Principal's Message 

How quickly a term flies by! It is hard to believe we have already completed a quarter of the year. Our Foundation students are well and truly settled into school, our Year Sixes are starting to think about where they will be heading for high school, while enrolments soon open for our 2027 Foundation students!

Highlights of the past two weeks included a magnificent Year Three to Six Cross Country with Gurrin taking the win, the Foundation Teddy Bear’s Picnic, the Year Twos sharing their incredible dioramas of important places in our community (I especially liked the ENPS ones!), the staff versus students’ volleyball match (with teachers taking the win!) and it is hard to top the annual Walkathon and Colour Run!

I have also truly loved my Thursday token recipient lunch last week with Ashirine (1MH) and Roman (4CT) and their friends Chloe and Armin. I look forward to more next term! 

I would also like to thank our community for their support of our staff taking industrial action last Tuesday. We appreciate that industrial action can be challenging for families and students. The decision to take action was made at a statewide level and directed at the government, not at our students or community. The action was a true sign of collective voice and unity from education staff from across the state of Victoria, with over 35,000 school staff proudly supporting an increase to government school funding and conditions for our students and staff. 

Staffing Update

As we wrap up the term, we will see a staffing change as we head into Term Two. Ayesha Katz finishes up today and begins her Family Leave, as we await news of the safe arrival of her and partner Jonas’ first baby in the coming weeks. While another ENPS baby will be close behind, with Serena Walker and her husband, Wade, due to welcome their second child, mid Term Two. Serena will start the term with us, however head off on leave a few weeks into the term. 

With Ayesha leaving, 4AK welcome Sarah Groves as their full time teacher for Term Two, and Jon Kent will return from two terms of Long Service Leave in Term Three to take over for the remainder of the year. Sarah's usual position is two days a week in 4CG. We are incredibly grateful to Sarah for increasing her time fraction next term to enable continuity and consistency for 4AK. 

Meanwhile, 4CG will have our most regular CRT, David Underwood-Harris, join them for two days a week from next term (while Sarah Groves moves into 4AK). David will work alongside Angela Collins in 4CG, taking Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the term while Angela, as our school’s Literacy Learning Specialist, works with staff and classes across the school.

With Serena Walker heading off mid Term Two, we welcome back Ainslie McArthur one day a week to replace Serena in 1MV on Tuesdays for the rest of the year. Ainslie will take over from Serena, working very closely with Macalie Vlah in 1MV. As another of our school’s Learning Specialists, Macalie works across the school and with staff on Tuesdays enhancing pedagogical practice across the curriculum, with a focus on phonics instruction in the junior classes. Serena will continue full time as our Mental Health Leader until her leave begins mid term. 

We will also have a number of staff capitalising on an extended break as we head into Term Two. Claire Taylor, Jan Clarke and Alice McKenzie have been enjoying some additional leave prior to the holidays, and Jan Clarke will also continue leave for Week One next term too.

Cultural Inclusion Calendar

Following on from our wonderful celebrations for Cultural Diversity Week, and as we hop into Easter, we thought we would share with you our Cultural Inclusion Calendar again in this newsletter. Please take a moment to read and let us know if we have missed a special date/event for your family so we can include as well.

2027 Open Day and Enrolments

Despite a mix up with our advertising, we will be hosting our Open Day on Thursday 30th April and Friday 1st May, with tours being conducted at 9am, 12pm, 2pm on Thursday and 9am and 11:30am on Friday. While our School Captains host Open Day, we look forward to our Year Five and Six students who will be our special tour leaders throughout the day! 

We take the opportunity to remind families that we do have a school enrolment policy and rigorous accountability regarding taking enrolments from within our school boundary. Enrolments for 2027 Foundation students will open on Monday 20th of April. If you have a child starting school in 2027, we request that you begin that application process so we can ensure your child's enrolment. Look out for further information coming on Compass and contact the office if you have any questions.

Crossing Supervisor Update

As an update from our wonderful school crossing supervisors, from next term, Ernie (Gillies Street) will be reducing to three days a week. We will see Ernie from Monday - Wednesday on Gillies Street and a new supervisor will join the team from next term. We are so grateful for Ernie, Rosa (Keilor Rd) and Gerrard (McCulloch St) and apprecaite enormously how they keep us safe around ENPS. Even Elisa from 2MT thought our crossing supervisors were worth creating a diorama about! Check out Rosa!

ANZAC Day Dawn Service

A reminder to families if you would like your child to represent our school at the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Keilor East RSL, please contact me via email at kate.barletta@education.vic.gov.au by the end of today, Thursday 2nd April. Further information can be found in this newsletter. 

Wishing everyone a fantastic holiday break and a very 'hoppy' Easter. Thank you all for a wonderful term. I love what we do at ENPS and hope you do too. We will see you all next term from Monday 20th April.

Kate Barletta

Principal