Parkhill Primary School Newsletter

Dear Parents/Carers

We made it! Soon we will be heading back to school in 2021 with smiles on our faces, rested and ready for a fabulous year ahead!

Thank you once again to all of our wonderful supportive families who really do wholeheartedly engage in our school community and positively support the children and staff at Parkhill. I feel honoured to be part of this amazing community. 

Y6 Graduation was just fantastic with the school captains leading the presentation and the children planning and presenting their own movie work. 

It was great to see so many parents come to celebrate with us too! The children ended the night with a blow up cinema on the asphalt area lying on bean-bags and enjoying a movie together with their own goodie bag! 

Big Day In was another roaring success. The children embarked on an amazing race style challenge morning followed by pizza lunch and a Graduation bear signing session!  

I would also like to welcome Mark Tunnicliffe to the Parkhill team.  Mark will be teaching in Y6 during term 1 of 2021 until Sasha Guy returns to us. 

AWARD WINNERS 2020:

We held our Awards Assembly on Wednesday morning - it was lovely to have all of the students together celebrating the successes of the year. This is usually a wonderful time to reflect and for us to celebrate together as a community.  I feel sad that we were not able to invite parents to come along, however we are able to send a link to those of you who had children receive awards so that you can share in their success. Again, a huge congratulations to our 2020 award winners!

Well done and a huge congratulations to the recipients: 

2021 STUDENT LEADERSHIP:

Our Y5 students have been working through the process of becoming a Y6 leader next year. With workshops driven by Mr Davies, applications and references, interviews and student/staff votes they have really been dragged through the coals! 

With continuous improvement in mind, and in response to feedback over the years, our process this year changed slightly. In the past we have offered a range of positions, some of which do not always have a valid and ‘real’ role to play. We feel strongly that the positions we offer on the Leadership Team are genuine and have real purpose. With this said, it is also important to recognise that our new structure will offer more children the chance to be leaders in the school.

 In an ongoing roster of responsibility, the usual leadership positions will be shared throughout the year amongst students who would like to try their hand at leading in that position. This system allows all of our Y6s to show their leadership skills and qualities as the year progresses. Roles like sports leader and tech team will still be legitimate responsibilities and will be held in a roster system by children who opt to do them. Today the prospective Y6 leaders made expressions of interest to the positions they would most like to hold. 

The more formal captain roles include:

School Captain x2

Vice School Captain x2

Student Representative Council Captain x2

In order to be appointed into one of these roles the children needed to apply. Children who applied for the Captain roles had to follow the process below:

• Respond to the criteria

• Include a cover letter

• Provide the name of a reference from outside of school e.g. coach, family member, scout leader, etc

• Short listed candidates were interviewed, panel including the current school captains - shortlist compiled by staff

• Captains presented information from the interview to the current Y6 leaders and to the Y5 peer group for an anonymous vote

• Staff discussed the outcome and voted on the candidates

• Positions appointed and announced

So many things to do over the holidays: arts, crafts, cooking, exhibitions, films, galleries, libraries, museums, nature and wildlife, out and about, performances, and much more.  The links below are awesome for holiday fun information:

https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/whatson/school_holidays/Pages/default.aspx

https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/kids

Reminders: 

• 2019 Annual Report to the Community is available on our website: https://parkhillps.vic.edu.au/

• Community Essential Agreement: https://parkhillps.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Parkhill-Primary-School-Essential-Agreement.pdf

Wednesday 27 January  - Curriculum day

Thursday 28 January - First day Term 1 2021

F/1C - Rayoon K

F/1S - Owen H

F/1M - Kasia P

2/3B - Justin M & Zerrin A

2/3L - Olivia M

2/3T - Alex W

4/5D - Cody S

4/5H - Bella P

4/5O - Martin K

5/6C - Amelia G, Ava M & Asha W

5/6G - Alexandra D

Following the presentation, the Y6 graduates settled down on the asphalt to watch a movie together on a giant screen - bean bags and popcorn!

Office Bearers:

President: Rossanne Clay       

Treasurer: Vacant

Secretary/Communications: Kylie Touloupis

General Members:  

Elle Delmee, Maria Andrakakos, Sumi Sundram, Vanessa Cowley, Trish King.

PFA EVENTS SURVEY

Thank you for your input into the PFA 2021 calendar. It has been really useful to touch base with you all and get your thoughts around next year's  events.

A big thanks to the members of the Parkhill community who have put their hand up to run an event- you’re fantastic!

We are after more volunteers to organise the Mother’s Day Movie Night, Trivia Night and Comedy Night, so chat with your fellow Parkhill parents and get a group together, the more the merrier!

Please consider helping us out and feel free to email parents.friends.secretary@gmail.com with any questions.

FUNDRAISING $$ TERM 4

A BIG BIG thank you to our school community who rallied together to help us raise close to $1500 through the Fun-a-thon and the Honey Drive. Not connecting at school has been tough but it’s so heart-warming to know the spirit of Parkhill is strong. Your ongoing support is very much appreciated by parents, students and teachers alike. Thank you once again.

Not connecting at school has been tough but it’s so heart-warming to know the spirit of Parkhill is strong. Your ongoing support is very much appreciated by parents, students and teachers alike. Thank you once again.

WINNERS ARE GRINNERS!

Congratulations to our Fun-a-thon leader board winners;

• Patrick Conti
• Yianni Touloupis
• Owen Edwards
• Patrick Muller
• Mia Touloupis

Rebel vouchers were handed out Wednesday!

Thank you to all the children and their supporters of this event.

A message from the PFA president….

 The PFA had had a fun, albeit crazy, year coping with COVID-19 and coming up with ideas to manage the ‘new normal’ in our community. 

We enjoy the many ways Parkhill Primary allows us to support the school in creating community spirit and it has been great to see the commitment and enthusiasm from our school community in helping with all we do.  A big thank-you to all the volunteers and generous supporters of our activities.

Your contribution to the PFA is greatly appreciated and makes all of the fundraising events and social functions that unite our wonderful school possible.

We would also like to thank Elaine, Michelle, Steph, Anny, and Jo for their help and unwavering support throughout a year that required that little bit extra - you are all amazing and the small team that kept things moving and supported me in my first year here a special thanks, namely Kylie T, Sumi, Vanessa, Maria & George.

Happy Holidays Parkhill. 

Rossanne