M T M A R T H A P R I M A R Y S C H O O L

COMING EVENTS

NOVEMBER

Tuesday 24th

2016 Prep Transition (2)

Session 9.15 - 10.30am

Wednesday 25th

Whole school assembly

9.10am in the Gym

Instrumental Concerts

6 & 7.30pm in the Gym

Guitar, Trumpet & Piano

Thursday 26th

Instrumental Concerts

6pm in the Gym

Piano, Woodwind & Violin

Monday 30th

Years 3 - 6

Literacy Incursion

DECEMBER

Tuesday 1st

Years 3 - 6

Literacy Incursion

Wednesday 2nd

2016 Prep Transition (3)

Session 9.15 - 10.30am

Lyn Thomas Piano Concert

370 Craigie Rd Mt Martha

6.45pm

Monday 7th

Year 5 & 6 Film Festival

6 & 8pm Rosebud Cinema

Bookings are essential

Wednesday 9th

Year 5 & 6 Film Festival

6 & 8pm Rosebud Cinema

Bookings are essential

Year 1 End of Year Movie

Excursion

Thursday 10th

Prep Birdlife Incursion

9 - 1pm

Friday 11th

Year 4 End of Year

excursion to the beach

11.30am - 2.00pm

Prep excursion to the

Enchanted Maze

10.00am - 2.30pm

Banksia Bulletin Thursday 19th November, 2015

Principal Report

Term 4 is certainly speeding along. At the end of this week we will have four weeks of Term

4 remaining. We have many activities and events still to come. I am really looking forward

to our instrumental music concerts starting next week! Please ensure you read our

“Coming Events” and any notes from the classroom to ensure you keep up with what is

always a busy time of the year.

PSW SHOP HOURS AND STUDENT SUPPLIES PICK UP DAY – WEDNESDAY 2ND DECEMBER 2015

Please note the following important times.

Student supplies will be available for collection from the Staff Centre 8.00am – 12.00pm 3.00pm – 6.00pm PSW Uniform shop hours: 9.00am – 12.00pm 2.00pm – 4.00pm. PLEASE NOTE PSW is offering a 5% discount from now until their last selling day on Tuesday 15th December. PSW will resume usual hours for 2016 on Tuesday February 2nd 2016 at 8.45am.

Prep 2016 Transition Afternoon Tea - Last week’s Afternoon Tea provided another

opportunity for our 2016 Preps, their families and our teachers to get to know each other.

With face painting, bubble making, kite making activities and a chance to explore the

sandpit and playground the 2016 Preps had a terrific time. Thank you to our fantastic PTA

for catering and some of our Year 6 students for running the activities.

We have another transition visit today with activities in the classrooms scheduled between

9.15 and 10.30 and two other sessions on Tuesday 24th November and Wednesday 2nd

December. Meet at the gymnasium foyer for classroom activities to commence at 9.15am.

Year 3 Somers Camp - Congratulations to our Year 3 students for their excellent behaviour,

organisation, resilience and participation in their first school camp last week. It was terrific

to see them all having a fantastic time. They are sure to have some great memories!

Thanks to the staff and parent volunteers for your work planning and running the camp.

Lost Property - Can parents please have a check of Lost Property? We have a considerable

number of lost items mainly jumpers that we would ideally like collected before the end of

the year. Lost Property is located in the Admin building near the Art Room. Thank you.

Safe Travel to and From School - a regular reminder to children of safe travel strategies

including crossing the road, using footpaths and road rules is always a good idea. We can

sometimes find footpaths blocked for example due to building or road works and

discussion of what to do in this case could be included as part of the conversation. Thanks.

Welcome - to Gabriel in Prep who commenced with us this week. We wish you and your

family a happy and rewarding time at Mount Martha Primary School.

Kind regards, Martin Page.

NEXT SCHOOL COUNCIL

MEETING

10th December

at 6.30PM

in the Staff Centre

Mt Martha Primary School strives to empower students to be active learners who make a positive impact in a changing world.

Keeping you in the

Literacy Loop The Year 5’s have been learning about Australia’s national parks, they wrote poems about their chosen park...

Kakadu National Park

At Kakadu National Park,

The trees are covered in bark.

Although it can get quite dark,

Nearly anything can light a

spark.

Under the low marshy

swamps, lie 10,000

crocodiles.

You can check how long they

are in the files.

If you feed them to half a mile,

They won’t bother you, at

least for a while…

At Kakadu you can

experience the fauna,

Then you can take a rest in

the sauna.

Take a ride in a scenic flight,

Come on, man up, use your

might!

Kakadu is lush and green,

The best place you have ever

been.

The trees are tall, thin and

lean,

You won’t believe what you

have seen.

Gus 5A

Low Island

Low Island, a beautiful

place,

Where the fish move with

effortless grace,

Coral with colours as bright

as day,

Just off the coast of this

stunning cay,

Lie on the white, sandy

beach,

Where the water lies within

reach,

The bright, blue sky’s divine,

And here the sun will shine,

When you visit you won’t

regret it,

And you will never, ever

forget it!

Isabelle 5B

Tasman National Park

Come and visit Tasman National

Park,

The trees are holders of

light-weighted bark.

The wonderful sights and

amazing views,

If there’s something better it’s

just you.

Out of all National Parks it is the

best,

Far, far better than all the rest.

Abel Tasman was the founder of

this national park,

If you don’t believe me there’s

even a plaque.

The wildlife there thrives from

day to night,

In that time birds take flight.

Dolphins swim in massive pods,

Chasing up those cheeky cods.

Kookaburras laugh from dusk ‘till

dawn,

While insects munch on the

accommodations lawn.

Whales come over as a part of

their migration,

And then they reach their

destination.

Ollie 5C

The Great Barrier Reef,

What a wonderful place to go.

It’s a world-famous land mark,

And is very well known.

The reef is massive,

Stretching 2,300 kilometers

down the coast.

Filled with lots of coral,

There’s certainly a reason to

boast!

Go for a day trip,

Snorkeling, scuba and more.

When you walk along the

beach,

Look out for shells and coral

that have washed against the

shore.

The marine life is amazing!

Over 1000 species of fish!

Lots of whales and dolphins,

That you don’t want to miss!

The weather is hot and

sunny

Warm each and every day,

24 to 33 degrees!

You’ll never want to go away!

The Great Barrier Reef,

Coral, fish and more!

Colours bursting from

everywhere,

A great place to explore!

Ella 5A

The Daintree Rainforest

The Daintree Rainforest, a beautiful national park. Beauty and gracefulness,

light or dark.

Delicate creatures, big and small.

Many old trees, that are greatly tall.

Drops of rain, fall all year, Even when,

the summers here.

Although it is raining, it is muggy and hot. The rain drips down, with a pit, pat, splot.

The waterfall drizzles, down into the river. A green tree snake,

you see it slither.

The Daintree is the oldest Rainforest in the world.

Many types of ferns, some green and curled.

There is beauty and nature, at this particular park.

The Daintree Rainforest, an extraordinary national park.

Liana 5B

Heron Island

The turtles come from lots of different

places

They come to Heron Island to set up

their home bases.

Making their burrows, they dig and

scratch

Burying their eggs so they may hatch.

Sharks, whales, fish and sting-rays

You can see these on any of your days.

Snorkelling and diving are great fun

Doing all of these things in the sun.

The Junior Ranger Club is

Interesting and cool.

Spending the rest of the day

swimming in the pool.

Walking on the coral hurts your feet

Eating lollies from the shop is

quite sweet.

The island smells a bit like a chicken

coop

The birds constantly squawk and

swoop.

Thousands of bird’s day or night,

Look up at the sky as they take flight.

Mackenzie S 5C

SPORTS NEWS

Jogging Club Only one more week left of jogging club for 2015! Milestones are within reach of some students and I’m sure we’ll see a huge number of students wanting to finish off the year well. Student cards will be carried into 2016 classes for them to continue jogging where they finished off this year.

Jogging club finishes on Friday 27th November. Which class will take out the Debbie Flintoff King Jogging club award? All will be revealed at our final assembly!

Missing Uniforms All our sporting activities require uniforms and equipment. We had students represent our school in summer & winter sport, cross country, athletics - please check if you have any uniform items, singlet’s, running tops or footy jumpers and return them to school ASAP. They are important for our sporting teams for 2016. Cameron Sweatman, PE Teacher.

Update – Literacy Incursion for Years 3 to 6

On Monday 30th November and Tuesday 1st December we have been lucky enough to

secure the talents of Samantha Taylor from Andrell Education to present writing

workshops to our Students in Years 3 to 6. This is to replace the proposed Literacy

Incursions that were postponed in Term 3. Samantha brings a wealth of knowledge, given

that she has been our mentor presenter for the Big Write and VCOP initiatives the school

has adopted this year. She also has connections to many schools in Western Australia,

and we hope to initiate an on-going relationship with some of those schools. Samantha will develop each child’s

understandings of indigenous perspectives during the writing sessions. We are looking forward to printing some of

the written pieces in the Literacy Loop section of future School newsletters.

Julie Moncrieff, Literacy Coordinator.

The Walk to School: A Parent Perspective

There are extraordinary things that can come from a walk to school. Precious moments, snippets of joy and connection, a time for

enquiry and reflection, exploration and a chance to notice new things. An opportunity to do something small for the environment, time

for me to listen so they can speak and time to for me to speak when they have a desire to listen. All this in the ten to fifteen minutes it

takes to reach the school gate.

After the morning rush is over and the car doors close behind us, we start our walk to school. We drive part of the way to school and

use the park and stride stops when we can. On the days when this is not possible because of my work or a disorganised morning, I

feel robbed of my walk time with my kids. The dogs are robbed of their morning walk too. I also miss out on a sense of satisfaction

that comes when I use less fuel or reduce traffic congestion around the school.

My son and daughter sometimes choose their mode of transport; occasionally the scooters come with us, but mostly they are happy

with their feet. I prefer it when they walk so I have more time with them and because I feel accepted and part of the adventure.

Sometimes my nine year old lets his guard down and holds my hand. Sprinkles of joy fill my heart when this happens because it’s a

carefree moment when he expresses his love and connection with me. It is also a moment in which I have them both. Hand in hand I

notice how much they have grown over the year. My son’s hand, while still soft has become broader and reaches further around my

hand. My six year old daughters hand holds on more firmly, but is still soft and squishy.

My kids notice things differently to most other people I spend time with. Their imaginations are alive with wonder. With each other,

they share the fairy ring on the ground or the animal shape in the tree. With me, they share their impression of the hedge cut into

waves, the smell as we walk beneath the enormous blue gum tree or the different flowers in bloom. They also notice the dried out

worm struggling across the gravel and take the time to launch a rescue effort complete with rehydration and relocation of the worm to

a safe place. This ignites a sense of empathy and compassion in them which is in keeping with my own ethic and sense of justice.

Sometimes, in their eagerness to get to school on time or have enough time to play, one of them will kiss me goodbye and run on

ahead. A bitter sweet sense of abandonment fringed with pride flows though me. They are learning to step out with confidence. I am

then privileged with one-on-one time with the child who remains with me…this is when the big issues come to the surface. It’s a time

for us to really talk.

The quiet walk back to the car is a chance for the dogs to sniff around and for me to take a deep breath. I have a moment to think and

to plan my day ahead. I love the walk to school.

Written by a past student and now parent of MMPS.

Walk to school month was a great success!

92% of students participated across the school. These participants had 26680 participant opportunities

to travel smart during the month of October. On average participating students travelled smart 49% of

the time during this period. That is a great achievement! Especially considering the state average was

27%. Well done to Mt Martha Primary School! You are Travel Smart Champions!

For many people this was a change to normal school travel patterns. The goal now is to keep it up. Find

friends to meet and walk with, create travel pools with those who live near you, or use a park and stride

point.

The Age published a great article about the benefits of school travel in supporting good health. You can

read it here:

http://www.theage.com.au/national/concerns-over-kids-health-as-only-half-walk-or-ride-to-school-at-

least-once-a-week-20151111-gkweaz

But good health is not the only positive benefit. Learning to navigate roads, decreasing greenhouse gas

emissions, taking risks and connecting with the community to build a sense of place are just as

important in raising our kids as the health benefits.

Let’s keep it up.

TravelSmart Video

Have you got photos you are happy to have featured in a short video? The video will be submitted into a

Local Government competition where $1000 is up for grabs. This money will go back into supporting

school travel.

Please email them to: mount.martha.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

Route Audits

We really need some families to complete route audits so that we can bring problems in to council view.

Audit sheets are attached for you use. Please return them to the office so that issues can be prioritized

and solved to improve the walkability of our community.

Prizes for contributions during October

Check next week’s Banksia Bulletin for winning entries.

Despi O’Connor

TravelSmart Committee

SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM January School Holidays

Moonlit Sanctuary Junior Ranger Program

Kids enjoy environmental activities, animal encounters and native animal care.

Day includes: interactions with dingo, python, off-limits animals, feeding animals & food prep, animal enrichment activities, fun and games for ages 7-14 years.

January school holiday dates:

Week 1: Monday 4th to Friday 8th January 10am – 4pm

Week 2: Monday 11th to Friday 15th January 10am – 4pm

Week 3: Monday 18th to Friday 22nd January 10am – 4pm

Cost: $65.00 per day, or $175 for 3 days (pro rata for additional days).

Maximum 16 children per day.

Bookings essential as spaces are limited

Dress for the weather and wear closed-toe shoes, long pants and remember your hat or raincoat. BYO lunch or purchase at the café.

550 Tyabb-Tooradin Rd, Pearcedale, Phone 5978 7935, Web: www.moonlitsanctuary.com.au/juniorrangers.aspx, Open daily between 10am and 5pm.

MT MARTHA CARNIVALE’

SATURDAY 5TH MARCH 2016

The Mt Martha Carnivale’ is getting bigger and bigger each year. It’s a fun and fantastic day for all and this

year we are holding it on a Saturday. We do require much help on the day and also require assistance with

pre event organisation; can you or your group of friends help out in any way at all?

WE DO NEED YOUR HELP!!

If you want to be part of the 2016 Carnivale’, even if it’s only a few hours of your time, please fill in the slip

below and hand it to the school office or email Trish Pell on pelly44@gmail.com. We will keep you on an

email list so you can choose what you would like to be part of. Thank you so much!!

Trish Pell – PTA President

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I would like to help with the 2016 Carnivale’ and be on the contact email list.

PARENT NAME: _______________________________________________________

CHILDS NAME AND CLASS: ______________________________________________

CONTACT NUMBER: ___________________________________________________

EMAIL: ______________________________________________________________

The 2015 Mornington Triathlon Festival is fast approaching on 28-29 November 2015. This year

edition we have two fantastic days lined up for the whole family. Saturday, there is the popular

TriPups Kids and Enticer Distance for those wanting to get a taste. Then Sunday is the marquee

event, the Mornington Long Course Triathlon. This includes a 1.9km swim, 90km ride and 21.1km

run along the beautiful Mornington Peninsula, coupled with a sprint and standard

(Olympic) distance triathlon for those not ready for the long course but who want to race on this

beautiful course close to home.

This is a great opportunity for families to get involved in a local event.

See you out there!

Despi O’Connor

LYN THOMAS

PIANO CONCERT

370 CRAIGIE RD

MOUNT MARTHA

WEDNESDAY 2ND DECEMBER 2015

6.45PM

Banksia Bulletin Advertising

STIRLING LINGARD TENNIS COACHING MT MARTHA TENNIS CLUB

Tennis….fun for life! Coordination, fitness and fun Tennis lessons from only $15 per week

Hot Shots program 4-16yrs Adults Cardio program Mon-Fri 9.30am

Extensive Holiday program running Summer holidays

slingard8@bigpond.com or call Stirling 0411 082 723 www.tennis.com.au/mtmarthatc

EMMA KAMAN SCHOOL OF DANCE

Offering classes in Hip Hop, Tap, ‘Musical Theatre/Glee’, Acrobatics, Jazz, Ballet and Contemporary.

Classes held at MMPS Gym & Mt Martha House.

Contact Emma on 0419 173 406 emmakaman@gmail.com

www.emmakamandance.com.au

Dr Peter Scott Orthodontist

Children & Adult Specialist Orthodontist

Creating Beautiful Smiles

13 Beach St, Frankston 3199

PH: 9783 4511

KOOPA HORTICULTURE Qualified Gardeners

Hand & ride on mowing Pruning & Hedge trimming Weed Control

FULLY INSURED

CALL LUKE OR JOHN ON 0403 027 164

John The Handyman

(I take pride in my work)

Mature, Reliable, & Courteous

Carpentry, Painting, Tiling, Plastering.

30 Years Experience, Cheap Rates.

No Job too small.

Ph: 0414 243 914

Breathing Room Yoga Mount Martha Community House

Accessible & affordable vinyasa yoga Feel energised, balanced and refreshed

All welcome, even if you can only touch your toes on a good day!

Daily Mon-Fri - 6.15am-7.15am,

Tuesdays 9.30-10.30am, Saturday 6.45am-7.45am

Contact: Fiona Lansley: 0405 10 30 60 to book.

Our school purpose is to ensure a high quality and engaging learning program that builds on the capability of every student.

M T M A R T H A P R I M A R Y S C H O O L

Mt Martha Primary School

Glenisla Dve

Mount Martha 3934

Phone: 5974 2800 Fax: 5974 3634

Absence Line 5973 7700 or visit the school website

E-mail: mount.martha.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

Website: www.mtmarthaps.vic.edu.au

Office Hours 8.30am-4.15pm Monday - Friday

OSHCP: 0407 438 858

Uniform Shop: 1800 337 396

Tuesdays: 8.45am—9.45am

Thursdays: 3.00pm—4.00pm

Cash, credit card & EFTPOS facilities.

Sorry, no cheques accepted

Online ordering available at: www.psw.com.au

PSW Frankston

21 Playne St, Frankston

(03) 9769 6510

Shop Hours Sun & Mon Closed. Tue to Fri 8.30am-4.30pm

& Sat 9am - 2.30pm.

SCHOOL TERMS 2015

TERM 1 30th January to 27th March 2015

TERM 2 13th April to 26th June 2015

TERM 3 13th July to 18th September 2015

TERM 4 5th October to 18th December 2015

CONTACTS

A friendly reminder to families and friends that Melrose Dve is reserved for STAFF PARKING. Please use Eco Park or Glenisla Dve.

Mt Martha Primary School strives to provide a safe environment for

students, staff and visitors. Please alert the office to any hazards.

COMMUNITY NOTICES