Leadership Report

Thursday 19th October

Dear Parents, Students and Friends,

Melbourne is certainly putting on some lovely weather for us this week. It beats the cold and wet weather that preceded it! Please ensure your children are wearing their hats each day so they can play outside during breaks and participate in PE sessions without issue. Also, please check that all hats are clearly named so they can be returned to their rightful owners. Thanks for your support with this.

Swimming

We have sent out reminders to any parents wanting to enrol their child in our school swimming program. We need to finalise our numbers on the 25th October so please complete the appropriate forms by this date (on SchoolStream) if you would like your child to participate.

Students not attending swimming lessons will complete Water Safety activities back at school with another class not swimming that day. 

It is expected that all students are working towards achieving their Victorian Water Safety Certficate. If your child does this outside of school in private lessons and won't be attending the school swimming program, please email this documentation through at your earliest convenience to my email.

Taekwondo National Championships

Congratulations to Katie, one of our Year 6 students, who recently participated in the Australian Taekwondo National Championships in Perth. Katie had a fantastic tournament winning the bronze medal in her age group. A fantastic achievement! Katie trains six days a week – even on school holidays. Her dedication and commitment are certainly paying off.  Well done!

Playground

We are pleased to announce that our new playground opened this Monday! During the build, we did encounter some obstacles but, working alongside the installers, we were able to overcome these. It did involve moving the climbing cube next to the basketball courts, which was not initially planned but ultimately required. 

While there was a bit of a wait, our senior students, in Years 3-6, are now relishing the opportunity to explore the new equipment. It is a great addition to our play spaces and will be enjoyed for many years. Thanks to our students for participating in the planning process and sharing their thoughts and ideas. This is just another example of Student Voice at our school.

Camp

Next Wednesday, our two school camps will be taking place. The Year 3&4s will head to Phillip Island and our Year 5&6s are off to Mt. Evelyn. This is an exciting time for our senior students. It has been a while since our last school camp and I have no doubt they will enjoy a wide range of adventure activities. However, camp is so much more than just activities and having fun. The purpose of camp is to provide opportunities to further develop social and emotional capabilities, build resilience and collaborate with peers and staff in a different environment. Both Steve Richardson and I will attend the camps for parts of the three days. I’m looking forward to seeing the students in this different learning environment as it was always one of the highlights when I was a classroom teacher. I hope everyone involved has a wonderful time.

Thank you to the staff who have planned and organised the two camps. There is such a large amount of time required and we appreciate your efforts, particularly Mr. Dempsey and Mrs. Scully. Thank you also to our parent helpers for assisting on the camps. 

Carols Evening and Raffle

Our Carols Evening will take place on Thursday 7th December. The Highvale Primary Community Group (HPCG) will be running a raffle on the night and this is a major fundraiser for the school. There will be communications in the next few weeks seeking donations. If you or your connections have the ability to donate any prizes, please let us know. 

Turning Circle - Morning Drop Off

Over the last few months, I have noticed an increase in parents who are not driving down the yellow line during morning drop off. 

By moving down the yellow line, it allows more cars the space to drop students off. This will ensure we do not have a build up of cars waiting unnecessarily.

In instances where a car pulls up, with more room to drive down the yellow line, following cars can be tempted to overtake or drop students off in the incorrect places. This can cause major safety issues. 

Please be considerate of others even if you are running a little bit late and move down the yellow line.

If unsure, please look to the staff member on duty who may be signalling to you to move further down.

Please note, to ensure all students are safe, when using the turning circle:

• Only drop students off on the painted yellow curb. Move down the yellow curb if it is safe to do so.
• Avoid overtaking cars at morning drop off - I understand that, at times, this is a necessity after school. However, we ask that it is done safely, having checked for students and other vehicles leaving the staff car park.
• Please be mindful of students and drive slowly and safely at all times.
  While we remind students to be careful near the turning circle, we are working with children who may not be aware of potential risks.
• Please be patient. Staff on duty will assist if there are any problems and will do their best to help you get on your way as quickly as possible.

If you have any questions or would like clarification around the turning circle, you are welcome to contact me via email or through the school office.

Take care,

Josh Crozier

Assistant Principal

joshua.crozier@education.vic.gov.au