid a fond farewell to two beloved members of our Merri-bek Primary School community, Rosa and Leila, as they embark on their well-deserved retirements.

Rosa commenced MPS in 2000 and has been a cornerstone of our school for 24 years, inspiring countless students with her passion for learning and her unwavering care. Leila has equally left her mark, working at Merri-bek for 32 years, with her dedication, and commitment to nurturing young minds.

Their contributions to our school have been immeasurable, and they will be deeply missed by students, colleagues, and families alike. While we are sad to see them go, we celebrate their incredible careers and wish them all the happiness and relaxation they deserve in retirement.

Thank you, Rosa and Leila, for everything you’ve given to our school community.

Amidst these farewells, we are thrilled to announce the addition of our new staff- Tristan Kelly, Gabriella Furst, Jack Brown and Tasneem Bekai (please refer to ALL our teacher profiles, following my Principal’s report).

As we bid farewell to some and welcome others, let us embrace the spirit of community and support that defines Merri-bek. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our shared educational journey.

Our School Community

Thank you to our brilliant school community who continue to provide us with so much support every year. The level of support and assistance is simply amazing and is never taken for granted by our teachers and students. Family involvement has allowed us to hold so many extracurricular school events and give the students new and exciting experience to remember.

Thank you to our School Council members, Parent and Friends Club and our parent helpers for all your hard work and support this year. It is very much appreciated. To all our students for their fine work, effort and learning this year. Have a great summer break.

Grade 6 Graduation

On Wednesday 18th, we will celebrate the achievements of our Year 6 students. It will be a wonderful evening of celebration, dance, speeches and a few parting tears.

Thank you to our Year 6 teachers and all the staff who supported the students throughout the year and ensuring that the night will be a successful send off for our students. All the staff both past and present would like to congratulate all the Year 6 students for allowing us to be a very big part of your lives over the last seven years. It has been a real privilege watching you grow and develop into such wonderful senior school leaders and role models.

Congratulations, again, to our 2024 Year 6 students, we are extremely proud of you and what you have all achieved at MPS. Well done and best wishes for your secondary school education and we wish you all the success in your future pathways.

Everyone at MPS would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season. Thank you for your ongoing support of our wonderful children. Every teacher is looking forward, with eager anticipation to 2025 and what the year has in store for us. Having our new Foundation students starting their school life at Merri-bek will be so exciting and will provide them with new opportunities and activities that will set them up for future learning.

Wishing all our students, families and staff a safe, restful holiday season and a joyous start to the new year.

We look forward to seeing our students back at school in 2025!

Maria Giordano

Principal

Bianca Hudson - Assistant Principal

Dear Merri-bek families,

What a wonderful Term 4 and 2024 we have all had. I can’t believe I have already almost passed a year at Merri-bek Primary School. Swimming has successfully been completed for the year, a big thankyou to all the parents, teachers and students for making it a great and safe experience for all.

Year 6 students have a very busy last few weeks of school as they prepare for Year 6 graduation, Funfields and have engaged in transition sessions to their chosen High School.

As we say goodbye to our current Year 6 students and wish them all the best in their future endeavours, we were excited to meet our new Prep students. These students engaged in multiple transition sessions with their future Prep teachers and got to become familiar with all our spaces and what it will mean to be a student at Merri-bek Primary School in 2025. We are so excited to have them with us next year.

The teachers for 2025 have met and worked together to plan for Term 1, we are all feeling really excited and positive for what the new year has to bring.

We are wishing you a very wonderful and safe holiday break.

Best of luck to our Year 6 students and the teachers departing to continue their journeys.

Kindest Regards,

Bianca Hudson

Assistant Principal

Don’t forget to enjoy some great reads over the holidays.

My favourite reads of the moment…

Anthony Cianflone MP Visit

Bianca, our school council vice president , Mark Evenhuis and I met with the state MP, Anthony Cianflone, to discuss our school concept plan, developed by our parent community, staff and students. I will be meeting with several politicians to hopefully prioritise our school for future funding.

Meet Our Teachers

Kinder News