Principal's Report

Dear Skye Families,

Here we are at the end of Week 6! It's been a busy fortnight with Tuesday's "Meet The Teacher/Amazing Race" event a notable highlight, demonstrating the active involvement of our school community. The classrooms were buzzing with creativity and laughter for the scrapbooking activities and I was impressed by some of the fancy footwork from parents at many of the Amazing Race stations!   

Thank you

I would like to express my sincere thanks for the warm reception and support I have received since being announced as the substantive Principal at Skye PS. It is an honour to lead this community, and I am committed to working with all of you to continue fostering a nurturing environment for our students to thrive. 

Insights from the Peninsula Principal's Conference

Kim and I had the privilege of attending the Mornington Peninsula Principal's Conference, focusing on the importance of creating culturally inclusive environments within our schools. The discussions and insights centred around celebrating First Nations culture have inspired us to explore new avenues to enrich our school's cultural identity and commitment to excellence.

School Tours for Prospective Enrolments

This week marked the beginning of our school tours for prospective 2025 Foundation enrolments. It was a pleasure to showcase our approaches to teaching and learning and our impressive facilities. These tours will continue weekly on Wednesdays at 9:30am and be booked via this link.

If you are interested in seeing a snapshot of approach to learning and wellbeing Skye, I encourage you to have a quick read of our recently updated Welcome to Skye booklet in the link below.

School Council Election Outcomes

Congratulations to the new and returning members of our School Council. This diverse group brings a range of experiences and insights that will undoubtedly contribute to the effective governance and ongoing improvement of our school. I’m pleased to welcome Kelly Mudge (mother of Sam and Isobel), Amanda Harris (Mother of Kenzie & Evelyn), Helen Johnston (mother of Hudson) and Olivia Perry (mother of Blaire) to council for the first time. Nicoletta Bisbellis (mother of Eva), Janelle Forster Wilson (mother of Jordie), Bernie Gregson (mother of Ian), Chantelle Richards (mother of Mason and Parker), Rachael Dekker (mother of Molly and Alex) are existing members of council whose term is continuing or renominated. We are grateful for their dedication to serving our community.

Updates to the Kiss and Go Zone

Thank you to all parents and guardians for adapting to the recent adjustments in the Kiss and Go Zone. These changes have already made a positive impact on reducing congestion and enhancing safety. We continue to encourage alternative transportation methods (walk/ride/scoot) as a means to further alleviate traffic around the school.

NAPLAN Assessment Schedule

Best wishes to our Year 3 and 5 students as they prepare for the upcoming NAPLAN assessments. The schedule is set, and we are confident in our students' ability to perform to their best. Please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher if you have any questions or concerns.

• Wednesday 13th March: Year 3 and 5 Writing 
• Thursday 14th March: Year 3 and 5 Reading
• Friday 15th March: Year 3 and 5 Conventions of Language
• Monday 18th March: Year 3 and 5 Numeracy

Ballarto Road Construction Update

Please be aware of the ongoing construction work on Ballarto Road, including significant infrastructure upgrades. VicRoads have provided us with the following update:

Boggy Creek drainage culvert replacement works

From Monday 4 March to late May 2024, VicRoads will replace the drainage culvert that allows Boggy Creek to run under Ballarto Road. The drainage culvert is near the end of its design life and requires replacement. 

What to expect

• Crews will generally be working on weekdays; Monday to Friday from 7am to 5.30pm and on Saturdays if required, from 7am to 2.30pm. Ballarto Road will remain open for most of the works, with a reduced speed limit in place to keep crews safe.
• From 6pm Friday 15 March to 6am Monday 18 March, VicRoads will need to close Ballarto Road at Boggy Creek while they replace the drainage culvert under the road. These works are weather dependent and if required, VicRoads may also need to close the road from Friday 22 March to Monday 25 March. They will maintain access to residents at all times. 

Ballarto Road and McCormicks Road intersection upgrade

• Early works will take place from Tuesday 12 March to Monday 18 March to prepare for the McCormicks Road intersection upgrade. These works include removing speedhumps and relocating signage within the Carrum Downs Plaza to facilitate temporary bus arrangements during construction, and removing the Ballarto Rd center island near McCormicks Road.

What to expect

• You can expect intermittent lane closures, reduced speed limits and minor delays in place on Ballarto Road and McCormicks Road at times. 

Whats next

• From Monday 18 March, major works will be underway at the Ballarto Road and McCormicks Road intersection to build new turning lanes, realign sections of footpath, relocate power poles, improve the road pavement and install new street lighting. Further information about these works and what to expect during construction will be communicated in the coming week. 

Thanks for your continued support. Have a great fortnight!

Warm regards, 

Tim