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.

Book Week at MPPS! 

We had a wonderful celebration of reading and literature during Book Week!  

Our Book Parade was absolutely magical, with students and staff arriving dressed as their favourite book characters. The creativity, effort, and enthusiasm on display was wonderful to see. From classic fairy tale characters to modern heroes and heroines, our playground was transformed into a living library of beloved stories. 

Our Daily Lunchtime Story Time created such a special atmosphere throughout the week. Each lunchtime, our dedicated teachers read their favourite childhood stories with the whole school as students enjoyed their lunch together.  

The Book Fair was also a huge success, operating each morning before and after school. It was wonderful to see students excitedly choosing new books to add to their home libraries. 

A huge thank you goes to our amazing parent volunteers who gave their time and energy to make our Book Fair possible, special thanks to Cheryl (parent of Olivia & Aston), Stacey (parent of Nia and Jonah) and Lisa (parent of Olive). We wouldn't have been able to run the stall each day without the help from our parents- thank you! 

And, a big thank you to our hardworking teacher Emma Free for her work behind the scenes to make Book Week so successful and enjoyable for our students. 

House Athletics Day 

We had an absolutely fantastic day at our whole school athletics day last Friday.  

This was the very first time we have taken our entire school community to Dolamore Athletics Track for our athletics day. The perfect weather conditions allowed everyone to enjoy the day, and it really added to the atmosphere of our first whole school athletics day. 

We are incredibly grateful to all our parent volunteers who made this day possible. Your generous support, enthusiasm, and willingness to help made all the difference. This day simply wouldn't have happened without you, and we cannot thank you enough for giving up your time. 

We were so proud to see the incredible house spirit displayed by our magnificent students throughout the day. The energy, enthusiasm, and pride each student showed for their house was wonderful. 

Days like these remind us what a special community we have at Mentone Park Primary School. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making our first whole school athletics day at Dolamore Athletics Track such a success! 

2026 School Year 

If you have a child in Foundation to Year 5 who will not be returning to MPPS next year, could you please inform the office.  This will assist us with planning for class structures and staffing for 2026. 

Father’s Day/Special Person – Friday 5th September 

Our incredible PFA are running the Fathers’ Day Stall and breakfast on Friday 5th September. We're excited for the early morning breakfast and can't wait to see the soccer match between the Dads/Special friends and students! 

Have a lovely weekend. 

Leisa 

Dear Parents, Guardians & Caregivers, 

I hope you are all well and managed the cold and wet this week after last week’s promising weather! 

Staff Professional Learning Day 

This coming Wednesday 3rd of September will be a student-free day with staff engaging in some important professional learning. The focus for the day is the launch of our new Instructional Model and to utilise our analysis of the Youth Resilience Survey data to develop some actions that further support our student’s wellbeing and learning. 

An Instructional Model provides staff and students with a common language and sequence for learning that aims to set high expectations and increase consistency across topics, subjects and classes. We have spent the past several months collaboratively researching, designing and refining our new MPPS Instructional Model. Louise, our Office Manager, has even utilised her graphic design background to ensure our Instructional Model is purposefully detailed and designed. We have drawn inspiration and ideas from Victoria’s Teaching and Learning Model 2.0, the Positive Classroom Management Strategies, the Science of Learning, and many existing Instructional Models from similar schools. 

On Wednesday, the latest version will be presented to staff and we will collectively begin to unpack several of its key components to facilitate its implementation in our curriculum and classrooms moving forward. It is our intention to continue to unpack our Instructional Model throughout the remainder of this year and next year. This will include the development of a supporting Staff Playbook that will provide staff with greater clarity and further information about each component of the model. The Staff Playbook will aid consistency and ensure that any new or temporary staff members are more easily able to upskill and align their practice to the high standards expected here at Mentone Park Primary School. 

Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey 

A friendly reminder to please complete the Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey. Invitations to complete the survey were distributed via email on Tuesday 19/8. Invitations were emailed to one member of each household, along with a personalised PIN. We would really appreciate every family taking the time (approximately 20 minutes) to provide us with some valuable feedback for both celebration and future improvement! 

Yours sincerely, 

Nathan Hutchins 

Assistant Principal 

Important Dates

• Wednesday 27^th August: ACMI Excursion  
• Friday 29^th August: Body Safe Incursion (Session 1)
• Thursday 4^th September: Father’s Day Stall
• Friday 5^th September: Father’s Day Breakfast  
• Friday 5^th September: Body Safe Incursion (Session 2)
• Monday 8^th September – Thursday 18^th September: Swimming
• Friday 19^th September: Last Day of Term 3 – 2:30pm finish

In the Spotlight / Overview:

Last week was full of excitement with both Book Week and House Sports Day! The buzz at the book parade was incredible, and students were delighted to discover a vintage suitcase in their classroom, inspiring us all to create a wonderful story about The Magic Book. House Sports Day was another highlight, blessed with perfect weather. The walk to and from Dolomore Oval added to the fun, and it was fantastic to see students giving their best and cheering on their friends.

Heads Up!

Body Safe Program

This week we are beginning our Body Safe program. The program helps students develop confidence in recognising and expressing their feelings, building respectful friendships, and understanding personal boundaries. Students are encouraged to identify trusted adults they can go to for support, helping them feel safe, connected and cared for. The program will be delivered in two 1-hour sessions.

Father’s Day Stall and Breakfast 

The Father’s Day Stall will be held on Thursday, 4th September. Students will have the chance to purchase a special gift for their dad, grandad, or special friend. Please remember to send money securely and provide a bag for their goodies.

We’ll also be celebrating with our Father’s Day / Special Friends Breakfast on Friday, 5th September from 7:30–8:45am under the COLA. Join us for a delicious breakfast together! Orders can be placed through QKR from a range of options.

Literacy: We have been learning to read and spell words with ‘ee’, as well as learning a new sound /z/ with the help of ‘Zippy Zebra’. In Writing, students have been working hard on creating their very own narrative story!

Numeracy: We are learning to identify the attribute of mass, predict which object will be heavier, and use balance scales to compare the mass of two objects.

Inquiry: We are learning to explore places in our community and how they have changed.

Wellbeing: We are learning to practise empathy by respecting and celebrating differences and understand that emotions can vary in strength/intensity.

Recognising TIER Role Models

Oliver L – for confidently identifying and comparing the length of different objects in Maths. You were able to spot long, short and tall objects! Well done for showing focus and persistence!

Isla I – for showing outstanding sportsmanship during House Sports. You consistently encouraged your peers and gave every activity your best effort! Amazing!

Aisling CH – For always having a go at independent writing. You make excellent attempts at some VERY tricky words. Great job, Superstar.

Kit M – for creating an excellent story plan with a character, setting, problem and solution to support his narrative writing. Great job, Kit!

Important Dates

• Friday 29^th August: Body Safe Program: Session 1
• Monday 1^st September: 1/2W and 1/2DS: Body Safe Program: Session 2
• Tuesday 2^nd September: Melbourne Museum Excursion
• Thursday 4^th September: Father’s Day Stall
• Friday 5^th September: 1/2W and 1/2DS:
  Body Safe Program: Session 3
• Friday 5^th September: 1/2FD: Body Safe Program: Session 2
• Friday 5^th September: Father’s Day Breakfast 
• Monday 8^th September – Thursday 18^th September: Swimming Program
• Friday 12^th September: 1/2FD: Body Safe Program: Session 3
• Friday 19^th September: Last Day of Term 3 – 2:30pm finish

In the Spotlight / Overview:

It’s hard to believe we are nearing the end of Week 6! The 1/2 area has been buzzing with excitement after a fantastic Book Week and House Sports Day. During Book Week, students drew inspiration from a vintage suitcase filled with curious items to create their own imaginative narratives. House Sports Day was another highlight, with everyone giving their best, showing great teamwork, and cheering on their friends. It was a wonderful week of fun, creativity, and community spirit!

Heads Up!

Daily Reading

Well done to the families that are in a wonderful routine of reading with your child each night, this has a huge impact on your child’s reading development.  Please continue to read daily with your child and record in their Reading Diary. Shared reading experiences foster a lifelong love of books!

Label, Label, Label

Please ensure all jumpers and containers are clearly named to ensure they are returned to their rightful owner and do not end up in Lost Property.

Body Safe Program

This week we are beginning our Body Safe program. The program helps students develop confidence in recognising and expressing their feelings, building respectful friendships, and understanding personal boundaries. Students are encouraged to identify trusted adults they can go to for support, helping them feel safe, connected and cared for. The program will be delivered in two 1-hour sessions.

Writing: We are learning to write engaging narratives for Book Week, based on this year’s topic “Book an Adventure!”

InitiaLit:  

• Year 1s: The digraphs ‘aw’ as in claw and ‘au’ as in autumn. Our storybook has been ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’ by Drew Daywalt, with the WOW words: gorgeous, congratulate and prove.
• Year 2s: The trigraphs ‘air’ as in hair, ‘are’ as in beware and ‘ear’ as in bear. Tricky words including through, every and only. We have also been using the comprehension strategy of ‘finding the main idea’. Our storybook has been ‘The True Story of the Three Little Pigs!’ by Jon Scieszka with the WOW words: bright, awfully impolite.

Numeracy: We are learning to develop our skills in Multiplication by using arrays, skip counting and bar models. We have been practicing our counting patterns and number facts to support this.

Inquiry: We are learning to describe toys from the past and compare them with toys we use today.

Wellbeing: We are learning to understand that empathy involves noticing and responding to the feelings and emotions of others.

Recognising TIER Role Models

Mckinley L - for showing a great effort and creativity in our Inquiry topis of history by carefully drawing a detailed picture of a house from past and the present and working hard to share your learning.

Maisie H - for showing persistence in Maths this week, especially when making groups of 2, 5 and 10 and using arrays and skip counting as strategies to find the total!

Cara K - for having the best week! You have really tried your best to listen and complete your work. Amazing Cara!

Will K - for writing a well organised and engaging narrative titled ‘Squirrel.’ You showed confidence in using adjectives, made excellent use of paragraphs to set out your work, and demonstrated strong editing skills to improve your writing. Keep up the great work!

Arlo B - for crafting an engaging and imaginative book week narrative that took readers on an adventure. Well done, Arlo!

Artie M - for writing a well-structured story with accurate punctuation and an exciting storyline that keeps the reader engaged! Keep it up, Artie.

Important Dates

• Wednesday 3rd September: Curriculum Day (student free)
• Thursday 4th September: Father’s Day Stall
• Friday 5th September: Father’s Day Breakfast
• Friday 29th August, Monday 1st September,
  Friday 5th September and Friday 12th September: Body Safe program
• Monday 8th September – Thursday 18th September: Swimming program (Waves)
• Friday 19th September: Last Day of Term 3
• Wednesday 8th to Friday 10th October: Year 3/4 Angahook Camp

In the Spotlight / Overview:

As we pass the halfway mark of Term 3, the 3/4s have been kept busy with Book Week, House Sports, an excursion to Polly Woodside, and beginning the first of our four Body Safe incursions this week!

During Book Week, the students were inspired to write an adventure story by a mysterious suitcase that appeared in the 3/4 area. It was filled with foreign money, a treasure map, polaroids, and more! 3/4B then shared their stories with students from 1/2FD, and 3/4G shared with Foundation K. During our excursion, students experienced what it would have been like to live as a sailor on Polly Woodside, from where they would have slept and they jobs they would have undertaken, to how they would go to the toilet! The students all had a wonderful time.

Heads Up!

Next Wednesday 3rd September is a Pupil Free Day. Our onsite care provider, TheirCare, will be offering a full day service for families who require care.

Homework
We have had much more homework handed in on Mondays, thank you! If students are unable to complete homework due to family commitments, please just write a quick note in their reading journal.

Literacy: We are learning about “rabbit” words and looking at the parts of some tricky words that are hard to spell. We are also learning about how to identify and write complex sentences. During Book Week we wrote narratives to read to the Foundation students!

Numeracy: We have been learning to tell time to the minute and are beginning our unit about decimals.

Inquiry: We had our excursion to Polly Woodside and followed it up by doing a Kahoot quiz about some of the things we learned there.

Wellbeing: We learned that ‘generous assumptions’ allow us to change our perspectives and assume the best in others, as Rose did of Mr. Wintergarten. We can apply generous assumptions to people we know well, those we don’t know well, and our friends.

Recognising TIER Role Models

Congratulations to our most recent TIER Role Models!

Jett P – for demonstrating excellence by focusing, being respectful and completing his work thoughtfully and neatly.

Jordan C – For his thoughtful and insightful contributions during our Life Education incursion focusing on ‘Friends and Feelings’. Well done!

Maisie D – For writing such an engaging and well structured “Book Week” adventure story to read to Foundation students, well done!

Tyler B – For your Book Week narrative ‘The Day the Sea Blew Up!’. Your adventure had excellent use of time connectives and adjectives that brought your story to life!

Important Dates

• Friday 29th August - Body Safe
• Monday 1st September - Body Safe
• Tuesday 2nd September - District Athletics
• Wednesday 3rd September - Curriculum Day (Student Free)
• Thursday 4th September - Father’s/Special Persons Stall
• Friday 5th September - Father’s/Special Persons Breakfast
• Friday 5th September - Body Safe
• Friday 5th September - Buddies Walk to Duck Park
• Tuesday 9th September - Immigration Museum Excursion
• Wednesday 10th September - i sea, i care Workshop (Green Team)
• Wednesday 10th September - R U OK? Day
• Friday 12th September - Body Safe
• Friday 19th September - Last day of term - 2:30pm Finish

In the Spotlight / Overview:

A huge congratulations to our Senior School Students who led last week's House Sports Day proudly! It was a very successful day, our first down at Dolomore Oval, with exceptional weather, participation and sportspersonship. Thank you to the parents who volunteered and assisted in walking to and from the track, or helped with an event on the day - it’s greatly appreciated! Another success was our Book Fair Parade and the sensational adventure stories written and shared with the Yr 1 and 2 students. Whether it be costume designing or creative writing, we certainly have an imaginative Senior School!

Heads Up!

Body Safe -   Body Safe is a primary prevention program that equips students with age-appropriate knowledge and strategies to build respectful relationships, recognise unsafe situations, and seek support when needed. Our Yr 5 and 6 students will participate in five, one hour sessions with their year level in a program called ‘Unique You’. We strongly encourage parents to attend the online session on Wednesday 27th of August, however if you are unavailable to attend and still have questions, please contact your child's teacher. 

Offsite Visits - Reminder for upcoming events offsite - District Athletics (select students), Buddies Walk (Yr 6 only) and Immigration Museum (Yr 5 & 6). Please ensure consent and/or payment is provided on Compass, and that proper school uniform is worn. For District Athletics and the Immigration Museum -  please bring a small backpack with recess, fruit break, lunch, drink bottle and a rainjacket. If you are able to volunteer for any of these events and have a WWCC, please indicate accordingly on Compass or contact your child’s teacher.

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, Then by Morris Gleitzman. Plan and conduct a Big Write using a picture prompt stimulus.

Numeracy: Plotting coordinates on a Cartesian plane.

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

Wellbeing: Identify character strengths and articulate them as positive self-talk statements.

Recognising TIER Role Models

Ava M - for demonstrating EXCELLENCE in the classroom, she has been participating more in classroom tasks and trying her best when completing her work.

Lennox S - for demonstrating RESPECT both inside and outside the classroom, he was showing excellent manners to our Life ed Volunteers.

Zoe A - for demonstrating TEAMWORK and EXCELLENCE during Friday Maths Mayhem sessions. Continuously you work well with others and present work of a high standard.

Misha - for demonstrating EXCELLENCE when writing her adventure themed story, ‘Where Am I?’ You used some amazing vocabulary to describe characters, settings and complication!

In Auslan, we have been learning to sign a range of foods including Fruit and vegetables, as well as foods related to breakfast and lunch.

Students have built onto their prior knowledge of fruits and vegetables into sentences in Auslan including “My favourite fruit/vegetable….” and “Today, breakfast I eat….”

We have played many new games including I went to the shops, and I bought, corners, fruit salad and Rapid-Fire Game to put our new signs into practice. 

Foundation to Grade 2 have continued to practice counting in Auslan and signing the alphabet.

Grade 3/4 and Grade 5/6 continue to practice story telling in their pair practice and fast finger number signing.

Kavya D – for for participating in our Auslan game and remembering the fruit and vegetable signs. Well done!

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

Here are some fruit and vegetable signs to practice at home.

Whole School Sports Day

Last week we held our very first whole school House Sports Day at the Mentone Athletics Track and what a huge success it was! The atmosphere was electric, with students cheering loudly for their houses, showing fantastic team spirit and supporting each other across every event.

Our students did an amazing job and they showed outstanding sportsmanship throughout the day. It was a wonderful celebration of participation, teamwork and effort.

A huge thank you goes out to all our parent helpers who assisted with the field events and stayed back to help with pack up – your support made the day possible.

Final House Results:

1st – Flynn

2nd – Hinkley

3rd – Kingsford-Smith

4th – Hawker

Congratulations to all students in Flynn, for taking out first place. The scores were very close!!! Well done to all houses for their energy and determination. We couldn’t be prouder of everyone who participated, what a brilliant start to a new school tradition!

Congratulations to all year 3-6 students who qualified to represent our school at the district athletics carnival which will be held on Tuesday 2nd September.

In the Spotlight / Overview 

Our 3/4 students have been looking at climate, how humans can have an impact on the climate and what the consequences of climate change could mean for our planet. As part of their learning, students have begun designing homes that can withstand extreme weather conditions using recycled materials. This hands-on challenge will provide creativity, problem-solving and engineering opportunities.  

Similarly, our 5/6 students have begun designing homes that can withstand their chosen natural disaster. The students have been researching volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, bushfires and tsunamis and looking at the impact these natural disasters have on the environment and communities.  

If you have boxes (various sizes), cardboard tubes, foil, excess paper plates, paper cups or other useful recycled or unwanted materials to donate for these projects, we will happily accept them in the STEAM room for this terms design work. 

Recognising TIER Role Models  

Will K – for making positive choices in STEAM and creating an amazing rocket. Well done Will!

Dear Mentone Park families,

This fortnight, our wellbeing focus is on Respect and Safety, two values that sit at the heart of the Body Safe Australia program, that began this Friday 29th August and running until Friday 12th September.

Body Safe is a practical, age-appropriate program that helps students Foundation – Year 6 build respectful relationships, recognise unsafe situations, and feel confident seeking help. Each year level will take part in a tailored program that matches their stage of development:

• Foundation – “Superstars Program”: Students learn about emotions, body boundaries, and the difference between secrets and surprises. They will be encouraged to identify five safe adults they can talk to if they feel worried or unsafe.
• Years 1 & 2 – “Unique You”: Students celebrate diversity in families, explore body privacy and consent, and finish with an age-appropriate discussion about babies, birth, and their own stories of joining their family.
• Years 3 & 4 – “Imagine Me”: Students reflect on self-image and wellbeing, including intuitive eating and social media literacy, and how to practise self-acceptance and body positivity.
• Years 5 & 6 – “Unique You”: Students explore puberty, consent, conception, birth, managing emotions, and safe relationships both online and offline.

It is a privilege to be able to provide our students with learning that empowers them with knowledge, language, and strategies that will help keep them safe and build their confidence as they grow.

This Fortnight’s Wellbeing at Home Activity: Respect in Action

1. As a family, brainstorm what respect looks, sounds, and feels like in your home.
2. Write down your ideas on a poster and place it somewhere visible.
3. Over the fortnight, notice and name when a family member demonstrates respect, to themselves, to others, or to their surroundings.
4. Celebrate those moments together with a sticker, tick, or note of recognition.

Reflect together:

• How does practising respect make our home feel safer and more connected?
• Why is it important that everyone has the right to feel safe?
• How can we bring more respect into our friendships, school, and community?

By focusing on respect and safety at home, you are helping reinforce the Body Safe messages students will be exploring at school, and supporting them to grow into kind, confident, and resilient young people.

Warm regards,
Pamela Kousis
Student Wellbeing Coordinator

Captains Share the Magic of Reading 

We were so lucky to have two of our wonderful School Captains, Ben and Mackenzie, invited to Guardian Childcare and Preschool to help celebrate Book Week .
They took turns reading to the 4-year-old kinders, who absolutely loved listening to their stories! Such a special way to share the joy of reading with our younger friends.

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.

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!