Message from Principal Sarah

Term 3 continues to be a jammed-packed term with many exciting opportunities for our students to engage in. Please have a read through the newsletter to see some of the highlights of past events this term and check out the ‘Important Dates’ page for upcoming events such as Book Week, year-level excursions, and camps.

Safe Driver Behaviour

Thank you to those families that have been using our 'Kiss and Go' zones on a regular basis. 

We know at times our 'Kiss and Go' zones can be busy, however, we encourage families to wait in the queue rather than pulling out in front of other vehicles in the zone. We also ask that families are mindful of the speed limits around the school during the day, particularly at drop-off and pick-up times. 

We also remind families to walk on the designated footpaths and use the crossings when walking to school.

Digital Technology Reminder – Smart Watches

It has come to our attention that some of our students are receiving messages during the day via their smartwatches. As a reminder, our students have signed an Acceptable Usage of Technology Agreement (that includes smart watches) that states technology at school is for learning activities only. 

We kindly remind students and families that the messaging apps must be disabled during school hours. If you need to urgently contact your child while they are at school, please phone the front office on 9329 6902.

Victorian Government Schools Agreement 

Something that families may not be aware of, is that over the past months Victorian Government schools have been negotiating a new fair work agreement. The new Victorian Government Schools Agreement (VGSA) was signed off and has begun implementation in all Victorian Government schools. It is important that we flag this with you, as some noticeable changes will be put in place now and even more so at the start of 2023. 

The changes that will be more evident from the perspective of our school community are in particular reference to time in lieu for teaching staff when required to attend school activities/events beyond their working hours. This will be a particular impact on our after school events and especially school camps. 

Our Consultative Committee has been meeting regularly to discuss the implications of the new VGSA, in particular on our Community Engagement events and camping program for 2023 and beyond. It is important to note that time in lieu for teaching staff does not impact 2022 camps.

2022 Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey

Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents/caregivers/guardians think of our school. The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, and student engagement. We encourage all families to participate in this survey. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies. 

While previously a random sample of approximately 30 percent of parents/caregivers/guardians have been selected to participate, this year, all families are invited to participate in the survey.

The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey will be conducted from Monday 15th August to Friday 16th September. Information for the survey has been sent out via Compass.

The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the fieldwork period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets, or smartphones. The online survey will be available in a range of languages other than English. These include Arabic, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese, Chin (Hakha), Hindi, Japanese, Somali, Turkish, Punjabi and Greek.

New Campus Update

The project is taking shape, with the lower ground ceiling being installed as well as a feature ceiling on the upper ground level. Walls are going in on levels 1 to 4, while the stairs in between levels are being completed. The wall on the southern side is also taking shape, while the outer covering of the building is well underway. 

For project updates, visit https://www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/north-melbourne-primary-school-new-campus

Kindergarten Enrolments

If you have children that turn three by 30 April 2023 (three-year-old Kindergarten) or four by 30 April 2023 (four-year-old Kindergarten) and are interested in kindergarten for 2023 please contact the NMPS front office to register your Expression of Interest on 03 9329 6902.

Please note that the kindergarten will operate independently of NMPS and will have a separate management team.  Currently, DET is reviewing submissions for the operation of this new Kindergarten; once an Operator is formerly appointed, they will be in direct contact with those who have submitted Expressions of Interest.