*All unclaimed lost property will be donated to the swap shop at the end of the year*

Welcome to Ivanhoe Primary School

This week your child spent some time in their new class for 2025 with their classmates and with their teacher. Sometimes a student seems a little unsure about their new placement; change is always tricky and more so for some than others. Please encourage them to be positive, as this is a good opportunity to develop their resilience. Social skills are so important, and getting to know others is a great way of achieving and extending these skills.

Some students will just need time to adjust to other students whom they have not spent time with before; as well as to a new teacher. Given a few weeks at the beginning of the new year, I'm sure things will have settled down well. The holiday period is a great time of "looking forward" to the changes in 2025.

The Week That Was In Photos and Videos

Pop Up Strings

On Monday 9th December, families arriving through the gate between the hall and Foundation were greeted with the sound of “An Octave Above” playing Christmas songs under the Foundation balcony.

This Junior Choir is getting ready to perform at the last assembly for the year this Monday. Wow they're good!

Darling Dancers perform at assembly

Italian Day - fantastico

Science in the front yard with Year 4

Graduation Books on display

Graduation Photos and a Song

It has been a rewarding experience watching you reach the end of your primary schooling. In 2025 you will commence the next educational chapter of your lives, one which will be challenging but very rewarding. Learn to know yourself and your capabilities. Nothing is impossible if you direct your thoughts and actions in the right direction. Focus on being your best self. Stay kind, be smart, work hard and enjoy life.

Thank you for what you have done for your school. Always remember you were a student at Ivanhoe Primary School. It will always be your Primary School.

2025 Classes

The following are the classes, teachers and support teachers for 2025.

26 Grades
Foundation
FC FM FS FD	Emily Chau Mollie McCormick (Team Leader) Sue Kelly (Learning Specialist) Rosemarie Di Francesco (Team Leader)
Year 1
1AJ 1L 1G 1R	Ashleigh Kegele & Jordan Hayns
	Lusia Di Giovine & Vicki Lamont
	Georgia Groves
	Megan Richardson
Year 2
2N 2A 2S 2M	Maria Nedelkovski
	Eda Aslan
	Dan Sutton
	Sarah Murphy (Team Leader)
Year 3
3J 3M 3O	Jo Kittler & Jo Harford
	Fiona Millar
	Steven O’Callaghan (Leading Teacher, Team Leader)
Year 4
4K 4O 4T 4F	Liz Kennedy (Team Leader)
	Ozlem Oflay
	Jeremy Tottenham (Team Leader)
	Kirstie Fray
Year 5
5M 5R 5B 5T	Kieran McKissack
	Paul Roast
	Penelope Blanas & Matt O’Brien
	Chrissy Temple (Learning Specialist, Team Leader)
Year 6
6H 6P 6R	Rhonda Harvey (Team Leader) & Jo Anderson
	Leighton Pearce
	Rhianna Critchley
Specialists
Art	Cendrine Rodriguez
Art	Lauren Ward
Music	Marie Morrow (Specialist Team Leader)
Music	Matt O’Brien / Jordan Hayns
PE	James Bull
PE	Sarah Emerson
Italian	Beth Kimber
Italian	Steve McKay
Support	Luisa Di Giovine (Support Team Leader)
Support	Jo Harford
EAL/Support	Vicki Lamont
Tutor	Jo Anderson
Disability Inclusion Coordinator Jo Kittler

Celebrations and Sharing Food

For reasons relating to food allergies, health and safety, as well as the significant financial impost, families are respectfully requested that under NO circumstances are you to supply birthday cakes, cupcakes, sweets, gifts and toys etc. on school grounds – including at the OSHC program.

I apologise in advance if this seems harsh, but the wellbeing of every student must be our primary concern. Consider celebrating birthdays and other events at a local park or in your own home. Be mindful that many of our students are anaphylactic and food allergens pose a very real threat. Thank you for your support.

House Lunch

Parents will be invited to watch the presentation of House Captain badges to our new House Captains at assembly at the beginning of next year.

Planned Maintenance

Over the Christmas break the arborist will be in to trim our trees and keep them healthy.

IPS School Highlights (LAST CHANCE)

As part of our School Strategic Plan Review, we are inviting parents/carers to identify highlights of Ivanhoe Primary School over the last 4 years (2021-2024).

The leadership team has brainstormed a list from which you can select up to five (5) highlights as well as there is a box at the bottom of the form to add what may have been overlooked. Please use the QR Code or link below to access the for

https://forms.office.com/r/Gnq2xyAEMF

When the school review begins in early March there will be invitations to join forums and discussions to assist the school to develop its next School Strategic Plan.

Leapkids Summer Holiday Program

Leapkids will offer an action packed summer holiday program starting on 30th December 2024 to 24th January 2025. Don't forget to book your place!

2025 School Council Election

Elections for School Council are held in February each year with the Council of this school comprised of 10 members elected by parents of the school and 4 members of staff. The Principal is a member by right of office.

We have been fortunate over the years to have maintained a strong and engaged School Council. Every year, half the School Council is renewed creating room for new community members to join. Likewise, Sub Committees of School Council open their doors to new members. Our Sub Committees of School Council in 2025 include: Finance, Education, Facilities, Out of School Hours Care and Fair & Fundraising.

The School Council is responsible for assisting the Principal and staff in supporting the school, in particular it is responsible for offering advice on the school’s educational programs, administration and expenditure of school funds as set out in the annual budget.

The overseeing of the long-term development of the school and the current maintenance of facilities is a task that rests primarily with the Principal and School Council.

Elections for School Council are held in February each year with the Council of our school comprising of 10 members elected by the parents of the school and 4 members of staff. The Principal is a member by right of office.

Please consider nominating, or agreeing to be nominated, for School Council. We meet on Wednesdays and the proposed dates for 2025 are on the Some Dates For The Fridge page in this edition of Inside Ivanhoe as well as below.

2025 School Council Meeting Dates

Venue: Collaboration Space / 6.30 pm correspondence tabled / Meeting Time: 7pm.

Term 1

26th February

26th March

Term 2

30th April - single agenda item Annual Report

14th May

25th June

Term 3

13th August

10th September

Term 4

29th October

26th November

10th December SC Dinner

(Single agenda item *draft budget presentation)

* 6.30 pm correspondence tabled for 7pm meeting start.

Thank you to those parents who will have completed their 2 years or final term of office on School Council. Jing Ren Wu, Anton Wolmarans, Justine Convery, Mehran Ahmadi, and teachers Marie Morrow and Miranda Stott.

Flexible Work for Principals initiative

In 2024 the Department of Education introduced the “flexible work for school leaders” initiative. This initiative aimed to reduce the administrative burden on school leaders by providing additional leadership support and promoting work-life balance. I am pleased to inform you that this program has been continued for 2025 and that Mrs. Pam Wright will continue in the role of Co - Principal in 2025.

Pam and I have worked closely together for six years leading the school through many changes and challenges. We have continued to build on and maintain a well-deserved reputation for educational excellence and wellbeing support at IPS.

We very much look forward to co-leading the school in 2025.

Finally

Each year there are staff changes and while we welcome new people to our team, from time to time we sadly say farewell.

This year we farewell : Janet Waldron (Librarian), Kaye Herd, Clare Makoni, Kareema Hachem, Leigh Morrison and Miranda Stott.

On behalf of the staff and community I thank these wonderful educators for their contributions to Ivanhoe Primary School.

Thank you to all our outgoing student leaders who have served the school and done so much to make IPS a great school. We will miss you all.

Thank you for your continued support.

Mark Kent

Principal

http://www.ivanhoeps.vic.edu.au/

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