EVERY SCHOOL DAY COUNTS
Monday February 5th 2024
Melton South Primary School acknowledges the Wurundjeri People as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we learn and play. We value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture. We recognise the First People’s connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respects to Elders, both past, present and emerging.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Everyone has the right to be SAFE
Everyone has the right to be RESPECTED
Everyone has the right to LEARN
WELCOME BACK: We have had a very positive start to the new school year. We welcome all new families and our new 2024 Prep students.
Introducing our new & returning staff:
– Danielle Muskett Gr1
-Manisha Kakkar Gr4
-Tom Fawcett Gr4
-Princess Peralta Gr6
-Megan Wilson Gr6
-Michelle Farrugia M/T Gr3
-Genevieve Morison Gr 3 Wed-Frid
-Renae Harper Gr 2 Fri
-June Penney Gr 2 Tues
-David McDonald Gr 6 Fri
-Luke Smakman PE
-Nicole Jowett Mental Health & Wellbeing
-Rebecca Couley tutor
-Therese Footner tutor
SKOOLBAG APP: I would like to advise our school community that we are no longer using the Skoolbag App. We will communicate via COMPASS, this will include newsletters, notification of upcoming school events such as camps and excursions, semester 1 and 2 reports etc. We will also use COMPASS to communicate any emergency situation that may arise.
SUNSMART SCHOOL: MSPS is an accredited sun smart school so all students are required to wear a navy broad brimmed hat for Physical Education lessons and at playtime and lunchtime. Hats are available from the office for $12.
What are the students currently learning?
Prep: Investigation Unit – Me and My Family
Students will learn… about being part of a school community as well as a member of their own Prep class. They learn about the structure and expectations of the Literacy and Numeracy workshops. In Literacy, they will be engaged in learning about themselves as emergent readers and writers. They will discusstheir interests and preferenceswith texts. The students will learn about the importance of characters in stories. They will be encouraged to draw, label and write about themselves, and the characters in books. During Circle Time students will learn about Accountable Talk and how to be good listeners and speakers. They will be encouraged to use it in play-based activities with their peers.
Grade 1-6: Investigation Unit – Growing Learners
All students will learn…that a Growth Mindset can help them to be effective learners. They will learn that it is important to set goals and the mindset they need to achieve those goals. They will learn that effective learners have qualities that include being risk-takers who persist when challenged and show resilience with failure.
Students will learn about being part of the class community and how the Literacy and Numeracy workshops work. In Literacy, they will be engaged in learning about themselves as readers and writers. The studentswill beencouraged to read texts that interest them, and choose others that stretch them as readers. They will read texts where characters show a Growth Mindset.
In Numeracy, the students will consider the qualities and dispositions of good mathematicians. They will learn to solve problems using a range of strategies and will be encouraged to discuss the effectiveness of their preferred strategy.
COVID UPDATE
There is at present an increase in community transmission of COVID-19 in Victoria. You can help us keep our school as safe as possible by taking 2 important steps:
1. Ensure your COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date. Information on how and where to get vaccinated is available on the Get vaccinated webpage.
2. If your child shows symptoms of COVID-19, please ensure they stay home and get tested.
The easiest way to test is to use a rapid antigen test (RAT) . We have RATs available at our school for collection. Free RATs are also available from your local council where you can collect 2 packs of 5 RATs and an extra 2 packs for each person in your household. People with disability and their carers can get 4 packs of 5 RATs. You are not required to have a Medicare card and you can collect RATs as many times as you need. You can also buy RATs at supermarkets, pharmacies and other retailers.
If your child has symptoms but tests negative, please ensure they stay home until they no longer have symptoms. If the RAT test result is positive, please ensure they say home for at least 5 days and until there are no more symptoms. Thank you for your support – these steps will help us all stay well.
How CSEF is used
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) provides payments for eligible students to attend activities like:
- school camps or trips
- swimming and school-organised sport programs
- outdoor education programs
- excursions and incursions
This Victorian Government funding will help ensure more than 220,000 government and non-government students from lower-income families are able to participate in camps, sports and excursions each year.
Eligibility for the CSEF
Families holding a valid means-tested concession card (Health Care Card, Disability Support Pension, Age Pension etc.) or temporary foster parents are eligible to apply.
Families can list more than one student in the application form if they are attending the same school.
Criteria
The applicant must be one of the following on the first day of Term 1 (29 January 2024);
- a parent or carer who is the beneficiary of a financially means-tested card
or - a temporary foster carer
Applications will not be accepted after 1 June 2024
Parents who receive a carer allowance on behalf of a student, or any other benefit or allowance not income tested by Centrelink, are NOT eligible for the CSEF payment unless they meet the above eligibility criterion.
Payment Amount
Payments for 2024 are:
$150 per year for eligible primary school students
Payments are made directly to the school:
- from March onwards each year where the parent/carers concession card is assessed as valid on the first day of Term 1 and
- until 1 June where the parent/carers concession card is assessed as valid on the first day of Term 2.
Use of funds:
The CSEF provides payments for eligible students to attend activities like:
- school camps or trips
- swimming and school-organised sport programs
- outdoor education programs
- excursion and incursions
The CSEF CANNOT be used towards
- books
- stationery
- school uniforms
- before and after school care
- music lessons, or
- graduation