Thursday 15th December

Dear Families,

We are looking forward to our activities after school tomorrow which will be happening from 4:30pm – 7:30pm. We are hoping that the weather will be kind too.

We will have a BBQ going if you’d like to purchase a sausage but you are also encouraged to bring along food for yourselves too. We will be asking families to bring their own chairs and rugs as we will be on the basketball court as the oval is very wet.

There will be lots of fun activities or the children so please bring lots of coins

A reminder that this is an alcohol-free event. Thanks in advance for your understanding as we need to set the right example for our students.

Our students are excited to perform some Christmas Carols for everyone

Assembly tomorrow from 2:45pm

We will be announcing the recipients of the following annual awards.

Mikayla Francis ‘Spirit of Friendship’ Award for a student in F-2
Emerald Lions Club Community Award for a Year 3/4 student
Bendigo Bank Community Award for a Year 5 student

2023 Staffing

We are pleased to announce the following appointments to our Menzies Creek PS community for the beginning of next year.

classroom teacher - Rebecca Burley currently at St Michael’s in Berwick
classroom teacher - Sonya McLeod from Heany Park PS in Rowville
classroom teacher - Natalie Woodgate from Kangaroo Ground PS
a visual arts teacher - Ashlea Carey, previous staff member of MCPS
a performing arts/STEM teacher - Kylie Morgan from Nar Nar Goon PS

Class Teachers for 2023

Foundation - teacher Mandy Rudeforth
1/2E - teacher Erin Carter
1/2A – teachers Rianne Comport/Natalie Woodgate
3/4S - teacher Scott Kircher
3/4B – teacher Bec Burley
5/6D - teacher Daniel Sutera
5/6S – teacher Sonya McLeod

I would like to thank the staff for creating classes that balance the academic, social, and behavioural needs of our students; as well as accommodating requests by students and where applicable some families. Always a challenge and never perfect.

Specialist structure

PE weekly
Performing Arts weekly (Kylie Morgan)
Visual Arts weekly (Ashlea Carey)
STEM weekly (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) (Kylie Morgan)
AUSLAN fortnightly (Janaki Hemmett)
Plot to Pot fortnightly (Rosie Luyken/Kelly Black)
Jacinta Corbett will split time between kinder and ES integration
Literacy Support/Learning Intervention – Alison Scott
Chaplain – Hollie Boniface.

2023 School Captains

As communicated yesterday our School Captains for 2023 will be Ada, Lilly-rose, Xavier and Bailey. Congratulations to these students. We were very proud of each of the students who were nominated and the way they presented themselves and delivered their speeches. It was also impressive how well they conducted themselves knowing that not everyone was going to be happy and that some would be disappointed.

Thank you

As a staff we are feeling very appreciative to our school community for coming together and purchasing a coffee machine and other goodies for us to enjoy. This is very generous and we are very grateful.

Next Monday from 3pm we will be having an afternoon tea where staff and families will have the chance gather and wish Justin, Lilly, Kieran and Lara all the best as they leave MCPS and thank them for their significant contributions over many years.

Year 6 Graduation

On Tuesday we held the Year 6 Graduation celebration at SkyHigh. It was a wonderful acknowledgement of how far our students have come from their first days in Foundation 7 years ago. For some the Menzies Creek journey started at the preschool, for some it started in Foundation and some joined along the way. We wish them every success as they embark on the next phase of their educational journeys and hope to hear wonderful things in the future of what they get up to and become.

Good luck to the Graduating class of 2022. All the best as you leave Menzies and head in different directions into secondary school. Our students are heading off to Belgrave Heights, St Joseph’s, Mater Christi, Upwey, Emerald, Monbulk, Rowville, Lilydale, Croydon Community, CIRE, Sherbrooke Community and Billanook.

A huge thanks to Justin and Riaane for organising the evening and to all the staff and families who came along. Thanks also to Shelley for her creativity and making the presentation package a little special for the students.

We also presented our annual Year 6 awards during the ceremony.

The Year 6 Citizenship Award – Drew

The 3C’s Courage, Courtesy and Charity Award – Hunter and Gabriel

To the families who are ending their association with our school now that your youngest is graduating; I’d like to acknowledge your continued support of our school over the years and thank you for your efforts whether it be as a teacher, helper in Cool Cats, Plot to Pot or the classroom, attending a working bee, changing the sick bay linen, helping shape gardens or attending an excursion or sporting event, joining in with camps or assisting on School Council, fundraising, basketball coaching, running and organising the Bunnings BBQs, lots of baking and more sausage sizzles, changing the sick bay linen, making costumes for Productions, or helping us with indigenous studies or just being a parent who supported their child. Thank you for this support, schools like ours need this parental involvement and investment to help provide the students with many opportunities. This support has been present for many years, as many as 13 for some as you’ve had older siblings also.

We farewell the following families, thank you and wish you all the best:

Arnott – Grace (and Jake)

Ballard – Max (and Anna)

Benne – Ethan (and Justin, Rori and Jarrah)

Bienvenu – Zoe (and Joel)

Brown – Angus (and Brooke & Alyssa)

Dacosta – Lulu (and Archer)

Edmonds – Kade (and Ally & Tyler)

Fisher-Heal - Max

Macdonald - Gabriel

Petkoff – Alex (and Lindsay)

Worrell – Siahn (and Jarvis)

It has been a huge 2022 and I am thankful that we have been able to have a more settled school year. I wish you all a well-deserved break and hope everyone enjoys spending quality time together with family and friends. Be kind to one another, enjoy the holidays and we will see you back here on Monday January 30. It would nice if summer decides to arrive too!

Thanks to our wonderful and dedicated staff (teachers, ES, admin and Preschool) and who work so hard to support our students and families.

I would like to thank the School Council for their combined efforts, support, advice and contribution in another challenging year. I have valued the community support you provide. We were able to have our final meeting for the year at school which was a great way to finish the year.

A reminder that we will have our end of year assembly at 1:00pm on Tuesday 20th December and will finish school at 1:30pm.

Take care,

Dale McInerney

Menzies Creek Primary School

We walk hand in hand to grow curious, caring, life long learners.

Issue 21 · 15 Dec 2022

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