Principal's Report

Principal Report

Assembly Update & Final School Day for 2024

This Friday 13th December (tomorrow), we will be holding a special Assembly to farewell staff taking leave in 2024, and to share annual awards for House Points, Mathletics, Jolly Joggers and a range of other annually recognised achievements. We would love to see our parents/carers at the assembly to celebrate with our students and farewell staff on this day. Assembly starts at 2.45pm on 13th December. 

Our final assembly will be held on Friday December 20th, commencing at 12.45pm, where we will farewell the graduating class of 2024 and announce the 2025 School Captains and House Captains. As per our ARPS custom, students will form a guard of honour on the oval at the end of assembly to celebrate the final day with our Year 6 students. We encourage all families to take part.

School finishes at 1.30pm on Friday 20th December. Office closes at 1.45pm.  Students must be collected by parents and guardians by 1.45pm. Teachers will be on Yard Duty until 1.45pm. Please be aware that Camp Australia will be offering their program from 1:30pm on December 20th, so if you are unable to collect your child at 1:30pm, please contact them to make a booking.

Year 6 secondary Orientation Day & Whole School Transition- update

On Tuesday this week, our Year 6 students spent a day at their 2025 Secondary schools as their first step into Year 7 next year. The students all had positive experiences to report and were well prepared for the next step in their educational journey.

ARPS students in year F-5 also had another opportunity to visit their 2025 classrooms and mix with students in their cohorts at school on Tuesday afternoon. It was lovely to visit the different areas of the school and see how settled and engaged the students were when moving into their learning spaces for 2025, and working with different teachers. I am sure our final transition session on 16th December, where students meet their teachers for next year, will be a positive experience following all the transition preparation across the school this year.

School reports – Monday 16th December

Our Semester 2 Student Reports will be ‘live’ no Compass from Monday, 16th December. Please take time to read though your child’s report and discuss with them their achievements, their attitudes towards their learning and the future learning goals.

Thanks to the teaching staff that spend many hours preparing and producing these reports. A reminder notice for parents (printed) will be sent home with students on Monday 16th December.

Graduation on Wednesday 18th December

Next Wednesday 18th December, our year 6 students will attend their Graduation ceremony to celebrate 7 years of primary schooling and their transition to secondary school. We are very proud of the many achievements of our year 6 cohort and wish them all well as they move on from Albany Rise.

Many thanks to the staff and parents who have been working to ensure the evening event will be an exciting and positive event for the students to remember. We look forward to sharing some of the images and awards from the event in next Weeks’s newsletter.

Graduation Schedule:

5.00 Students arrive at the ARPS Primary School - ushered to the function room for dinner and guest speakers (2023 previous School Captains)

5.15 Students and staff are seated and dinner is served in the function room6.20 Guests begin arriving at the main hall.

6.30 Guests are seated and the ceremony begins

Student speeches, awards, recognition of achievements and guest speakers including School Council President occur during the event.

7.45 Ceremony concludes, photo opportunity

8.00 Year 6 Disco – Strictly Year 6 students only - back at ARPS - in the Function Room.

9.15pm Dismissal time.

The year 6 students have staff have put in considerable time and preparation for our Graduation event as always. We look forward to seeing families and friends attending on the night.

Swimming

Our students have been enjoying a well-coordinated and effective swimming program which will continue into next week. We have had many students participating this year, which indicates the community understanding of the importance of water safety. Staff and students are highly appreciative of the many parents who have come to support the program by assisting at the pool, particularly with our younger students. A big thanks to Ms Kelsall, teaching and support staff, and our administration team for the planning and implementation of this highly important program.

Thank You to Our School Council 

Our dedicated School Council meets each month during the school year to undertake their important role in the governance of Albany Rise PS. The work of our School Council focuses on oversight of important areas such as the school finances, buildings and grounds, school policy, strategic planning, parents and friends fundraising and out of school hours care provision. 

We have an outstanding school council in 2024 with excellent representation provided by parents and carers and members of our teaching and education support staff. Working in partnership our school council maintains a strong focus on continuous improvement and making sure that our students receive a high-quality education. 

Having worked in school councils now for many years I feel well placed to say that the councillors I have worked with at Albany Rise, have always been, and continue to be amazing. What I really enjoy is the sense of unified purpose and mutual respect all members bring to this work as it enables us to make a real difference for our wonderful students. 

We will be holding school council elections in February 2025 and we are always on the lookout for new members to join. There are no special skills required and if you talk to any current councillor I sure they would encourage others to consider this opportunity. 

On behalf of everyone in our community I want sincerely thank our school councillors for 2024. 

School Council President – Katrina Summersett

School Council Vice President – Chris O’Shea

School Council Treasurer – Andrew Muller

School Council Secretary – Bronwyn Clarke

Parent Members – Elaine Calfacacos, Gopi Kudipudi, Edwin Lampugnani, Anjana Janardhanan

DET Members – Collette Wilkinson, Narelle Seremetis, Michael Mottershead

Our final School Council meeting for 2024 was on Wednesday 11th December.

In 2025 the following tenure arrangements (standard 2 years) for current parent and staff School Council members are:

We are always looking for fresh ideas and new faces on School Council. I strongly encourage any parents of students at ARPS to consider School Council membership for 2025. Information regarding School Council membership and elections will be distributed in February, 2025.

Staffing & Class Structure 2025

In 2025, four staff are taking planned leave for the whole of the year, and exploring personal opportunities beyond Albany Rise.

Gary Peel (teacher) has been planning ahead for 2025 as a year of sabbatical leave. Gary has been an incredible, supportive colleague and long serving teacher at Albany Rise Primary School. Gary’s plans beyond 2025 are still being developed, with the prospect of retirement a potential option in a year or so. We will be celebrating Gary’s 35 years of dedication to our school and to Victorian education at our assembly on Friday 13th December.

Celia Kelsall (classroom teacher and PE specialist) will be enjoying a year of travel and exploration in 2025. We anticipate seeing Celia back at ARPS in 2026.

Megan Adaway (classroom teacher) is about to enjoy the delights of imminent motherhood, with her baby boy due in the first weeks of January. Megan will be undertaking parental leave for the whole of 2025. We wish her all the best for her new arrival, ND HOPE OT SEE HER BACK IN 2026.

Blake Ewald (classroom teacher) is expanding his teaching horizons and experience in 2025, moving to another school. We wish Blake all the best in his new role.

Natasha Weaver and Natalie Smith are enjoying the first few weeks of 2025 on leave to support family arrangements. Both teachers will return to ARPS in the middle of Term 1.

Next year we welcome the following teachers new to Albany Rise Primary School:

Mia Rowland (teacher). Mia has experience teaching in local schools and is eager to develop connections with our school community. Mia has spent time planning with our F-2 team in recent weeks and is looking forward to meeting her new class on 16th December.

Laura Young (teacher). Laura is an experienced teacher keen to work with our middle school team. Laura has recently spent time planning with teachers in year 3 and 4. She will be sharing a class with Dana Kroenert (current ARPS teacher) in 2025.

Yan Ling Ngew (teacher). Yan Ling is a confident multilingual teacher with strong abilities in tutoring and targeting individual student needs. Yan Ling has been involved in many whole school events and will be and excellent addition to our Senior School team. Yan Ling will be sharing a class with Trish Johnston commencing in 2025.

Natalie Tzanatos (STEM Specialist teacher). Natalie is an experienced STEM specialist and classroom teacher who will be implementing a revised STEM program at ARPS for all students in 2025. We are very excited about what Natalie will be able to offer our school in the STEM program next year.

Next year, our classroom structure and teacher allocation plan is as follows:

2024 Victorian State Schools Spectacular

Exciting news for the group of students who participated in the Victorian State School Spectacular earlier this year:

 https://www.vic.gov.au/victorian-state-schools-spectacular

The Seven Network is proudly supporting the 2024 Victorian State Schools Spectacular.Hosted by Home and Away's Ada Nicodemou, the special broadcast with behind-the-scenes highlights will air in Melbourne on Saturday, December 14 at 7.00pm, on Channel 7 and 7plus.

Facilities and Minor works – another UPDATE- Holiday works

Students have been thoroughly enjoying the upgrades and repairs to our Year 5-6 

Last week our community was informed of the timeline for Asphalt upgrade works will which be commencing during the holidays. Initial building compounds are due to be erected on the school site on 19th & 20th December. The contractors are aiming to have all of the works completed by the start of next school year.

Also, over the holidays, upgrades are occurring to the ARC building toilet block (junior students). Again, the contractors are confident the works will be completed ready for the junior students to use the refurbished toilets by the start of Term 1, 2025.

Additionally, upgrades to lighting will be occurring in the ARC and in classrooms across the school during the holiday period. This will be completed before the students return next year.

Finally, new posts and shade sails are being installed over the Year F-2 and 3-4 activity playgrounds over the break. They will be a slightly different size but almost the same colours as our current shade sail configuration- replacing the current storm damaged shade sails in this area.

It certainly will be lovely to have all these facilities in place for the start of the new school year in 2025.

Congratulations to Louise Jiang for receiving the Rotary Club of Waverly Sporting Award!

"Louise Jiang is the epitome of a fantastic ‘Sporting Attitude’. Louise's sportsmanship and positive approach have not gone unnoticed. Her commitment to fair play, teamwork, and a positive spirit makes her a standout in the world of sports. Louise's enthusiasm and dedication are truly commendable, and her ability to inspire others through her sporting attitude is a testament to her character. Well done, Louise, on this well-deserved recognition!"

That is the paragraph I wrote for the award, I am not sure if you want to use it for the newsletter. I have also added the photos her mum sent, you can choose your favourite.

Judy Drew

Principal