It’s been a settled and positive first week back. It’s always lovely to see all the students after the break, and I’ve been especially impressed by how many of them have gone out of their way to stop, say hello, and ask staff about their holidays.

It’s those small, thoughtful gestures, like when students return the question and ask how we are, that truly reflect the culture of our school. These moments remind us why we love coming to school each day to work with your children.

This term we welcome Mr Dale Beaton who will be replacing Ms Nikki Calderwood in Grade 6C until the end of the year.

I would like to sincerely thank every parent who took the time to complete the recent Parent Opinion Survey. We’re pleased to share that we received responses from 190 out of 353 families — a 54% response rate, which is a great improvement from previous years.

It’s fantastic to see increased participation across all year levels. Please see the breakdown of responses by year level below:

Parent/Carer Response Year Level Demographics

The results are affirming, and while we are pleased with the feedback. We are always looking for opportunities to improve. The preliminary data has been released, and there is much to celebrate as a school community.

We are looking forward to focusing on areas for improvement. The upcoming school review process will also help us gain a deeper understanding of these areas and guide our future actions.

Instead of the Annual Parent Forum this year, we are inviting parents and carers to participate in feedback sessions through the school review process. During these sessions, you will have the opportunity to provide open feedback to the School Review panel. The sessions will be facilitated by the School Reviewer and Senior Education Improvement Leader. This is a usual part of the school review process.

We are fortunate to have a strong connection with our school community, as we offer many opportunities for you to engage in events, feedback sessions, and learning experiences.

The School Review panel will consist of;

Tracy Hammill - School Reviewer

Cherie Kilpatrick - Senior Education Improvement Leader, Department of Education

Jane Langley – Principal, Hamilton PS, Grey Street

Kylie Carter – Principal, Hampden Special Development School

Dave Long – School Council President

WEPS Leadership team – Marina Milich, Princpal, Ann Dwyer, Assistant Principal, Nicole Farrelly, Diversity and Inclusion Leader, Kerry McCarthy, Engagement and Mental Health Leader, Jeremy Gillies, Learning Leader/Numeracy Learning Specialist, Ali Smith, Literacy Learning Specialist, Michaela Allender, Graduate Teacher Mentor.

We are provided 3 options for you to engage;

Face to face on Thursday 23rd October 8.30-9am
Webex on Thursday 23rd October 7.30-8pm
Google Feedback form (to be sent out Monday 20th October)

We are very excited about the upcoming review process and look forward to setting the new WEPS strategic direction for the next 4 years.

We are looking forward to focusing on areas for improvement. The upcoming school review process will also help us gain a deeper understanding of these areas and guide our future actions.

Instead of the Annual Parent Forum this year, we are inviting parents and carers to participate in feedback sessions through the school review process. During these sessions, you will have the opportunity to provide open feedback to the School Review panel. The sessions will be facilitated by the School Reviewer and Senior Education Improvement Leader. This is a usual part of the school review process.

We are fortunate to have a strong connection with our school community, as we offer many opportunities for you to engage in events, feedback sessions, and learning experiences.

The School Review panel will consist of;

Tracy Hammill - School Reviewer

Cherie Kilpatrick - Senior Education Improvement Leader, Department of Education

Jane Langley – Principal, Hamilton PS, Grey Street

Kylie Carter – Principal, Hampden Special Development School

Dave Long – School Council President

WEPS Leadership team – Marina Milich, Princpal, Ann Dwyer, Assistant Principal, Nicole Farrelly, Diversity and Inclusion Leader, Kerry McCarthy, Engagement and Mental Health Leader, Jeremy Gillies, Learning Leader/Numeracy Learning Specialist, Ali Smith, Literacy Learning Specialist, Michaela Allender, Graduate Teacher Mentor.

We are provided 3 options for you to engage;

Face to face on Thursday 23rd October 8.30-9am
Webex on Thursday 23rd October 7.30-8pm
Google Feedback form (to be sent out Monday 20th October)

We are very excited about the upcoming review process and look forward to setting the new WEPS strategic direction for the next 4 years.

It’s hard to believe Term 4 is already here! Flying Start for our Foundation 2026 students begins next week. We are excited to welcome our little people to the program and our wonderful school.

Over the coming weeks, we will also be busy preparing for 2026. To assist with this preparation, we have developed a new Class Placement and Transition Policy. This policy outlines:

Class Placement Guidelines
2026 Class Structure
Step Up Transition Program (F-5)
Process for class placement notification to parents/carers
Requests for placement with friends (Student Voice)
Parent/Carer input into class groupings
Requests for placement with teachers
Requests for students to repeat a year level
Resources to support at home

Please note – the parent/carer input process has been updated. See the information below, which is also outlined in the policy. I strongly encourage all parents and carers to read the policy, as it provides valuable insight into our processes to ensure every student is placed in the best grouping to holistically support their ongoing growth in all aspects of school life.

Parent/Carer Input into Class Groupings

We understand that, at times, there may be valid reasons for requesting that your child is or is not placed in the same class as a particular student.

To request that your child is or is not in a class with another student, please collect a ‘green form’ from the school office. Complete the form, providing a detailed and well-reasoned explanation, seal the form in an envelope and address it to Marina Milich – Principal, then submit it to the school office by (and no later than) Thursday 30th October, 2025. Forms will be available to collect from the office from Monday 13th October.

While WEPS will consider your request, it's handled on a case-by-case basis and isn't guaranteed, as we must also consider the needs of all other students.

Please note: Any class allocation requests made in previous years will not be considered. Only requests submitted for the upcoming school year will be reviewed.

All requests will be carefully considered, however, they cannot be guaranteed. Our primary focus will always be on supporting your child’s wellbeing and learn

The calendar has been updated to include all end of year and beginning of year dates. Please monitor theses dates closely and mark the on your calendars at home. There may be a few additions over the next couple of weeks.

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Be Respectful, Be Safe, Be a Learner, Be Kind

Issue 31 · 09 Oct 2025

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