Mayfield East PS News
Term 4, Week 7
Principal's Report
There will be a link just below my section, accompanied by a QR code for parents/carers who can only access the paper copy at school, which will go through to a short survey. It should only take a few minutes to answer. By completing it, not only will you be directly contributing to our new School Improvement Plan for 2021-2024, you will also go into a draw for one of five $50 gift cards! Note: Surveys are for family groups, not per student. No more than two entries per family will be counted, to ensure we get an accurate understanding of community views. We currently have around 180 families at MEPS, so that gives you pretty good odds of winning a gift card, just for completing a short survey :) Surveys need to be completed by Tuesday 1st December, with the winners announced on Presentation Day (Wednesday 2/12).
Transitions
Last week we had a fun and successful PLP Yarning Afternoon with our Aboriginal students and their families, reviewing this year's goals and getting ready for next year. Over the next two weeks on Tuesday and Wednesday we have transition meetings planned for our students with additional needs. If your child has been identified as requiring a meeting, you should already have received a call. If you find that you're suddenly unable to attend the meeting, please ring the school so we can reschedule your time.
Fences
Our new safety/security fencing will start being installed from tomorrow - there will be tree loppers at the front of the school early in the morning removing branches however it shouldn't disrupt the morning drop off too much. The fence will start where the new one finishes on Ingall Street and go up the Ingall Street boundary and then along Crebert Street. We will also have new driveway gates and a new front gate. The fencing contractor is keen to help us keep the beauty of the front of our school intact, including the brick wall and sign and has made accommodations for that. We anticipate it should be finished by the end of the term, which is very exciting!
I hope your week is brilliant!
Warm regards
Robyn Christie
Extra-Proud MEPS Principal
Great things happening at MEPS!
Here are two humans who know lots about frogs!
1/2R Maths Whiz!
1/2R is full of amazing Mathematicians :)
K/1K celebrating their strengths!
Clever Maths champ in 1/2M!
Super writers in 2/3J!
PLP Yarning Arvo
Year 6 Farewell Invitation
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP FOR 2021
Year 5 candidates are: Lucas, Will, Otis, Alfie, Patrick, Edie, Eloise, Lucy, Madelin, Madie, Connie and Mia.
We wish them the best of luck and look forward to hearing about their hopes and dreams for our school next year.
NAIDOC Art Competition
Congratulations to Amelia our Early Stage One Winner
Congratulations to Josie our Stage One Winner
Congratulations to Masarat our Stage Two Winner
Congratulations to Alice our Stage Three Winner
A very special mention to Finlay, Archer, Boadicea and Madison for their incredible sculpture!
FROM THE MEPS LIBRARY!
Overdue Books - Overdue notices were sent home on Wednesday. If you have overdue library books at home, please make sure they are returned as soon as possible. There are a number of books reserved that are now late and students are waiting to borrow them. If a book is lost or damaged please speak to our kind office staff to sort out a solution. Thanks to all the families who have already brought back their books since receiving their notice.
Scholastic Book Club - I will be processing all orders by Thursday 26th for issue 8. Please make sure all online and school orders are in by then. Thanks in advance to everyone for supporting our school through Book Club orders. We are getting new books in the library for our students as a result of your support :)
Kindy - For our unit on Dangerous Animals we read the book 'Fox and fine feathers' (2009) by Narelle Oliver. The story tells of four Australian ground birds, Nightjar, Lyrebird, Pitta and Coucal, who live together in the bush. A fox finds them and is about to attack but Nightjar saves the others by using his camouflage to confuse the fox and lure back to the edge of the bush near a farm. We discussed what is the difference between a native animal and an introduced species. Classes then watched some videos showing how other animals use camouflage to hide from predators or prey. To finish of the lesson students then started a colouring sheet featuring hidden, well camouflaged, animals.
Stage 1 and 2 - We looked at the story 'Littlelight' by Kelly Canby. (2020) It was students job to try and discover the authors hidden message or moral. Littlelight is a grey town surrounded by four walls to 'protect' the townspeople from the different people on the other side. The mayor is angry because someone is removing bricks from the wall so those on the other side are able to be seen. The townsfolk of Littlelight notice sounds of new music, smells of new food, sounds of new languages and hear new stories being told. After more and more bricks are removed they wonder what they were afraid of after all. The mayor still is angry so the town build a new wall just for him hide behind until he sees the value of those that are different.
Classes agreed that the message was clearly one of acceptance and celebration of different cultures and rejecting fear and racism. We then discussed the idea of a multicultural society and how lucky we are here in Australia to have so many influences.
Students then filled out an Identity Map listing features that made them unique and interesting.
Stage 3 - Classes looked at their next imaginative text, 'Billy's Bucket' by Kes Gray and Garry Parsons (2004). We analyzed all the different writing and illustrative techniques employed by the author and illustrator to make this a successful narrative. Students liked the silly humor and ridiculous concept of a bucket being capable of holding something as big as a whale. Students took this idea of an ordinary object being transformed by an author to be something really interesting and exciting and created their own stories from everyday, boring objects.
Flo's Book Club - No surprises here. Another great morning with the clubbers. I was happy to share new books we have coming into the library like Jackie French and Bruce Whatley's new Pandemic and new graphic novels like Nat Enough and the whole Babysitters Club. I already have lines of students reserving these so I'll be surprised if they spend any time on our shelves this year. It was great to hear about all the interesting books students are reading like, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy (great stuff Euan....and 42), the new Witches graphic novel, Babysitters Club, Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid, The Mysterious Benedict Society, Skullduggery Pleasant, Wings of Fire, and Warriors (of course Liam). A special thanks to Mrs Claire Bailey again for giving your time. We all appreciate it :)
BIRTHDAY BUCKETS FROM THE CANTEEN
Current pricing:-
Nice 'n' Joosey & Quelch Sticks - $12 minimum for up to 20 students. For every student over 20, please add 50c per child.
Moosies & Ice Mony - $22 minimum for up to 20 students. For every student over 20, $1 per child.
Thank you,
Kallie Newman
Canteen Supervisor
ETHICS VOLUNTEERS FOR 2021
We are lucky at MEPS to have a robust ethics program, but we rely heavily on volunteers from the community. You don't have to be a parent, maybe you have grandparents who would like a way to get involved at the school? Training will be happening early next year so please head to https://primaryethics.com.au/volunteer/. If you have any questions, please call Nikki Costelloe (Ethics Coordinator and MEPS Parent) on 0423 415 389.
More information about the classes?
Ethics classes include scenarios, poems and stories, group work and activities to encourage the children to think about what they should do in different situations, about how those circumstances might make a difference and about the consequences of their actions. We hope students will become informed and inquiring adults with the ability to recognise ethical issues and explore them with others in a considered, productive and respectful way. They are encouraged to think about the impact of their actions, not just on the people close to them, but also on the broader community.
Community News
Mayfield East P&C
A reminder that our AGM is on November 24th at 6pm.
All positions are vacant and it would be appreciated if expressions of Interest or Nominations for an Executive Position are emailed prior to the 24th for voting*. Please send your EOI or Nominations to mailto:mayfieldeastpandc@gmail.com
*Please note that voting is for current members only.
An email will be sent later with the new membership forms and bank details for those wishing to renew/join for 2021. Please send us an email to mayfieldeastpandc@gmail.com if you would like to become a member or renew for 2021.
Additional Support Services
Headspace
headspace.org.au
Kids Helpline
kidshelpline.com.au
Beyond Blue
Parent Helpline
NSW Health COVID-19
Lifeline
Contact us
Email: mayfielde-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Website: mayfielde-p.schools.nsw.edu.au
Location: Mayfield East Public School, 32 Crebert Street, Mayfield East NSW, Australia
Phone: 02 4968 1495
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MayfieldEastPS/
Twitter: @mayfieldeastps