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.

Last Thursday, our student leaders led a thoughtful and respectful ANZAC Day assembly. At Mentone Park Primary School, commemorating ANZAC Day is a valued tradition, and this year’s assembly was a moving and powerful moment for everyone in attendance. 

We were honoured to welcome Squadron Leader Justin Ryan (also known to many of us as Declan’s dad) as our guest speaker. His speech highlighted the enduring values of the ANZAC spirit—purpose, responsibility, compassion, and unselfishness—qualities first shown by the original ANZAC soldiers and still relevant in our lives today. He encouraged our students to reflect on these values and apply them in their everyday actions, both at school and beyond, as a way to honour the legacy of those who served. 

I was incredibly proud of our students, staff, and the wider MPPS community for the respect and sincerity shown throughout the assembly. It was a clear demonstration of why ANZAC Day continues to hold deep meaning for us all. 

With ANZAC Day falling on Friday, many of our school community participated in the broader commemorations, including the local ANZAC Day March and service at the Mentone RSL. It was wonderful to see so many families in attendance, paying their respects. A special thank you goes to Scarlett and Madi, who represented MPPS with pride and respect as they laid a wreath on behalf of our school. 

Leisa Higgins

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview:

Welcome back to Term 2!  We hope the holidays were enjoyable and it was lovely to see all our Foundation students again and their happy demeanour back at school! We have a busy term ahead in the Foundation area and we are looking forward to lots of exciting events! 

This week in our Wellbeing lesson, we explored expressing gratitude for both new and existing friendships. Through class discussions and crafting activities, we reflected on the qualities of a good friend and brainstormed ways to demonstrate gratitude towards our friends. Engaging in gratitude practices helps us cultivate thankfulness and appreciation for what we have in our lives, rather than focusing on what we don’t have or what we want. When we practise being grateful, we start to scan the world to look for positives – this only takes 21 days! Practising gratitude every day increases our levels of energy, helps us to feel happier and more focused, determined and optimistic. It even helps us have a better sleep, lowers levels of anxiety and depression, and we are less likely to get sick. There are so many benefits – let’s all try to be grateful for the things and people in our lives every day! 

TRY IT AT HOME FAMILY ACTIVITY: GRATITUDE CHAINS 

WHAT TO DO:  

• As a family, talk about all the things and people you are grateful for in your lives. Have each family member share 3–5 ideas, or even more if you have time. 
• Invite each family member to write or draw something or someone identified from the family discussion on a blank strip of paper. You may like to write and draw on multiple strips of paper! 
• When complete, wrap the first strip to make a ring-like shape and glue/tape/staple the ends together. Then, thread another strip through that ring and glue/tape/staple the ends together. 
• Repeat these steps until you have made a paper chain of gratitude with all the strips of paper. 
• Find a space in your home to hang the gratitude chain. You may like to continue adding to the chain on a regular basis if space permits!

We would love to see what you are doing at home. Please share some photos or let us know what you have enjoyed. 

Heads Up!

Take Home Reading Program  

This week we excitedly commenced our Take Home Reading Program. Four decodable readers will be sent home in your child's black 'Take Home Reading Folder' each week on a Wednesday. Please ensure you record the date, book title and signature after each read using the 'My Home Reading Diary' which was sent home in Term 1. We encourage your child to read at least 10-15 minutes each day. The diary has some ideas for what you can do when your child is reading and how you can best support them. Should you wish to do extra reading, you can supplement the take home books with further decodable readers allocated to your child via the MultiLit eLibrary. The MultiLit eLibrary username/password can be found on the inside cover of their My Home Reading Diary. Their black Take Home Reading Folder with their decodable readers and diary are to be returned to school each day so that your child can also read their books at school. We do not encourage reading the same book daily, please try to alternate the books over the week. 

You will notice there are other activities in the diary, please do not go ahead and complete these, we will tick them when the students are ready and alert you via Compass and the school newsletter. On Wednesday this week we did tick four pages/activities that can be completed now.  

School Nurse   

A reminder that the School Health Nurse will be visiting this term. All students received a registration postcard last week which includes further details on how to complete the questionnaire and registration. Participation in the program is not mandatory but it is a great opportunity for us to work together for your child’s health and wellbeing and therefore their educational progress.  

Library  

There has been a change to our Library schedule. Both Foundation classes will now attend the Library once a fortnight on a Friday for one hour. We now have a wonderful volunteer whose name is Helen (retired teacher) who is volunteering her time to conduct formal Library sessions with our students. This will include students learning the Dewey Decimal System, learning to care for our Library, understanding Library processes, discovering non-fiction and fiction texts, as well as, book return and borrowing. 

Literacy:We have been learning the single sounds f, i and r, whilst exploring how to blend sounds together to form a word. In addition, we are learning to write comfortably and accurately by following the 3Ps; Posture, Pencil Grip and Paper, when writing Recounts.

Numeracy: We are learning to partition numbers to 10 into two and three parts using materials such as counters and even pasta! In addition to learning to show different combinations for numbers to 10 using language such as part, part and whole.

Inquiry: We have begun our new Inquiry topic of Digital Technologies, where we have been started with identifying and exploring hardware and software components such as iPads and computers. In addition to learning to understand the basic components of a digital system.

Wellbeing: We are learning to express gratitude towards our family members/carers and friendships.

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview:

Welcome Junior School families to another exciting edition of our newsletter. It was a shorter first week to start the term, but we are fully immersed with our learning programs. We have begun a new Inquiry unit, Digital Technologies! Students have been learning the difference between hardware and software this week. Throughout the term, we will explore the importance of cyber safety, how to create data representations using digital tools and give students to opportunity to showcase their learnings through a project. 

Heads Up!

• Mother’s Day is fast approaching, and we are looking forward to celebrating all mums and specials friends! Our Mother’s / Special Friends Day stall is being held on Thursday 8th May. To ensure students do not misplace any money, please ensure it is packed in something secure. On Friday 9th May we will be coming together to celebrate our amazing mums and special friends in our lives with a beautiful breakfast at school! Enjoy a morning filled with delicious food and wonderful company from 7:30am to 8:45am under the COLA. Order via QKR orders close Tuesday 6th May 4pm! 

• Our fortnightly library visits will recommence in Week 3. As mentioned previously, we now have a wonderful volunteer whose name is Helen (retired teacher). She is volunteering her time to conduct formal Library sessions with our students. Students will continue to learn about the Dewey Decimal System, participate in library reading sessions, understand Library processes along with book return and borrowing. Please make sure your child has a library bag. 
• A big thank you to all parents who have volunteered their time during our (quiet) morning reading sessions between 8:50 am to 9:05 am every day. We continue to welcome parent/grandparent helpers during this time! We would really appreciate your support in reading with the students 1:1. Please ensure you have a current Working With Children Check and that the office has a copy. Please also make sure you have signed in at the office before entering the classroom.  

Literacy: We are learning the features of a narrative with a focus on describing character attributes and settings. 

Numeracy: 

• Year 1s: Nouns, verbs, tricky words, long vowel sounds /ā/, /ē/, /ō/, ‘The Pencil’ storybook. 

• Year 2s: Recognising the purpose of adjectives, comprehension strategies including connecting 

Inquiry: We are learning to partition three-digit numbers and write the standard expanded form, as well as identify and represent four-digit numbers. 

Inquiry (Digital Technologies): We are learning to identify and explore hardware and software components. 

Wellbeing: We are learning to understand that recognising and understanding others’ points of view is an important skill in developing empathy. 

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview:

Welcome to Term 2! Over the past two weeks, the students have enjoyed settling back into their routines and were excited to begin our new class novel, Yirra and her deadly dog, Demon. We were also so proud of beautiful wreaths the students made for our ANZAC ceremony and Declan's Dad, Squardron Leader Justin Ryan, taking the time to speak at our Special Anzac Day assembly.

Heads Up!

Calling all Dads, Grandparents, and Special Friends!

We need your help to make this morning extra special!

Let’s give our wonderful mums and carers a well-deserved break by helping with cooking and serving breakfast.

If you’re able to lend a hand, we’d love to have you on board.

The more volunteers we have, the smoother (and more fun!) the morning will be.

Let’s work together to make it a truly memorable celebration!

Sign up to help here: https://signup.com/go/LPHqWzp

Working Bee  

On Saturday May 10th, MPPS will be running a Working Bee from 8am to 11am, spreading mulch around the playground to help keep our kids safe with softer landings. Please join us if you are able, as many hands make light work! 

https://signup.com/go/pQCkusm 

Literacy: We are learning how to break words into smaller parts to make spelling easier.  

We are learning to plan and begin drafting a factual recount using our class novel Yirra and her deadly dog, Demon. 

Numeracy: We are learning to identify fractions of a collection and represent different fractions.

Inquiry: We are learning to identify familiar digital systems and their hardware and software.

Wellbeing: We are learning to build our understanding of gratitude and empathy

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview:

Once again we are off and racing! Despite only being a short first week, our Senior Students returned from the holidays refreshed and ready to learn. We were incredibly proud of the high level of respect they demonstrated both in class and during our ANZAC ceremony to acknowledge the significance of the day. They have embraced another busy start to the term as we prepare for camp and various other activities and a whole lot of fun! Please check out the heads up section below for important reminders regarding camp and interschool sport. 

Heads Up!

• Practice for Winter Interschool Sports begins this week with our first match commencing the Friday after Camp! Consent to attend throughout Term 2 was included in the original event. Students are now aware of which teams they will be participating in and the items required in order to participate. The school is able to provide some items, however certain protective gear will need to be purchased by families. We encourage students to pack a spare pair of socks and change of clothes due to weather conditions and always bring a water bottle. Please note that footy boots and guernseys are to be changed into once at school (after 9am) and out of after a match (by 11am). 

Soccer - Mouthguard, shinguards (school has limited amount), footy boots optional (no studs), long socks 

AFL - Mouthguard, footy boots optional (no studs), AFL guernsey (provided by school), long socks, black footy shorts (optional) 

Tee-Ball - MPPS Sport Uniform 

• The countdown for Senior School Camp is on! Please remember to be at school on Monday 5th of May at 7:45am for an 8am departure. If you have medication to register with Abbey, she will be available in the Chill Out Zone from 7:30am. All medication must be registered with Abbey and given to her in a labelled and sealed zip lock bag. Students must bring with them in a daypack, a packed recess, lunch and water bottle for Monday.   

Literacy: Read and respond to queries from our class novel, Can You See Me? by Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott. Studying the Greek prefix bi- meaning ‘life’. Reviewing the structure of a recount to begin creating a personal recount. 

Numeracy: Solving expressions using the order of operations and working on measuring the perimeter and area of regular and irregular polygons 

Inquiry: Investigate our digital footprints and how we can be safe and keep our information secure on digital platforms 

Wellbeing: Completing the resilient youth survey, learning to be grateful for the friends in our lives and spreading good thoughts. 

In Auslan this week we learnt about the HOLMs acronym and why it’s important.

HOLMs stand for Handshape, Orientation, Location and Movement.  It’s important as these together form specific signs, just like the letters M-I-L-K form the word “milk” We also learnt that many Auslan signs may have the same Handshape, but different Orientation, Location and Movement and this forms different signs.

This term we are focusing on colour, describing clothes, weather and the days of the week.

Foundation to Grade 4 will be learning and revising the colours and how to describe specific patterns.  Grade 5 and 6 will be learning about different technology used in the Deaf world.

I’ve attached some colour signs to practice at home

This term so far in Art, students across all year levels have been exploring the exciting world of collage! They’ve been developing key skills such as cutting, tearing, gluing, and assembling to create striking visual compositions. Throughout the lessons, we’ve focused on the elements of art — line, shape, colour, and texture — to guide and inspire our designs.

Our Prep students created colourful snake collages, experimenting with patterns and bold shapes. In Years 1/2, students designed creative animals and practised their fringing skills to add texture and movement. The Years 3/4 classes collaborated on a vibrant class project focused on flower designs, using layered paper and expressive shapes to bring their artworks to life. Meanwhile, our Years 5/6 students tackled a more advanced task — designing landscapes with detailed silhouette foregrounds, showing their understanding of contrast and depth.

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview:

This week in PE, our junior students have been developing their fundamental motor skills through soccer and invasion games, focusing on dribbling, passing, and spatial awareness. These activities help build coordination, teamwork, and confidence in game play.

In Years 3–6, students have been applying their skills in modified soccer and invasion games, learning to communicate effectively, use strategy, and play their role within a team. The focus has been on movement off the ball, defending space, and working together to score.

Congratulations to our 5/6 interschool sports superstars! Mentone Park came Runners Up in Mixed Cricket and Volleyball and were presented with a pennant last week. Well done!

Digital Technology 

Foundation 

Our Foundation students explored the term ‘digital technology’. We went on a hunt around the school looking for items that are digital technology and not digital technology. They learnt that digital technology can receive, send and store information.  

They were then introduced to the STEAM iPads and for many of them, used the OSMO apps for the first time. Students took turns completing tangram puzzles strengthening their spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills as well as learning how to use and store the iPads in the STEAM room. 

1/2 

Our 1/2 students went on a digital technology walk around the school looking for digital technology that staff and students use and why we use it. We found iPads, laptops, desktops, cameras, smart TVs, smart watches. Digital technology was everywhere!  

3/4  

Our 3/4 students will be looking at block-based coding over the next few weeks. We started the term with an introduction to Scratch, an online coding and programming website. Students were able to animate their names-making their letters spin, change colour and move around the screen. 

5/6 

Our 5/6 students have designed and started creating mini golf courses in small groups. We wont be using a ball and club though, we will be programming Sphero robotic balls to complete each hole.  

Our school has partnered with an independent provider TheirCare to provide Before and After Care services to our school community.

The program services the children in the school from 7.00am in the morning until 8.45am and operates from 3.30pm each day until 6.00pm.

Families wishing to use this service can visit the TheirCare website:  Families are also eligible for a Government rebate which reduces the cost per session.

Further information can also be obtained by contacting TheirCare on 1300 072 410.

TheirCare provides a stimulating and safe environment for all children and an environment where children enjoy their time in their program. During sessions children develop life skills, friendships, confidence, and creativity through play.

UPCOMING

MPPS Student Disco – Friday 13th June 

Get your dancing shoes ready—our MPPS Student Disco is just around the corner! Held in the MPPS School Hall, this fun-filled night is a fantastic way for students to let loose and celebrate with friends in a safe, supervised environment.

Session Times:

• Foundation – Year 2: Crazy Creatures Theme | 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM

• Year 3 – Year 6: Tropical Theme | 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Ticket Info:

• $15 per student

• $30 per family (3 or more siblings)

• Tickets must be pre-purchased via CompassTix. No door sales.

Sign-In/Out Procedures:

• All students must be signed in and out by a parent or guardian.

• Please arrive promptly for your child’s session.

• No food, drinks or merchandise will be sold at the event—just pure disco fun!

Let’s make it a night to remember! 

REMINDERS

2025 School Contributions/Parent Payment Arrangements

The school contributions are important in enabling us to provide the best learning environment for the children at Mentone Park Primary School. The Mentone Park Primary School Council is extremely appreciative of the generosity of parents who are able to support the school through the payment of the voluntary contributions. 

The ongoing financial support of our families ensures the long-term viability of vital programs, facilities, and support for our students. School Council makes every effort to keep the cost of these items to a minimum and affordable for all parents.

We thank the families who have contributed as your support is greatly appreciated. The voluntary financial contributions for 2025 are available on QKR. If you have any questions regarding payment, please contact the office.

School Saving Bonus reminder and allocation to school activities 

The Victorian Government has delivered the School Saving Bonus (SSB) – a one-off support of $400 for eligible government school students from Prep to Year 12 in 2025.

The SSB can be used for uniforms until Monday 30 June 2025.

Any funds remaining after 30 June 2025, including online voucher amounts that have not been redeemed, will become a credit to use on school activities. However, the credit will not be available on your family account at our school until late July.

To use any remaining SSB funds to cover the cost of school activities in July, please refer to the SSB online system and allocate the funds to school activities before 30 June 2025.

To learn more about the SSB online system, download the step-by-step System guide for parents and carers (DOCX, 945KB) or watch this School Saving Bonus video. System guide translations are also available in 14 languages.

The Department of Education’s SSB contact centre will remain available until 30 June 2025. The contact centre can be reached by:

• completing the School Saving Bonus enquiry form 
• calling 1800 338 663, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm on weekdays.

After this date, please contact the office for any SSB related questions.

CSEF Funding Applications is closing soon

This is a reminder to families that if you have a current Health Care Card or Pension Card, you may be eligible for the Camps/Sport/Excursions Fund (CSEF) payment. If your child is eligible, $154 will be used towards excursions, camps and sporting activities run through the school. 

If you are eligible, please contact the office before the 27th of June.

Change of contact details

Parents and guardians – please ensure that any changes to your contact details are communicated to the school. This includes change or address, phone numbers, emergency contacts and anything medical related. Please email mentone.park.ps@education.vic.gov.au.

Absences

If your child is absent we require parents to report this absence on Compass (before 9am). All absences need to be entered on Compass with a reason for the absence.  If you are experiencing any difficulties with Compass please contact the office.

Secondhand Uniforms

As the coolers months are on us please, note secondhand uniforms are available for purchase just outside the foundation class. Prices range from $2-$5.

Lost Property

PLEASE take a moment to check lost property located in the Kids Cafe for any missing clothing. Within the next few weeks items that have not be collected will be added to the second hand unifrom store, as we have quite the collection!

Term 2 Calendar

Attached is the Term 2 Newsletter, designed to keep families, carers, and staff informed about upcoming educational events, activities, meetings, and fundraising opportunities for the term ahead.

Please note that while we aim to keep to this schedule, our primary focus is always the children’s education. As a result, some events may be subject to change. Thank you for your understanding.

Lunchtime Library Schedule:

• Tuesdays (2:00–2:30 PM) – Mrs. Unwin (Grades 3–6)

• Thursdays (2:00–2:30 PM) – Mrs. Smith (Foundation–Grade 2)

Thank you to everyone who has helped bring our library to life!

Poco Music is an external Music Lesson Provider to our school.

Please see below for more details.

Our lunch order Classroom Cuisine has refreshed their menu.

Please see attached for more yummy options.

After-School ART CLASS! 

Do you have a little artist at home? Let their creativity shine!

WHEN: Every Thursday
WHERE: In the Art Room
TIME: 3:40 PM – 5:00 PM
Bring a snack!

First class FREE! 

Come and create with us!