Mentone Park Primary School acknowledges the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we learn and play.

We value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and cultures’ and recognise their connection to lands, waters and communities.

We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

What an exciting and eventful two weeks it's been at Mentone Park Primary School. 

Junior Leadership Awards with Mark Dreyfus 

One of the highlights of the past fortnight was having our Federal Member for Isaacs and Australian Attorney-General, Mark Dreyfus visit our school for a very special assembly. Mark joined us to present the Junior Civic Engagement Award to some of our many wonderful students. It was fantastic for our school community to come together and celebrate our students who received their awards from Mark.

Mark Dreyfus also presented our school with the National Apology, offering a moment of reflection and recognition of the importance of reconciliation and respect within our community. We believe it is important for our students to learn about these key moments in Australia’s history, as it helps foster understanding, empathy, and respect for all people. 

Colour Run Fun

There was lots of smiles and laughter at our Colour Run event! It was a fun-filled, vibrant day despite some rain! Students and staff joined in the excitement, running, walking, and skipping through clouds of colour. This evident was another example of what a joyous community spirit we have at Mentone Park Primary School, and the smiles on everyone’s faces said it all. A big thank you to our amazing PFA for organizing such a fun event that brought so much energy and colour to our school. 

Class Placement for 2025 – Important Information for Parents 

As we begin planning for the 2025 school year, we would like to take a moment to explain the process behind the thoughtful and careful placement of students into their new classes. Teachers and school leaders work collaboratively to ensure that each child's academic, social, and emotional needs are met in their next year of learning. When developing individual class placements, several key factors are taken into consideration, including academic ability, social competencies, and students’ ability to work together in different groupings. While friendships are also taken into account, it is only one of the criteria, as building new relationships and developing social skills is an important part of the learning journey. 

This process is complex, and great care is taken in reviewing and discussing class placements over time. Our teachers work together, reflect on each child’s needs, and make informed decisions to best support the development of all students. 

Parent Input for Class Placements 

We value parent input and recognize that sometimes you may have additional insights regarding your child's needs that would support the class placement process. If you have important information regarding your child that the teaching staff and leadership team may not be aware of, you may make a written request for consideration. 

If you would like to make a request, please ensure it is submitted in writing or via email to Leisa Higgins or Samantha Kennedy by Wednesday, 20th November 2024. This deadline is firm, and requests submitted after this date cannot be considered. 

Please note that any requests should focus on specific factors about your child’s needs, and not request particular teachers, genders, or to be placed with specific students. While students are given the opportunity to list friends they would like to be with, they are guaranteed to have at least one friend from their list in their new class. 

Previous Requests 

If you have submitted a request in previous years, please note that we do not retain those requests, as students' needs can change over time. If the considerations from a previous year are still relevant, we ask that you submit a new request for 2025. 

Trusting the Process 

While we understand that class placements are an important decision for families, we ask that you trust our school’s professional judgment in ensuring the best possible environment for your child. There may be occasions where a request cannot be granted, and we ask that you do not raise this with your child, as it could lead to unnecessary disappointment. 

We want to reassure you that the wellbeing of every child in our school is our primary consideration, and we are committed to fostering a positive and supportive learning environment for all students. 

Thank you for your continued trust and support. 

Leisa Higgins 

Junior Leadership Awards with Mark Dreyfus 

Colour Run Fun

Important Dates

• Thursday 21st of November - Whole School Photograph
• Monday 25th of November - Curriculum Day/ Pupil Free day
• Tuesday 26th of November -  Melbourne Zoo Excursion
• Friday 29th of November - Body Safe Australia Incursion(Session One)
• Thursday 5th of December - Carols On The Green (5-7pm)
• Friday 6th of December -  Body Safe Australia Incursion(Session Two)
• Thursday 12th of December - Whole School House Sports Day
• Friday 20th of December - Last Day of School

In the Spotlight / Overview 

Our school Colour Run was a fantastic end to the week! Students from every grade gathered on the oval and took off in waves around a course lined with colour stations. Some students ran fast, dodging bursts of colour, while others stopped to dance and cover themselves in a full rainbow. It was wonderful to see so many happy faces and hear laughter as everyone enjoyed the vibrant experience. A big thank you to our parent volunteers for making this day possible, and to our families for raising funds for our school!

Heads Up!

• Melbourne Zoo Excursion - Please remember to provide your child with consent via Compass and payment via Qkr by November 20th. 
• Morning Reading - We still invite parents/grandparents to read every morning in the Prep classrooms between 8:50 - 9:05am. Please ensure you are signing into the office with your Working With Children’s Check, prior to heading to our rooms.
• 2025 Booklists - 2025 school supply lists are now available on Compass! Please review and submit your orders by December 15th.

Literacy:

• We are learning to write sentences using a capital letter, adding a subject, verb and adverb and completing it with correct punctuation.

Numeracy:

• We are learning to collate simple data using yes and no questions and learning to name and organise the days of the week and the events that occur on each day.

Inquiry:

• We are learning about which animals hibernate and which animals migrate or adapt. They have been exploring how this process occurs. In addition, we have begun designing our own hibernation dens.

Resilience, Rights & Respectful Relationships (Wellbeing):

• We are learning that students should treat each other with respect, regardless of their gender or differences.

Recognizing TIER Role Models

Important Dates

• Thursday 21st November - Whole school photo 
• Monday 25th November - Curriculum Day/ Pupil free day 
• Thursday 5th December - Carols on the Green (5-7pm) 
• Thursday 12th December - Whole school house sports day 
• Friday 20th December - Last day of school  

In the Spotlight / Overview 

We loved the Colour Run! It was exciting, messy, and full of joy! It was wonderful to see the students so brightly coloured and ready for a good time. Even the rain didn’t dampen our mood. The students loved dancing to the Macarena, Nutbush, Gangnam Style, and Chicken Dance under our basketball shelter. Thank you to everyone who raised money and supported this wonderful event. All proceeds are going towards decodable readers for the Junior School.  

Thank you for supporting the Water Usage Homework Task. The students enjoyed reflecting on and discussing our water usage during this week’s Inquiry lesson. 

Heads Up!

Literacy

 write narratives using picture prompts and narrative checklists 

Numeracy

solve multiplication problems using arrays and repeated addition and solve division problems using equal groups and physical materials. 

understand the importance of saving water, as it is a limited resource, and the importance of our soil, as it helps us grow fresh crops and other resources.

Resilience, Rights & Respectful Relationships (Wellbeing)

understand when we need adult help and to explain the problem clearly. And identify people in our lives who can help us.

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview:

The Colour Explosion Fun Run was a great success, with everyone having a lot of fun running their laps and getting covered in a rainbow of colours. Luckily, the rain held off for most of the event! We are very proud of Abby P., Ava M., Judd O., and others who were presented with (or will be at this week’s assembly) the Mark Dreyfus Junior Civic Participation Award. The award aims to encourage and inspire students to think about ways to improve their school and recognises young students who participate in a range of activities, such as leading school projects and supporting fellow students. On Monday morning, Judd O., Matilda H., Kat A., and Flynn W. represented MPPS at the Mentone RSL Remembrance Day service. At 11:00 am, the whole school attended an assembly to commemorate all those who have served and continue to serve today.

Heads Up!

Dixon House Christmas Donations

Dixon House is once again organising a Christmas donation drive to support local families and children in need. This year, we are collecting new toys (but not soft toys please) for children and non-perishable food items for families.

Donations can be placed in the Christmas collection boxes located near the school office. The deadline for donations is Friday, December 6th.

2025 Booklists 

2025 school supply lists are now available on Compass! Please review and submit your orders by December 15th.

Literacy: Identify and use reading strategies to help our comprehension. Plan and write a persuasive letter with supporting information and evidence.

Numeracy: Understand how capacity and temperature are measured using the correct units and ordering these from least to most or coldest to hottest.

Inquiry: Identify and investigate evidence of change to the Earth’s surface from local landforms, rocks and fossils.

Resilience, Rights & Respectful Relationships (Wellbeing): Understand what it means to feel stressed, and identify situations that can cause us stress.

Recognising TIER Role Models

Flynn W - for always setting such a great example by always displaying excellence and effort when completing set tasks.

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview:

After a short and interrupted week 5, we are back into the swing of things with plenty happening and even more to come! The realisation that the year's end is getting closer has begun to hit for members of the Senior School. This week our Yr 5’s completed sociograms for their 2025 classes and our Yr 6’s participated in their final Kingston Youth Program session about how to navigate transitioning to high school. 

Heads Up!

Bike Education

Bike Ed began this week with lots of success despite the rain. Please remember that a bike and helmet is required every following Wednesday: 13, 20, 27th November and 4th of December. In the event that you don’t have one, there are some spares. Please remember to discuss with your children the importance of getting off of their bike once they reach the gate and walking it within the school grounds to avoid accidents at peak times. The staff car park is not an entrance and is not to be used. 

Grade 6 & Whole School Photos

Next Thursday 21st of November, SchoolPix will be returning to MPPS to take the Yr 6 group photo and whole school photo. Please ensure your child is in correct uniform and if in Yr 6, wearing this year's 2024 gradwear polo top. Photos will be taken between 9am and 9:45 am so please be prompt to school.

Icy Pole Fridays

Thank you for the generous donations of Zooper Dooper packets. If you are able to include a packet in your shopping, it would be greatly appreciated as there are plenty of Icy Pole Friday’s and special days coming up! They are currently 20% off at Woolworths.

Body Safe Australia

Thank you to the parents who attended the Online Parent Evening on Wednesday; we hope it was valuable. For those who missed it, presentation slides will be available. Later this term, Body Safe Australia will deliver their Unique You program to Senior School students. This program focuses on body safety, respectful relationships, and body autonomy, empowering students with skills to set boundaries and respect others. Each year level will participate in five one-hour sessions over two days. Please provide consent on Compass and payment on Qkr.

Dixon House Christmas Donations

Dixon House is once again organising a Christmas donation drive to support local families and children in need. This year, we are collecting new toys (but not soft toys please) for children and non-perishable food items for families.

Donations can be placed in the Christmas collection boxes located near the school office. The deadline for donations is Friday, December 6th.

2025 Booklists

2025 school supply lists are now available on Compass! Please review and submit your orders by December 15th.

Literacy: 1. Read, spell and define words with the Greek morpheme, mon, meaning ‘one’. 2. Utilise the Seven Steps for Writing Success to generate persuasive arguments. 3. Analyse our rich literature text, ‘A Journey to the Centre of the Earth’ by Jules Verne.

Numeracy: Explore probability and fractions through chance experiments.

Inquiry: Identify benefits of living near a volcano.

Resilience, Rights & Respectful Relationships (Wellbeing): Compare the various human rights priorities and concerns addressed in key UN declarations and conventions.

Recognising TIER Role Models

Misha M - For consistently displaying excellence by always giving her best effort in everything she does and setting a positive example for others.

Foundation
The Prep students have been busy learning all about birds! They explored the unique features of feathers and how they help birds stay in the air, keep warm, cool down, and stay dry. Last week, the Preps went on a bird-watching adventure around the school grounds, spotting local birds and learning about their habitats.

Junior School
The Year 1/2 students have been working together in small groups to design and create incredibly detailed habitat models. Last week, they began planning an iMovie project to showcase what they’ve learned and built throughout the term.

Middle & Senior School
Coding is something our middle and senior students were wanting to explore further, so we delved into the language of binary coding. We started with black and white pixels to create Halloween themed images and then moved onto more detailed binary coding, using colour to create pixel art.

Student Spotlights


           Abby P                    Abby P                  Castiel S
 
     Charlotte W                  Chase W                   Isla D

         Josh W                   Matilda H                   James C

       Dylan G.B