Montello Primary School eNewsletter

Principal’s Report

The school year for 2023 is officially over. It has been an amazing year at Montello and I would like to thank parents, carers and our wider school community for everything you have done to help our staff make 2023 such a success for your children. Throughout the year and especially in the last week our Grade 6 students have demonstrated the values of Courage, Respect, Aspiration, and Growth and have been a kind, supportive, and encouraging cohort of students. The excitement of moving to high school and creating new friends is ahead of them and I am looking forward to receiving updates from their lives and seeing the exciting journey that their education takes them on. On behalf of the all staff at Montello I pass on my best to all our Grade 6 students and also to students and families that are moving out of our area over the summer period.

Staffing changes for 2024

We welcome Mrs Catherine Gbenga and Miss Caitlyn Potts to our Grade 3/4 teaching team in 2024 at Montello and I know that our parents will make them feel welcome too.

Sarah Trevaskis is going on maternity leave at the beginning of 2024 and Di Edmistone will be moving interstate during 2024. Danika Spinks is going back to university and Jemma Preston has accepted a position at Parklands High. Belinda Hay, Amy Wilson and Harry Barton have all been working with us as Teacher Assistants in 2023 and their contracts are coming to an end but who knows what 2024 may bring.

So many amazing things happen in schools each and every year but I would like to especially mention the progress with our reading goals. Improving reading is our main priority at Montello and in 2023 our students have made so much progress. Our data is in really great shape, but probably more important than that it is wonderful to go into a Prep classroom and see the growth from February to December. Some students have gone from not recognising print to being able to read and then use some of the skills they have learnt to produce their own writing. The smiles on children’s faces when they can do it themselves, not just in Prep but right across the school, is all the motivation the adults in the school need to keep putting in the extra effort each day. I would like to thank Jocelyn Seamer for her support and expertise throughout 2023.

We have a fantastic school community and I want to thank everyone for their generosity in 2023 for those who have been doing it tough. I am so proud to be part of a community that cares so much. Have a great holiday with your children and please cherish the opportunities that you will have to spend time together as a family. See you on 8th February for the 2024 school year.

Merry Christmas

Our Grade 6 Celebration evening was an amazing success.

Grade 6 Award Recipients

Congratualtions to Suresh Opatha who was awarded Dux of School for 2023

Congratulations to all Grade 6 prize recipients

Student Name	Donated by	Award
Sofia Leon-Andrade	Hon Roger Jaensch MP Minister for Education Children & Youth	Minister for Education, Children & Youth Respectful Student Award
Summer Hennessy	Hon Roger Jaensch MP Minister for Education, Children and Youth	Minister for Education, Children and Youth Respectful Student Award
Scarlett Steers	Gavin Pearce MP Federal Member for Braddon	Living the School Values Award
Kianna Butler	Hon Roger Jaensch MP Minister for Education, Children and Youth	Montello Primary Positive Progress Award
Hunter Moore	Hon Roger Jaensch MP Minister for Education, Children and Youth	Montello Primary Positive Progress Award
Charlotte McKenzie	Parklands High School	Parklands High School Year 7 Bursary
Ryder Boon	Anita Dow State Member for Braddon, Deputy Leader of the Tasmanian Labor Party	Community Leadership
Ameliya Weeks	Kath Davis Memorial Trust	The Kath Davis Memorial Encouragement Award
Mitchell Elphinstone	Hon Jeremy Rockliff MP Liberal Member for Braddon Premier of Tasmania	Principal’s Encouragement Award
Indie Cameron	Burnie City Council Mayor Teeny Brumby	Burnie City Council School Spirit Award
Oakley Briggs	Emu Bay Lions Club	Grade 6 Merit Award
Reed O’Halloran	Emu Bay Lions Club	Grade 6 Merit Award
Ebony Bligh	Emu Bay Lions Club	Grade 6 Merit Award
Eva Murrell	Emu Bay Lions Club	Grade 6 Merit Award
Alexis Steers	Hon. Ruth Forrest MLC Independent Member for Murchison	Aspire Award (Teamwork)
Kaha Taiaroa	Dr Shane Broad MP Labor Member for Braddon	Excellence in Sporting Achievements
Asha Taiaroa	Dr Shane Broad MP Labor Member for Braddon	Excellence in Sporting Achievements
Mika Brian	Daniel Edwards	STEAM Award
Mayson Reader	Daniel Edwards	STEAM Award
Ethan Parker	Felix Ellis MP Liberal Member for Braddon	Award for Determination & Fair Play
Emily Best-Lemon	Felix Ellis MP Liberal Member for Braddon	Award for Determination & Fair Play
Kate O’Brien	Senator Anne Urquhart Australian Labor Party	Musical Achievement Award

Kinder – Grade 5 Award Winners

Gross Motor Skills	Physical Education Award
Hudson Rodman	Kiara Cross
Jammy Turner	Ruby Nolan
	Gorjie Elphinstone
Academic Excellence	Xahlia Rogers
Skyla Hill	Mia Butler
Yuna Hawkins	Benji Wells
Jacob De Bomford	Dominic Ritchie
Charlotte Davidson	Zachary Brooks
Indiana Reeman	Oliver Heazlewood
Ryley Testaz	Indy Weekes
Abel Butler	Logan Bredenhann
Byron Reeve	Luke Williams-Chick
Maddison Woods
Isla Howard	Excellence in Social Skills
Savanah Goss	Harlan Lowry
Noah White	Oliver Edwards
Isabella Weekes
Tamsin Dean	Excellence in Living the Values
	Alequa Roughley
Kitchen/Garden Award	Frankie Virieux
James Dean	Grace Hasler
Winston Chesterfield	Evelyn Basil
Elizabeth Clarke	Ruby Dolting
Dannie Lu	Tobias Sparkes
Henry Cute	Marli-Rose Pyers
Blade Agar-Evans	Ethan Hasler
Jax Gray	Daniel Moffet
Jaxson Eastley	Benjamin Bortfield
	Summer Edwards
	Peppa Hawkins
Makerspace/STEM Award
Daylah Armstrong	Music Award
Makari Wells	Jaxon Williams
Jett Weekes	Addison Hicks
Liarna Best-Barnwell	Paxtyn Bartsh
Arlia Waxman	Ben Jacobson
Zander White	Max Richardson
Evelyn Edwards	Izaeah Leaman
Oliver Cox	Norah Ashley
Zacoha Chatwin	Chemira Broome
Havana Mathewson
Dakota Boon	Principal’s Encouragement Award
Sam Garlando	Luke Roughley
	Cameron Banks
	Aaliyah Weekes
Lisa Bonney Memorial Encouragement Award	Louis Reeve
Hope Innes	Billie Scolyer
Levi Evans	Elijah Wigg
	Creed Coventry
	Lucas Bugg
	Jake Wilson
	Aria Hardy
	Sophie Feltham
	Bianca Newdick
	Caden Mackinlay
	Bridgett Roughley

1/2 Umina Visit

Yesterday our Grade 1/2 students visited residents at Umina Park and lifted their Christmas Spirits with some Christmas Carols.

Term Dates 2024

2024 Grade 6 Leavers Shirt Design Winner

Congratulations to Piper Reader who designed the 2024 Grade 6 Leavers Shirt.

Thank you to School Purchasing Supplies who donated a fabulous art prize pack for Piper to help her with her future design work!

Christmas Hamper Lucky Draw

1^st prize - Kyrah Fry
2^nd prize - Sophia Levesque
3^rd prize - Hunter Moore

Living the Values Card Draw

Amerson Butler - Living the Values prize of games

Movie ticket winners:
Brax Duniam
Reagan King
Kasey Rosenow

Launching into Learning

Christmas Activities at Montello Primary

Our classes have been having great fun in the last few weeks preparing for Christmas, with lots of craft and class activities.

Prep Bilbies have made some amazing decorations, our 1/2 classes enjoyed a traditional long table Christmas lunch with each other & during Term 4 in Kitchen, Lisa worked with students to bake red velvet cupcakes and then they decorated them for Christmas. There are some amazing creations!

Enjoy our Christmas slideshow.

Book Collection & Uniform Sales 2024

Wednesday 31^st January from 10am-2pm
Thursday 1st February from 1pm-5pm

You will be able to collect your child’s books and you will be able to purchase any items of uniform they may require. You will also be required to complete validation forms, permission forms, update any medical information for your child(ren) and add emergency contacts for your child(ren).

* On the day please remember to bring any medical action plans, any court orders, current phone numbers for your emergency contacts and anything else you think might be relevant or important for the school to know.

We won’t be collecting money for levies on the day, we will invoice eligible families later in February, you will only be required to complete a Levies Payment Agreement.

Please allow plenty of time to complete the book collection and paperwork process. There may be delays due to the high volume of parents & carers attending and there are several forms to be completed for each child. Students are not required to attend. Please note that we require a main parent or carer contact to attend on the day, we cannot send paperwork home with other family members, siblings, or family friends. If you cannot attend on either of these days, please call the office on 6432 2755 and we will organise a time for you to come in.

Students return on Thursday 8^th February.

We are looking forward to a great 2024 at Montello Primary.

EMUsicians 2024

Congratulations to Senara Byard for her successful audition and acceptance into the Emusicians for 2024. She will join Sophie Feltham who will be returning.

Staff Achievements

Julie Swain – 25 Years of Service

If it seems like Mrs Swain has been in the Office at Montello forever, that’s because she almost has been!! Mrs Swain recently received an award for 25 years of Continuous Service, almost all at Montello Primary School. What a milestone!

Daniel Edwards

Daniel Edwards recently travelled to Melbourne to the 2023 National Excellence in Teaching Awards.

Daniel was recognised for his hard work & contribution to STEM education with the NEiTA Apple Award. Mr McCall & Mr Langford made the trip also and were there to celebrate with him. Congratulations Daniel!

Giving Tree

Our School Captains went for a trip into Burnie to buy some presents for the Salvation Army Australia Christmas appeal. Some of the money collected by our student leaders this year went towards buying presents for those less fortunate which has been added to the gifts already under our school Christmas tree and taken into the Salvation Army. They even ran into a couple of special people on the roof of Kmart.

Thank you to all our families who donated generously to our Giving Tree & to our Community Pantry through the year.

Final House Tally 2023

Chaplain’s Chat

Christmas is celebrated around the world, by multiple cultures and religions, but the reasons may differ. For some it’s about Santa, reindeer and presents, for others it’s about spending quality time with family and friends and for still others, including me, it's about celebrating the birth of Jesus. For most, it’s some combination of all the above.

One element of Christmas for many of us is giving. Here is a picture of 14 of the 15 students who gave their time to prepare & pack boxes of Christmas gifts that will bring joy to children in need overseas.

As 2023 comes to an end Otto & I would like to wish everyone a happy Christmas celebrating with family and friends, a wonderful 2024 filled with joy, peace, love and lots of fun & laughter and to thank you for allowing us to be part of this wonderful school community.

Although funding has not yet been received for chaplaincy next year I am hopeful I will return to see all your smiling faces and to walk alongside you as you experience the many emotions that make up our lives.

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