11th April 2024

Principal’s Report

What a big Term 1 it has been. So many amazing things have been happening at Montello.

Reading Success

- Our students have been rocking it in reading! 📚🎉 They've been making great progress and achieving awesome results.

Importance of Improvement in Attendance

- Attendance is very important, and our students have been doing an amazing job! 👏🏼💯 Regular attendance helps our students stay engaged and make the most of their learning experience. We would all love for school attendance to be even better in Term 2. Parents, thanks for your help to improve our overall school attendance.

School Belonging

- Our school community is all about belonging and support! 🏫❤️ Students feel connected and valued, creating a positive and inclusive environment. Having a great sense of belonging for our students at Montello is very important to me and all the staff at Montello.

JackJumpers Winning the NBL Championship

- Woohoo! 🏀🏆 Tasmania’s JackJumpers have made us proud by winning the NBL Championship! They've shown incredible teamwork and determination. Go team! Montello students and staff really got into the spirit to support our team and I know that our students have appreciated the visits we have had from mascot Jack the Jumper and Head Coach Scott Roth since the beginning of the JackJumper franchise 3 years ago. We all really appreciate the effort that they have put in to making the team feel like it belongs to all Tasmanians.

It is with great pleasure that I announce that Mr. Shannon Wolarczuk will be taking on the role as the Acting Principal at Ridgley in Term 2. We wish him all the best and look forward to seeing him back at Montello in Term 3.

I would also like to say well done to Samrath Sandhu for receiving a medal of distinction at a recent NW schools chess tournament. Congratulations Samrath!!!

If you are interested in joining our School Association please check out the information provided further in the newsletter and don't hesitate to contact the Office if you have any questions or would like to join. 

Congratulations to our student leaders who will join in the local ANZAC Day parade and service that will take place during the Term 1 holidays. I know they will do the school proud.

I wish everyone the best for the Term 1 holidays and we will be back ready to go for Term 2. Stay safe and remember that memories created with your children do not have to cost lots of money. A trip to the local park or beach can be just as fun and memorable as a trip to the Gold Coast.

Term 2 Dates

April

Monday 29^th  
First Day Term 2

May

Thursday 9^th
Mother’s Day Stall

Friday 10^th 
Walk Safely to School Day

Tuesday 28^th
NWPSSA Cross Country

June

Friday 7^th  
Student Free Day (Moderation Day) 

Monday 10^th  
Public Holiday (King's Birthday) 

July

3^rd & 4^th  
NAIDOC Week Activities

Friday 5^th  
Last Day Term 2

Merit Award Winners - Term 1

Aussie of the Month Winners – Term 1

Senara Byard

For consistently demonstrating our school values and being a positive role model for her peers. Senara is quick to help others, completes her school work to the best of her ability, and always chooses kind. 

Milla Schmidt

Milla is an outstanding student and peer. She excels in everything she sets out to do because she is determined to try her best. Milla is kind and always treats others with respect. This month, Milla has shown resilience after falling down the library stairs. This incident outlines Milla’s fun and bubbly personality. After falling down the stairs, she jumped straight back up singing Taylor Swift’s song ‘Shake It Off.’ She accompanied this song with a little dance to shake her pain away. Milla always manages to put a smile on everyone’s face.  

Dannie Lu

Dannie has demonstrated a genuine passion and desire to achieve her best in all learning areas. She also displays a great sense of empathy towards others. Dannie is an attentive listener and a continual contributor to our class discussions. She has lived our class agreement by being a responsible, brave, and respectful learner.

Values Card Draw

Congratulations to the following students who won movie tickets at the end of term draw at the Assembly. Everyone who received a Values Card this term was eligible for the prize. 

• Havana Mathewson
• Ruby Dolting
• Jaxon Jones

Montello Chess Champ

On March 25^th MPS student Samrath Sandhu travelled to Ulverstone to represent Montello Primary School in the Northwest Region Interschool Chess Tournament.

The event ran from 9.30 am until 2.00 pm with a full day of chess action.  There were 53 students in the Primary tournament and Samrath came 2^nd with a score of 6/7. His only loss was to the eventual winner. What a great effort!  Congratulations Samrath.

School Association

Easter Raffle Winners

A Note from Nurse Lisa

With all the beautiful sunny weather for Autumn, here are some activities to keep kids interested over the school holidays and weekends.

Being outside gets their bodies moving and minds active. Anytime outdoors, away from screens is great for children.

Use nature to Move - Dig - Splash Create - Discover – Imagine

And don’t forget to Slip Slop Slap!

Exciting Canteen News!

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to our new and existing school community.

I'm Kim Work, and I work at Montello as the Canteen Supervisor. 

I have two daughters who attend Montello school, so some people have seen me 
around.

It gives me great pleasure to serve delicious cuisine to our school community and 
make them smile.

Along with my many years of cooking expertise, I also bring my most recent food handling certifications. To acquire information and abilities related to running a School Canteen, I plan to attend workshops and expos offered by School Food Matters throughout the year.

Montello Primary School is a School Food Matters member that has earned Sliver Accreditation. Schools are awarded three levels under the programme: BRONZE, SILVER, and GOLD. Every level advances from the one before it. The majority of the food on the Canteen Menu is prepared on-site rather than being pre-made, pre-packaged, and heated elsewhere. This includes toasted sandwiches, pizzas, muffins, truffles, and salad wraps. Excellent grade ingredients are used.

 The program's objectives include: As part of a healthy, flourishing school, encourage and support classroom learning. Promote and make more healthful food options available in Tasmanian school canteens. Encourage the hygienic and safe preparation and presentation of food. The Canteen's participation in this programme reassures the larger school community that it strives to offer staff and students wholesome and secure food offerings. Any proceeds from the initiative are reinvested in the school, which runs the Canteen at Montello Primary School.

QKR App

Families will find this much more convenient, as placing orders and paying has been made simpler with the QKR app. QKR is available on Google Play or the App Store, and an information sheet is available at the Office or to download below:

Volunteer Help

We are constantly seeking additional volunteers, so please consider joining us if you would like to help.

Ask at the Office or get in touch with Kim at the Canteen.

Subway Orders Open – every Wednesday

Winter Uniform

As the weather gets colder it might be time to think about purchasing some of our snuggly winter items from the Uniform Shop!

Pre-Kinder Playgroup

House Point Tally Term 1

Athletics Carnival Slideshow

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Community Pantry

Our Community Pantry is proving to be a huge success with our families, and we are hoping for some more donations to keep it well stocked.

Here is a list of what is most popular, if you can give, any donations would be gratefully accepted 😊

Class Snapshot

5/6 Echidnas

1/2 Emus

We have been busy in 1/2 Emus looking at different text types. We made Oobleck and wrote a procedure, ensuring to include the materials and steps.

We have also been working on collecting and recording data. We completed some Smartie data collection with the treat of eating them when the task was completed.

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Harmony Day

Kitchen News

This term in the Kitchen we have been using lots of fresh produce from the School Garden.

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Students from Grade 1 - Grade 4 started their cooking lessons this year making a tomato and vegetable pasta sauce. They then mixed it with some penne pasta and cheese and enjoyed a bowl each. We talk about the importance of having vegetables in your diet.

In their 2^nd cooking lesson for the term students made pumpkin scones using the super sweet pumpkins grown in our garden.

For their 3^rd lesson Grade 1 and 2 students made savoury muffins which smelt as good in the hallways as they tasted. Grade 3 and 4 students learnt how to use a peeler, peeling apples to eat and to cook for using next term.

I have attached the recipes below if you would like to recreate them with your children over the school holidays 😊

Lisa Milne
Kitchen Supervisor

Mother’s Day Stall

Chaplain’s Chat

Otto & I have had a great term enjoying the chance to spend more time at Montello Primary. We have spent some time in classrooms encouraging students in their Literacy Group tasks & I have learnt some new things about the way our English spelling works. Lunchtimes & recesses have been filled with chats, games of 20 questions & UNO Spin. It was also great to spend time with some Grade 6 students, making beaded fish & playing the game Whoonu which is a fantastic short 'get to know you' game. It's unfortunately out of print but there is a printable version available at 

There has been one small "Understanding Worry" Inside Out Group running this term. If you feel your child would benefit from being part of either an "Understanding Worry" or a "Change, Grief & Loss" Group please contact me or your child's teacher.

Chaplaincy Week is fast approaching, when we get to celebrate school chaplaincy around Australia. The details of the Annual Tasmanian Chaplaincy Week Art Competition are below. The theme is "What I really want is..."  I wonder what you really want, to make life great? Otto wanted a new home & lots of fish, some students at the assembly wanted money or a phone but  I think it's more than these things - at lunchtime a student said that what she really wanted was the loving bond of her family and friends and I'm looking forward to seeing her picture of this. Maybe some of the things we all want are...... to feel safe, peace at home and around the world, that we belong, are listened to, and/or are appreciated and cared for.   

I'd like to wish everyone a safe & enjoyable holiday. I will again be helping at Riverbend Camp which will be attended by quite a few of our Montello students.

If you think I can help you and your child in some way or you'd like to chat please leave a message at the School Office.

Chaplain Sue & Otto the Otter

Chaplain’s Thought

Another of the the lovely posters that are on the noticeboards at school downloaded as a subscribers freebie from the link below.

The Annual Chaplaincy Week Art Competition is coming up. Entries need to be at the School Office by Week 2 next term on Wednesday May 8^th. 

With the theme of  "What I really want  is" the aim is to  understand what children and young people need today

Students can paint, draw, use photography, or make a sculpture and take a photo of their artwork.

School Holiday Programs

Burnie OSHC

Tasmania Devils School Holiday Clinics

Grant O’Callaghan Tennis

SCHOOL HOLIDAY TENNIS PROGRAM

Riverbend April Holiday Camps

Exciting Activities, Encouraging Studies, Action Packed Games & All Sorts of Fun. 

Application forms & camp waiver forms online  https://riverbend.org.au/ where you can also book online.

As there is only one camp this holiday it will probably fill fast.

April Camp 

Theme: Tangled
Grade 3-6 April 21^st - 26^th

Burnie Arts Centre – April eNews

April eNews from Burnie Arts (mailchi.mp)

Burnie Library

Events from 15 May – 17 December – Libraries Tasmania

Community Notice Board

PIPs Partnerships in Play

Variety Kids Sports Day

Fairy Godmothers

2024 Term Dates