Melton West Primary School

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I would like to start this first newsletter for the year with a welcome to all our students and their families, with a special mention to our 2021 Preps. This is a special time for the children and their families and one definitely worth celebrating. I would also like to give a special mention to all the new families who have moved to our school this year and welcome them warmly. I hope you find Melton West PS a welcoming community who live by our values of Trust, Teamwork, Communication and Respect in everything we do. The year has started smoothly thanks to the efforts of our amazing staff, who came in during the holidays to set up their classrooms and prepare for the students arrival. 

 

New Staff: I would also like to offer a welcome the following staff members who have joined the Melton West Primary School community this year: Ms Sinead Duffy (Year Prep); Ms Charmie Cook (Year 3), Ms Megan Stephenson (Year 4), Ms Georgia Dowling (year 5/6), Mrs Karli Brinsden (EAL), Mrs Nikolina Perkovic (1/2 Inquiry), Ms Stephanie Phiri (Year 3/4 Inquiry), Ms Jackie Fox (Year 5/6 Inquiry), Mr Aaron Rasmanis (3-6 Science), Mr Matthew McGrath (PE) and Ms Caitlin Cummane (Prep – 2 Art). Mrs Jenny O’Connor has reduced her time fraction to 3 days and will work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

New Arrivals: Over the holiday break Ms Cobbledick and Ms Brockfield had their babies. We wish them all the best as their little families grow. Ms Cobbledick’s baby girl, Bridie Rose, arrived on January 7th .2021

Ms Brockfield also had a baby girl she named Ocean Lyla. She arrived on the 21st January 2021 at 5.24pm and weighed 3.96 kg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

School Values: I thought it was important to remind our community of our School Values and how they are reflected in the behavioural expectations of all. The following table outlines our values of Communication, Respect, Teamwork and Trust and includes a definition of what each value means and how we all, staff, parents and students, should demonstrate it:

Communication is key to developing successful relationships and we are very keen to ensure we keep the lines of communication open at all times. If you have a question or concern that you’d like to talk to your child’s teacher about, it is best to make an appointment with them. Staff meeting nights are Tuesday and Wednesday so all staff have a commitment on these nights. Please also be aware that from 8.50 am in the morning staff need to be attentive to the children as they enter the room, so that is not a good time. Making an appointment ensures everyone is tuned into the issue at hand and can give it their full attention.

Child Safety Standards: At Melton West Primary School, we are committed to acting in the best interests of our students and keeping them safe from harm. The School regards its child protection responsibilities as being of the utmost importance. This means that in practice we are focussed on providing the necessary resources to ensure compliance with all relevant child protection legislation and regulations; and to maintaining a child safe culture.

The following principles underpin our commitment to child safety at Melton West Primary School:

  • All students deserve, as a fundamental right, safety and protection from all forms of abuse and neglect.
  • Our school works in partnership with families and the community to ensure that they are engaged in decision-making processes, particularly those that have an impact on child safety and protection.
  • All students have the right to a thorough and systematic education in all aspects of personal safety, in partnership with their parents/guardians/caregivers.
  • All adults in our school, including teaching and non-teaching staff, volunteers and contractors as well as the broader school community have a responsibility to care for children and young people, to positively promote their wellbeing and to protect them from any kind of harm or abuse.
  • The policies, guidelines and codes of conduct for the care, wellbeing and protection of students are based on honest, respectful and trusting relationships between adults and children and young people.
  • Policies and practices demonstrate compliance with legislative requirements and cooperation with governments, the police and human services agencies.
  • All persons involved in situations where harm is suspected or disclosed must be treated with sensitivity, dignity and respect.
  • Staff, volunteers, contractors, parents/guardians and students should feel free to raise concerns about child safety, knowing these will be taken seriously by school leadership.
  • Appropriate confidentiality will be maintained, with information being provided to those who have a right or a need to be informed, either legally or pastorally.

Melton West Primary School is committed to the continuous improvement of our Child Safe Program. The Program is regularly reviewed for overall effectiveness and to ensure compliance with all child protection related laws, regulations and standards. Our Child Safe Policy is available from the office and on our website. Please make an appointment to speak to a member of the Principal Class Team if you have any concerns about a child’s safety.

Annual Privacy Reminder: Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy (see attached). Please take time to remind yourself of the school’s collection statement, found on our website. For more information about privacy, see: Schools’ Privacy Policy – information for parents available at https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Pages/Schools-Privacy-Policy-information-for-parents.aspx. This information is also available in nine community languages.

Sunsmart Policy: As part of the School’s Sunsmart Policy, children are required to wear a hat whilst outside during term 1 and 4, otherwise they will be directed to the shaded pergola area. Sunscreen is also available in every classroom and children are encouraged to apply throughout the day. It is a good idea to send your child with sunscreen at the start of the day as well. A copy of the Sunsmart Policy is included in this newsletter for your reference and is available on our School’s Website.

Meet the Teacher Interviews: On Wednesday 24th February we invite all parents and carers to a “Meet the Teacher” Interview. This is an opportunity for you to talk to the teachers about your child so that they can best meet the needs of your child. Please take the opportunity to attend, even if it’s just to introduce yourself. Details will follow soon on how to book an appointment.

Assembly: We are very keen to hold our weekly school assembly again, however the Covid capacity limits means we can only have 423 people in total in this enclosed space. We cannot accommodate parents at this stage but will open up a WebEx feed for you to watch online. We are tweaking with the timing at the moment, so please check out our Social Media for exact details for tomorrow’s assembly. Information will be available on our school’s Facebook page, the Skoolbag App, and on Class Dojo.

Fresh Fruit Friday Volunteers: 

For a number of years we have provided fresh fruits to all classes every Friday. However, this relies on us having a group of parents who volunteer to cut up the fruit, arrange on platters and deliver to the classrooms. This occurs from 8.50 on Friday and depending on how many volunteers we have could be finished by 10.00am. 

Toddlers and small children are welcome as it becomes quite a community of people, supporting each other. If you have time to volunteer for this please contact Korrina (Wellbeing Officer) via the school office. We will coordinate a timetable and let you know when it will start once we know have enough people, to make this viable.

 

High Levels of Learning for All

Michelle Costa

Principal