Principal's Item 

Dear parents, carers and friends of EEPS,

I hope that everyone had a good weekend and that the 3 Way Conferences on Monday were productive. It doesn’t seem all that long ago since we had the first 3 Way Conference Day in Term 1. Thank you for attending and engaging so positively. They are an important celebration of learning and opportunity for future goal setting.

Division athletics

Well done to the 33 EEPS students who participated in the Division athletics competition last Thursday at Meadowglen Athletics Track. It was great to accompany the students for the day, but especially fantastic to see our younger students compete for the first time at this level. It is such an exciting day. The EEPS team really supported each other and we had a few students achieve first, second or third place in their events. Some of these students will go on to compete in the Regional event next term.

Prep transition

The 2025 prep transition program started last week with the short, music and movement sessions. I hope that our new students had a lot of fun! Thank you to Mrs Samphier for running these sessions. We look forward to the remaining sessions continuing early next term.

School Council

Last week was the second School Council meeting for Term 3. Whist we were able to go through our usual reports, it was fantastic to report on the success of the recent school concert, discuss the new School Savings Bonus and provide an update on the progress of the Reconciliation Action Plan. We were also able to discuss the Department’s new Photography, Filming and Recording Students policy, which has some substantial improvements and will make the consent process much easier for families from next year. Thank you to the EEPS School Counsellors for their support.

New music soundtrack

This week we have debuted our new soundtracks for our bell / public address system. All the new music / soundtracks are from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. This is a refreshing change, especially after a day last week when we had no PA system at all for a few hours.

Professional learning and system supports

It was fantastic to finish the term with two separate schools visiting EEPS. On Tuesday, we had two staff members visit from Wattle Glen Primary, to look at our ramp project and discuss our approach to adjustments for students with reduced mobility. In the afternoon, we had a visit from the Principal of Thomastown West Primary, and a Department representative, to sit-in on our staff professional learning session around the PLC inquiry cycle this term focusing on the adjustments to the learning environment.  The school received some positive feedback from both schools and it is always important to remember our collective role in supporting ‘system improvement’. ‘Learning and Growing Together’ in action once again. 

Road safety

Thank you to those families who have continued to have serious conversations around student safety to and from school. Whilst most are remembering, we still have a few students who are not taking their safety seriously to and from school. The school received another email from a concerned local resident;

Just letting you know I was lucky to miss 2-3 children from your school (uniforms on) who were skateboarding and scootering on the road last week. They were going up Elsa Court which has a hill and I was going up the hill towards Main Road and the kids were playing on the road in my lane and were very lucky they were not hit.

I would ask, as parents, that if your children walk, ride, skate or scoot to and from school that you are completely content that they are remembering to be safe and to take care of themselves and other community members.

Authors@EEPS

Thank you to the students who have entered pieces of writing for the Authors@EEPS this term. Please take a moment to read some of the fabulous entries for this latest round in the Newsletter. The themes for Term 4 are; If I was the Prime Minister (due in Week 4), and Heroes (due in Week 8). Submitted writing does not need to align with the theme but  this might provide some inspiration. Any writing that students are proud of can be submitted! Thank you to Miss Lapadula for coordinating this endeavour across the school. 

As we come to the end of a busy Term, I wanted to thank the wonderful support that the school has received from EEPS parents and careers this term. We have lots of excursions, sporting events, lunch orders and classroom helpers and we are appreciative of the help and assistance.

I hope that parents and students have taken the opportunity to express their appreciation to the wonderful EEPS teachers and support staff for their incredible efforts this term.

Have a wonderful holiday break, stay safe, and have a good recharge in preparation for a busy Term 4, starting off with a Year 3 camp in the first week.