I am back from my holiday and it is cold!  I had over 40 days in a row of temperatures above 30 degrees whilst in Europe and it has been hard to come back to this weather.  It was wonderful to experience Europe with my family and to catch up with my relatives in Malta.  I am truly grateful for the time spent there over the last couple of months and it has helped me to recharge my batteries to take on the rest of this year with enthusiasm.  It has been wonderful to see all the staff, students and parents after a couple of months away.  I have felt very humbled by the welcome back that I have received from everyone.  I thank Mrs Pittman as the Acting Principal and Mr Bartlett for their leadership over this time and thank the entire staff for their support to ensure the school continued to thrive.

Interschool Basketball

Our teams participated in basketball against other schools yesterday.  They gave it their all and showed remarkable sportsmanship and integrity when playing their games.  They represented our school with pride.  The boys won 1 game and narrowly lost the other 2.  Our girls made it to the semi-finals.  Well done to all involved.

Morning drop off

A huge congratulations to everyone on the process for morning drop off.  You are all using the area as a dedicated drop off and no one is leaving their car.  I am very happy that this has continued to improve in my absence.  If we can now work on the afternoon pick-up that would be appreciated.

Bike shed

This afternoon we are launching our second bike shed on the Tower St side of the school.  This bike shed has been built with the aid of the Melton Council and has taken a long time to coordinate.  It provides our students with an alternative place to store their bikes.  This gate will be opened in the morning along with the gate on the oval and closed as the first bell sounds.  Both bike sheds are still available for students, but will hopefully help to disipate some of the traffic and encourage others to ride their bikes as there are fabulous paths around the school.  A huge thank you to Diane Hanmer for coordinating this project and liaising with the Council for several months.

Parent surveys

As of Monday a link will be sent out for parents to complete the annual parent survey.  We encourage as many people as possible to complete this survey whether you have positive things to say or if you want to provide feedback to us as we take these surveys seriously and try to implement programs to address some of the things that are highlighted through such surveys.  We also survey students and teachers and combine the results to improve our programs.  Your assistance on this would be greatly appreciated.

Enrolments for 2027

Please get an enrolment form from the office if you have young children starting Prep in 2027 and you are yet to inform us.  We currently have an enrolment of over 125 Preps and it is important that we are able to gain accurate numbers so that we can start our recruitment for 2027.  We would also like you to let us know if you are leaving our school.

Have a great weekend

Darryl Spiteri

Principal

Congratulations to 2G who achieved the best attendance for the week ending 7th August, 2026.

Congratulations to Prep A who achieved the best attendance for the week ending 14th August, 2026.

PRIMARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education. Students learn new things at school every day – missing school puts them behind.

If your child is sick or absent, you are required to notify school as soon as possible on the day of absence using one of the following methods:

1. Online: log the absence directly using Compass.
2. Telephone: the school office and let the staff know your child’s name, class, date of absences and reason.

Notifying the school of your child’s absence either prior to, or on the day that they will be away, helps ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and will fulfil your legal responsibility.

Why do I need to notify the school if my child is absent?

Schools need to know when and why a child is absent and you need to know if your child isn’t at school.

If your child is absent on a particular day and you have not contacted the school to explain why, the absence will be marked as unexplained.

This system also promotes daily school attendance. Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education, they learn new things every day – missing school puts them behind.

What is your responsibility?

You are legally required to ensure your child attends school every day or you must provide an explanation for their absence. You should let the school know in advance of any upcoming absences or let them know in the morning if your child won’t be at school. Avoid making routine medical and dental appointments during the school day or planning family holidays during the term.

Recognising great attendance and punctuality.

Our attendance target is 96%.  Each week, we reward the class with the highest attendance (which includes getting to school on time!), with our school mascot, Ripwell in their classroom for the week.

Dojo Reward Shop

At Thornhill Park Primary School, Class Dojo is used not only to communicate with our families but also to acknowledge the continued efforts of our students as they role model our school values of Respect, Integrity, Persistence and Wellbeing by rewarding them with Dojo points.

Once students have earned enough points, they can spend them at the Dojo Reward Shop, where they have the opportunity to choose a prize of their choice. Rewards range from 20 to 50 points, with a variety of options available to excite both our younger and senior students.

The Dojo Reward Shop is a highlight of the school yard, with students lining up on their allocated day to browse the rewards on offer. From small stickers to colouring books and pencils, there is something for everyone. The shop is a fun way to encourage students to stay engaged, make positive choices, and take pride in their achievements while continuing to role model our school values.

🔬 National Science Week 2026

National Science Week will be celebrated from Saturday, 15 August to Sunday, 23 August 2026.

This year’s theme is “Seeds of Science: Nurturing Knowledge for All.”

Throughout the week, students will have the opportunity to participate in a range of engaging science activities that encourage curiosity, creativity and hands-on learning.

🌱 STEM Challenge Competition

Students are invited to submit their STEM Challenge entry for a chance to win a prize!

Entries close on Friday, 21 August 2026.

A Message from First Aid

Glasses for Kids – Mid Term Reminder – Consent Forms

👓 Glasses for Kids – Prep to Year 3 Students

Families of Prep to Year 3 students are reminded that our Glasses for Kids visit is scheduled for Term 4.

If you have not already done so, please complete and return your child’s consent form by Friday, 18 September 2026 (the end of Term 3).

You can complete the consent form online or return the paper copy that was sent home.

Online Consent Form:
https://stateschoolsrelief.snapforms.com.au/form/gfk-consent-form

If you require the consent form in another language, translated versions are available at:
https://stateschoolsrelief.org.au/support-programs/glasses-for-kids/resources/

Thank you for returning your child’s consent form by the due date to assist us with planning for the program.

Congratulations to the following students who received awards during our assemblies!

Keep up the great work!

Students of the Week – Ending 7th August

Students of the Week – Ending 14th August

Congratulations to the following students who are celebrating a birthday in August!

We hope you had a lovely day!

Stephenie 34A

Ali 34E

Manroop 56B

Anhad Singh 56D

Mirha PD

Gurnaaz PE

Elisha 34F

Noah PF

Veeksha Sree 2G

Nivaan 56B

Maddison 1F

Deng 2F

Makagbe 56E

Taaj 2F

Harjot 56G

Ronin 34A

Aisha56F

Christian PB

Alilia 1E

Triman 56H

Sarabjot 34E

Aaliyah 56B

Abhijay 56C

Mya 56E

Isaac PB

Yarna 34E

Ajla PB

Sinead 1G

Esalyn 1G

Nysha 2E

Shareya 56B

Rehmat 2C

Aradhya 56F

Jeannette 34D

*Please note that birthdays are only published up until the date of publication.

Important Dates – Term 3

Wednesday 20th August – Years 3-4 District Athletics

Thursday 20th August – Years 3/4 Melton Network Maths Games Day (selected students only)

Friday 21st August – Year 1 Melbourne Zoo Excursion

Monday 24 August – Friday 28 August – Book Week at Thornhill Park Primary School

Wednesday 26 August – Book Week Dress-Up Day

Friday 28 August – Whole School Book Week Incursion

Friday 28 August – Author Tony Bone Visit

Saturday 29 August – Friday 4 September – Numeracy Week

Tuesday 1 September – Years 3/4 Maths Competition – Thornhill Park Primary School & St Padre Pio Inter School Maths Competition

Wednesday 2 September – Prep to Year 2 Maths Incursion

Thursday 3 September – Thornhill Park Primary School – Art Show, Father’s Day Stall & Years 3/4 Maths Incursion

Friday 4 September- Father’s Day Stall & Open Afternoon for Father’s Day

Wednesday 9 September – Friday 11 September – Year 5/6 Camp Weekaway

Wednesday 16 September – House Spirit Day

Friday 18 September – Last Day of Term 3 (early finish time of 2:30 pm) & SRC Fundraising Event

Hello everyone, and welcome to a new term of learning and connection at Melton South Community Centre! Many of your favourite courses are making a return for term 3, and some exciting new courses are making their debut as well.

As well as our full range of computer and work ready classes look out for the great new range of cooking classes and all that’s new in the Arts & Crafts sections for both kids and adults.

Winter is the perfect time to come to the centre, keep warm and learn something new.

We look forward to seeing you through term 3. Enrolments are now open!

To find out more about what the centre offers or to book in for anything on our program, call our office on 9747 8576 or email msccentr@bigpond.net.au between 9:30am and 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. To keep up to date with the centre and see more of what goes on, follow us on Facebook and on our Instagram page.

Kind regards

Melton South Community Centre

41 Exford Road (P.O. Box 2010)

Melton South VIC 3338

9747 8576

msccentr@bigpond.net.au

www.meltonsouth.org.au