Principal's Report

Dear Skye Families,

We’ve reached the midpoint of Term 4, and it’s been another eventful fortnight at Skye Primary.

Gold Award Winners – Principals in Training!

On Thursday morning, I had the pleasure of hosting 10 of our top achievers—students who’ve reached ‘Gold’ status in our SWPBS positive reinforcement system. Their choice of reward? Becoming Principal for an Hour!

We tackled some weighty topics over a delicious morning tea (pro tip: every aspiring leader knows the value of a well-timed snack). From there, we stepped into the world of instructional leadership with learning walks and talks in classrooms. Armed with clipboards and a keen eye for detail, our student leaders observed, noted, and shared their insights—giving our school improvement strategies a fresh, young perspective.

The highlight for these Principals-in-Training was awarding Principal Award stickers to their peers who were working hard and demonstrating our school values.

Congratulations to these outstanding leaders! I’m looking forward to welcoming more ‘Gold’ achievers to the Principal’s office for another round later this year.

Class Structure for 2025

I’m pleased to share our class structure for next year. In 2025, we’ll have 23 classes across the school, catering to our growing community. Here’s a breakdown of the structure and average class sizes:

• Foundation: 5 classes, average size 19.5 
  (0A, 0B, 0C, 0D, 0E)
• Level 1: 5 classes, average size 19.5 
  (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E)
• Level 2: 3 classes, average size 25 
  (2A, 2B, 2C)
• Levels 3–4: 5 classes, average size 25 
  (3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, 4B)
• Levels 5–6: 5 classes, average size 24 
  (5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 5/6C)

This structure ensures we continue providing high-quality, focused teaching and learning experiences for all our students.

School Saving Bonus – $400 Support for Families

The Victorian Government is introducing a one-off $400 School Saving Bonus to support families with the cost of school essentials in 2025.

Starting Tuesday, 26 November 2024, parents and carers will receive an email from the Department of Education with a unique code for each enrolled child. Use this bonus for uniforms, textbooks, excursions, activities, and more.

If you have multiple children enrolled in Victorian government schools for 2025, you will receive one School Saving Bonus code email per child. These emails might arrive on different days. Please make sure to check your spam/junk email folder.

Parents and carers can use the School Saving Bonus code in store at school-nominated suppliers. Parents and carers can also choose to access the School Saving Bonus online system, where they can allocate part or all the $400 bonus to use at school nominated-online suppliers or for school activities. 

For details on how to use the bonus, visit School Saving Bonus | vic.gov.au, where a step-by-step guide will be available from 26 November. If you haven’t received your code by Friday, 29 November, email school.saving.bonus@education.vic.gov.au.

Pupil-Free Day – Friday, 22 November

A friendly reminder that Friday, 22 November is a pupil-free day. This is a Professional Practice Day (PPD) for our teachers, dedicated to reflecting, innovating, and planning for future excellence in teaching and learning.

Have a great fortnight!

Warm regards, 

Tim