From the Principal Team

School Council 

There are three parent representative positions open for the upcoming School Council elections. Self-nomination forms and additional council information is available from the school office.  Key dates are as follows:

• Closing date for nominations: Monday 16 February at 4.00pm

• Publication of eligible candidates: By Wednesday 18 February via a Compass Newsfeed. If insufficient nominations are received, a second call for nominations will be issued.

• Distribution of ballot papers (if required): Wednesday 25 February

• Close of ballot (if required): Wednesday 4 March. If an election is required, further details about the process and candidate requirements will be provided to the school community.

• First meeting of the new School Council: Thursday 26 March at 7.00pm

For more information about the role of the School Council, please refer to the following Fact Sheet or contact me if you have any questions:

Community Bell Blitz – Indigenous Biodiversity Garden and School Grounds

In an effort to complete our Indigenous Biodiversity Garden and ensure our school grounds look presentable for the School Fete on Saturday 28 March, we will be holding a Community Bell Blitz on Sunday 1 March from 9:00am – 12:00pm.

The focus will be on tidying and upkeep of the garden and surrounding school grounds. We want all community members to feel pride in our school space at the Fete, and would greatly appreciate any assistance you can offer during the blitz.

Sun Safety

As we move through the warmer months, sun safety remains an important priority at school. We are committed to supporting students to develop lifelong sun-smart habits and appreciate your partnership in reinforcing these practices.

Students are required to wear a broad-brimmed or bucket hat when outdoors between May and August. Wearing collared tops is also encouraged, as they provide additional protection for the neck and shoulders. On days of extreme heat, an inclement weather timetable is implemented, with students remaining indoors in air-conditioned spaces during break times. On warmer days that are still suitable for outdoor play, students are encouraged to seek shade, limit vigorous activity, and maintain regular hydration.

Families are encouraged to apply sunscreen to their child before school each morning. While sunscreen use at school is not mandatory, if you would like your child to reapply sunscreen during the day, please pack it in their school bag in an easily accessible location. Placing it in their lunchbox, if space allows, can serve as a helpful visual reminder. Teachers will prompt students at eating times to reapply sunscreen before going out to play. Please note that the school is unable to provide sunscreen for students. For school use, roll-on sunscreen is recommended, as it is compact and easy for children to apply independently.  

Parent/Carer Information Nights

Thank you to the parents and carers who attended the Grade 1–6 Information Nights this week. These sessions set the scene for our ongoing home–school partnership in supporting your child/ren throughout the year.

The presentation slides will be pinned to the Compass portal for each year level and will remain available there for the remainder of this Term, allowing families to access them at any time. They will also be published on the school website for future reference. We encourage you to revisit the parent/carer learning sections in particular, as these outline the key focus areas in classroom and specialist programs for Term 1.

Family conversations about school are one of the most effective ways to build learning momentum and strengthen your child’s engagement and confidence.

A reminder that key administration information was sent home with last week’s newsletter, and this content also appears as a standard page in every edition, providing an easy reference point for frequently needed information, including:

• office hours
• annual permissions
• assemblies
• attendance/absence
• Compass
• daily structure
• medication
• uniform
• TeamKids
• extra curricular activities (external providers)
• lost library books
• sick bay
• yard supervision
• payment/consent - events
• payment - parent contributions
• phone calls/voicemail
• Working With Children Checks + volunteer inductions

2026/2027 Calendar of Events

As we look ahead to the next two years, we are excited to share our 2026–2027 calendar of key events, which will guide fundraising, community engagement, celebrations, and home–school partnership activities. This calendar reflects our shared values, priorities, and commitment to fostering a vibrant, inclusive school community. It demonstrates a strong focus on reconciliation, diversity, inclusion, sustainability, and student wellbeing.

Community Engagement & Fundraising

Over the past few months, we have gathered input from a representative group of parents and carers through School Council subcommittees, staff representatives, a broader parent/carer survey, and student voice via leadership and Junior School Council members. This feedback has shaped our approach, helping us plan events that are meaningful, engaging, and representative of our school community.

We have been very deliberate about how we space and sequence school events across the year. At times, important events naturally fall close together, for example Book Week and Wear It Purple Day, and we recognise this can create pressure for families in a short period of time. In response to a gradual decline in parent and carer participation in fundraising activities, we have also reviewed the overall number of events. Our aim is to streamline where possible and provide earlier notice so families can plan ahead. We hope this approach makes it easier for every family to identify at least one fundraising or engagement opportunity they feel comfortable supporting across the year.

Celebration & Commemoration Days

Our calendar of celebration and commemoration days emphasizes reconciliation and relationships with First Australian Peoples, inclusion, sustainability and community connection. Special recognition days provide opportunities to celebrate diversity, foster understanding, and acknowledge representation across our school community. While it isn’t possible to formally observe every significant day, classes will continue to explore additional themes through cross-curricular activities and morning circles.

Education Celebrations

Education celebrations are designed to highlight specific curriculum areas, strengthen home-school learning partnerships, and provide multiple opportunities for students to celebrate their learning and progress. Dates for termly Celebrations of Learning will be shared with parents/carers by grade level teams in advance. For 2026, the Term 3 Celebration of Learning will have a whole school writing focus. The date will be communicated in advance, with attention given to adequate spacing between this event and the Book Week dress up/parade scheduled for August.

Fundraising & Donations (External Organisations)

Fundraising events give students the opportunity to use their voice and make a positive impact. The Junior School Council will continue to lead initiatives, selecting charities or organisations to support through activities such as gold coin donations, themed dress-up days, or collection drives. These events help foster empathy, compassion, and community awareness. Details of the initiative chosen by the JSC in Term 2 will be shared early, giving families plenty of time to participate.

Extra-Curricular Opportunities

Extra-curricular events give students the chance to explore interests beyond the core curriculum. Some activities are targeted to specific year levels and may involve auditions, qualifications or expressions of interest. Whole-school events, such as house tabloid sports and athletics carnivals, encourage teamwork, participation and school spirit. Parents and carers are warmly invited to attend and support these events.

We encourage families to view the calendar as a shared planning tool, as your engagement plays a vital role in reinforcing learning, celebrating achievements and nurturing a strong, connected school community.

Emma Heywood

Principal

Getting to Know You Interviews – Bookings Open Soon

Bookings for Getting to Know You interviews (Years 1–6) will open on Compass from Monday 16 February.

Interviews will be held on Tuesday 3 March for students in Years 1–6.

These early-year meetings are a valuable opportunity for families and teachers to connect, share insights, and build a strong partnership from the start. They are designed to give parents/carers dedicated time to share important information about their child as a learner and as a person. Parents/carers have a vast amount of knowledge of their children and we are interested in hearing from the experts about how we can best support their children. 

During these meetings, you can:

• meet your child’s classroom teacher(s)

• share what helps your child learn best

• discuss your child’s social and emotional needs

• strengthen the home–school partnership that supports student success

Please note: While these interviews are not intended to provide a detailed semester-style academic report, teachers are already using a range of information to support learning — including handover conversations with previous teachers, access to last year’s achievement data, and early classroom observations and assessments collected this term to guide planning and teaching.

If your child has an Individual Education Plan (IEP), their teacher will contact you directly to arrange a combined Getting to Know You / IEP meeting.

Specialist Teacher Interviews: Specialist teacher Getting to Know You interviews will also be available at the same time. Unlike a secondary school model, these interviews are not required for every student, and it is not feasible for each specialist teacher to meet with every family. We recommend booking a specialist interview if your child has specific learning needs or circumstances you would like to discuss with that specialist teacher. Prep families are welcome to book one of these session as well, even though they have already had their GTKY interviews with classroom teachers earlier this week. 

Paul Nicholson

Assistant Principal