Messages from the Principal
Hello NPS Families.
We are now well and truly settled into another vibrant and exciting term. Teaching and learning programs are all well underway, and as expected, our students are demonstrating great learning dispositions and engagement.
Last week I had the absolute pleasure of hosting the school captains for their School Leaders Luncheon. We spent time talking about what leadership is and looks like, the reason why we have school captains, the responsibilities they each have, and what they would like to develop and improve here at NPS! Their ideas were... bold, to say the least! In a few weeks time, we all head off to the Young Leaders of Australia Conference in Melbourne, where they develop their leadership capacity.
A huge thank you to all Aberdeen House families, staff, and students who attended our recent Working Bee last weekend. Your time, energy, and willingness to pitch in have made a noticeable difference to our grounds. It’s always inspiring to see our community come together to work on a common goal - in this case - giving our grounds some needed tender loving care! In term 2, it will George House's turn to pick up the brooms, rakes, and shovels!
Last week, we started up once more on our ever-so-popular breakfast club! It is always great to see so many students coming along and enjoying what is on offer. Like a lot of our ventures and programs, the support we receive from parents and guardians to facilitate such a program is vital, and I thank the wonderful group who have been and are continuing to be such a great help! That said, we are currently seeking more volunteers for our Canteen Club program. If any parents/guardians may be able to spare 30-40 minutes on a Tuesday and or Friday morning, your help would be greatly appreciated. Volunteering is always such a wonderful way to connect with the school and make a meaningful contribution to our students day. If you are willing and able, please contact the office and let them know of your availability, and I will be in touch.
Speaking of volunteering, School Council nominations are now open! Joining our School Council is a fantastic opportunity to be involved in shaping the direction of our school, strengthening partnerships, and contributing to decisions that support student learning and wellbeing. I encourage anyone interested to consider nominating—your voice and perspective is highly valued. A compass post was recently shared regarding this, so please see that for more details.
Finally, and as was mentioned at our assembly last Friday, the safety of our students and families is always a high priority. I would like to remind everyone that students and parents are not permitted to enter or exit through our ‘never never’ gates at any time. That means accessing either one of our car parks for pick up or drop off, including accessing these points of entry, if only by foot. These gates open directly into areas where cars are moving, reversing, or manoeuvring, creating a significant risk for pedestrians. We have had several near misses over the years because of people accessing these points.
To keep everyone safe, all families must use the designated pedestrian entrances only via Skene and Aberdeen Street. I appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe environment for all members of our school community. By following these expectations, we reduce risk and protect our students from preventable accidents.
Thank you for taking the time to read this week's newsletter, and have a great weekend!
Our Staff - Get to know the people...
Laura Young is beginning her third year as our Newtown Primary School Student Wellbeing Counsellor. She provides mental health support to students, either via individual or small group sessions. Laura has really enjoyed her time at NPS so far and is looking forward to many more years being part of the lovely community we have here. A fun fact about Laura is that prior to retraining as a counsellor, she was a primary school teacher in both Melbourne and London!
On the days when she is not at NPS, our very talented Laura works as a children’s book illustrator. She also loves loads of other creative activities, such as woodwork and sewing. Over the recent summer holiday, she sewed her first boiler suit from an op-shop doona cover. This was a big sewing achievement for her, as it includes a zip!
Laura has lived in Geelong for the past 6 years with her husband and two children. Her whole family loves LEGO – you’ll find it all over their house!
