Principal Message

Harmony Day 

Our whole school celebration of Harmony Day on Wednesday 22nd March was a wonderful success; the day involved activities and guest speakers followed by an evening celebrating diversity and inclusion with our whole school community. We hope all our families enjoyed it as much as we did as a staff.

The celebration of Harmony Day began in 1999, just before we entered the 21st century. This same day is also the United Nation’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

For us, Harmony Day is about:

inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, and united by a set of core Australian values 

Our world now, is in great need of harmony between humans and with the rest of the creation. To become more inclusive is to respect others and the natural world. When we understand and respect the needs of others, and when we can share what we have, all can be in harmony.

The message we are trying to instill in our children is that to live harmoniously in Australia, it is essential that we ensure that everyone from different backgrounds is made to feel equal and involved, and is treated with fairness and respect. Sometimes it can be difficult to reconcile what we learn in the classroom with what we see on television and in the newspapers. Our Harmony Day celebrations were just fabulous, the cultural performances and carefully chosen and rehearsed class song performances, the food trucks and the fun had by all, really did demonstrate that ‘everyone belongs’ in this diverse community of Australia especially right here in Mitcham Primary School. 

I would like to extend a huge thank you to Bu Irvine and all the staff at MPS for leading the organisation of our celebrations, to all of the students and families for their spirited involvement in the day and evening and to all of the Mitcham Primary School staff for their whole-hearted support and enthusiasm.

Corresponding with Harmony Day, on March 21st, Persian New Year was celebrated, also known as Nowruz! Nowruz is a traditional festival that marks the first day of the Persian calendar.

This holiday is celebrated by millions of people all over the world, including many in our own community. It is a time for families to gather, share delicious food, exchange gifts, and participate in cultural activities.

To commemorate this special occasion, one of our families set up a traditional haftseen table in our reception for Harmony Day, the table was decorated with seven items, each item a special symbol of renewal. 

We are grateful for this opportunity to learn about and appreciate the rich cultural traditions of our Persian community. 

We would also like to inform you that Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, has begun. Ramadan is an important month for the Muslim community, as it is a time of spiritual reflection. 

During this month, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from food and drink. The purpose of the fast is to practise self-discipline, increase compassion for those in need, and deepen one's connection with their faith.

We would like to take this opportunity to extend our support to our Muslim students and families who will be observing Ramadan. We understand that fasting can be challenging, and we are committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for all our students during this time.

School Council

We had our first Council Meeting with our 2023 members on Tuesday evening. Congratulations to the following people who were elected as office bearers:

Nasra Higgins- President

Aysha Rowe - Vice President

Joel Curtis - Treasurer

During our meeting approval was sought and received for our 2022 Annual Report and the 2023 Annual Implementation Plan. 

The purpose of the Annual Report is to inform parents and the wider school community of the school's successes, activities and achievements throughout the previous year, this report will now shortly be endorsed by the Department of Education and then we will publish it on our website. 

Each year schools look closely at their priority areas and develop action plans to help them achieve the best possible outcomes for their students, this becomes our Annual Implementation Plan. The major priority areas for Mitcham PS in 2023 are:

• Learning - Support both those who need scaffolding and those who have thrived to continue to extend their learning, especially in numeracy
• Wellbeing - Effectively mobilise available resources to support students' wellbeing and mental health, especially the most vulnerable.

The entire 2023 Annual Implementation Plan has also be published on our website and can be reviewed by clicking here.

Our next School Council meeting will be on Tuesday 16th May, preceding the meeting at 6.30pm we will be hosting our Annual General Meeting. The AGM is open to all members of the Mitcham Primary School Community and is an opportunity to learn more about Mitcham Primary School’s achievements and 2023 goals. More information regarding the AGM will be provided closer to the date.

Parking 

It has been brought to my attention that several of our new families are uncertain about parking for school drop offs and pick ups. Mitcham Primary School is very lucky to be located next to Halliday Park and therefore have the option for parents to utilise the adjoining car park, regretfully and despite annual requests for modifications to the public car park, Mitcham Primary School has no control over the way the Whitehorse City Council mark and manage the car park. Please be mindful of the local by-laws when using the car park and particularly please do not allow your children to walk unaccompanied through the car park as it becomes very busy. It is our summation that much of the congestion is caused by people turning right onto Mitcham Road, while there is no signage to advise against this, we would encourage families to turn left to save time and congestion. 

There is limited additional parking available in Tirana St and more in the side streets on the other side of Halliday Park, which many families are now utilising and then enjoying a stroll through the park before school.

Wherever you choose to park, please do so carefully and be mindful of keeping all our little people safe.

3-Way Conferences 

This coming Monday 27th March is the day allocated for 3-Way Conferences, this is an opportunity for parents, children and teachers to discuss your child/children’s progress for this term. The conferences will be face-to-face in your child’s classroom, if you are unable to attend fac-to-face, teachers are very happy to accommodate a conference via Webex, please email you child’s teacher should you require a Webex meeting and they will provide you with login details.

Please note that Monday 27th March is a variation to school hours day and students are not required to attend school, except for their 3-way conference. TheirCare is available for families who are unable to look after their children at home on the day.

Last Day of Term 1

Please remember that next Thursday 6th April is the last day of Term 1 and students will be dismissed from school at 2:30 p.m.

Erin