From the Principal's Desk 2
Dear Monty South families,
It has been a wonderful day welcoming back our whole cohort of students from Prep to Year 6. There was a bit of a party atmosphere, with a welcome arch, music, and circus skills on display. It is a great feeling to have the school with students in it, as we had almost forgotten what it was like. The sounds have been great to listen to all day.
Now the challenge is to pack as much as we possibly can into the final term. The best news is that camps, our swimming carnival and graduation will be going ahead. Excursions, a Parents and Friends fun run and our traditional Christmas hamper will also be held but not our Christmas Carols in the format we have been used to previously. If you are looking to find the date for an activity, they can be found on the calendar on the website. We now have someone in the office who keeps the calendars updated regularly which has been quite the challenge this year with different events cancelled or put on hold.
Canteen opening
Some more good news for those wanting a special lunch. he canteen opens on Friday 5th November. Orders can be made online before 9:00am or written on a paper bag and brought to the class for delivery soon after 9:00am. Please note there is a link on our website.
Welcome to the world
Congratulation to Daniel and Michelle Jacobs on the birth of Grace Joy on September 28th. We understand she is doing well and look forward to hearing more about her when Daniel returns to school after enjoying those first few precious (and demanding) weeks at home.
Congratulations also to the Buswell Family. Fiona and Benn welcomed baby Wesley into their family on October 3rd.
The Johns Family – Nile Johns and his family welcomed a baby girl, Elodie into their family last term.
Congratulations to all our happy and a little bigger families!
Year 6 new furniture
The Year 6 classrooms received new furniture throughout the BER last Wednesday. The communal space in the Year 6 area has also been refurnished and so we are looking to offload some of the old furniture we no longer use.
The new furniture was chosen by our PALS (Principal Advisory Leaders) during remote learning. We held our meetings on some of the designated days and they were quite responsible in their choices. And what is even better, the rest of the cohort and the teachers are loving the flexibility of the furniture and the way it can be moved so easily into collaborative spaces. It does help engage the students in their learning.
Playground works
We were pleased last week to have the contractors break ground on our new play space on the Reichelt Ave side of the school. Due to the construction lockdown, commencement on the project was delayed.
Last week they situated the majority of the landscaping feature rocks on the embankment and around the new sandpit. Further works in the coming weeks will have them situate large logs for “log jungles”, car tyres on the embankment for a rope climb and scrambling, a tunnel, a new slide and a cubby. The area behind the portable in this area is difficult to supervise and the embankment particularly steep, so a fenced off “conservation zone” is planned. Hardy native plants will be planted throughout the new adventure play area. The works will be ongoing through the remainder of the term and will be open for the start of the 2022 school year.
The concept plan for the new playspace was provided in our last newsletter for those who missed it and information has also been posted to our school Facebook page. To find previous newsletters on our website, go to our main page, Newsletter, Archived Newsletters. https://montysouth.vic.edu.au/community/#newsletters
Semester 2 Student Reports
We know it is vital to involve students and their parents/carers in learning. This includes providing a written report to parents/carers on student progress and achievement at least twice a year.
The Department of Education and Training has recently adjusted the expectations around student reporting for Semester 2 in recognition of the disruption caused by COVID-19. MSPS will therefore provide a modified written report for the parent/carer of each student enrolled at the school for Semester 2, 2021 focusing on what progress has been made and what has been achieved by each child.
Reports will include:
· a description of the areas of the Victorian Curriculum Foundation to Level 10, including Towards Foundation Levels A to D, taught;
· for English and Mathematics:
o student achievement information represented on a continuum of learning;
o progress made since the last time these curriculum areas were reported on;
o a five-point scale.
· for all other curriculum areas taught:
o short comments on progress and achievement across the semester on Seesaw tasks.
Parents/carers will be welcome to contact the classroom teacher by email to arrange a time to discuss your child’s report.
Thank you for your continued support during the transition between remote and flexible learning and onsite learning.
Sex Education Australia (SEA)
Our SEA program is currently being delivered across Years 3 to 6. Each year level will participate in three sessions with content tailored and appropriate for each age group. These sessions have been well received by the students and teachers.
So far, the Year 3 and 4 students attended three 45-minute online sessions and our Year 6 students also completed their three 1-hour sessions. The Year 5 students will participate in three 1-hour sessions on Tuesday 9th November, 16th November and 23rd November.
Parents and Friends’ Committee Activities
Every year our committed Parents’ and Friends’ group organise a number of fundraising events that raise funds for improving the playground at Monty South. Unfortunately they haven’t been able to run many of the planned activities this year however before the year is out, they will run the following activities. We hope the school community can assist them to make them a success.
- Free Dress and Hamper donation drive – Friday 26th November
Students are encouraged to come in free dress on this day and bring either a gold coin donation or items to include in our Christmas raffle. The MSPS Christmas raffle is a traditional event we have run for many years. Donated items will be made into hampers and raffle tickets sold for $1 each (10 for $10). The raffle will be drawn at the final school assembly.
- Second hand Uniform Sale – Tuesday 7th December, 8:30am - 9:00am
Donations of unwanted, clean school uniforms are welcome. Please drop them into the school office prior to the sale.
- Colour Fun Run – Friday 10th December
Information will be sent out via Compass ASAP. This will provide details about the event and a link for payment of a $5 student fee for participation. This is the third time we have run this fun event and because the students get so much enjoyment out of it, we hope it will be a great whole school event to finish off this difficult year.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY IN 2022
- Monday 24th January - School Administration will return
- Monday 31st January - Pupil-free Curriculum Day
- Tuesday 1st February - Year 1-6 Students return to school
- Wednesday 2nd February - Prep assessments begin
- Thursday 3rd February - Prep students commence school
- Wednesday 27th July – Data reporting conferences (interviews) -variation to school day. Students not required onsite until their designated conference.
- Friday 16th September - Pupil-free Curriculum Day
- Monday 31st October - Pupil-free Curriculum Day (Day before Melb Cup)
- Monday 19th December – Final day of school for students
- Tuesday 20th December - Pupil-free Curriculum Day
We look forward to a jam packed, but happy and healthy Term 4!
Best wishes,
Leanne Sheean