A message from Tami -Jo

Welcome Back!

We have had such a settled and calm beginning to the school year. Students have returned with enthusiasm and have quickly re-established familiar routines. It has been wonderful to see classrooms engaged in learning so early in the term.

Our teachers have been focusing on establishing strong routines and learning programs through our Learning to Learn program. Our Leadership Team has also begun conducting learning walks to reflect on how programs have started and to identify ways we can continue to improve teaching and learning across the school.

I have attached photos of our amazing staff for your reference — both our teaching and support staff. Every member of our team plays an important role in ensuring our school runs smoothly and that our students are supported to thrive.

NAPLAN testing will take place over the coming weeks for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Preparation is already underway to ensure devices are ready and students feel confident and prepared for the online assessments.

Smoking Ceremony

On Monday 2nd February, we were honoured to begin our school year with a Smoking Ceremony. A Smoking Ceremony represents new beginnings and is a cleansing process. We welcomed two Elders from the Bunurong Land Council to lead this important cultural experience.

Although it was a windy morning which made lighting the fire a little challenging, students were able to learn about the significance of the ceremony, observe the process and walk by the burning leaves to participate. We thank the Bunurong Land Council for sharing this meaningful tradition with our school community.

Facilities Update

A great deal of work was completed over the holiday break to further enhance our school environment. Significant maintenance was carried out across the grounds, along with painting in several buildings.

We are excited to share that we have installed:

• A new volleyball court
• Table tennis tables
• A wheelchair-accessible path and equipment
• Additional synthetic turf areas

Many families have also noticed our new keyless locking system, which provides an additional layer of safety for our students, along with the new fence around the carpark.

A huge thank you to our facilities and maintenance team for their hard work in making these improvements possible.

Preps Starting

It is always exciting to welcome our new Prep students as they begin their learning journey with us. Term 1 is a time of enormous growth, with so many new routines and skills to learn.

Already, we are seeing wonderful progress as our Foundation students practise classroom entry routines, transition between lessons, navigate the playground and classrooms, and get to know one another. We look forward to watching them continue to grow in confidence and independence throughout the year.

Out of Hours Supervision

Staff supervision is provided from 8:25am–8:40am each morning and from 3:00pm–3:15pm each afternoon. Outside of these times, staff are engaged in meetings and preparation for teaching and learning.

We are unable to provide supervision outside these hours. Please note that the library is not available as a waiting area, as it is used for meetings and confidential discussions.

For families requiring care outside of school hours, our Out of School Hours Care program is available.

Swim Trials

Congratulations to our HAPE team for organising a very successful swim trials morning. We are proud of all students who participated and look forward to supporting our representative team in their upcoming events.

Artefact Activity

This year, students are again participating in our Artefact Activity — an opportunity to share an item that is meaningful to them and provides insight into who they are.

This activity helps students learn about each other’s cultures, religions, family backgrounds and interests. By sharing and listening to one another’s stories, we continue to build a culture of respect, kindness and understanding across our school community.

Stop and Drop Zone

We kindly ask all families to please respect the Stop and Drop zones as outlined in the map provided.

These zones are designed to keep traffic flowing smoothly during busy drop-off and pick-up times. When drivers remain in their vehicles, move forward promptly, and avoid parking in these areas, it helps reduce congestion and prevents unnecessary delays for other families.

Most importantly, following the Stop and Drop guidelines ensures the safe passage of our students. Clear traffic flow reduces the risk of children crossing between stationary cars and allows staff on duty to supervise effectively.

We also ask families to reinforce important road safety messages with their children, including:

• Always using designated crossings when crossing the road
• Walking bikes and scooters safely through busy areas
• Wearing helmets when riding to and from school
• Being alert and aware of cars when near the road or carpark

By working together and modelling safe behaviours, we can ensure our school remains a safe environment for all members of our community.

Responding to an Emergency

We would like to sincerely congratulate a small group of our students who responded calmly and responsibly when another student experienced a medical episode before school. They quickly placed him in the recovery position, sought adult assistance immediately, and remained calm and reassuring throughout the situation. Their proactive actions and composure were outstanding and demonstrate the care, leadership and responsibility we strive to develop in all of our students. We encourage families to have conversations at home about how children can help others in an emergency — staying calm, seeking adult help straight away and never hesitating to speak up. We are incredibly proud of the maturity and compassion shown by these students.

Open Classrooms

We warmly invite all families to attend our Open Classrooms on Tuesday 3rd March from 3:00–3:45pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet your child’s teacher, visit the classroom environment and gain insight into the learning spaces your child engages in each day. Open Classrooms provide a valuable chance to build strong home–school partnerships and start the year with open communication and shared understanding. We look forward to welcoming you and sharing the great learning already taking place across our school.

We would like to sincerely thank our families for supporting such a settled and positive start to the school year. Your partnership in reinforcing our expectations and values at home makes a significant difference in maintaining a calm and inclusive learning environment. We truly appreciate the way parents have supported our teachers and leadership team in upholding school rules and decisions. When we work together with shared understanding and consistency, we create the best possible environment for all students to feel safe, respected and ready to learn.