Parent/carer enrolment tours for the 2018 Foundation year are continuing. Please contact the school office or visit the school website for further information. Sibling enrolment documents are now available from the office. If you are enrolling a sibling for 2018 could you please submit the enrolment forms as early as possible to assist with forward planning.
A reminder that tickets are available for the MPW trivia night to be held on Saturday 24th June.
Funds will go toward the final amount required to purchase and install of new water bubblers (see below)
The old water troughs will be removed and new water bubblers installed around the school, including a water bubbler to be located near the adventure playground adjacent the Tiger Turf. The bubblers have the additional facility for children to fill their water bottles, come in varying heights and a variety of colors (The Green Team will be consulted as to the colors will be be chosen).
A huge thank you to Rachel and Anna who are organising what promises to be a entertaining community event.
On the Curriculum day on Monday May 22 staff were engaged in report writing and professional learning with Dave Vinegrad in relation to restorative practices.
SSG’s have commenced this week and will continue into next week for families of students with additional needs in the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD).
Another reminder for parents/carers please to please exercise extreme vigilance, care and patience when driving and/or parking near the school. As has been said previously, the drop off and pick up zones are not parking zones and illegal parking and unsafe parking practices put at risk the safety of students and members of the school community. If you have any questions or wish to discuss matters of concern please feel free to contact the City of Moonee Valley.
If the school crossings are are without a school crossing supervisor either in the morning or afternoon could you please contact the school office as soon as possible. Crossing supervisors should be in atttendance after school.
Our annual fun run is to be held on Thursday 1st of June– weather permitting. Please see the notice in the Sports News section of the newsletter for further information about the event and if you are able to assist on the day.
Maintenance work is planned for the paneling on the east side of the gym.
National Reconciliation Week (27 May to 3 June) takes on particular significance this year, with two historic milestones in Australia’s reconciliation journey. It has been 50 years since the 1967 Referendum – in which Australians voted overwhelmingly to amend the constitution to allow the Commonwealth government to create laws for, and include in the census, Aboriginal people. It’s also been 25 years since the Mabo decision – when the High Court ruled that the lands of Australia were not ‘terra nullius’ upon European colonisation, establishing a precedent for the recognition and protection of native title in Australia.
In recognition of National Reconciliation Week one example of the books available in the library for reading and discussion in classrooms is Bob Randal and Melanie Hogan’s Nyuntu Ninti (What you should know) based on the documentary Kanyini.
Enjoy the weekend,
Jeff
Monday 29th May
School Council Meeting 19:00 to 21:00
Tuesday 30th May
Incursion Rm's 20, 21 & 22
Wednesday 31st May
Incursion - 5/6
Friday 2nd June
Winter Sports
Monday 5th June
Education Sub Committee Meeting 19:00 to 21:00
Monday 6th June
Division Cross Country
Thursday 8th June
Sex Education - 3/4 and 5/6 Parent Information Session
Friday 9th June
Winter Sports
Monday 12th June
Queen's Birthday Holiday
Tuesday 13th June
Resources Committee 19:00 to 21:00
Sex Education - 3/4
Thursday 15th June
Sex Education - 5/6
Friday 16th June
Winter Sports
Tuesday 20th June
Music Incursion 09:00 to 13:00
Sex Education - 3/4
Wednesday 21st June
PJ Day - Winter Solstice
Thursday 22nd June
Sex Education - 5/6
Friday 23rd June
Winter Sports
Saturday 24th June
Music Trivia
Monday 26th June
School Council Meeting 19:00 to 21:00
Tuesday 27th June
Sex Education - 3/4
Thursday 29th June
Sex Education - 5/6
Friday 30th June
End of Term 2 - early dismissal 14:30
Monday 17th July
Term 2 Commences 9:00
Wednesday 19th July
Victorian State School Spectacular rehearsals
Thursday 20th July
State Cross Country
Thursday 27th July
Curriculum Day - Reporting to Parents
Friday 28th July
Australian Maths Competition
When: Saturday June 24th 7pm -11.30pm
Where: MPW School Gym
Ticket Cost: $30pp (BYO Drinks and Nibbles/Snacks)
Join us MPW families, staff, and friends!
Our Term Two Fundraising Event is Music Trivia Night.
Hosted by the fabulous Dolly, this was a memorable evening last year. Get into the fun spirit of the night and dress up as your favourite music idol/band. If you’re not one to get your groove on in public, toe tapping under the table is completely fine!
There are fantastic spot prizes to be won and we’ll also have a selection of silent-auction items up for grabs.
If you’d like more information on what’s in store, feel free to have a look at the Dolly Productions website at https://discobingo.xyz/
Please join us by purchasing individual tickets or a table with friends.
Click on the Eventbrite link to purchase your ticket/s
To have flexibility on seat selection please use a desktop computer when booking.
If you are unable to book online and would like to purchase tickets, please contact Rachel through the office.
HELP WITH DONATIONS!
The fundraising team are seeking items for our speciality prize hampers (wine/chocolates/gift vouchers/beauty items/deli foods) and also more significant items or services that would be suitable for our silent auctions. You can drop these donations at the school office or email us directly and we can arrange collection.
Thanks so much for your continued support and generosity at our MPW fundraising events, we look forward to seeing you at Music Trivia Night and celebrating our wonderful school community.
Term Four
Rachel & Anna - please enquire at the office and your details will be forwarded on to Rachel and Anna.
Recently, all classrooms completed a playground survey to gather information about where students feel safe and supported in the yard and to find out if there are areas that children are not feeling safe. The wellbeing team are compiling the feedback. Classrooms will use the survey to draft new playground responsibilities. We are pleased to report that generally, the students have reported feeling quite safe in the yard whilst being able to identify some areas for improvement.
Soon, classrooms will use the collated document to suggest actions that we (students, staff and parents/ carers) can do in the yard to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all who share it, whilst staff are looking at ways to improve the physical space. Student voice and ownership of our playground responsibilities ensures that they are authentic and of importance to the children of MPW.
We look forward to completing this process with a shared understanding of how we can share the yard before school, during and after school. We look forward to having our new ‘Playground Responsibilities’ document discussed, displayed and available in the coming weeks to ensure that our yard continues to provide positive experiences for all.
Lorraine Wilson ran two family information sessions this term; one on the developmental stages of writing and another on reading. We had very good turn outs for both of these sessions and the feedback has been positive:
Included below is some information about writing in the early years from Lorraine.
Young Children Writing by Lorraine Wilson
Parents are often concerned about the way their young children are allowed to write in class rooms today. Many Mums and Dads remember their days at school, and how they had to try to avoid errors of spelling and punctuation.
Today, a child’s errors or a child’s approximation of conventional writing, are seen as a rich resource for revealing just what a child understands about writing, about spelling and other writing conventions, and, what teaching is relevant. Let’s look closely at six year old Kara’s writing, done on the first day of her Grade 1 year.
Kara is part of a K/I class at her local primary school. The Grade 1 children started the new school year , one day before their Kindergarten classmates. All of the Grade 1 children were expected to write something of their own choosing, on that first day. Kara chose to write about her excitement at the prospect of meeting the new Kindergarten children on the following day. Note the second date half way through the piece of writing. Kara happily continued drafting her piece on the following day.
When the children write with a focus on meaning, and without fear of making errors, we, the teachers, get insights into both what the child knows about writing, and what teaching is relevant for that child right now. Let’s look closely at what Kara knows.
What Does Kara Know About Writing?
What Might the Teacher teach.
Exclamation marks are not generally used for so many consecutive sentences. Did Kara intend for each of these six sentences to be emphatic or highly exciting? She could read the piece aloud, and listen to her voice. Are all the exclamation marks needed? She may well decide that they are. When reading a big book to the class, the teacher might ask a child to find an exclamation mark. The children discuss why it has been used.
Does she know any other letter, or letters, which represent the /k/sound. Note her spelling of taking - ‘tacking’.
She might begin a chart of words containing different spellings of the /k/ sound. Other children could be encouraged to help.
Assessing Children’s Writing
From the students’ independent writing, the teacher sees both what the child knows, and what needs to be taught. This is what is called authentic assessment. It is assessment to inform teaching. It is assessment which is relevant for different children with their different needs, in each and every classroom.
These documents will be made available on our website.
My visit to the Vincent Van Gogh exhibition By Phoebe – room 19
Some highlights of the exhibition were - how much his art changed throughout his life and his life story which amazed me.
Vincent had so much drama and issues in his life. He lived away from his family and wrote many letters to the closest members of the family – in particular his brother Theo.
He channelled his emotions into his art. This exhibition focussed on the seasons of the year. Vincent used a different colour palette for each season. My favourite season was summer as it was bright and colourful.
I think when he moved to France it opened up his ideas and new inspiration for his painting. His brother had a big influence on him and Theo convinced him to use brighter colours.
Vincent loved Japanese prints and her tried a few of his own. I love the way he used swirls, never using many straight lines. In one of the quotes that was beside one of his paintings, it said “sometimes I like to paint with my eyes closed letting the brush move where it wanted.”
This enchanted me and surprised me. It left me thinking I wonder how you do that?
I highly recommend the exhibition.
I hope my art can live up to Van Gogh.
As our Japan Tour is getting closer, we are preparing ourselves in different ways. Students are practising common phrases, questions and answers they might use in Japan through the Japan Blog. Some have practised packing their very small bags and all are working on our budget for expenses when we are there. They are also making a thousand origami cranes (せんばづる千羽鶴) to take to the Peace Park in Hiroshima.
If anybody would like to contribute to the origami crane making, you are welcome to come to the Japanese room to make them with Cindy or Diana.
Students from Grade 3 to 6 who have a 'love of Mathematics' have the opportunity to participate in the Australian Mathematics Competition.
Further to last weeks newsletter we are pleased to confirm the competition will be held at MPW on Friday 28th July.
There is a cost of $6 per child to enter the competition and entry forms will be available at the front office. Closing date is the 5th June.
If you have any questions you can gain information from the website 'Australian Mathematics Competition' http://www.amt.edu.au/mathematics/amc/ or speak to Vicki McCormack in Room 4.
Australian Mathematics Competition | AMT Australian Mathematics CompetitionOne of the world’s largest school-based mathematics competitions with more than 14 million entries since 1978.
About the Australian Mathematics Competition
The Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) was introduced in Australia in 1978 as the first Australia-wide mathematics competition for students. It has become the largest single event on the Australian education calendar, allowing students to attempt the same tasks on the same day in over 30 countries around the globe.
Running since 1978, the AMC is for students of all standards. Students are asked to solve 30 problems in 60 minutes (Years 3–6) or 75 minutes (Years 7–12). The problems are designed to test mathematical thinking rather than focus on calculations themselves, thus such questions are designed so that they can be answered just as quickly without a calculator as with one. The problems get more difficult through the competition, so that at the end they are challenging to the most gifted students. Students of all standards will make progress through the problems, and also be challenged along the way.
The AMC is available both in hard copy and online format, with no difference in the questions or time requirements.
For additional entry information and special circumstances » Go to Entering the AMC
>> AMC Results
>> Frequently Asked Questions
Visually impaired and distance students
We would like the AMC to be available to all students who wish to participate. We have special arrangements for visually impaired students and distance education organisations. Home schooled students or students whose school chooses not to participate are free to make arrangements to sit under the supervision of another school.
The AMC may be held on a different date by special arrangement in some countries.
We will be holding our 26th Annual Fun Run on Thursday 1st June from 9.00 to 10.30am. All the students and teachers will be involved and can run, jog, skip, hop, walk, etc. for one hour.
We cannot conduct this event without your assistance so don’t be shy! It’s also a great way to get to know other parents and support the children as they run past.
Please complete the form below if you are able to assist and return it to the office.
5th May
Winter Sport commences Friday mornings (Gr 5/6)
1st June
School Fun Run
6th June
Division Cross Country
Friday 19th May
GOLD V BLUE
Friday 26th May
FLEMINGTON V MPW GOLD
(Mt Alexander Road, Flemington, – Football at Ormond Park, Pattison Street, Moonee Ponds)
MPW BLUE – BYE
Friday 2nd June
GOLD V NTH MELBOURNE 1 at home
NTH MELBOURNE 2 V BLUE
(Errol Street North Melbourne, - Football at Brens Oval, Marcarthur Road, Parkville)
Friday 9th June
GOLD V ST MARG’S
BLUE v NORTH MELB 1
(Errol Street North Melbourne, - Football at Brens Oval, Marcarthur Road, Parkville)
Friday 16th June
BLUE V ST MARY’S B
AVONDALE V GOLD
(Clarendon Street, Avondale Heights – Football at Canning Reserve, Glenside Street, Avondale Heights)
For our programs to run we need lots of parent assistance. If you are able to assist with any of our events please see Bree and pass your Working with Children check details onto the office.
Office: 8:15a.m - 4:45p.m
Telephone: 9370 6875 / 9375 1197
FAX: 9370 1909
Sandra Monaghan Business Manager
Cristina Zelaya Administration Officer
Sharyn Reinke Administration Officer
Email:
moonee.ponds.west.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au
Website:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Mpwps/
Twitter:
Principal:
Jeff Lyon
Assistant Principal (Acting)
Barbara Springfield
Business Operations Manager & Communications Co-Leader
Sandra Monaghan
Leading Teacher/Daily Organiser/Communication Co-Leader
Michelle Bové
Leading Teacher (Acting)/Curriculum Leader
Vicki McCormack
If your child is absent from school (including illness and appointment), it is necessary to inform the school. This can be in the form of a telephone call, email, entering the absence through a link on the front page of our website, in writing or by advising the office or classroom teacher directly.
If your child is sick it is advisable to not send your child to school.
Term 1:
Tuesday 31st January to Friday 31st March
Term 2:
Tuesday 18th April to Friday 30th June
Term 3:
Monday 17th July to Friday 22nd September
Term 4:
Monday 9th October to Friday 22nd December
End of term dismissal is at 2.30pm for Terms 1, 2 & 3 and End of Year dismissal is at 1.30pm.
Term 1:
Monday 30th January & Tuesday 14th March
Term 2:
Monday 22nd May
Term 3:
Thursday 27th July
At MPW before and after school care is provided by Camp Australia. The service operates 7.15 - 8.45 am in the morning and 3.30 to 6.15 pm afternoons.
To enrol your child please go to www.campaustralia.com.au
Lunch Orders at MPW are supplied by Darling St Espresso. The lunch order menu is available from the Office
or our website -
School Uniform is available from Lowes at Highpoint Shopping Centre or online at http://www.lowes.com.au/campuscategories.aspx?depid=764. We also have a supply of pre loved uniform available for purchase from the Administration Office.
In 2016 - 40kg of unnamed clothing and
30 items of unnamed plastic containers were donated to charity each month.
Our lost property is managed by parent volunteers and we need your help to reduce this huge workload and loss of property.
You can help by:
When is unnamed lost property cleared and donated to charity?
Where is lost property?
In the causeway at the entry to room 7 and 8 (near the toilet block off the little adventure playground).
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Moonee Ponds West Primary School
