Thursday 24 October

Dear Families,

Today we have had the goal posts installed on the oval which is very exciting. They will be able to be used tomorrow once the poles have set.

Tomorrow we are looking forward to welcoming grandparents across the Junior school. They will be in for a treat as they experience Plot to Pot!

Save the date – Monday 18th November – School Community Feedback Night

Our School Council (parent representatives) wish to hold a School Community Feedback Night to receive feedback on both the positives about the school but also seek feedback on areas for improvement. There have been several changes over the last few years so the timing is right. Topics will focus on teaching and learning, communication, community and facilities.

The feedback provided will then inform both current and future School Council Priorities Action Plan.

Congratulations

Today we had Heidi from 56S (long jump) and Archie 56D (100m and triple jump) compete in the Regional Athletics Carnival. This is a phenomenal achievement to progress to this stage of competition and we are very proud of their efforts. They have progressed from our House Athletics to EDEC Athletics to Divisional to Regionals - well done!

Congratulations in advance

Next week Winter 56D and Zanna 56S represent MCPS at the Emerald Rotary club’s annual primary school public speaking speech competition. It is always a great night and we know that these students will excel. Good luck.

World Teachers' Day

Menzies Creek will join the rest of Australia in acknowledging World Teachers' Day tomorrow, to recognise the outstanding work and dedication of all our teachers.

World Teachers' Day is an opportunity for our community to say ‘Hats Off’ to our teachers who continue to provide enriching and engaging learning opportunities that make such a profound difference to our students. World Teachers’ Day was first recognised in 1994, so this year marks 30 years of recognising the extraordinary value of the work teachers do and providing the community with the opportunity to express collective thanks to teachers for their hard and effective work.

Student free day

On Monday 4 November our students are not required at school as our staff are having our last professional practice day. This is the day before the Melbourne Cup day public holiday.

Theircare will be available if you require assistance with supervision, please contact them for a booking if required.

MCPS School Fang Run - Halloween (Thursday 31 October 2:45 – 3:30)

Run like Zombies are chasing you and raise money for our school at the same time. It's a school fundraiser with a Halloween twist, and it’s sure to get your blood pumping! So, why not sink your fangs into the Colour Fun Fang Run! Please check your compass news feed for more information for after school as many families prepare for trick and treating in Menzies Creek. Good luck with finding some sponsors.

Placement of staff and students into classes for 2025

Over the last month our school has been developing our 2025 school structure and staffing. Following that exercise, our staff will begin the task of allocating students to classes for 2025. As per the norm, our staffing allocations and final class structures will then be announced in late December.

As with our teaching teams, class groups are developed after careful consideration, balancing a range of issues and needs. These include factors such as academic ability, behavioural challenges, friendships, and previous teachers.

A valuable part of the process is stakeholder feedback:

In the coming weeks students will be given the opportunity to list friends they would like to be with for the following year. They will be placed with at least one friend on that list.
Parent perspective can also add information to support this process. If you have any valuable information, regarding the class placement for your child for 2025, that is above and beyond what we already know please write to me outlining any relevant educational considerations for next year. I ask that written requests are based on educational grounds and reach me by Friday 8th November. Any request received will be carefully considered, but not guaranteed and specific teacher requests won’t be considered.

I encourage families to trust our school’s judgement and, like I do, value our teachers as high-calibre people that care first and foremost for your children. Ultimately, it is our current class teachers, as professionals with all available information, that are in the best position to place students in classes. Further, I am sure that you would understand that it is not always possible to accommodate all requests and that an important part of any student’s journey through their schooling is the development of vital life skills. This includes meeting, getting to know, and working with different personalities.

Local walking excursions

There may be times when staff and students wish to go for a walk this term. Families will be notified when this would take place. Please provide consent for staff to be able to do this during the term via this link.

Emergency Management

Please access the fire rating for LGA’s- https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/warnings-restrictions/total-fire-bans-fire-danger-ratings/central-fire-district

Schools and children’s services such as Menzies Creek Primary School are listed on the DET Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR). We are classified as category 3 school on the BARR (Bushfire At-Risk Register) and will only be closed on days where the fire danger rating is Catastrophic in the central fire district. Closure of our school due to a forecast Catastrophic day will be confirmed on the day prior and we will provide you with advice before the end of the school day. Any information regarding potential or confirmed Catastrophic fire danger days will be communicated to you by a news feed notification via Compass and a SMS text message.

Once confirmed, the decision to close will not change, regardless of improvements in the weather forecast. This is to avoid confusion and help you plan alternative care arrangements for your child.

It is also important to note that:

No staff will be on site on days where the school is closed due to a forecast Catastrophic day.
Out-of-school-hours Theircare will also be cancelled on these days.

What can you do?

Make sure your family’s bushfire survival plan is up-to-date and includes alternative care arrangements in the event that our school is closed.
Ensure we have your current contact details, especially if we need to send a SMS via Compass. We require the most up to date records to ensure we can contact you. If you have changed address, got a new phone number or changed employment could you please let us know.

With fire season fast approaching it is a good time to remind our families to ensure that all your details are up to date at the school.

Transition to 2025

This term we will be conducting a number of transition sessions to support all our students prepare for 2025.

Our new Foundation students will come to school this term on the following days:

Friday 18th October (9:30am – 10:30am)
Friday 1st November (9:15am – 11:15am)
Wednesday 20th November (9:15am – 1:15pm)
Tuesday 10th December (9:30am – 3:00pm)

Our Year 6 students will have their own taster days at the respective secondary schools this term as well as having a statewide transition day on Tuesday 10th December for all government schools.

Our students who will be moving year levels will also have a chance to taste what next year can be expected to bring as we start the process of our internal transition sessions and 2025 class creation. Always a fun time!

School Uniform and being SunSmart

Students are required to be in full school uniform, unless it is celebrating a birthday.

This includes wearing of school hats. Please encourage your child/ren to do this as we don't want to be continually hounding students about it. Also encourage them to look after their hats and ensure they are labelled clearly!

No hat = no play, students will be directed to say under cover to avoid UV

Assembly

We will have assemblies on the following Fridays at 2:45 this term:

October 25
November 8
November 22
December 6 (presentation of annual MCPS awards)
December 20 (at 1pm)

Take care,

Dale

Ritchies IGA

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