From the Principal
Week 5 and halfway through the term already. I saw a post recently that mentioned that there were only 19 more Fridays until Christmas 😊
The excitement of the Olympics and soon the Paralympics (Aug 28th - 8th Sept) captivates audiences worldwide. The Games were a fantastic opportunity to celebrate athleticism and international camaraderie. As we watch athletes from around the world compete at the highest level, we are reminded of the power of dedication, hard work and teamwork. There have been plenty of moments for us to cheer on our favourite competitors and celebrate diverse cultures coming together.
Parkdale Mini Olympics
Our Mini-Olympics day was a huge success and a lot of fun for everyone! The Department of Education video team has put together a short video.
Please find the links below:
X - (20) Victorian Department of Education on X
A big thank you to our Olympic parent organising committee for organising the events, ribbons, food, and to the parents who volunteered to run the events on the day.
Once again, we thank all our sponsors: Bendigo Bank, Buxton, Baker’s Delight, YOMG, Parkdale Charcoal Chicken, Maros Pizza, Station Stop cafe, SOHO Coffee House, 4Cousins, Woolworths Thrift Park and Woolworths Mentone, Tim Richardson. Your support and donations were greatly appreciated.
A huge thank you to the PPS community, the community raised $19000 which will go towards other projects at the school.
We are extremely grateful to Bendigo Bank for their generous donation to our water stations project at PPS. Bendigo bank has donated $18000. Your support has ensured us to be able to purchase two drink and water bottle stations for the students at Parkdale Primary.
Great News! The water stations have arrived and will be installed before the end of term.
Lost scooter
Parents, we had a scooter which was left behind on the Mini Olympics day, it may belong to a toddler – if you are missing a scooter please contact the office.
Unwell Students
Unfortunately, it is that time of the year when colds and flu symptoms seem to be a common occurrence. We appreciate that attendance is important, however, if your child has symptoms and is unwell, please keep them at home, this will help stop the spread of colds and flu to other children and staff. We have also had a few cases of Gastro, a reminder children should not be sent to school until 48 hours after the last episode.
Australian Mathematics Competition
We had several students from Grades 3-6 participating in the Australian Mathematics competition last week. The AMC is an engaging 30-problem competition that demonstrates the importance of mathematics in students’ everyday lives. Thank you to Mr Blacklaw and Mr Bainbridge for organising this event.
Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee
We have several students in Grades 3-6 participating in the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee. This is a national spelling competition that is completed online and free to enter. Students answer thirty random spelling words per round. They complete the initial round and then depending on results can move onto State and National rounds.
Fire Fighter Visit
The Foundation students had a visit from the local fire fighters today. This is part of their inquiry unit, some of the key messages are good fires and bad fires, crawl low in smoke, safe meeting place, calling 000. The fire truck is always an exciting visit.
House Athletics
The Grade 3-6 students participated in our House Athletics Day last Thursday. With 400 students attending and participating it is a busy day. Thank you to Mr A, staff and parents for ensuring that the day ran smoothly. The children had a lot of fun competing in events and of course the opportunity to eat snacks and socialise with their friends.
Aerobics – National Final
Starbursts
Rockin Robics
Starbursts
Rockin Robics
Congratulations to our Aerobics teams Rockin Robics’ who placed 2nd Silver medal and Starbursts placed 3rd Bronze medal in the Aerobics National Final on Sunday. The girls have trained extremely hard over the course of this year. Their determination and hard work attitude are a credit to them all. A big thank you to Ms Byrne, Ms Ulrich and Mrs Mackenzie for the time they have spent training the girls.
Review
We had our first day of our school review on Monday 12th August. This day involved looking at the data over the past four years, enablers and barriers and classroom observations. Fieldwork days will occur on Monday and Tuesday and involve classroom observations, PLC meetings, staff, parent and student focus groups.
Parent, Caregiver and Guardian Opinion Survey
The 2024 Parent, Caregiver and Guardian Opinion Survey is now available to complete until Friday 30 August 2024. All families were invited to participate in the survey, an email was sent on Monday 29th July with the details for PPS. The survey is conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The survey seeks feedback on school climate, community engagement in learning and teaching practices for student engagement and outcomes. Thank you to the families who have completed the survey thus far.
Kind regards
Leanne Bradney