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Port Melbourne Primary School Newsletter

- 23rd April 2020, Issue 13
 

Prospective Term 2 Dates

May 5.............Education Policy sub-committee (on-line)
May 12...........School Council 6.30pm (on-line)
May 29...........Pupil Free Day (TBC)
June 2............Education Policy sub-committee (on-line)
June 8............Queens Birthday Holiday
June 9............School Council 6.30pm (on-line)
June 26          Term 2 ends 1.30pm
A Message From Our Principal
Welcome to the second week of term 2. Our remote and flexible learning program is continuing to evolve. I would like to sincerely thank our students, staff and families for their commitment, compassion and creativity through this period.
As we become more familiar with the successes and challenges of flexible and remote learning, our program will continue to evolve. In response to feedback from students, staff and families, our short-term focus will include:
  • Distributing daily learning the night prior to ensure each family has an opportunity to plan for their child/ren’s learning in advance.
  • Continuing to develop the use of video instruction.
  • Developing a consistent approach to using Department-approved platforms for live video conferencing with small groups of students.
In addition, the Department of Education and Training (DET) have provided a range of activities and resources that will supplement the work provided by our teachers. The ‘FUSE Fun at Home’ page (https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/Pages/funathome) has a variety of resources that are engaging and linked to curriculum outcomes.

Similarly, ABC ME is focusing on education-based content between 10:00am and 3:00pm each day, beginning with content for younger students and progressing to senior student focused programming later in the day. Visit https://www.abc.net.au/tveducation/ for further information.

Thank you to Anastasia Cullen and Nicole Wapling for providing further content for our families in this newsletter. Anastasia continues to lead our school focus on The Resilience Project, explaining how we can implement this learning from home, whilst Nicole has outlined a variety of resources to support us in accessing quality reading materials.

This Saturday, we will commemorate ANZAC Day. Whilst we will not be able to access Dawn Services or visit the Shrine of Remembrance, it is important to acknowledge the service and sacrifice of all those who have served or are currently serving. The Returned and Services League (RSL) of Australia have suggested that we #STANDTO by walking outside, standing in our yards, our driveways or our balconies to observe a minute of silence in respect to our veterans. For further information, please see http://www.rslvic.com.au/commemoration/anzac-day/

Please continue to ‘do your best’ and show gratitude as we work through these challenging times together.
 
Rohan.
A Message From Our Council President
Thank you for everyone’s patience this week. It hasn’t been easy as we all deal with a new approach to learning.
I’ve been speaking to Rohan a lot this week and I know that they are looking to be proactive in how the school intends to approach remote learning – to learn from what is working well and what can be done better and to be agile in how they evolve their approach. I know that Rohan, Katie and Kim don’t intend to be complacent when looking how best to deliver the learning approach. Rohan has set out more about this in his report.
It’s also heartening to see how everyone is supporting each other in this process. It took my family a bit of time to get used to what was required and how best to manage our 3 boys, including an energetic 7 year old who regularly tells me that “it isn’t how my teacher does it”! But it was also good to hear how others had managed their approach and different perspectives. I think we have a routine in place that seems to work, although we are flexible and know that sometimes we might need to relax it a bit. We are trying to do our best.
If you have any questions, however minor you think they are, please raise it with your child’s teacher or contact the school. I guarantee others are thinking the same thing. It also helps the teachers refine their approach. I just ask that it is done respectfully. They are also trying to do their best and learning through this process.
Finally, I received a great email this week from Nicky Cooper (mum of James (5A) and Ella (2E)). The staff of the Emergency Department of Footscray Hospital were really touched by cards they received from PMPS Team Kids children. The response from the Nurse Unit Manager is below. They asked me to thank the students and Team Kids staff involved as it brought a “lot of people a lot of smiles”. If any students would like to create anything similar, Nicky is happy to take drawings/cards into Footscray Hospital (contact the school and they can send your details to Nicky). 
I should add that there are a number of PM parents out there who are on the front line in dealing with this crisis, especially those in the medical field. To you, I also say thanks on behalf of the school.
 
If anyone has any concerns or issues, feel free to contact me at
Lewis.Gareth.G@edumail.vic.gov.au
Gareth Lewis
Hi Nicky,
I was speechless when the cards arrived yesterday.  The most beautiful and thoughtful thing I have seen for a very long time.
Please thank all the kids and everyone else involved from all the ED staff.
Very appreciated during these difficult times.
Thank you once again. 
Liz Borowik
Nurse Unit Manager
Footscray Emergency Department
CSEF Update
If due to COVID-19 your financial circumstances have changed and you are now a current Health Care Card holder, you may be eligible for CSEF (Camps Sports and Excursions Fund).  Please contact Jane via email to discuss.
 
hayes.jane.h@edumail.vic.gov.au
Year 6 – 7 Transition Information
The Year 6 – 7 Parent Information Pack containing the Year 7 Application Form has been emailed to you. 
 
More information can be found here - Going to Year 7
 
The completed Application Form should be returned by Friday 29 May by mail to the school:
 
Year 6 – 7 Transition Co-ordinator
Port Melbourne Primary School
415 Graham Street
Port Melbourne
Victoria 3207
 
OR email your completed form to Darren Crawcour: Crawcour.darren.l@edumail.vic.gov.au
 Albert Park College SEAL Program
If your child is interested in applying for the SEAL program at APC, the assessment consists of four parts.
  1. Completion of the SEAL testing program. In 2020 students, will complete the testing program on Saturday 16 May 9 – 12 pm. The testing program is skills based rather than curriculum based. It is designed to identify student ability rather than acquired knowledge. 
  2. On completion of the testing program student referral forms are to be completed by the student’s Year 6 teacher and parent or carer. These forms are to be submitted to Albert Park College. 
  3. Students whose teacher and parents or carer referral forms and test results indicate that they have the potential range of skills for the program will be invited, with their parents or carer, for an interview during July 2020. 
  4. Please note: Final selection will be consistent with the state-wide DET placement policy
**Your child's classroom teacher is required to fill in a form. Please let your child's teacher know asap if you are definitely applying so they have ample time to complete the relevant documents. The school will send these to APC. 

SEAL Booklet

SEAL advice to parents
The Resilience Project @ Home
We are excited to launch TRP @ Home!
TRP @ Home is a platform that provides activities, resources and ideas to support the wellbeing of students and their families throughout this period of remote/online learning.
TRP @ Home has been designed to provide families with easy to implement learning activities and digital content linked to the The Resilience Projects key principles; Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness & Emotional Literacy. 
These principles are simple to do and are supported by research that shows practising them everyday will help you feel happier and more resilient. Just like anything in life if you want to become better at something, you just need to practise!
We understand parents and carers will play a big role in delivering much of the TRP @ Home content, so we have developed a Parent & Carer information page to support. Please click the link to view our support materials: https://theresilienceproject.com.au/at-home/parent-carer-information/

Each week we will provide the link for you to complete the activities provided by TRP @ Home.

Week 1 https://theresilienceproject.com.au/at-home/

Any questions please feel free to email cullen.anastasia.a@edumail.vic.gov.au
Library Resources for Families
Welcome back to term 2, PMPS families! As the wonderfully wacky Dr Seuss once said, "The more that you read, the more things you will know.  The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go." Books in all their forms, have never been so vital in helping our students obtain knowledge, and be taken to another place: one of imagination, laughter or comfort.  The Library would like to support our school community in finding access to books whilst learning remotely.

Follow this link for some great literary suggestions from Nicole in the Library.

I hope families find these links useful, and that they provide the students with knowledge, comfort and some much needed escapism. 

Happy reading everyone!
Weekly Staff Profiles
This week, we profile Jac Manuell and Caz Farrant teachers of 6AB
Originally from Numurkah, Caroline, our Year 6 Team Leader, obtained her teaching qualifications in Ballarat before travelling overseas to backpack through exotic parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, before settling in the UK where she tried her hand at a variety of jobs including nannying and running a B&B before commencing her teaching career in London in 2000. She taught mainly in the early years before becoming Deputy Head Teacher at the Sir Thomas Abney Primary School in Hackney, until she was persuaded to return to Australia and join our staff in 2015. 
Jac is new to PMPS this year. 
Jac studied Exercise Science and Human Movement as well as Sport and Recreation Management before completing his Primary Education qualification. As well as teaching at Truganina South Primary School and many hours as a CRT, Jac taught at Buxton school in the UK. Jac is also a sports writer and pod-caster and is passionate about basketball.
Jac's overarching goal as a teacher is to foster creativity and higher order thinking to engage students and make them lifelong learners.
Message from the PFA
As a PFA  our role is obviously quite different this term with no events and fundraising at the moment, so we would like to try and focus on helping and supporting families.  We are working on tweaking the portal to have a " Life at home" page, which we will  update weekly with some recommendations of recipes, books, home entertainment, good apps for adults and kids. Your ideas and suggestions would be great too, so email the pmpsparentsandfriends@gmail.com with your ideas and we will post to the site and put in the PFA update.

Stay Happy and Healthy everyone and hope to see you soon.

The PFA Team.
CYBER SAFETY WEBINAR
Cyber Safety Webinar of last Thursday is still available at the link in the below flyer until April 26.
port.melbourne.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

Our mailing address is:
415 Graham Street, Port Melbourne 3207

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Port Melbourne Primary School · 415 Graham Street · Port Melbourne, Victoria 3207 · Australia

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