Welcome to Term 3

It's been great to see our students return to school this week with enthusiasm and a positive attitude for learning. As Term 3 begins, please establish a healthy school routine with your children. Ensuring your child has a nutritious breakfast and lunch, maintains a good bedtime routine, minimises screen time in the evening, and engages in daily reading and homework tasks will support your child's learning and wellbeing.

If you have a child in Year 6 you would have received a Year 7 2025 acceptance letter informing you which government secondary college your child has been accepted into. This will be a school you entered on your preference list when completing the application form last term. This does not include students who have enrolled in non government schools.

If you have a child in Year 3 and Year 5 you would have received a NAPLAN report card with your child’s 2024 NAPLAN results. It's important to note that NAPLAN scores are just a small part of student learning and development. Our school values a holistic approach to education, emphasising not only academic excellence but also social emotional learning, critical thinking skills, and a lifelong love of learning. While NAPLAN results provide valuable data, they do not define our students' worth or potential.

It is pleasing to see that ARPS 2024 NAPLAN results are once again very positive this year. A snapshot summary of this data will be shared with the school community in the next newsletter.

Important Reminder

Next week is Parent Teacher Interviews/Student Led Conferences. Please ensure you have checked Sentral and added the day and time in your calendar so that you remember to attend the meeting with your child’s teacher. Students will also be bringing home a reminder to ensure every parent gets the message. Interpreters have been booked and the interview schedules are very tight so it’s extremely important that all parents are on time and keep to the 15 minute time schedule.

Staff News

WELCOME to Mr James Hill in the Year 3/4 Learning Space. Mr Hill is a graduate teacher who comes with varied life and work experiences in both sports and active recreation, and disability and aged care. We are excited to have Mr Hill join the ARPS PLC and bring his diverse knowledge and skills to the team.

CONGRATULATIONS to Mr Bryan Hunter who has just been announced as the winner of the Victorian Environment Educator of the Year Award. Mr Hunter has been recognised as an educator who brings optimism and leadership in creating sustainable, thriving communities. I am not surprised one bit and we are all very proud of this exciting achievement and well deserved award. The awards ceremony will be held next week in Brunswick. We look forward to sharing photos of this special event in our next newsletter.

Yesterday, Sergeant Dave Smith from the Dandenong Proactive Police Unit visited our school and spoke to our Year 5/6 students about how the police support the community and schools. Mr Smith explained the laws regarding common crimes like shoplifting, theft, physical and verbal assault, and illegal online behaviour. He also discussed the consequences of these actions. It was an informative and important session for our students, encouraging them to reflect and understand the importance of making good choices.

Aussie of the Month

Congratulations to the June Aussie of the Month students: Jackie in Year 5 and Kimberley in Year 2.

The Key Values of Aussie of the Month are:

Fair go: not just how we apply ourselves but also in providing opportunity for all

Mateship: a generosity of spirit and compassion for those in need

Respect: of self, of others, our community, and the environment

Inclusion: acceptance and respect of difference

Carmel Nigro

Principal

Playgroup