THE LINK

Principal's Report

Welcome to 2025! It feels great to be back at school this week. We are all feeling rested and re-energised for the year ahead. 

Our staff had a brilliant first day back together on Tuesday with a focus on setting the scene for 2025. We pride ourselves on our commitment to a positive staff culture.  We do this by honouring and adapting to different work styles, following agreed work behaviours, engaging in genuine dialogue and contributing to a psychologically safe work place. These are the foundation of the way we work together, so that we can get the best out of every staff member and ultimately achieve whole school learning and wellbeing goals and work at our best for your children and families. 

This year we warmly welcome new and returning staff members;

  • Ms Brooke Hallyburton – Foundation classroom teacher
  • Ms Maya Richards – Grade 1 classroom teacher
  • Ms Meredith Dowling – Grade 1 classroom teacher
  • Ms Liana Brown – Grade 3 classroom teacher
  • Ms Jorja Sharp – Grade 4 classroom teacher
  • Ms Nikki Calderwood – Grade 5 classroom teacher
  • Mrs Lexi Cooper – Grade 6 (Wednesday) and Grade 5 (Thursday)
  • Ms Hannah Davis – extra specialist subject program
  • Ms Christie Locke – extra specialist subject program
  • Zoe Bryce – Trainee

Due to 2 extra classrooms, we are excited to have Ms Locke and Ms Davis return to run additional PE, Art, Science and Humanities classes this year. 

I would also like to extend a very warm welcome to all our new families joining us for the first time with students in foundation, and families who have children in different grades across the school. 

Congratulations to all students who came in for beginning of year assessment and a very big thank you to parents and carers for supporting this important session for your children. Our teachers and your children have had the opportunity to connect in a small group, spend some time together and gather some very important information to support a smooth start to 2025. 

We have also had some lovely news over the break. Ms Jodie Abbott and Luke and their family announced the arrival of little Leo (gorgeous baby brother for Ruby, Eadie and Louie) and Ms Jess Turland Rhook and Blake welcomed their beautiful little Margot. On behalf of our whole community we congratulate them all. 

Towards the end of last year we launched our Safety Blitz. A reminder, we will continue to be vigilant in keeping our whole school community safe. Please remember the following;

As parents/carers (please pass this information onto babysitters and grandparents, friends), we insist you commit to;

  • Parking in designated areas only

  • Perhaps making alternative plans to avoid pick up in congested areas (we do understand this is challenging)

  • Refraining from calling out to your child to get into the car from the middle of the road (particularly Nicholson St) or car places other than car 1 or 2 in the car park loop or from the middle of the car park

  • Refraining from scooting/riding through the car park between 8.30am and 4.00pm (ensure helmets are worn when children are riding scooting)

  • Walking along the pathways or footpaths only (not through the road space on Nicholson St or through the car park or Ward St

  • Refrain from crossing roads in areas other than the designated crossing

  • Refraining from turning right when exiting the car park on Ward St between 8.30am and 4.00pm

  • Refraining from riding or scooting on school grounds between 8.30am and 3.40pm

  • Refraining from parking in disabled car park spaces if you do not have a disabled car park permit

  • Refraining from driving away from the disabled car park area in Nicholson St near the church hall until 3.30pm, when the people/student traffic has significantly reduced. 

As a school we are committing to teaching your children safe habits before and after school;

  • Crossing at the crossing on Nicholson Street or Flaxman Rd or where it is safe to do so

  • Wearing a helmet when riding or scooting

  • Walking across the road at the crossing and staying within the designated lines

  • Refraining from riding or scooting on school grounds and across the road

  • Walking along designated footpaths and pathways (not on the road – Nicholson St or through the car park – Ward St)

  • Entering the car (car 1 or 2) at the car park loop – Ward St

  • Waiting for parents in the designated ‘wait zone’ with staff supervision

Over the break I met with Warrnambool City Council regarding the development of short and long term road plans to enhance safety and minimise road risk around Ward St, Nicholson St and Flaxman St. Shaun Lucas will be working with our school council and community to devise an achievable plan and most importantly having it enacted. He has also asked me to share that parking inspectors will be scanning Nicholson Street and Ward Streets during busy before school and after school periods and issuing parking fines where parking breaches are made. 

We are working on parent forum feedback and recommendations and want you to know that we strongly value your input. We sent out recordings of the forum to the community and invited additional feedback from parents/carers who were unable to attend. 

We have made some adjustments to yard duty supervision and merits based on parent suggestions. 

Yard duty supervision

  • During first recess we will now have 4 areas supervised (see map below)
  • During second recess we will close area 4 (shorter break) and have 3 areas supervised. 

This plan fits in with the Victorian Government Schools Agreement (VGSA), with the number of designated yard duties fitting within work arrangements from the week. 

We are in the process of revising merits and look forward to providing families with more information. 

Towards the end of last year we were also alerted to bullying concerns across the school. We have 0 tolerance to bulling or any form of violent behaviour towards peers or staff and ensure we respond with consequence, support and re-teach of behaviour. For some students this may take longer than for others. We are working with little and young people, so it is important that every situation is taken as a learning experience whilst supporting everyone involved. 

We are launching the year with a guest speaker – Luke Kennedy, who will come in and speak to our grade 3-6 students on Monday 10th February. On the same day, he will run a parent session evening starting at 6.30pm. For more information about Luke Kennedy and his presentation, please click on the link below. 

https://www.lukeskennedy.com/youth-speakers-for-primary-schools

Following Luke Kennedy’s presentation, School Wide Positive Behaviour Coach (Department of Education) Lisa Douglas will launch and explain our School Wide Positive Behaviour approach this year and beyond. School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) is a framework that brings together school communities to develop positive, safe, supportive learning cultures. SWPBS assists schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for children and young people. It is important parents are involved in this process so that we can work together to make the greatest impact. 

We have also revised our behaviour of concern response processes and continue to focus on explicitly teaching expected behaviours. We will publish updated versions in the coming weeks. 

Thank you Mr Jimmy Boxer who has been working tirelessly over the summer to keep our school grounds looking immaculate. He has been mowing, watering and preparing for the students to return to our beautiful school. We have also had a number of staff members in and out feeding the creatures – Kerry McCarthy, Nicole, Dance, Meredith Anderson and Nadine Frankel.  I would also like to thank Aleesha Gardner and Michaela Allender for watering the garden and looking after the produce. All of these additional jobs take time and we are very grateful for the commitment our staff make. 

To continue strengthening partnerships between home and school, we are excited to connect you all with your new teachers this year during week 5  - Monday 24th February and Wednesday 26th February from 3.40 – 5.40 (10 minutes). Parents will be notified when bookings open on Compass. If the times don’t suit, you are welcome to make contact with your teacher and arrange an alternative time. This purpose of this meeting is to meet your new teacher, share your insights about your child and establish a parent teacher connection for an impactful year of learning and support. 

A reminder to use our website to guide you and provide information when something is unclear (we are in the process of updating information) or just reach out. 

We are very excited for the year ahead and look forward to seeing everyone back at school tomorrow. Bring on 2025 – let’s make it great together!