We are one week away from the end of our First Term.  It has been a busy couple of weeks with the completion of NAPLAN in Year 3 and 5.  We want to congratulate the students for their efforts during this process and the teachers for supporting students to be at their best.  NAPLAN results will most likely arrive mid-year.  We also had our first School Council meeting for 2024, with a couple of new members.

School Council

On Monday we had our first School Council meeting for 2024.  Vicky Johnson was nominated to remain as School Council President and Christine Saad remains as Vice President.  We welcome back Louise Mason and welcome new members Ambreen Zaman and Bianca Sbriglio.  Thank you to outgoing members Giacamo Divita and Hossam Gebril for their work in our inaugural year.  We look forward to working as a highly effective School Council to continue to help the school grow and thrive.  If you have any suggested improvements to our school or if you would like to help out during events such as the Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Stalls, you can speak with one of our wonderful parent representatives during pickup or drop off.

Drop off zone

Please note that the area outside the front of the school is a pick up or drop off zone.  Parents are not meant to park in this area or wait in their cars until students arrive.  It blocks traffic all the way down the street.  It also means that you can be fined by the Local Authorities if they are in the area.  We noticed an accident last week where a car pulled out of this drop off zone in to the path of an oncoming car wanting to pick up their children in this zone.  We would ask that you exercise extreme caution and patience as you pick up your children each night.  The area clears out pretty quickly if everyone follows the correct road rules.

End of Term

Thursday 28th March is the last day of term 1.  Students will be dismissed at 2.30pm with an assembly at 2.15pm.  School returns for Term 2 on Monday 15th April.

Curriculum Day and ANZAC Day

We will be having a Curriculum Day on Friday 26th April, which is the day after the ANZAC Day Public Holiday on Thursday 25th April.  Please put this in your calendar.  Contact Big Childcare if you need care for the day as they will only run a program if there is sufficient interest.

New staff

We welcome three new Education Support Staff to Thornhill Park PS.  Welcome to Tamyrha Tuaoi who has already started as a Student Engagement Officer and Gurinder Kaur and Alaa Hussein who start with us next term as in-class Education Support.

Have a great break everyone.  Stay safe and we will see you next term.

Darryl Spiteri

Principal

Our Learning in Prep

Hello! We are your Prep Class of 2024!

What an EXCITING start we have had to our first year of school! So many engaging learning experiences and activities we have experienced so far.

In Numeracy, some of what we have been learning about include: numbers 0-10 and beyond, matching a number to a picture, sorting based on features and the number of letters in our names.

In Literacy, we have been learning about Independent Reading, making Just Right book choices, making Predictions, and sequencing the events in a story. For our first Language Experience we followed the steps to make a fruit kebab – healthy AND yummy!

In Inquiry, we have been learning about “Me and My Family. This includes learning about what makes us unique, how to look after our bodies, and that all families are different and special.

Our special activities and events include:

• a visit from Western Water (and Sammy the Snake!).
• a visit from Melton Library.
• meeting our Prep Buddies.
• and our swimming lessons – what fun learning how to swim and stay safe around the water.

We look forward to learning, exploring and experiencing NEW things together as the year continues.

Prep Team

Mobile Phones

A reminder that the Department of Education has in place a mobile phone ban that requires students who bring mobiles phones to school to have them switched off and securely put away during school hours.

The department is requiring all schools to ensure this ban is in place and enforced from the start of the 2024 school year.

The ban applies equally to all government schools right across the state.

This helps ensure that school is a learning environment free from unnecessary distractions and disruptions.

By ensuring mobile phones are kept away at recess and lunch times, students can interact with each other face-to-face, without the distractions and social pressures that mobile phones can cause.

I ask for the support of all our families, staff and students in continuing to support the implementation of this policy in our school.

Further information

Exceptions: For a small number of students with particular health needs, an exception to the policy may be granted. Please contact Kate Vukoja if you would like to discuss this.

School mobile phone policy: A copy of our school’s local mobile phone policy, which implements the government’s mobile policy in line with our local context, is available here: https://thornhillparkps.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Mobile-Phone-Policy.pdf

Emergencies: In the event of an emergency or if you need to immediately contact your child, I ask that families contact the school office who will pass on a message as required.

Parent support: The Mobile phones in schools webpage provides links to resources for families to help them balance their children’s time using mobile phones.

If you have further questions, please contact the administration office.

Grade 6 Graduation Fundraiser

2025 Year 7 Information Evening – Yarrabing Secondary College

Emotional Intelligence

The skills of communicating well and getting along with others are very important and can be improved with practice.

What is ‘emotional intelligence’?

The set of skills involved in communication and relating to others can be called Emotional Intelligence (EQ). These skills include:

• Knowing your own emotions
• Recognising and being sensitive to other people’s emotions
• Knowing how to calm down when you are upset or angry
• Developing the skills of restraint—knowing when it is wise not to say or do something.

Developing emotional intelligence skills helps young people succeed. Study after study has found associations between high levels of EQ and success.

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

Keep up the great work!

Students of the Week – Ending 15/03

Students of the Week – Ending 22/03

Congratulations to the following students who are celebrating a birthday in March and April!

We hope you had a lovely day!

Ahem 12A

Evangeline 56A

Lj 34D

Ekam 56C

Aarav PE

Kuvi 34C

Genesis 34C

Adeeb 34E

Japsimar 12A

Serenity 12H

Harnaaz 34E

Aria PC

Niyamat PE

Inaya PD

Ilyana 12E

Rehan PA

Isaiah 12A

Cohen PA

Isaac 12G

Finn PD

Levi 12B

Ekam PA

Alisha PA

Ivan PB

Ylianah Ziel 56C

Lincoln PB

Jishnu PE

Amelia 12A

Aluna 12E

Laylah PB

Dion PC

Abisade 56D

Harleen 56D

Evelyn 34D

Isabell 34E

Isaac 56D

Harman 12G

Nimrat 12G

Briar PF

Videeth 12C

Cooper 34E

Ekamveer 34C

Rihaan 34E

Eshaal Sohaib 34D

Lilah 56B

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.

Week Ending:  March 15th

Congratulations to 12G who achieved over 95.83%

Week Ending: 22nd March

Congratulations to 56A who achieved over 94% attendance this week.

This year for the first time, we are also acknowledging the classroom with the best attendance for the whole term.  Congratulations to our first winners – 56B.

They will enjoy a BBQ lunch cooked by Mr Spiteri next week.

2024 School Terms    

Term 1  Tuesday 30th January till Thursday 28th March

Term 2  Monday 15th April till 28th June

Term 3  Monday 15th July till 20th September

Term 4  Monday 7th October till Friday 20th December

Important Dates – Term 1 

Thursday 21st March – Harmony Day

Thursday 28th March – Last Day Term 1 – Assembly will be at 2:15pm

Thursday 28th March – Last Day Term 1 – Early dismissal at 2.30pm

Friday 29th March – Good Friday Public Holiday

School Holidays commence on Monday 1st April – Friday 12th April

Important Dates – Term 2

Term 2 – Commences on Monday 15th April

Tuesday 23rd April – Year 5 & 6 – Parliament Process Incursion

Thursday 25th April – ANZAC Day Public Holiday

Friday 26th April – Curriculum Day (Student free day)

Melton Broncos Rugby League Club 

Storm Junior League Come & Try and Holiday Clinics in the Easter School Holidays on Friday the 5th of April from 5:30pm at Macpherson Park, Coburns Road Melton West.

There are two options for Parents to Choose from, either the Come & Try (NO PACK) or the  Holiday Clinic (PACK INCLUDED) both Clinics will be run together – please find the links below for both options:

Melton Broncos – Come & Try (NO PACK)

https://profile.mysideline.com.au/register/entity?data=eyJlbnRpdHlJZCI6NTE3NDk4NzcsImVudGl0eVR5cGUiOiJwcm9ncmFtIn0%3D&source=rugby-league

Melton Broncos – Holiday Clinic (PACK INCLUDED)

https://profile.mysideline.com.au/register/entity?data=eyJlbnRpdHlJZCI6NTE3NDkxNTMsImVudGl0eVR5cGUiOiJwcm9ncmFtIn0%3D&source=rugby-league

Thank you all for your continued support of the game and the local Junior Club the Melton Broncos.

Big Childcare Easter Program