The final five weeks of the 2018 school year will be particularly busy with numerous events and educational programs scheduled in. Week 5 concluded with the inaugural P & C Ladies Night on Friday evening. We had 16 stalls and approximately 60 in attendance. Well done Mrs Bacon and P & C members! Week 6 commenced early with our student leaders Campbell, Shae, Ryan and Maddi representing the school with pride and confidence at Sunday morning’s Merbein RSL Remembrance Day ceremony at Kenny Park. A big thank you to parents for their support.
TLPS, OLPS and Merbein P-10 student leaders are pictured reciting the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ on Sunday morning.
Reminder – Report Writing Day Next Monday Nov 19th- No School For Students
A reminder that our 4th and final Pupil-free day for 2019 will involve a Report Writing Day next Monday, November 19th. Students will not be required at school on this day with teachers busily writing End-of-year reports.
2019 Parent Preferences
We are aiming to announce our 2019 classes, locations and teaching roles on Tuesday, December 11th at 9:00am. The number of classes will increase from 13 to 14 in 2019 with the following class structure: 3 x Preps; 5 x 1/2's, 3 x 3/4's & 3 x 5/6. To assist with the compilation of classes for next year we are providing an opportunity for parents to lodge written preferences stating brief reasons in a special Parent Collection Box at the Office. In the next week students will also be surveyed in class and will write down 5 possible friends that they would like to have in their class next year. Please understand that many factors are taken into account when creating classes and it is a complicated, time-consuming process. As a consequence, there can be no guarantees. Please do not pass your verbal requests directly on to teachers. The final deadline for written requests is Thursday, November 22nd.
‘Walk to School October’ Results
Congratulations to all 257 students and their families who took the opportunity to actively participate in the recent ‘Walk to School’ program organised by Sunraysia Community Health. 11 local schools participated. We will await the announcement of prizes in approximately 10 days’ time.
2018 Class Placings (Total walks per class)
Total school enrolment- 295. Total number of student walkers- 257. Total walks (combined) -4049.
Staffing Update
· I am pleased to announce that the successful applicant for the recently advertised Primary Welfare Officer role for 2019 (2 days per week) was Ms Donna Fisher. Donna has had a vast experience in the social welfare field and is excited about joining our school at the start of the new school year.
· Miss Mia Humphrey and Miss Cara Aghan have been appointed as our two 0.5 Maths Specialists for 2019/2020. Each will combine this exciting leadership role with 0.5 classroom duties.
· Mrs Jackie Walsh has been appointed as our Learning Specialist (Literacy) leader for 2019. Jackie will be teaching full-time in a classroom.
Indonesian Activity Morning
P-4 students participated in a range of Indonesian activities (Including anglungs, elephants, turtles, mindfulness origami, Indonesian rounders, and batik), rotating in mixed aged groupings in our annual Indonesian Activity Morning conducted on Tuesday. Mrs Eckert organised a fun program and was ably supported by staff members.
Charli Cramp (Left) and Petah Jackson looked great on Tuesday!
Enysha Peters enjoyed her origami session.
Cooper Brice, Riley Pinyon and Thomas Martin enjoyed playing the angklungs and making music with their group.
New Offices For 2019
A decision has been made to create an additional office in the entrance area to the current Prep C classroom. This will eventually be converted into a new Principal Office in readiness for the start of the 2019 school year. A contractor will be adding a new wall this weekend. This means that Prep C students will be required to access their classroom via the entrance next to the Prep A classroom as of Tuesday of next week. Mr McInerney will eventually be relocating his A.P office to my current Principal Office. His current office will then be made available for the newly appointed Primary Welfare Office (2 days per week) and valuable meeting space.
5/6 Lake Cullulleraine Camp
77 Year 5/6 students have been enjoying a fabulous 5 day environmental and social learning experience this week at nearby Lake Cullulleraine. The students have been enjoying the range of environmental and team building activities provided by Wild Side Outdoors who once again have been actively involved in the camp. Damien, Brad and helpers are always great to work with. To ensure that this particular camp has been possible (With such large numbers) Mr Bell (Coordinator) has relied on numerous parents and staff members volunteering their time to assist during the day and sleeping over at night. Congratulations and thanks to Mr Bell, Ms Goddard, Miss Aghan, Miss Humphrey and staff members/parent volunteers for their terrific support.
Additional Happenings Around Our School
· Congratulations to Kirsty Hyder and Jeremy Hanson on the recent arrival of a bouncing baby boy Austin Hanson. A precious brother for Declan.
· Best wishes to the following 10 students who will be participating in the exciting 10 day visit to Somers Camp which departs next Tuesday: Ryan Champion, Jarvas Munn, Dallas Bowen, Kaleb Goddard, Chelsea O’Day, Milla Wallace, Shylah Cartledge, Mia Hart, Lara Hyland and Zhoe Chiswell.
· Our respectful thoughts are with Prep B student Levi Cofield (And Parents Jo Comotti & Jason Cofield) who is currently undergoing extended treatment in Melbourne.
· Congratulations to former student Rory Jowett who is representing Australia in Blackball (A variation of eight ball) at the World Championships in Bridlington, England from November 20-28th. Go Rory!
· Mrs Rogerson and Mrs Walsh will be participating in the final of five full-day Literacy Leaders Workshops in Mildura tomorrow. This has been a big commitment but the opportunity to liaise and learn with Literacy Leaders from local schools has been very beneficial. Each of the five days has been expertly led by local Principals Anne Robinson (Mildura West P.S) and Yvonne Madden (Irymple P.S) who are highly credentialed Literacy leaders in their own right. I will be participating in the final afternoon tomorrow from 1:30-4:00pm.
· Mrs Walsh, Mrs Zeppel, Mrs Donaldson, Miss Humphrey and Miss Aghan have also been participating in an online Literacy data course conducted by the Bastow professional development unit based in Melbourne. This has involved regular 2 hour online sessions after-school throughout the 2018 school year. The commitment has been huge but the benefits have been enormous.
· The final meeting of School Council for 2018 has been postponed until Wednesday November 28th at 7:30pm.
· As Monday is a Report Writing Day for teachers and students are not required at school, all ‘Workers of the Week’ Awards will be distributed to students tomorrow. (We will not have a whole-school assembly next week.)
· Our Boys Softball team is now off to the State final in Melbourne to represent our region on Wed Nov 28th after the first placed team in Swan Hill opted not to attend. Mr Bell and Mrs Taylor have been hastily arranging transport and accommodation for our excited boys. Go Lakers!
· The P & C has kindly agreed to fully subsidise the installation of an additional shade sail at the rear playground. (New oval) This project will only cost the school a portion of the normal cost due to the use of the 2nd prize in the recent Major Raffle. (Donated back to the school for a fraction of the replacement cost.) The Gazebo and Shade Centre will be completing this new project in the coming weeks.
· Our P.E Specialist Mrs Taylor was very excited to receive the delivery of a new Sports Storage Shed (Shipping Container) for the new oval on Monday courtesy of a generous $2,000 part subsidy from the P & C.
- Rod Pearce, Principal
