I want to kick off our newsletter this week by celebrating our school leaders, Ms. Kilpatrick and Mrs. Jukic. Yesterday, we held our first 'Kindness Day,' an initiative that continues the vision of our student leaders to create a lasting impact.

When we began collaborating with the student leaders, the task was straightforward: read the book ‘The Kindness Project’ by Deborah Abela and brainstorm how, as student leaders, you could foster a movement that would positively affect our school.

As highlighted in the posters, the goal of yesterday’s ‘Kind-raiser’ was to raise funds for a permanent mural on a school wall that promotes kindness.

The idea for the aerial shot featuring all the students participating in the fundraising was theirs, as was the podcast aimed at spreading kindness and sharing ways to be kind within the school. We couldn’t be prouder of them for bringing this project to life.

Thank you for supporting this initiative and for engaging in conversations with your children at home about kindness and how we can treat others in a way we would like to be treated.

Yesterday we raised just over $1000 that will go to a new mural in our playground.

AUTHENTIC STUDENT VOICE AT MET NTH SRC 

A new initiative from the Department of Education aims to ensure that we hear authentically from students about our system and how we can implement meaningful change. This initiative is connected to the Education Minister's Student Council, and you can find more information here: Minister's Student Council.

One of our very own student leaders, Audrey Grace, was elected by her peers across all the primary schools in the Gordon Network to represent them at a Metropolitan North Directorate-level forum, known as the regional Student Representative Council (SRC). The SRC will meet once a term to discuss issues that affect all students in Metropolitan North. This forum is designed to amplify their voices and empower them to represent their peers at this level. By listening to and acting on students' perspectives, the Department of Education can enhance the educational experience for all students.

It was inspiring to hear from the future leaders of our country and to witness Audrey's engagement as a remarkable role model for young leaders and her peers.

PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Yesterday, we shared a post on SZapp regarding the booking of parent-teacher interviews through the SZapp.

I apologise for any confusion, but please note that bookings will open at 12 PM this Friday, June 6th, and can be made through your School Bytes parent portal.

I will share this information again on Friday when the booking system goes live.

AIR CONDITIONING UPDATE

At last week’s P&C meeting, I discussed the completion of our community and school-funded air-conditioning project. It is finally installed, operational, and working well. This project took several years to complete and was significant for our school.

It was a collaborative effort between the school and the community to ensure we provide the best possible classroom environments for our students and staff to thrive.

As I mentioned at the P&C meeting, I want to express my gratitude to the entire community for supporting this project over the years. The air conditioning in each classroom will make a substantial difference and is only possible thanks to our generous and supportive school community.

KISS AND RIDE ZONES

I’d like to take a moment to remind parents about the Kiss and Ride zones around our school. I recently received an email from a community member expressing concern about the limited parking and receiving a parking ticket from the council.

Unfortunately, I do not have control over parking spaces or the council rangers. However, we have a dedicated P&C traffic committee that has worked diligently with the council over the years to address these issues and establish specific Kiss and Ride zones around our school, install an aditional crossing on Hampden Rd and get a school crossing supervisor all for the safety of our students and families.

Please refer to the image below to remind yourself of the safest zones for dropping off your child, allowing them to walk a short distance to school. This reduces traffic on McMilland and Abbott Rd and supports all community members.

TOYS AND FIDGET TOYS AT SCHOOL

Recently, we’ve noticed some toy knives being brought to school as fidget toys. These items are not suitable for the school environment or playground, as a wrong choice or accident could result in harm to a child.

If your child has these toys at home, that is acceptable under your supervision. However, please ensure they do not bring them to school in their bags for use in the playground.

If you believe your child needs support in the classroom to focus, please discuss options with your teacher during the upcoming parent-teacher interviews.