Wednesday June 13, 2012 website:www.mpc.vic.edu.au

Moonee Ponds Central SchoolMoonee Ponds Central School

From the Acting Principal’s Desk

It has been a very busy two weeks since the last newsletter. Teachers have been working together to ensure all students strengths and weaknesses are known and that they are being appropriately challenged and their learning supported. This has seen teachers in teams moderating work samples to ensure understanding of the standards used for assessment are shared and valued. The AIM On Demand testing facility has been used widely across the last six weeks to support teachers in this work in both literacy and numeracy. I can only commend them on their professionalism in these processes as they complete student reports while maintaining focused, purposeful classrooms and organising and contributing to extra-curricular activities. Like the students at Moonee Ponds Central School the staff members are talented and hard working. I know they appreciate the efforts of all parents to support the learning of their children and the Parents Association in their fund-raising and cultural efforts for the school. I know I speak for the staff when I offer thanks for the support shown by families last week in response to the Stop Work Action. The timing of the action was not ideal in terms of our curriculum day and we all appreciate the efforts made by families to make alternative arrangements. The positive however of this inconvenience is that it leaves us now with an uninterrupted three weeks to the end of semester one.

School Council Feedback A pamphlet outlining the Mission, Values and name options was circulated recently and a display established near the multi-purpose. Thanks to all those that have responded via email. You can still let council know what you think about the published work by emailing the school email account, mooneeponds.cen@edumail.vic.gov.au

Melbourne Museum There is currently an exhibition running on “The Wonders

of Ancient Mesopotamia” at Museum Victoria that might

interest families. I mention it because some classes have

looked at the Herald Sun series article on the exhibition

and “The Invention of Writing”. More detail can found at

museumvictoria.com.au/Mesopotamia

Joanne Ryan

Acting Principal

Chocolate Drive News

Yesterday, a blank envelope containing payment for

chocolates was handed in at the office.

If you returned your payment yesterday and are not sure

if you put your details on the envelope, please contact

the office to check.

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Five Cent Frenzy

Please note that the last day to send your 5 cent

pieces to school is Friday, 22nd June. Any funds not

delivered to the office by the afternoon of the 22nd

will not be accepted, so get your 5 cent pieces in

now.

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Prep 2013 Enrolments

Just a reminder that we are currently taking

enrolments for Prep 2013.

Our familiarisation program commences on Friday,

22nd June. Future students must be enrolled to

attend this important program, so please come to

the office to get an enrolment form. Otherwise we

look forward to seeing all enrolled Prep students

here at 2:30pm on Friday 22nd June.

e-mail: moonee.ponds.cen@edumail.vic.gov.au Phone : 9375 2511

Athletics Carnival We have been counting down the days until the London Olympics and discussing the attributes of sportsmanship, tenacity, determination and being elite. We looked at pictures of Sally Pearson wearing the Australian colours and noted that she will be competing in the hurdles on August the 7th. The Prep – 2 children were most impressed that they have been learning the same events that are included in the Olympic games. On Tuesday the 29th May they competed in their own carnival on the school oval covering shot put, vortex, long jump, discus, 60m sprint, hurdles and high jump. The Year 8 students worked hard to record the results for each event. I would like to thank Sandy and Evelyn for working through lunch until 3pm to get all children to finish off all events. From the look on the children’s faces and the beautiful weather it appeared to be a successful day all round. On Thursday the 31st May the Years 3 -8 students participated in their annual Athletics Carnival at Aber-feldie Park. I would like to thank the parents who offered their assistance for the day as events like these could not go ahead without your help. Again we were lucky with the weather and there was a lot of cheering from the stands. Congratulations to Chisholm house for gaining the overall Champions trophy. Thanks also to the Year 8 students for giving up two lunch hours per week to organise the Carnivals this semester.

Shar Dickinson

P.E Specialist

ATHLETICS CHAMPIONS

ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

The Prep-2s had their athletics carnival at school on Tues-day the 29th of May. All the kids were super exited as they came down to the oval; they were almost bursting with energy! With all their team colours on it was like a rainbow sea. Each child from Prep-2 got a ribbon and had an extra fun day! That same week on Thursday the 31st of May the 3-8s went to Aberfeldie Athletics Track to compete in a range of different sports. “Beep” went the starter gun and the Athletics was off and running. It was busy, busy work for all the teachers, parents and especially the kids!! The hustle and bustle of a track and field event clashing and finding people who were meant to be in the next race was exhilarating and kept everyone on their toes. The year 8s were working alongside parents and teachers to get everyone where they were meant to be. I would like to say thank you to all the parent helpers that came on the day, and also a big thank you to the teachers who helped out. Finally, as you might know Shar is the schools P.E./sport teacher who organises these events, the Athletics Carnival wouldn’t have been possible without her.

THANK YOU SHAR!!!

By Libby Gleeson Year 8

Prep –2 Girl Lilly Holtz

Prep –2 Boy Flynn Gray

9/10 Girl Molly Kilpatrick

9/10 Boy Tait Pascoe

11 Girl Sera Sezai

11 Boy Jack McLeod

12/13 Girl Amelia Ramage

12/13 Boy David Nguyen

Yr 7/8 Girl Skyla Cain

Yr 7/8 Boy Jake Toa

National Buddies Day and VIP day

Buddies

On Friday 1/6 we celebrated National Buddies Day.

The prep students and their grade six buddies are painting some murals to mark this occasion.

We kicked the day off with learning the special "Buddies Handshake" and then did some of the preliminary painting

of the murals. They will display the handprints of all the 2012 buddies and, when finished, will be afixed to the brick

walls opposite Senadas classroom. We are all looking forward to seeing the finished product!!

VIP

On Friday 25/5 the prep students hosted a VIP morning. Student invited a guest to share the mornings activities

and then shared morning tea in the SPC. It was a great

morning and the prep students enjoyed hosting their special people.

Setting up a Student ICT Lead User program at MPCS

With the new trends and expectations in ICT, (the Ultranet, wikis, blogs, digital learning objects, search engines, sound recording, scanning, digital photos, video recording and editing, Kahootz, ipads …) technology is being incorporated into increasingly more areas of the curriculum. Not only are there new programs and pieces of equipment to figure out but increasingly there are technical issues to deal with. Over recent years staff at MPCS have recognized the responses to these changes need to not just be teacher driven but also require direct student involvement and at times be student led. In response to these we have established a program to train students to become ICT lead users and classroom technical support. What is a Student ICT Lead User program? The program will involve a set number of students chosen from each class (2 – 8) who would be trained in areas of ICT that staff feel are important. They will be given technical training, develop leadership and mentoring skills and learn about the ethical use of computers and equipment used at our school. Students will be skilled in the use of the equipment and various programs the school has purchased over the years. and will take part in discussions as to how they could be best used in their classroom. The students will then take the skills they have learnt back into the classroom and work with other students to pass on the knowledge. They will support, model and instruct their peers in ICT skills to enhance and enrich teaching and learning. By teaching others these students (peer coaches) will also strengthen their own skills and understandings. These students will also at times serve as technical aids and advisers for the classroom teachers. Teachers will have someone able to deal with basic technical issues that may arise allowing teachers to focus more on lesson content.

All 2 to 8 teachers have nominated a student from their classroom and we’ve recently met. As this is a volunteer program the students have been asked to go away and think about whether they’d like to be involved and what they’d like to gain from the training. So far we’ve heard from several who are keen to get started and as a result look forward to our first official meeting at the end of term and to training sessions starting in term 3.

Lee Pregnell and Beth McInnes MPCS ICT Coordinators

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BOOK FAIR / READING CHALLENGE NEWS This is a huge THANK YOU to all those who came and supported the BOOK FAIR in the library a couple of weeks ago. We managed to raise approximately $800.00 for the school and these funds will be used to buy new books and equipment for the library. Your support means we can continue to upgrade the books and get in new material which the children have requested.

Also thanks to all the children who handed in their wish list after the Book Bonding incursion. As a result of this and in discussion with Natasha (our guest speaker) we have been able to purchase some new books to help complete several series which we have in the library and which are on the Reading Challenge Booklist. If you require any assistance with your username or password please don’t hesitate to contact your co-ordinator. They are: Leah Manion (Prep,Yrs 7/8) Susan Russell (Yrs 1/2 ) Sonia Musgrave (Yrs 3/ 4), Jackie Pope (Yrs 5/6), So make sure you get on board with the Reading Challenge and Happy Reading!!!!!

Pauline McElligott & Kim Smith Library

2012 Lego Competition This is James Trembath’s (3/4A) winning entry in the 2012 Lego Competition. James won the best entry for the Toyworld Brunswick Store and received a gift voucher to spend on more Lego Congratulations James

$8

Excursions / Camps:

Prep Collingwood Children’s Farm June 27th MVIMP Camp - August 6th— 10th Year 3 / 4 Camp - Sepember 26th— 30th

DATES TO NOTE 2012

Excursions / Camps:

Scienceworks June 25th Prep Collingwood Children’s Farm June 27th MVIMP Camp - August 6th— 10th Year 3 / 4 Camp - Sepember 12th— 14th Spring Fete October 28th (Sunday) Year 5 / 6 Camp - November 26th— 30th

MONDAY

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

11 June

Queens Birthday

12 June 13 June

P-4 Assembly 9am

14 June

PA Meeting

15 June

18 June 19 June

City School

20 June

City School

21 June

City School

22 June Prep Familiarisation

School Disco City School

25 June

City School

3 / 4 Scienceworks

26 June

City School

27 June School Council

City School

Prep Excursion Collingwood

Children’s Farm

28 June Reports sent home

City School

29 June Sausage Sizzle

2pm Whole School Assembly

End of Term 2 Finish 2.20 pm

TERM 2

PLEASE NOTE:

Monday, 16th July is a Curriculum Day—a student free day. Students’ first day of 3rd term is Tuesday, 17th July

Website Don’t forget that our newsletter is on-line and can be found at www.mpc.vic.edu.au

If you would like to be on a reminder email list to let you know that the newsletter is uploaded on

our website, please email Kaye at : moonee.ponds.cen@edumail.vic.gov.au

TERM 3

MONDAY

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

16 July Curriculum Day

17 July Students Commence

Term 3

18July 19 July 20 July 5 / 6 Start Smart

7 / 8 Maths & Economics Workshop

23 July

24 July

25July School Council

26 July P-4 Assembly 9am

27 July Prep Familiarisation