Principal's Message

Welcome Back

Hello Wonderful Families of SMPS. We enter the last quarter of the school year full of confidence and hope. The weather is improving and the COVID-cloud has lifted somewhat so things are certainly looking up. 

Term 4 is about finishing strongly and setting up for success in 2023. It is your child's last term (ever) at this grade level. Never will they be this age again! Physical life on earth is limited and I am reminded of the concept of "the last time." There is a last time for everything. We may see 20,000 trees in our lifetime - but one day, there will be a last time. This can be sad or beautiful. It is sad because we experience a thing for the last time and we will never see it again. It is beautiful because we can choose to appreciate something that will one day disappear forever as an experience for us.

What will you do to celebrate the fact that your child is experiencing their current grade for "the last time?" Try to be conscious of seizing the moments that will never happen again.

Each term, the first edition of our iNewsletter contains curriculum projections for each grade level. We have a very interested group of parents who like to know what their children are learning - and we think that is fantastic. 

Remember that iNewsletters are published on the weekend before each 'odd' numbered week of the term and Principal's Newsfeeds are published the weekend before each 'even' week. They alternate. 

I want you all to know how grateful I am to be principal of your school. I consider it a great honour. I appreciate the beauty of your children and the quality of the humans who take care of them each school day (our staff). I hope to see your smiling faces at the front gate and look forward to another wonderful term of learning and care at our great school.

Key Dates for Term 4

• It is technically a 12-week term (with the last week containing an activities day on the Monday and a student-free day on the Tuesday)
• The last 'farewell' assembly for the term will occur on Friday, December 16 at approximately 2:30pm
• November 1 is the Melbourne Cup Holiday
• A skeleton calendar is included below and key dates will be included as the term progresses
• School returns in 2023 at SMPS on Tuesday, January 31 at 9:00am

Student Placement into 2023 Classes Process

In the first few weeks of Term 4, staff will place students into draft 2023 classes. Teachers have not yet been allocated to grades, and the teacher placement process will occur later in the term when we know all staff intentions for the new year. 

It is not possible for parents to 'name their child's new teacher' and this is not an opportunity to do so. We have full confidence in our staff and we expect only small tweaks of feedback from families regarding the placement of their child.

As one of our values is 'Community', this process offers the chance for parents to put forward their perspective if they feel valuable information needs to be considered during the class placement process. The school understands there is sometimes valuable feedback to be shared when teachers are placing students into new classes. This information should pertain to academic and wellbeing outcomes for the child and not merely based on a 'preference for a teacher'. In the past years, our families have been wonderful around this point.

A time window opening from Monday, October 10th and closing at 3.30pm on Friday, October 21st will be available for the Principal to receive any parent feedback about their child's placement that is relevant to education and wellbeing. This feedback may guide us in our placement decisions, but no promises can be made. 

The feedback will only be accepted in writing to the school's email address (south.melbourne.ps@education.vic.gov.au). No verbal or other submissions will be considered. A receipt will be issued to you via reply email acknowledging that your feedback has been received. Emails should be addressed with the subject line: "Attention Mr. Noel"

It is important that parents understand that feedback offered outside this time window will not be accepted, except for exceptional circumstances. We thank you for your support in this process. Please note that whilst your letter will be officially acknowledged as being received, the outcome of your child's placement will occur using the same process and timeline as all other children. This is in keeping with the spirit of fairness for all. 

It is relevant for parents to alert us to any issues with relatives (e.g. cousins in the same year level) as we will not necessarily associate students via surname. Also, if you have made requests previously, please do not assume we will have a corporate memory of them in placing the students. You would need to mention issues raised in previous times via a new email.