MRS BEV LAWRENCE

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Mrs Bev Lawrence on 9th March. Mrs Lawrence spent the final years of her teaching career at MHPS as a passionate and dedicated Early Childhood teacher in our Pre-primary and Kindy classes. She retired in 2015. At her funeral on 20th March it was shared that MHPS was her favourite school and she treasured her time knowing the staff, parents and so many students. Our sympathies are with her family and friends.

PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEW DAY

Students do not attend

This day would normally occur in term one, but due to the school review, the interschool swimming carnival and other internal commitments we have shifted the day to the start of the second week of term.

Monday 1 May 2017 for PP-Year 6 plus Kindy Red, Yellow and Purple
Tuesday 2 May 2017 for Kindy Blue, Green and Orange

The booking system will open on Monday, 27 March and close on Thursday, 27 April. Parents will be notified about how to make a booking via the Parent Liaison Network and TiqBiz prior to this date.

CHANGE OF SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT DAY

Due to the parent interview day being moved from the normal timeslot at the end of term one, the school development day scheduled for Friday, 26 May has now been shifted to May 1, when students do not attend.
1 May – Parent Interview Day, students do not attend
26 May – normal school day

Other important dates for term 2 include:

• School Development day, April 24;
• Anzac Day Public Holiday, April 25;
• Student interview and school development day, May 1;
• NAPLAN May 9-11;
• School Development Day, 2 June;
• WA Day Public Holiday June 5;
• Semester reports home, June 27.

Year 4 Room 40 will change their hosting of the Assembly from Thursday, 25 May to the Friday, 26 May given the mentioned change to school development days.

NAPLAN

Wednesday, 9 May to Friday, 12 May (catch up day) for Years 3 and 5.
Pamphlets have been sent home with students enrolled in years three and five with information regarding this year’s assessments. Visit the NAPLAN Website for more information.

NO HAT NO PLAY

The No Hat No Play dress code rule has applied to only terms 1 and 4 at MHPS. From the commencement of term 2 2017 this will now apply all year round to both educate students of the indifference of UV Ratings throughout the year and also to reinforce the message of all year round sun safety. Yesterday for example, despite the cloudy weather, the UV rating exceeded 3 in several locations across the metropolitan areas. Later in the year we hope to erect a public UV Meter to further reinforce the importance of being Sunsmart and to promote student awareness, vigilance and management. The following graph was taken from MyUV.com.au

WEBSITE ABSENCE REPORTING

We are currently experiencing issues with reporting absences on our school website. Please use the TiqBiz App or call or email the school to report an absence.

STUDENT ATTENDANCE

Commencing today is the school board endorsed approach to vacation leave approvals for up to 10 days, (the maximum per annum permissible per student). The guidelines are very simple:

• Parents/carers put in writing the period of the vacation leave to the Principal. This can be done through mounthawthorn.ps@education.wa.edu.au, or to the front office. (Teachers will be informed by school administration of vacation leave)
• The school office will investigate the student’s current attendance pattern, (rate, lateness and if any unexplained absence exists)
• The principal will respond in writing to the parent request as either:
  • Approved unconditionally;
  • Approved conditionally, (pending absence explanations for example or the maximum of 10 days has been reached; anything additional will be added as unauthorised vacation leave);
  • Not approved, (rate of attendance, number of lateness or explanations have not been provided).

The response letter comes with a backpage explanation which further explains the process and is currently available on the school website.

Attendance letter MHPS 2017

Most importantly the school office will enter all vacation approvals taking this responsibility away from classroom based staff.

HARMONY DAY ASSEMBLY

Our first assembly was held on Friday, 17 March 2017.  All students from Pre-primary to year 6 were either dressed in costumes from numerous countries or wore the colour orange. Room 38 hosted the assembly and students and Mr Thompson are to be congratulated on their item which focused on the meaning of Harmony Day. We raised $769.00 with proceeds going to the Adopt-a-School program to support our sister school in Bali.

Click here for some more photos

SUNDOWNER AND ELECTION DAY

Thanks to the P&C and volunteers who made these events such a wonderful success. The P&C will purchase some items from our school wish list with the funds raised – stay tuned!

ANZAC DAY ASSEMBLY

On Friday 7 April at 9.00am the school ANZAC Ceremony will be held on the tiger turf for Pre-primary to Year 6 students. The ceremony will be compered by the Semester One student councillors. There is  an expectation that all students will wear full school uniform including their school hat. Any student who belongs to guides/scouts etc is welcome to wear that uniform. Members of the Mount Hawthorn RSL and Anzac Cottage Committee will be in attendance. All members of the school community are welcome to attend this ceremony. Bronwen Mears

CONGRATULATIONS

Tobias S from Year 4 Room 40 was awarded Junior Club Boy Champion and Under 9 Boy Age Champion at UWA Little Athletics Club. Tobias was selected to compete at the State Championships in 70m 100m 200m and Long Jump.

FATHERING PROJECT

This fantastic initiative is now in almost 100 WA schools and spreading nationally. A committed group of MHPS dads are getting it underway through the school and have recently met with project representatives. If you are interested please add your contact details to the register in the Admin building and we will give you the contact details for our Local Lead Dad! More information about the initiative can be found at: http://thefatheringproject.org/

EPIPEN RECALL

Consumers and health professionals are advised that Alphapharm, in consultation with the TGA, is recalling four batches of EpiPen 300 microgram adrenaline injection syringe auto-injectors. EpiPens from affected batches can be returned to pharmacies for a refund or exchanged for one from a different, unaffected batch free of charge. For more information click HERE.

WRITING AT MHPS

Pre-primary

An effective way to stimulate and engage students is to provide real experiences and what better way to hook the kids into The Little Red Hen than to have her really visit. In Room 18 last week a special delivery came to the school in a box that had breathing holes and was clucking. To our surprise the Little Red Hen was inside. She told the children she needed help to make her bread and more importantly look after her eggs and then chicks when she returned to the farm. The egg hatching of 12 eggs into 12 chicks has been a very exciting and stimulating a lot of talk and writing.

We will be sad to see them go back to the farm.

Year 4

Diptheria, anti-serum, tragedy, miracles and much more were everywhere recently as year 4 students reported on a frightening fictitious outbreak in an Alaskan town. Complex words, visualisation, structure, suspense, grammar and punctuation were all very evident in in the journalist’s reports.

BATTERY RECYCLING

Our school battery bin will be emptied during the week commencing Monday, 20 March. The bin is located in the Harbeck Library so please deposit your old batteries before this date. Suitable batteries include Household dry cell batteries including AA, AAA (single use or rechargeable), C, D, button batteries, 9V and 6V.

TRADING CARDS

Pokemon, Football and all other cards present many challenges to our students during school times and consequently have not been welcome at MHPS. This continues to be the case, further highlighted by recent examples of biased trades and lost cards leaving owners very upset! Teachers will continue to closely monitor.

FOOTY TIPPING

Forms are in the office to help you complete your registration for this year’s footy tipping comp. You can pay cash or by credit. $25 is the fee.

Footy Tipping Registration 2017

www.footytips.com.au  is the new site we are using (not The Game) so you need to register from scratch. Download the app to help you tip on the go.

See the fixtures sheet if you would like to tip in your classroom for 2017.

2017 AFL Fixtures

SIM MUSIC CAMP

Music Camp 2017 will be held from Sunday, 16 to Monday 17 July 2017.

A Parent Information Evening for Music Camp 2017 will be held at 7.00pm Monday 8th May in the Harbeck Centre.

For more information contact contact cazshurmer@gmail.com