Community News

🏆School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support Platinum Award 2025 (SWPBS) 

We are so proud to share some exciting news with our school community!

Melton Specialist School has achieved SWPBS Platinum Accreditation for 2025 – the highest level of recognition for schools in Victoria.

This achievement reflects the strong, positive culture we continue to build together, where every student feels safe, supported, and included. It celebrates our whole school approach to:

• Clear and consistent expectations for behaviour
• Safe, calm and welcoming learning environments
• Supporting student voice and wellbeing
• Working together as a school community

What does Platinum mean?

Platinum is the highest level of recognition within School-Wide Positive Behaviour Supports (SWPBS), and 2025 is the first year this level has been available to all Victorian schools.

Over the past three years, we have proudly maintained Gold status, and this year we have taken the next step to Platinum by continuing to strengthen our practices. This means we consistently use positive, proactive approaches to support behaviour, celebrate success, and create the best possible learning environment for all students.

At Melton Specialist School, this looks like:

• Teaching and recognising positive behaviours through video modelling, social narratives, and visual supports
• Using encouragement and motivation to support students
• Celebrating success through our Gotcha Tokens
• Using data and teamwork to keep improving

Thank you to our incredible students, staff, and supportive families for living our values every day and helping make our school such a positive place to learn and grow! 

This achievement belongs to all of us! 

🛑Industrial Action Tuesday 24 March 2026

The Australian Education Union has called on its members to take strike action on Tuesday 24 March 2026.

Based upon the information provided, a large number of our staff will be taking part in the strike action.

 As a consequence: 

• Students are not required to attend on this day. Families are encouraged to make alternative arrangements for your child/ren.
•  Normal programs may not be run, and students who do attend onsite may be supported by unfamiliar and replacement staff.

If this will cause you difficulties, in particular if you are a critical services worker, please get in touch via the school office as soon as possible.

As you are aware, all students at Melton Specialist School have an intellectual disability and other high/complex needs. Whilst we will make every effort to make adequate, appropriate and alternative supervision arrangements, it is our priority to ensure the safety of all students and remaining staff onsite. 

If staffing levels prevent us from safely supervising all students, especially due to medical interventions, for the full day, we may contact families and request early collection of your child.

We will keep you updated if anything changes and we thank you for your flexibility, understanding and support as always.  

🚗Gate 4 & Carer Pick‑Up – Important Update🚗

At Melton Specialist School, student safety is always our top priority.

To continue strengthening our processes, we are making some updates to how Gate 4 and carer pick‑up operates. 

Some of our families/students have specific needs that require a different pick-up via Gate 4, which have all been previously put in place. Families may have already noticed that this gate remains closed during the school day and will now only open from 8.30am for drop off and 2:30pm for afternoon pick‑up.

We have made changes to the Parent Pickup process.

To ensure students are going home with authorised carers, all carers who are picking up before our normal pick-up time which begins at 3.00pm will now be required to check in at Reception to receive a “Carer Approved” card. This card will be asked for by school staff before the student is released to them.  This helps staff confidently confirm that each student is being collected by an authorised person.

Carers using Gate 4 will be given a sign with the student's name clearly written on it for the car which they should place on the inside of their windscreen for staff to observe. This will allow entry into Gate 4 morning and afternoon and indicate they are an authorised person to pick up. 

If someone arrives at the school without prior clearance or parent advice/approval, they will be asked to wait while we contact families for approval.

This is also a good reminder to ensure your phone numbers and emergency contact details are kept up to date.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of all students.

🧡Harmony Day - MSS Celebrating on 23rd March

Harmony Week is held from 16th to 22nd March 2026. It celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity, inclusiveness, and respect, under the theme "Everyone Belongs". It culminates in Harmony Day on March 21, coinciding with the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. People wear orange to signify unity, communication, and respect. 

MSS will be celebrating Harmony Day on Monday 23 March 2026. 

What does this day mean? 

It’s a day that celebrates inclusiveness, respect, and belonging. Values that sit right at the heart of everything we do at Melton Specialist School.

Harmony Day began in 1999 as a way to bring people together, strengthen understanding, and celebrate the diversity that makes Australia such a vibrant place to live and learn. The colour orange represents the day because it symbolises communication, connection, and the courage to stand up for one another.

At MSS, Harmony Day is a reminder that every student, every family, and every staff member belongs. Everyone brings their own strengths, culture, and unique story—and these differences make our school stronger, safer, and richer.

It is also a day for us to reinforce an important message: racism has no place at Melton Specialist School. When we practise kindness, learn about each other’s backgrounds, and stand up when something isn’t fair, we show our commitment to creating a community where every person feels valued. Harmony Day encourages us to notice and challenge unfair behaviour, and to always choose inclusion over exclusion.

This means we:

• Respect – We treat everyone with dignity and celebrate each other’s cultures.
• Responsibility – We speak kindly, act safely, and stand up for what is right.
• Learning – We seek to understand others and grow through new perspectives.

• Resilience – We support one another to feel safe, confident, and included.

   

Together, we continue building a school where everyone is welcome, where diversity is celebrated, and where every student can learn and thrive in a community that truly values them.

They will also be participating in a range of fun and meaningful Harmony Day activities throughout the day.

Students are invited to wear orange to show their support for inclusiveness and belonging. 

📸School Photos

Earlier this month, National Photography visited our school to capture our students’ wonderful smiles. 

Thank you to all families who have already returned their photo order forms.

If you are still yet to place an order, please ensure you return your form to the office by 4:00pm Monday 23rd March. Alternatively, you can order directly through National Photography.

No further orders will be accepted via the school after this date. 

Email: info@nationalphotography.com.au

Telephone: (03) 9428 9420

👖 Donations of School Uniforms

We are currently in short supply of track pants. 

If any families have second-hand uniform items that students have outgrown and are still in good condition, we would greatly appreciate donations.

Please drop any items off at Reception. Thank you for your support!

🚭A Reminder About Our Smoke‑Free School Policy

A friendly reminder to all families and visitors that Melton Specialist School is a completely smoke‑free and vape‑free environment. 

Smoking or vaping is not permitted anywhere on school grounds, including car parks and outdoor areas. 

Thank you for helping us maintain a healthy, safe and welcoming space for all students, staff and community members.

👕Why We Have a School Uniform at MSS

At Melton Specialist School, our school uniform plays an important role in creating a positive, safe, and inclusive learning environment for all students.

Our uniform helps to:

• Promote a sense of belonging – When everyone wears the same uniform, students feel part of the same team. It helps build school pride and a strong sense of community.
• Support safety – Uniforms make it easy for staff to identify our students both at school and when learning out in the community.
• Remove pressure on families – Wearing a uniform reduces day‑to‑day decisions about clothing and helps avoid competition or comparisons between students.
• Encourage readiness for learning – Putting on a uniform helps students get into their “school mindset”, supporting routines and independence.

• Ensure appropriate clothing for school activities – Our uniform is comfortable, practical, and suitable for a wide range of learning experiences, including therapy, outdoor programs, and specialist classes.

   

We appreciate your support in helping students wear their uniform each day. If you need assistance with uniform items or have any questions, please contact the school office. We are here to help.

🚐Foodbank Visit

Our Foodbank partners will be visiting again this term on 31 March 2026. 

If you would like support or would like to be connected with this service, please contact the office and we will put you in touch with our Student Engagement Team.