ISSUE 33
27th Oct 2016
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Excursion Payments - PLEASE
NOTE NO PAYMENTS WILL BE
ACCEPTED AFTER THE DUE DATE.
STUDENT FREE DAY
The Department of Education and Training (DET) allows
schools to conduct four Student Free Days per year. Please
note that the final Student Free Day for this year will be next
Monday, 31st October 2016. Students are not required to
attend school on this day.
Early Years Tabloid Sports Carnival due 3rd Nov - $2.50
Year 1 Nutrition Incursion due 5th Nov - $12
Essential Resources due 8th Dec - $235
ARTS EXHIBITION
Congratulations to everyone involved in our school’s
Arts Exhibition! Our school community was treated to a
wonderful artistic and musical feast last Friday evening.
With magnificent displays of artworks all around the Acacia
Building, excellent opening entertainment provided by the
Rock Band and Mill Park Singers closing the evening, it made
for a true celebration of The Arts.
ENROL NOW FOR 2017
Coming Events
Oct 31
Nov 1
Nov 2-4
Nov 2
Nov 7-8
Nov 9
Nov 9
Nov 10
Nov 11
Nov 15
Nov 18
Nov 21
Nov 23
Nov 25
Nov 28
Nov 29
Dec 2
Pupil Free Day - NO SCHOOL
Melbourne Cup Public Holiday
Year 4 Waratah Beach Camp
Chess Club @ 3.30-4.30pm
Year 3 Cave Hill Creek Camp
Chess Club @ 3.30-4.30pm
Early Years Tabloid Sports Carnival
Year 1 Nutrition Incursion
Basketball Tournament (Selected Students)
Year 5’s Country Expo
2017 Foundation (Preps) Tranisition 9-11am
Year 6 Singing
Intra School Transition Session 2
2017 Foundation (Preps) Transition 9-11am
Year 6 Singing
Intra School Transition Session 3
2017 Foundation (Preps) Transition 9-11am
Finance & Fundraising Meeting Buildings & Grounds; Eduction & Policy; Community
Building & Relations Committee Meetings - 8th Nov 2016
OSHC - TBA
School Council Meetings in 2016
15th Nov and 13th Dec (if required).
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PUNCTUALITY
Many thanks and congratulations go to our Visual Art
teachers Mrs Pam Hoyne and Mrs Saras Ramasamy for
organising and coordinating this fabulous event. Thank
you also to out musical maestros Mr Matthew Hluchanic,
Mr Simon Ferwerda, Mr Dean Castle and Mr Rowan Olsson
for training and supporting our band and singers. Thanks
also go to our auctioneer Mr Mario Galletti for doing an
outstanding job with the class artworks auction.
Special thanks to our students and their families for
supporting and celebrating the Arts Exhibition. The turnout
was absolutely fantastic. Bravo!
Parents, teachers have again asked me to please impress on
you all, the need for punctuality each day. We seem to have
quite a large number of children arriving either too early for
school i.e. 8.30am or earlier and another group of children
who are arriving well after 9.00am.
As teachers with families ourselves we understand that
occasionally things happen to make us late, flat tyres, last
minute phone calls, lost items etc, etc, however this is not
what we are seeing at the moment. In some classes it is
the same children over and over again who are latecomers,
some not arriving till 9.30-10.00am. This is simply not good
enough.
CHILDREN’S WEEK
We’re continuing to celebrate the 2016 Children’s Week. Our
students have thoroughly enjoyed the special lunch time
activities that have been offered so far this week including:
q
Student v Teacher Games on Monday
q
Rainbows and Bubbles on Tuesday
q
Let’s Dance! Disco on Wednesday
q
Movie & Popcorn on Thursday
How does being late for school impact on your child’s learning?
5 minutes per day is
25 minutes per week
17 hours per year
221 hours per school life
Doesn‘t sound much but then there are the other impacts.
Good punctuality is essential for all children if they are
to achieve their full potential academically and develop
employment and life skills. As I say often in our newsletters,
lateness has a negative impact on the child, his or her
classmates and staff.
Children arriving late to class often miss important learning
opportunities as well as messages and information. Students
who arrive late to lessons are likely to miss the teacher‘s
introduction when the aims of the lesson and learning
objectives are explained and task instructions given. This
hinders the child‘s understanding of the lesson and affects
progress. In all cases, a child arriving late interrupts the
lesson, disrupting teaching and learning for all.
Once again I ask you to please send and/or bring your
children to school between 8.45am and 9.00am each day.
Ms Carol Vidmar and I are on duty from 8.45am out in the
yard and so it is not safe for your children to be at school
before that.
Tomorrow, Friday 28th October, is our Superheroes Dress Up
Day. We ask members of our school community to please
bring along a gold coin donation to support the sponsorship
of our World Vision child Mehamed.
WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY
Tomorrow is also World Teachers’ Day. I hope every student
will acknowledge their teacher in some way, whether it’s
with a friendly hello, a big smile, a letter or something
they may think of. Our teachers are highly professional and
dedicated to their students. They do a wonderful job every
day and we are honoured to have them at our school.
LATE ARRIVALS AND EARLY LEAVERS
Another reminder is that children who arrive after the bell
must go to the office to collect a Late Arrival Note, not go
directly to their classroom, as their class may not be there
due to specialist classes. If you need to pick up your child
before the end of the school day due to an appointment
or the like please remember to come and sign the Early
Departure book
BRIAN WOOSTER MEMORIAL AWARD
The Brian Wooster Award is presented by the School Council
annually to a parent of the school who has:
s
Demonstrated exemplary levels of voluntary
community involvement at the school
sDemonstrated that the levels of service to the school
have been due to a commitment to education and
to the local community
sPromoted Mill Park Primary within the school and
wider community
sGenerated a strong sense of harmony and goodwill
between all sectors of the school community
On behalf of School Council I call for nominations for the
2016 Brian Wooster Memorial Award. Attached to today’s
newsletter is the official nomination form which members
of the school community are invited to complete and return
to the school by Friday, 11th November 2016.
SAFETY IN THE SCHOOL YARD
A reminder to please make sure no skateboards, bikes or
scooters are ridden in the playground. We ask that the
children (and parents) get off bikes before they enter the
school grounds. It is important for the safety of the children
and adults that these rules are followed. I ask that parents
please support us with this request.
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Every Day Counts- Primary School Attendance
I leave you with a quote from author Karen Joy Fowler,
‘Arriving late is a way of saying that your own time is more
valuable than the time of the person who waited for you’.
In primary school, some students miss on average 3 weeks of
school per year. That’s half a year of school by the end of year
6.
Lu Alessi
Principal
Going to school every day is the single most important part
of your child’s education. Students learn new things at school
every day – missing school puts them behind not only
academically but socially too.
FROM THE ACTING ASSISTANT
PRINCIPAL’S DESK
Why it’s important
What a great week we have had so far celebrating Children’s
Week with the wonderful students at Mill Park Primary
School. I loved being involved in the lunchtime activities and
seeing the beautiful smiles on our students! I am hoping for
great weather tomorrow for assembly so we can close the
week’s celebrations. The Year 6 student leaders have a few
surprises for tomorrow’s assembly so I hope you can all
attend. Below I have attached one of the poems that will be
read out at assembly for Children’s Week. It’s from the United
Nations Convention on a child’s right to be safe which links
beautifully for ‘Day for Daniel’ too!
We all want our children to get a great education, and the
building blocks for a great education begin with children
coming to school each and every day.
If children miss school regularly, they miss out on learning
the fundamental skills that will set them up for success in the
later years of school.
There is no safe number of days for missing school – each
day a child misses puts them behind, and can affect their
educational outcomes.
Each missed day is associated with progressively lower
achievement in numeracy, writing and reading.
Getting in early
Attendance patterns are established early – a child regularly
missing days in kindergarten or in the early years of school
will often continue to miss classes in the later years, and
receive lower academic results than their classmates. It’s vital
that children go to school every day – even in the early years
of primary school.
I have the Right to be Safe at All Times
I have so much to learn to keep me safe!
What we can do
That hot things burn, scissors are sharp
The main reasons for absence generally are:
And to hold the hand of a grownup
Sickness – There are always times when children need to
When crossing the road.
miss school, such as when they’re ill. It’s vital that they’re only
away on the days they are genuinely sick, and setting good
sleep patterns, eating well and exercising regularly can make
a big difference.
Help me encircle myself with the security
Of those I love or can trust.
Myself, my family, my teacher, my neighbour.
It’s vital that holidays are planned during school holidays
where possible, and not during the term if it can be avoided.
I have so much to learn to keep me safe!
To protect myself, to be the boss of my body
“Day off” – Think twice before letting your child have a “day
And to express my feelings especially
off” as they could fall behind their classmates – every day
counts.
When I feel scared or upset.
Help me learn to use my voice as an effective
Truancy – This is when children choose not to go to school
without their parent’s permission. There can be many
reasons for truancy. The best way to address this is for schools
and parents to work together.
Way to say “Stop” “Back off” “Listen to me!”
Written by Fairy Queen Caroline
Student Attendance
If for any reason your child must miss school, there are things
you can do with your school to ensure they don’t fall behind:
It’s NOT OK to be away!
It’s COOL to be at SCHOOL!
rSpeak with your child’s classroom teacher and find
out what work your child needs to do to keep up.
rDevelop an absence learning plan with your child’s
teacher and ensure your child completes the plan.
Remember, every day counts!
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2017 YEAR 6 GARMENTS
A reminder that Monday is a Student Free Day so there will be
no students required at school and Tuesday is Melbourne Cup!
A special thank you to Jane and Tracey from Northern Regional
Uniforms that came out yesterday and sized the current Year 5’s
for their commemorative garments for 2017.
Enjoy the longer weekend. I look forward to Wednesday
when the Year 4 students, teachers and parent helpers head
off to Waratah Bay Beach resort for our 3 day camp!
If you have any queries regarding the sizing we have samples at
the office (for this week only) that your child can try on.
Vivian Gulia
Year 6 Garments Coordinator
Until next week, enjoy your beautiful children!
REMINIDER: YEAR 6 GRADUATION
2016 TICKETS PAYMENT
Carol Vidmar
Organisation and rehearsals for the Year 6 Graduation is well
under way. Singing commenced this Monday and dancing
will be off to a “kick-start” on Friday. Please remember that
ticket order details are due tomorrow Friday, October 28th.
Acting Assistant Principal
STUDENT BANKING
Congratulations to Maddison W9, Jake E2, Sophia E3 and
Kaitlyn E4.
Susan Wilson
Don’t forget to swap your 10 tokens for a reward! Please
come to the office to collect your reward!
Year 6 Team Leader
Last day for banking for 2106 is November 29th and last day to
order your reward is December 2nd.
SPORTS CORNER
State Athletic Championships
Happy saving!
This past Monday I was asked to assist the School Sport
Victoria staff at the Victorian State Athletic Championships at
Albert Park. Although we have had several students advance
to this level of competition, this was my first experience and
it turned out to be an excellent Professional Development
day for myself. I took quite a bit away from the day regarding
how to coach and implement track and field events that will
benefit our students. However, the best part was meeting
up with Dayna and watching the last bit of the Under 11 Shot
Put competition. Parents surrounded the competition with
videos playing and every bit of the event scrutinized. Dayna
did tremendously well making the top 8 out of 16 participants.
Vivian Gulia
Student Banking Coordinator
REMEMBRANCE DAY POPPIES FOR
SALE
The only downfall from my experience was to see so many
parents more upset than their son/daughter for not finishing
in the top 3 and advancing to Nationals. Just making it to
State competition is such an incredible accomplishment that
should be celebrated with lots of hugs and phrase.
I have poppies for sale at the office prices range from $1 $10.
Vivian Gulia
Congratulations Dayna for being our Champion!!!!!!!!!!
Administration
Regional Hoop Tim Basketball Championships – Girl’s ‘A’ Team
Many thanks to Mr Anthony Dionis for taking time out of his
busy schedule to coach the girls throughout the 1 day
tournament on Thursday 3rd November. Anthony has a
wealth of experience in the sport and I am so grateful for his
support.
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Good luck to Zorica, Mackeely, Laitia, Katia, Elisa and Rena.
Overdues
Missing will be Courtney Fitt as she will be away on a family
holiday. Courtney will be greatly missed as she has played a
vital role in the team’s success. Good luck girls!
Thank you to all the students who returned their books this
week. All books borrowed before the holidays must be
returned this week. The library is open from 8.30am – 3.45pm
every day so there is no excuse for an overdue book.
Year 3 and 4 Basketball
The November 11th tournament is fast approaching and
what is special about this competition is that we have so
many students who have never played competitive
Basketball. For many this will be their first experience and I
hope they love every minute of the day. Our Coaches Kosta,
Jack, Lachlan, Petar, Courtney, Andrea, Zorica and Vivi have
been working hard through lunch and recess to help train
our teams and teach various aspects of the game.
Sharon Turner
Library
SUPERHERO DRESS UP DAY
I have received most permission forms back with a lot of
parent support which is wonderful. The biggest help will be
to join us for our walk up and back from the Mill Park
Basketball Stadium behind Stables Shopping Centre.
Through the day the games will be managed by our Year 6
coaches under my watchful eye. The team uniforms will be
provided the week prior to the competition with shorts (if
needed) and shirts provided.
Tomorrow Friday 28th October is Superhero Dress Up Day!
Don’t forget to come dressed up as your favourite Superhero
and bring along a gold coin donation to raise money for our
World Vision sponsor child, Mehamed!
Sincerely,
Jason Gray
PE Teacher/Sports Coordinator
Mehamed is 9 years old and is currently in Year 4. He is in
good health and enjoys playing with his brother. The money
that we raise for Mehamed goes towards:
READING MATTERS
t
Providing him with access to clean water and
health care services
Premier’s Reading Challenge
t
Improving the health care facilities in his area
If you sign the consent form for your child to appear on the
Honour Roll you will find their name here.
tCreating classrooms for Mehamed to be able to
attend school
ht tp://w w w.education.vic.gov.au/about /events/prc /
Pages/2016honourroll.aspx
t
Educating Mehamed about health and wellbeing
We look forward to seeing all the Superheros out there on
Friday!
Congratulations once again to the students of Mill Park
Primary School and thank you to parents, teachers, big
brothers and sisters who read to help you over the line. It all
starts again in February 2017.
Stephanie Bakopoulos and Jessica Piraina
Student Council Coordinators
Reading Hour
Reading together is a great way to have family time. 10 mins
a day reading and discussing a book will give you a chance to
share opinions and similar interests. This also increases your
child’s comprehension, spelling and reading skills. Just one
hour a week, so make the time for your children today.
PARENTS & FRIENDS ASSOCIATION
The Parents and Friends Association meet on the second
Tuesday of each month. These meetings are open to all
parents and guardians, grandparents and interested
members of the School Community.
Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday 8th November
at 9.05am in the Conference Room.
We hope to see you there!
Christine Gale
PFA Secretary
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Citizenship Awards
Year 3
Eucalypt 1:
Taleb
For his positive attitude towards his learning.
Eucalypt 3: Basant
For displaying the value of compassion.
Eucalypt 4: For showing the value of respect.
Term 4 Week 4
Foundation
Waratah 1: Year 4
Radin
Eucalypt 5: For showing the value of persistence.
Waratah 2: Eucalypt 6: Eucalypt 7: Angelina
For showing the value of resilience.
Year 5
Noah
Hibiscus 1: For always being honest.
Hibiscus 2: Sara
For always displaying a willingness to learn.
Year 2
Esra
For showing the value of respect and team work.
Year 6
Anna-Maria
Hibiscus 4: For showing the value of responsibility at all times.
Waratah 9: Rishant
For always displaying respectful behaviours.
Hibiscus 3: Waratah 8: Aryan
For showing leadership in the class.
Sandy
For showing the value of dedication.
Waratah 7: Charlie
For demonstrating the value of integrity.
Year 1
Waratah 6: Harrison
For demonstrating the value of compassion.
Eucalypt 8: Waratah 5: Nayle
For always being cooperative.
Hana
For making great progress.
Waratah 4: Kit
For displaying the value of compassion.
Mila
For showing excellent team work.
Waratah 3:
Jayden
Josh
For demonstrating the value of integrity.
Ava
Hibiscus 5: For having a positive attitude.
Charlotte
For demonstrating great Respect at the War Memorial.
Waratah 10: Xiao Wen
Hibiscus 6: For showing the value of responsibility and independence.
Elisa
For demonstrating the value of excellence.
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Learning Awards
Year 3
Eucalypt 1: Trent
For excellent Procedural writing.
Eucalypt 3: Cooper
For writing a wonderful narrative story.
Eucalypt 4: Rosha
For her fantastic work during maths.
Term 4
Week 4
Year 4
Foundation
Waratah 1: Eucalypt 5: Alexis
Valerie
For her great work in number.
For improved confidence in her learning.
Waratah 2: Eucalypt 6: Yasamin
Edreece
For excellent work with subtraction.
For using excellent ‘WOW’ words in his writing.
Waratah 3:
Eucalypt 7: Alan
Monica
For having a go with protractors in maths.
For working hard in Miss Diane’s class.
Eucalypt 8: Demi
For writing a wonderful persuasive piece.
Year 1
Waratah 4: Anesu
For setting great goals for her writing.
Year 5
Waratah 5:
Hibiscus 1: Ashley
Erin
For an amazing Big Write.
For showing enthusiasm towards science lessons.
Waratah 6: Hibiscus 2: Stephanie
Noah
For using interesting openers in his narrative.
For being an enthusiastic learner in all areas.
Hibiscus 3: Connor
For being enthusiastic in maths.
Year 2
Waratah 7:
Abdel
For constantly WOWing us with WOW words.
Year 6
Waratah 8: Hibiscus 4: Serena
Vivi
For great work on equivalent fractions.
For outstanding efforts in Literature Discussion Groups.
Waratah 9: Hibiscus 5: Filip
Ethan
For identifying equivalent fractions
For great Homework every week!
Waratah 10: Ryan
Hibiscus 6: For his fabulous work with synonyms.
For his excellent work during writing.
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Edwin