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.

Mentone Park Spirit! 

This Monday, I had the privilege of watching our Grade 6 girls reach the basketball grand final at Parkdale Secondary School. The team displayed spirit and determination throughout the match. While they experienced a one-point loss at the final siren, these girls captured something far more valuable than victory – they won over every spectator with their incredible effort and sportspersonship.  Thank you to Ms Blom and Julia (Isla's mum) for their outstanding coaching on the day. Special recognition also goes to our Grade 6 boys' team, who demonstrated true Mentone Park spirit by rallying behind the girls with enthusiastic support during the grand final. Congratulations to Aston Lococo on receiving the Most Valuable Player award!  

Bullying Superhero Day 

Wednesday brought a sea of purple to our school as students and staff embraced Bullying Superhero Day. At Mentone Park Primary School, creating an environment where every student feels safe and happy remains our priority. This week, we moved beyond simply "standing by" and focused on empowering our students to become upstanders. Teachers delivered targeted lessons exploring what constitutes bullying, reinforcing our unwavering message; if you experience bullying or witness it happening to others, speak up and seek help – because bullying is never acceptable. 

MPPS Trivia Night! 

Thank you to the incredible generosity of our MPPS community who attended the annual MPPS trivia night. We raised $4800 towards our 2025 fundraising goal to upgrade our students laptops. A huge shout out to our PFA, led by Bree (mum of Mackenzie and Judd) and Jemma (mum of Scarlett and Maddie) for their work efforts to make it such a successful night!    

This term has begun full of engaging activities and learning opportunities for our students. The Life Education program was well received by all our students.  

We were honoured to have our courageous Grade 6 student Millie and her mum Jenni join our school community for the Camp Quality puppet show – a truly special moment for everyone involved. Another highlight over the weekend was to see Chase (Grade 4) run out onto the MCG through the banner with his beloved Melbourne Demons to proudly represent his Mum (Amber) for the Pink Lady match. 




 

Looking ahead, we're excited about next week's Book Week celebrations and our House Athletics Day, where students can proudly wear their house colours. If you are keen to help on the day, please contact the school. 

Have a lovely weekend. 

Leisa 

Dear Parents, Guardians & Caregivers, 

The halfway point of Term 3 is fast approaching – I hope that your children have enjoyed all the many learning opportunities provided in and out of the classroom thus far! 

2025 NAPLAN data  

In the latest release of 2025 NAPLAN data, our Year 3 and 5 students have achieved some absolutely outstanding results! Our Year 3 cohort had a higher percentage of students achieve a proficiency level of strong or exceeding than similar schools in four out of the five NAPLAN assessment categories. Similar schools are schools that are similar to MPPS in terms of student disadvantage, enrolment size, cultural diversity and remoteness. Our Year 5 cohort had a higher percentage of students achieve medium or high relative growth than similar schools in all five NAPLAN assessment categories. Relative growth is comparing a student’s growth (improvement in scaled score) relative to students who had the same NAPLAN scaled score two years ago, when they were in Year 3. These results are a credit to these two cohorts of students and their teachers, over multiple years here at MPPS. It has been fantastic sharing these amazing results with the community at last Friday’s assembly, on our website and via our social media! 

Youth Resilience Survey and Attitudes to School Survey data 

During two staff meetings this term, staff have been led through analysis of student survey data from the Youth Resilience Survey (YRS) and the Attitudes to School Survey (AtoSS). The YRS was completed in May of 2025 by Years 3-6 students as a part of The Resilience Project. The AtoSS is the Department of Education’s annual student survey, which was conducted during May and June of 2025 with Year 4-6 students. The anonymous, cohort-level data provided from these surveys enables staff to better understand the groups of students they teach and to be able to provide more targeted support for their wellbeing. It was wonderful to celebrate some significant improvements in the AtoSS data, in particular, in comparison to AtoSS data in previous years. We are currently further analysing the YRS data within a smaller group of the Leadership Team with the aim to identify some potential actions that we can take to address any areas of concern within the data. This student data contributes to informing our decision making regarding the themes and topics of incursions, choices within the curriculum (e.g. text selection) and the resourcing of programs and initiatives within the school. 

Please note: Invitations to complete the annual Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey will be distributed via email next week. An invitation will be emailed to one member of each household, along with a personalised PIN. We would really appreciate every family taking the time to provide us with some valuable feedback for both celebration and future improvement! 

Professional Learning: Chelsea Heights Primary School visit and Leading Literacy course 

On Wednesday 6/8, the Foundation to Year 2 Teaching Team and I conducted a professional learning visit to Chelsea Heights Primary School. During our visit, we were able to spend time in multiple classrooms observing classroom environment, routines and teacher practice. We also were able to discuss curriculum, professional learning and improvement initiatives. The team then came back to MPPS and conducted learning walks through several of our classrooms, culminating in a reflection and feedback opportunity in which key observations were captured to be shared with all staff. This opportunity was an invaluable one for our Junior School Teaching Team and several positive changes are already happening in classrooms as a result. I’d like to thank the Principal of CHPS, Mr Steven Capp, for hosting our visit. 

On Monday 11/8, Literacy Leader Emma Free, Year 3/4 Teacher Mel Gibson and I attended our first professional learning session as part of the Victoria Academy of Teaching and Leadership’s Leading Literacy course. This course, conducted over 6 sessions across Term 3 and 4, will equip us with the contemporary and evidence-based knowledge, skills and resources to lead improvement work at MPPS within our Literacy/English blocks. This will complement the InitiaLit program and considerable professional learning staff have already participated in regarding Victoria’s approach to teaching reading F-2. We look forward to sharing our learning with you as we navigate through this valuable course. 

Yours sincerely, 

Nathan Hutchins 

Assistant Principal 

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview:

Students really enjoyed the Life Education session earlier this week, which covered topics such as building friendships, caring for others, understanding feelings and emotions, recognising safe and unsafe situations, and knowing who trusted people are to seek help from. We also learnt that Healthy Harold LOVES eating bananas! 

Students were really engaged during our lessons on Length and loved finding objects in the classroom that were long, tall and short. We are also seeing some wonderfully creative narrative stories come together. We have been focusing on their stories problem this week. 

Heads Up!

Book Week is nearly here! 
A whole-school Book Parade will be held on Monday, 18th August at 9:10 am on the basketball court. Students are encouraged to dress up as their favourite book character and bring the book that inspired their costume. Families are warmly invited to come along and enjoy the parade. 

The Scholastic Book Fair will run from Monday 18th August to Thursday 21st August, before and after school: 

Morning: 8:30 – 8:50 am 

Afternoon: 3:30 – 4:00 pm 

Location: In the classroom next to the library We look forward to seeing you there! 

House Sports Day 
House Sports has been rescheduled and is now being held on Thursday 21st August from 9:30-12:30pm. This is set to be a wonderful morning and a great opportunity for all students to join 

Parent Helpers 
Thank you to the parents who have volunteered their time to read with our students — your support is greatly appreciated! If you're interested in helping, we welcome volunteers on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:50 to 9:05 AM to assist with our daily reading sessions. 

Please ensure you have a current Working with Children Check on file with the school office. If you'd like to get involved, simply add your name to the sign-up sheet on the noticeboard outside the Foundation classrooms. 

Literacy:We have been learning about digraphs, which are two letters that combine to make one sound! Our current focus has been on the digraphs /ll/, /ss/, and /ff/. In Writing, we have continued developing our narrative skills by concentrating on characters, settings, and story problems.

Numeracy: We have been exploring new subtraction strategies, such as counting on and counting back, and using number tracks. We are also learning to recognise the attribute of length and how to directly compare the length of two objects.

Inquiry: We are learning about our school’s history and why it is a special place in our community and using words to describe when events happened — in the past, present, and future.

Wellbeing: We are learning to develop empathy by practising mindfulness—focusing on one thing at a time—and by learning to support, listen to, understand, and encourage others.

Recognising TIER Role Models

Ocean GD -  for his dedication towards learning his tricky words. Ocean your reading is soaring! Amazing work!

Aurelia K -  for using pictures to solve addition and subtraction problems carefully and accurately. It’s great to see you check your answers as you go! Well done, Aurelia!

Sophie B - writing a strong and interesting beginning to your Where the Wild Things Are story and for drawing a fantastic picture to match. Your creativity and effort really stand out. Well done!

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview:

What a busy and exciting fortnight it’s been in Grade 1/2! Students loved our Life Education session. With Healthy Harold, they explored who the “special people” in their lives are, learned ways to make new friends and keep friendships strong, and discovered how kindness and positive relationships help us feel happy and healthy. In Writing, our procedural text unit was a great success, with students confidently creating clear, step-by-step instructions on chosen topics. In Maths, our shapes unit was a real hit, and we have now moved into our division and multiplication unit. 

Heads Up!

Next week is Book Week!  

Whole school parade: We kick start the wonderful week with the Book Parade starting at 9:10am on the basketball court. Students are invited to dress up as their favourite book character and can also bring along the book that inspired them. Friends and family are all welcome to come along and watch! 

Book Fair: The Book Fair will be open before and after school in the classroom next to the Library – eftpos facilities will be available. 

The week will be packed with engaging literacy activities designed to inspire out students and ensure they have a truly memorable week. 

House Sports Day: House Sports Day is on Thursday 21st of August, please read the Physical Education section of the newsletter for more information.  

Literacy: We are learning to identify parts of a narrative so I can plan my own story.

InitiaLit:   

• Year 1s: The digraphs ‘ow’ and ‘ou’ as in cow/cloud, the suffix  –ed and reviewing the ‘bossy e’. Tricky words including out, around, about, ask, and our. Our storybook has been ‘Now We Are Six’ by A.A.Milne, with the WOW words ooze, smear and certain. 
• Year 2s: The digraphs ‘ow’ as in cow, ‘ou’ as in cloud and ‘ch’ saying /k/ as in ‘school’. We have also been using the comprehension strategy of ‘inferring’. Our storybook has been ‘Zoo’ by Anthony Browne, with the WOW words masses, snarl and impersonation.  

Numeracy: We are learning to investigate the concept of multiplication by skip counting, sharing in equal groups and using arrays. 

Inquiry (History): We are learning to identify and describe the differences between old and new houses. 

Wellbeing: We are learning to understand that emotions come and go and that there are lots of ways to reset, change or express our emotions. 

Recognising TIER Role Models

Charlotte O - for her growing confidence to share her valuable insights with our class during discussions. Amazing Charlotte! 

Eddie W - for positively contributing to Maths lessons and trying his best to learn new concepts. Keep concentrating and giving it your best shot!

Evie G - for writing a clear procedural text on how to make a Milo, using well-organised steps and easy-to-follow instructions. 

Bailey J - for working hard on her division skills, practising sharing equally into groups using counters and a whiteboard. Keep up the great work, Bailey.

Eilidh S - for writing a detailed recount about her school holidays and included beautifully formed handwriting! You are always trying your best, Eilidh, well done! 

Hayley B - for confidently sharing objects into equal groups and writing division number sentences to match. Your growing knowledge of division is impressive, keep up the great work! 

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview:

We were so lucky to have two amazing incursions this week! On Monday (34G) and Wednesday (34B) students participated in a Life Education incursion as part of our Wellbeing curriculum. This incursion focused on different character strengths and how to be a good friend . On Tuesday the Camp Quality Puppets performed ‘The Big Move’, a puppet show designed to help children understand cancer and its impact on families, particularly when a child returns to school after treatment. This Cancer Education Program aims to take away the stigma and fear of cancer. These activities were engaging and positive learning experiences for all of us! 

 Wednesday was “Bully Zero SuperHIRO” Day and all MPPS students participated in a SuperHIRO activity. Year 3/4 students worked together to develop posters about how to be a SuperHIRO.

Heads Up!

A reminder that on Monday 18th August, MPPS Students (and staff!) are invited to come to school dressed as a favourite book character and/or bring along their favourite book. A parade will be held in the morning, and students will participate in various book-themed activities throughout the week. 

Homework reminder 

A reminder that all students should be completing three reflections in their diary during the week and returning it to their teacher each Monday. They should also be completing 20 minutes of Matific tasks. We have Maths homework sheets available for students to take if they are unable to access devices at home.  

Literacy: We are learning to read and spell words with the sounds /ar/, /or/ and /ir/. 

We are also learning to understand and use new vocabulary words from our class novel ‘Charlotte’s Web’. 

Numeracy: We are learning to name, estimate, and compare angles.

Inquiry: This week we learned about some of the history of Polly Woodside ready for our excursion next week.

Wellbeing: We are learning to develop strategies to process and express strong emotions. Often, we can’t choose our emotions or when they come and visit us, but we can choose the way we express them.

Recognising TIER Role Models

Congratulations to our most recent TIER Role Models! 

Jack B – For making positive choices in the classroom and showing improved focus and responsibility in his behaviour, particularly during maths tasks. 

Mason C – For his effort and excellence when carefully setting out his bar models and equations during Maths. Well done! 

Maddie L – for her excellent work when learning about multiplication and division, and their algorithms. Keep it up, Maddie! 

Charlie M – For your enthusiastic approach to all learning tasks, especially when turning fragments into full sentence during Novel Study. Well done! 

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview:

A lot of exciting wellbeing opportunities this week as we participated in 3 wonderful programs, Life Education, Camp Quality Puppet Visit & SuperHIRO Wednesday.
Life Education ‘Relate, Respect, Connect’ –  empowered students with knowledge to recognise and make positive, informed choices in friendships and relationships.
As a community impacted by cancer, our visit from Camp Quality is to support one of our Senior Students and foster an increase in empathy and cancer education.
Finally, our SuperHIRO Wednesday with a touch of purple, promoted kindness, inclusion, and what it means to be an upstander. 

Heads Up!

Sporting Achievements -    
A MASSIVE congratulations to the following students who proudly represented MPPS at the District Basketball Gala Day.  

Girls: Asha C, Mackenzie O, Ash M, Isla D, Zoe and Annabel A and Jade. 

Boys: River B, Bailey E, Aston L, Ben W, Evan K, James B and Lennox S. 

Competing in a round robin against others schools at Parkdale Secondary, the results were Girls - 3 wins, placing them in the Grand Final where they unfortunately lost by 1 point 

Boys - 3 losses, but excellent effort! 

The Girls team came home with a wonderful Runners Up Pennant and the MVP across all schools was awarded to our very own Aston. Amazing work! 

Following on from last Term, our Mixed Soccer Team also received a Runners Up Pennant after their success at Inter School Sport. Well done to Misha, Myla, Evan, Lennox, Sam, James, Bailey, River, Aston, Haru, Leo & Flynn. 

Week 5 -  
Week 5 is a busy week with the Book Fair Parade (costume needed on Monday), Book Fair Stall (running Monday to Thursday in the room attached to the library) and House Sports Day (Thursday at Dolomore Oval this year). Please ensure consent and payment has been provided for House Sports Day and that students come in appropriate clothing to compete in (House colours encouraged) and to bring a small day pack with fruit break, recess, lunch and a rainjacket.  

Health -  
We have a student returned to school whose immune system is currently compromised due to medical treatment. We know our school community values care, compassion, and looking out for one another — and this is one of those moments where we can all make a difference. We kindly ask that you keep your child at home if they are unwell. If your child/ren are diagnosed with chickenpox or measles this must be reported to the general office as soon as possible. 

Literacy: Read and respond to our class novel, Once by Morris Gleitzman. Write an introduction for an information report using a General, Specific & Thesis Statement.

Numeracy: Conduct chance experiments and record and compare the results.

Inquiry: Exploring defining moments in Australian history since Federation, in particular the experiences of First Nations People and Migrants.

Wellbeing: Use deep belly breathing as a mindfulness strategy.

Recognising TIER Role Models

James B - for demonstrating EXCELLENCE and RESPECT in the classroom and to the volunteers on our excursion to the MCG, Well done James! 

Ashleigh M -  for demonstrating EXCELLENCE in our decimals unit in maths, she worked hard and completed work to a high standard often reaching our ‘super challenge’ tasks. Well done Ash!


Millie T -  for demonstrating EXCELLENCE upon her return to school. It’s wonderful having you contribute insightfully to our class discussions again!
 

Ben W -  for demonstrating EXCELLENCE in Literacy with his detailed summaries and thought provoking discussion about our novel, ‘Once’. Also for doing a ripper biography about Buddy Franklin!
 

In the Spotlight / Overview: 

In Auslan, we have been learning to sign numbers including dollars and cents.   

Foundation and Grade 1/2 practiced their numbers through a game of Bingo, learning to recognise the patterns with signing from numbers 1-100. 

In Grade 3/4 and Grade 5/6 have been learning to sign numbers up to 1000.  Students participated in a game of “Go Fish” using sentences including colours and numbers e.g. “You have black 9”  

Over the coming weeks, students will learn to signs a range of different foods including fruit and vegetables, as we prepare to role play a shop game to practice real life conversations in Auslan.  

Recognising TIER Role Models 
 
Ollie J – for respectfully trying his best with signing during Auslan.

Harlow L – for using Constructive Action in describing a disney character with excellence. 
 

Sports Day is Coming!!! 

Sports Day – Thursday 21st August, 9:30am-1:00pm

Check Compass for full event details!

We can’t wait to see our students giving their best, showing great sportsmanship and cheering each other on! In preparation for sports day, students have continued to work hard during PE by participating in all things athletics, practising each event to get ready for the big day! 

F-2
Our youngest students have been learning the basics of baton relays, practising smooth hand overs and running in teams. In long jump we’ve been practising safe landings and taking off on one foot. They have been using modified equipment to build their coordination and strength in preparation for discus and shot put later on.

3/4
Years 3 & 4 have been refining their relay techniques by improving baton changeovers and running with consistent pace. In long jump, they’ve been working on combining a strong run-up with a controlled take-off. For throwing activities they have been practising correct grip and stance for shot put & discus and learning how to use their whole body for power.

5/6
Our senior students have been perfecting circular relay strategies, including acceleration zones and competitive handovers. In high jump and long jump, they’ve been working on achieving optimal speed in the approach and height in the take-off. For throwing, they’ve focussed on generating maximum distance in discus and shot put by refining their technique, body rotation and release angle.

District Basketball

On Monday 11th August our Year 5 / 6 superstar basketball teams competed at the district basketball tournament at Parkdale Secondary College. We played a round robin against the other schools and our girls team almost cleaned up the whole event, coming runners up in the grand final by one point on the siren! Our boys team played incredibly competitive matches, unfortunately not making it to the grand final however they put up a tough fight and played extremely well. Congratulations to Aston Lococo for being named Most Valuable Player! Also a huge congratulations to ALL children involved and a big thank you to Ms Higgins and the parents who were able to come down and support us!

In the Spotlight / Overview 

Last week our Foundation students looked at clouds. We discovered that different shaped clouds could help predict different weather that may be coming our way.  

In class we also completed a mini experiment, we made a cloud in a jar! This is a quick and simple experiment you may like to do at home (with adult supervision) which creates a mini cloud. 

Materials 

• Glass jar with a lid 

• Hot water 

• Ice cubes 

• Matchstick 

Steps 

1. Pour about 2–3 cm of hot water into the jar.  

1. Put the lid on the jar upside down and place several ice cubes on top of it. This will cool the air at the top of the jar. 

1. Remove the lid, have an adult light a match, let it burn for a few seconds, then blow it out. Quickly drop the smoking match into the jar. 

1. Immediately replace the lid with the ice still on top. 

1. The warm, moist air inside rises, cools at the top, and condenses on the smoke particles, forming a visible “cloud” in the jar. 

1. Lift the lid and watch the cloud escape. 

When warm, wet air rises and meets the cold air, the water vapour turns back into tiny water droplets — this is called condensation. 
The smoke from the match gives those droplets something to stick to, so you can see them as a cloud. It’s similar to what happens in the sky — but your “sky” is just a jar! 

*** 

The Grade 1 and 2 students investigated how shadows are made and why they they change throughout the day. After learning that when a light source shines on an object that does not let light through, a shadow is created, we made our own shadows using the sun and torches as a light source. 

Recognising TIER Role Models  

Joshua B -  for his consistent positive attitude towards learning in STEAM. Keep it up Josh! 

Charlize VDW - for continually showing respect during STEAM class as well as completing her work to a high standard. 

Dear Mentone Park families, 

This fortnight, our wellbeing focus is on Courage and Compassion, two qualities that help us show up for ourselves and others, even during difficult times. 

Over the past week, our students took part in two special incursions: Life Education and Camp Quality. Life Education supported our students to build the knowledge and skills they need to care for themselves and their relationships, while Camp Quality delivered an uplifting program about understanding cancer, supporting friends, and finding joy even during challenging times 

With members of our own school community currently facing serious illness, these sessions were a timely reminder of how important it is to combine courage with compassion. Courage is not about being fearless, it’s about choosing kindness, empathy, and connection, even when situations are challenging. 

This Fortnight’s Wellbeing at Home Activity: Courage and Compassion Jar 

1. Place an empty jar somewhere visible at home. 

1. Over the next fortnight, invite family members to write down moments when they: 

• Tried something brave (big or small) 

• Showed compassion to someone else 

1. Read the notes together at the end of the fortnight and celebrate the ways you’ve lifted each other up. 

Reflect together: 

• How did it feel to be brave or compassionate? 

• Was there a time when someone else’s courage or compassion helped you? 

• How can we keep practising these qualities, even when life feels busy? 

By noticing and celebrating these moments, we remind ourselves that we all have the power to make a positive difference, both in our own lives and in the lives of others.  

Warm regards, 

Pamela Kousis 
Student Wellbeing Coordinator 

Reporting to the Office

Hello everyone,

Just a friendly reminder that all visitors must report to the Office and sign in or out — whether you are assisting with a fundraiser, collecting your child for an appointment, bringing them late to school, or visiting for any other reason.

When you arrive, please wait for our office staff to assist you with the sign-in or sign-out process. They will then collect your child from class or escort them back to class as needed.

Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and organised school environment.

THANK YOU!

Our MPPS Annual Trivia Night was an absolute hit — so many laughs, incredible costumes, and plenty of friendly competition! 

We’re thrilled to announce that together we raised $4,807.30 for our school! 

A huge shout-out to all the amazing volunteers, organisers, and fundraisers who made the night possible — we couldn’t do it without you. Your time, energy, and generosity make such a difference to our school community.

Thank you to everyone who came along and supported the event. We can’t wait to do it all again next year!

PFA – Term 3 & 4 – We’re Halfway There!

The PFA still has some wonderful events coming up in Term 3 and Term 4, including the Father’s Day Stall & Breakfast, Colour Run, Grandparents’ Morning Tea, Bunnings BBQ, and Year 6 Graduation.

To make these events a success, we need your support — whether that’s helping out on the day, lending a hand behind the scenes, or simply sharing your ideas.

If you’d like to stay in the loop and get involved, please make sure you’re signed up and connected with Bree Owens:
bree.owens@hotmail.com | 0438 140 732

Thank you for your continued support — it really does make a massive difference!

CHOIR IS BACK FRIDAY 18th AUGUST

Brad is back! 
We’re excited to announce that Choir will be starting again for Term 3 on Friday, 18th August.
Choir is open to all students in Grades 3–6 — come along and join the fun!

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!

Lunchtime Library Schedule

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

Please see below for more details.

NEW LUNCH ORDER MENU

New menu items in Term 3 are a Quesadilla (Chicken) served with Sour Cream; Tandoori Chicken Puff Parcel with Mango Chutney; Carrot Cup Cake (Gluten Free, Dairy Free & Vegan); and Harvest Snaps.  

The Poke Bowl has been a huge hit and will continue this term along with our other "new in Term 2 items" - Soft Shell Chicken Tacos with Salsa, Cheese & Salad; Sausage Rolls with Tomato Sauce; Lamingtons; Corn Chips with Mild Salsa; and "Not Cross" Buns.

The children will also be excited to learn that the Margherita Pizza TWIST will be returning for Term 3!

Please note, our menu is all served cold/room temperature.

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!