SMPS Family iNewsletter

Principal's Message

Our children are our future...

Principal's Message

Welcome to the start of Week 3 of Term 4. I hope last week brought you some joy. Unless you are living the worst possible life, there are always things to be grateful for. I was with my father on his deathbed some years ago. As he lay in palliative care, he said to me that he appreciated the warmth and brightness of the sunlight streaming into his room. This was his last day on earth yet he found something to like. It was inspiring then - it is inspiring now. 

 

I write below of the currently conflict in the Middle East. I have no public opinion to share around the politics - that is not my role. At any time, war rages in certain areas of the world. My empathy goes out to any victims of these wars. I can't spend my life thinking about every person or every war - it would be too draining. But I feel for the victims both in the wars and those affected by its outcomes. Some of those victims may be our school community. Please reach out if your family (and especially your child) is affected. That care is inside our control and we want to help. 

 

I want to finish this section again encouraging parents to NEVER let their child alone (unsupervised) online. I love technology for learning. But everything needs to be age-appropriate. Exposing your child too soon to the horror of the world (or letting them mentally wander in that space) is negligent. I wanted my child to learn to ride a bike. The first step was a small tricycle. Imagine if my first step was on the M1 Freeway on a Harley-Davidson. You'd think I was crazy and negligent. Social media, free-ranging on the internet, exposing your children to above-age content - all of these are horror stories waiting to happen. I understand that wrapping your child in cotton wool is similarly problematic. But monitoring for age-appropriate exposure is our role as responsible adults. With wars waging, let's think about this as we navigate our beautiful children through these complex times.

Student Wellbeing Message - Middle East Unrest

Some in our school community may be affected by the events in the Middle East which can be upsetting and disturbing. Media coverage can also convey images that may add to the distress. This time is particularly unsettling for staff, students, families and carers who have family and friends in Israel and Gaza. 

 

Our school contains families from diverse backgrounds, including Jewish and Muslim students, who may be significantly affected by public events, mainstream media coverage and social media at this time.

 

Please be assured that all staff at SMPS are aware of the emotional toll that may impact our community at this time. Feel free to get in contact with any of the staff at our school if your family or child are affected at this time. Our staff will continue doing all they can to support all our students. Support is also available for our staff.

 

It is possible that extremely distressing scenes from the conflict may be posted online. Please ensure your children are aware of where they can find support in the event they come across such images. At our school, this includes contact with our Wellbeing Leader, Jo May, whose email address can be located via Compass. We encourage all parents to monitor their children at all times they are online and to not leave your child unattended on the Internet. This is a guideline we promote always.

 

You may find some aspects of this resource helpful: 

Support is also available through external services including:

We will all look to support one another in this very difficult time.

Art Show: Grade 2 Singing Auditions

To open the South Melbourne PS Art Show, 9th November 2023, we will showcase some Grade 2 student singing performances. Due to very limited spots, there will be an auditions to select performers. All South Melbourne PS Grade 2 students are welcome to audition for this performance opportunity. 

 

Audition requirements. 

  1. The auditioning student should aim to sing a song of their choice in its entirety
  2. There must be a backing track available (karaoke) on YouTube to be used in the audition and performance

Students will be selected based on the following criteria.

  1. How well the auditionee knows their song. This includes the lyrics and melody.
  2. Ability to perform the song. (Smile and move a bit!)

Auditions will take place on Tuesday, 24th October 2023 at recess in the Music Room.

 

If you child(s) intends to audition please encourage them to prepare for their audition with regular practice. We can’t wait to see some awesome Grade 2 singing performances!

 

From Mr. Paul

Specialist Events

Please take a look at 'The Learning Page' this week for information regarding the upcoming House Sports Day and Art Show.