STAFFING UPDATE

We have been very busy over the past few weeks recruiting staff due to some sudden changes and opportunities. Our rigorous recruiting process takes several weeks to ensure we employ ‘the best of the best’. It is with great pleasure I introduce the following new staff members to the South Melbourne Park learning community.

Year 1/2 Y- Ms Rachelle Frew

Year 1/2 K- Danit Zlotnick (Partner Teacher)

Year 3-6 D- Cath Feast (Partner Teacher)

Visual Arts – Kaila Michael

Integration Aides – Nicole Johnson, Roy Lee and Clodagh Dillion

PRIMARY MATHEMATICS SCIENCE SPECIALIST (PMSS) INITIATIVE

I am excited to announce that we have been successful in our submission to participate in the Primary Mathematics Science Specialist (PMSS) Initiative. South Melbourne Park Primary School has been allocated two specialists in the Mathematics stream.

What is the PMSS Initiative?

PMSS has a long history of supporting schools to improve student engagement and outcomes in mathematics and science.

The PMSS initiative will support 200 teachers from about 100 Victorian government primary schools to train as specialists over 2021 and 2022 in science or mathematics. This grant is valued at $500,000.

Participating schools will receive:

funding of 0.5 equivalent full-time for each participating teacher for two years to release them from teaching duties to train as specialists in mathematics or science.
the equivalent of 20 days of high-quality professional learning for teachers

We appointed Mr Paul Dobney and Ms Emily Kurts as Mathematics Specialist. We are very excited to welcome our new Partner Teachers Danit Zlotnick (1/2K) and Cath Feast (3-6D). Both teachers are very experienced and come very highly recommended. There will be more about this program as the year progresses.

We will address any questions you may have through our Partner Teacher Virtual Q&A to be held Tuesday 9 March at 5pm, via the link below.

INTRODUCING OUR NEW TEACHERS

OUR PARTNER TEACHERS

Hello, my name is Cath Feast, I am very excited to be joining the 3-6 multi-age team this year! I have previously taught at other neighbouring schools across a range of year levels. SMPPS has been extremely welcoming; it's been wonderful to meet so many curious kids and I look forward to meeting more. Outside of school I love to spend time with my own family (I have three children at primary school), go on walks, cook, read books, support the Essendon Football Club and hang out at the beach - summer or winter - whenever possible. If you see me around the school please come and say hello, I look forward to meeting lots of families!

Hello everyone,

My name is Danit Zlotnick and I am extremely excited to be working at South Melbourne Park Primary School, inspiring the next generation of curious minds. I began my career teaching in the UK and have been teaching in Melbourne for the past 5 years. You'll find me working in the 1/2KZ classroom on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting a small portion of the SMPPS community this week and look forward to meeting more students and families over the coming weeks

OUR VISUAL ART TEACHER

Hey everyone, my name is Kaila Michael, I am the new Visual Art Teacher. This is my first year at South Melbourne Park Primary School and it is my first year ever teaching! I am so happy to be here at SMPPS in my dream role. Outside of teaching art I love to travel, go to the theatre and eat lots of chocolate ice-cream. Sometimes, not always, at the same time.

I am so excited about the program I am planning but also just seeing where our innovation, curiosity and creativeness takes us! Some students have already been volunteering their enthusiastic selves for special art projects such as creating art room videos and helping with the gallery window display. I have loved getting to know the students so far and I look forward to doing the same with the parents.

OUR 1/2Y TEACHER

Hi Everyone! My name is Rachelle Frew and I am very excited to join the South Melbourne Park Primary School Team! I have already met some of you but I look forward to further getting to know my students and their families. I recently moved to Melbourne from Ballarat, where I was previously working as a medical scientist in a pathology laboratory. Since then I have been working at Canadian Lead Primary School in Ballarat for two years, and now look forward to new adventures at South Melbourne Park Primary School. Outside of school, I love reading, listening to music and getting out in nature. I look forward to an exciting year ahead together full of fun, curiosity and learning.

2020 SCHOOL ANNUAL REPORT AND AGM ‘REPORTING TO PARENTS’ EVENING - MONDAY MARCH 22 AT 6:30 PM

The 2020 Annual Report and the School Council 2020 Reporting to Parents report is presented to the school community at our ‘Reporting to Parents Evening’ held on Monday 22 March at 6:30PM. All parents are cordially invited to attend this face to face meeting. We will also be live streaming this meeting via Google Meet. Please RSVP via the link below if you are attending. The 2020 Annual Report will also be available on Compass and on the school website.

NEW 2021 STUDENT EXECUTIVE

I had the pleasure of assisting with the selection process of the 2021 Student Executive and announcing the new student executive team at last week’s assembly. I look forward to working with these students as they grow and develop their leadership skills. What impresses me the most, is that we have selected students from a wide range of year levels. One of our cultural values is ‘Be a Leader’ and this is one opportunity for students across the school to be role models, take charge of their portfolio and demonstrate leadership skills.

CURRICULUM DAY-FRIDAY MARCH 19- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

Just a friendly reminder that there is no school on Friday March 19 as it is a pupil free day. TheirCare are offering a full day out of hours’ school care program. Please contact TheirCare to book a place for your child. On this curriculum day the teachers are working on further development and refinement of School Wide Positive Behaviour Framework, as well as Literacy professional learning around the implementation of our Letters and Sounds program.

SCHOOL COUNCIL 2021

As we did not receive more nominations than vacancies in both parent or Department of Education category, there is no need to conduct a ballot. For your information new and re-nominated members are:

Freya Owen (re-nominated), Nicole Le Pou (re-nominated), Sarah Sorenson (new member) and Matthew Vines (re-nominated).

SCHOOL COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEES

School Council is supported by the subcommittees, if you would like to become involved, please contact the school. There are eight meetings in the year.

Finance (meets Monday at 8:00AM)
Strategic Planning & Engagement (meets Tuesday at 6:30PM)
Environment & Facilities (meets Monday at 6:00PM)
Student Wellbeing (meets Wednesday at 5:30PM)
Sponsorship (meets TBC)

FAMILIES & FRIENDS CORE TEAM

We congratulate and thank the parents elected in positions of responsibilities.

President – Claudette Llapitan and Community member of School Council

Vice President – Leanne Gratton

Secretary – Holly Fisher-McLean

Treasurer – Pablo Rois Orza

Project Manager – TBA

Class Rep Lead – Yen Vuong

Library News

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