End of term
It is hard to believe that the school year is already half over. With the end of term two drawing near, planning is already under way for next term which will be devoted to the preparation of the school musical, “The Little Mermaid”. Friday June 26 is the last day of term two. As is the norm, all students will be dismissed at 2.30pm on this day which is an hour earlier than usual. Please ensure that all children are collected from school at this earlier time. Other than an early dismissal, the school day will progress as usual with an end of term assembly at 9.00am. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all families a very relaxing, enjoyable and safe holiday period and look forward to welcoming our school community on the first day of term three. School resumes at 9.00am on Monday July 13th.
Parking Zone –Front of School
Unfortunately, the parking area at the front of the school is no longer able to be used. Stonnington Council has received many complaints from local community members who have voiced their concerns regarding students being dropped off in the area and also a series of traffic infringements occurring when students alight from vehicles both before and after school. As a result the council deems the safety risk too great and has therefore instructed the school to take the necessary steps to ensure such hazardous and prohibited access to cease as soon as possible. As a result the area has been secured to avoid any further use of the space.
Musical
Preparations for the musical are progressing very well. Last weekend a group of staff members joined forces with school parents to begin preparing props for the musical production. An impressive number arrived to assist on the day with the end result commendable. The comment at “Monday Morning Staff Briefing” was, “We have a very talented and artistically motivated parent body.” Next we need to consider carefully where to house the colourful props until the event. I would like to thank all school community members who gave their time so generously last weekend.
Parent Teacher interviews
Thank you to all families who have utilised Compass to book parent teacher interviews. The process seems to have been an efficient way to cater for all parent teacher bookings. Please ensure that you meet with your child’s teacher to discuss the progress achieved for the first school semester. Should the allocated times not suit your needs; please arrange an alternative time with appropriate staff members. Parent teacher interview days are Tuesday 23rd June and Wednesday 24th June.
Student Progress Reports
On Friday June 19th all students will receive a progress report for semester one. Please ensure you read the report and share the information with your child. Any questions you may have should be directed to the classroom teacher during your parent teacher interview. You are encouraged to celebrate the efforts and achievements of your child’s primary school experience for the first half of the year. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the students’ comments around involvement in classroom learning experiences. Compass has been used to generate our whole school student progress reports. The reports are slightly different to the Quick Vic Reports from previous years. We will be seeking your feedback on the new report format before the end of term. In the near future, our plan is to move towards online student reports using the Compass program.
Curriculum Day
In line with all Government Schools, Toorak Primary School will participate in a student free curriculum day on Monday June 22nd. OSHC will operate for children who require supervision on the day. During the day, staff will use the time to plan curriculum programs for term three.
Asbestos Audit
Toorak Primary School has only a small amount of asbestos which is checked regularly to ensure it remains in excellent condition. As part of the Department of Education and Training Health and Safety Management Plan, new labelling will be installed at our school. The labels remind people to contact school reception prior to undertaking any works at the school, to ensure they have up-to-date information from the school’s asbestos register. Asbestos – which was used extensively in building materials in the past but is now banned – is considered safe unless damaged or in poor condition. The new labels form part of a comprehensive program to ensure Victorian government schools remain safe. Children’s safety is our number one priority. That is why we are taking this extra step as a precaution. The asbestos audit for Toorak Primary School will take place on July 29th .
The Education State
The State Government of Victoria intends to make Victoria “The Education State”. Over the next two months a consultative process is taking place where Victorians are asked to contribute their ideas as to what the new Education State might look like. If you would like to help shape the Education State please log onto: educationstate.education.vic.gov.au
Julie Manallack
Principal