This week students in their Foundation year began full time (Monday to Friday).

Thank you to all members of the Moonee Ponds West community and staff who attended last night’s presentation on Restorative Practices conducted by Dave Vinegrad. Further information is to be found in the Education section of this week’s newsletter.

A sincere thank you to all parents and carers who volunteer their time and energies in contributing to the many facets of the day to day experience of the children of Moonee Ponds West. There are many untold one-off contributions, regular arrangements and ongoing arrangements of support and assistance. Please see your classroom teacher if you are able to assist.

On Friday March 24 we will be holding our annual movie night. This is a fantastic opportunity for members of our school community to come together and enjoy a family evening under the stars – weather permitting. Please see the flyer further in this newsletter for further information.

A reminder that March 14 is a Curriculum (pupil free) day. Staff will be undertaking further professional development and workshops in Restorative Practices led by Dave Vinegrad.

For results of the School Council Election please refer to the Section on the School Council further in the newsletter. Thank you to all community members who nominated for this important role of ensuring good governance of Moonee Ponds West.

Could parents/carers please exercise extreme vigilance, care and patience when driving and/or parking near the school. The drop off and pick up zones are not parking zones.  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.

International Women’s Day is on March 8. Following last week’s piece on Digital Disruption, please find a link to a World Economic Forum report on the future of work and gendered inequalities. The report states:

…as disruptive change is coming to business models, jobs are displaced and a new labour market materializes out of the vestiges of the old, there is also a risk that these trends and drivers of change might sustain or worsen other existing gendered inequalities.

For further reading please refer to the link below:

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-what-it-means-and-how-to-respond

The Education Sub-committee meeting is to be held Monday 6th of March. At this meeting the Draft Annual Implementation Plan will be discussed.

Please find below a link to an article in today's Herald Sun featuring our own Bree White.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/teachers-hope-to-chalk-up-footy-success-in-the-aflw/news-story/b2c65993b4fbd276b0d83c5a9b5dec2c

Enjoy your weekend.

Jeff.

This was the first school council meeting for the 2017 school Year.

• JSC elections are in progress so we did not have the pleasure of a JSC report. The members of school council are looking forward to the JSC representatives reporting at future meetings.
• 2017 AIP (Annual Implementation Plan) will be presented to the next Education sub-committee and then to School Council.
• Enrolment census was held on Tuesday 28th of February, the outcome of this census informs the funding the school receives.
• The Learning Support Program for 2017 has been designed to meet the individual needs of students. Further information will be provided in the near future.
• Our new newsletter platform has been well received (if you are reading this you have obviously been successful in navigating your way around the new format)!
• The school council would like to thank Sandra Monaghan for all her work on the newsletter.
• Our school council president, Paul Girdler will be absent for the final school council meeting so Jeff acknowledged and thanked Paul for all his support and detailed attention to issues and events that have occurred during his presidency over the last 4 years. We thank you.

On Friday 24th February 2017 nominations closed for the 2017 School Council Elections. Congratulations to our newly elected School Councillors. Please find attached the declaration of the Poll.

Monday 6th March

Education Committee 19:00 to 21:00

Monday 13th March

Labour Day Public Holiday

Tuesday 14th March

Curriculum Day - Pupil Free Day

Resources Committee 19:00 to 21:00

Tuesday 21st March

Division Swimming 9:00 - 15:00

Wednesday 22nd March

Secondary School Expo 16:00 to 19:30

Friday 24th March

District Cross Country

Movie Night 18:00 to 20:00

Monday 27th March

School Council Meeting 19:00 to 21:00

Tuesday 28th March

FAD Years 5/6 9:00 to 15:30

Regional Swimming

Thursday 30th March

School Photo Day 8:00 to 16:00

Friday 31st March

Last Day Term 1 

Assembly at 9:00

Early Dismissal 14:30

Monday 17th April

Easter Public Holiday

Tuesday 18th April

Term 2 Commences

Tuesday 25th April

ANZAC Day Public Holiday

Wednesday 26th April

Camp 3/4 Group 1 Departs

Friday 28th April

Camp 3/4 Group 1 Returns

State Swimming

Monday 1st May

Camp 3/4 Group 2 Departs

Wednesday 3rd May

Camp 3/4 Group 2 Returns

Friday 5th May

Grade 5/6 Winter Sport 

Tuesday 9th May

Resources Committee 19:00 to 21:00

Tuesday 9th May to Thursday 11th May

NAPLAN Test Years 3 & 5

Monday 22nd May

Curriculum Day - Pupil Free Day

School Council Meeting 19:00 to 21:30

When:

Thursday 30th March

Where:

MPW Primary School

Orders:
Please complete your photo order via the ARP  www.arphotos.com.au  site before 11.59pm Sunday, 9th April 2017.

MPW 'My School Code' - 1703MP989

Late orders will still be accepted online at any time but will incur additional charges.

Please refer to the below ARP flyer for package and order details.

There is also an opportunity for FAMILY photos to be taken on the School Photo Day.

All orders for FAMILY photos need to be placed by 11.59pm the day before photo day to ensure a photograph is taken on the day OR return the order form directly to Arthur Reed Photos.

Please refer to the below ARP FAMILY flyer for package and order details.

The MPWPS Fundraising team is excited to confirm our events for 2017! 

Over the past few years we have experienced wonderful volunteer support and generosity from our families and friends at MPWPS as well as the local business and service organisations within our school community. 

Our various fundraising events held throughout the school year have helped us raise money for school projects and equipment such as the air conditioning installation for our school gym and an upgraded bike shelter.  

Term 1:

Movie Night –Friday March 24th (family event)

Term 2:

Disco Bingo/Trivia Night  - Saturday June 24th (for adults)

Term 4:

- Spring Carnival themed evening - Friday 20th October

- End of year raffle

o run a successful event we need lots of enthusiastic volunteers – it’s a great way to meet other MPWPS families, especially if you are new to the school and of course it's a rewarding experience by being part of a fantastic events team! 

Can you or a family member assist with one or two of the following tasks? 

• Help sell items in the snacks stall -  Lollies/drinks/popcorn 
• Help sell and serve drinks in the bar area
• Assist with cooking the BBQ and selling sausages 
• Assist with set up of the event
• Clean up at the conclusion of event

If you are able to assist our team on Friday, March 24th, please contact Rachel or Anna with your availability. 

Rachel:

rachwals@hotmail.com or PH:  0417 011 723   

Anna:

annaclapcott@hotmail.com or PH:  0434 368 910

Thank you very much to all the parents, teachers and community members who attended last night’s information session hosted by the MPW Student Wellbeing Team and Dave Vinegrad (Behaviour Matters). Throughout the evening Dave focused on the Restorative Practices approach used at M.P.W. in dealing with our students. The quality of feedback we received from parents and staff was tremendous. 100% of parents responded that the session as useful and that they would recommend it to other parents.

Some feedback from parents on what they took away from the evening included:

“Usable examples of language/ways to communicate effectively”

“How to fix problems in a positive way”

“Learning how kids actually think/behave”

 “I discovered how the teachers incorporate Restorative Practices within the school/class”

“[I learnt about] the choice of words/questions to achieve a more positive outcome”

 “[I learnt about] ways to ask questions to get problems solved and for my child to realise their actions”

“[I will try to] ask better questions, give more chances for my child to resolve problems themselves and give opportunities to risk take”

“A very informative and engaging event”

More information will be available on the M.P.W. website shortly, including Dave’s informative slideshow and selected video excerpts of the event. Dave is also currently working with staff to improve and refine our implementation of Restorative Practices in the classroom and playground.

On Tuesday 28th March the Grade 5/6 students will holding a FAD - Free Activity day.

As a parent at MPW for many years now I have been involved in several of these activity days with Year 5/6 students.

They really enjoy this day and love having the involvement of parents for even just an hour or two.

I have run activities such as bike riding around the river and a cricket match in past years - both highly sort after activities by the students and were full every time.

I found out this morning that not many parents have to date put there hands up to participate and run activities and it would be such a shame to have to cancel it for the students.

Please if you can spare an hour or two on this day get in touch with your child's teacher - they will even assist you to come up with activities if you are not sure yourself!

Amanda Lecaude, parent

Friday 17th March

• Cross Country Trials (at school)

• Ride to School Day:

  MPW will be participating in National Ride2School Day on Friday 17th of March. Active travel is a great way for students of all ages to meet their recommend daily dose of 60 minutes physical activity every day. The purpose of National Ride2School Day is to show school communities that riding to school is an easy and fun activity. It is a chance to celebrate on a large scale and prove it can be done. Bicycle Network’s National Ride2School Day is the perfect opportunity for Australian students and school communities to embrace a healthier start and to try walking and riding to school for themselves.

   

  Our Green Team will be promoting this event around the school and encouraging as many students to travel to school by bike, scooter, skateboard or walk. 

  All students who participate in Ride2School Day will be receive a raffle ticket to win an environmental / physical activity hamper.

Tuesday 21st March

• Good luck to our swimmers who will represent Ascot Vale District at division swimming at St. Albans.

Team Building

This term our Gr 5/6’s will participate in a Team Building program that involves various challenges.  The activities are designed to build relationships, problem solve, negotiate, recognise strengths, resilience and most importantly to have fun. Points are awarded for the activity and self-evaluations are done by each class to get extra points.

Results from round 4:

Room 10:                                                          106.0 points

Room 11:                                                          100.0 points

Room 12:                                                          106.5 points

Room 14:                                                          103.0 points

Room 15:                                                          111.0 points

Room 18:                                                          121.5 points

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:

www.mooneewestps.vic.edu.au

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Mpwps/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/mpwpsofficial?lang=en

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

Term DatesIf 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 -

• Darling Street Menu and price list
• Darling Street List of ingredients

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:

• ensuring all belongings are clearly marked with student's names and room numbers
• regularly check (and encourage your child/ren to check) for their lost property
• remember it is the responsibility of students and families to regularly check lost property and reclaim items

When is unnamed lost property cleared and donated to charity?

• Last Friday of every month

Where is lost property?

In the causeway at the entry to room 7 and 8 (near the toilet block off the little adventure playground).