Message from the Principal
Week 3&4 Term 1 2026
Dear CNPS Families,
What a lovely, albeit busy start we have had to the 2026 school year. It has been wonderful to again observe students from Foundation to Year 6 establishing themselves in their new learning environments, getting to know their teachers and peers and forming new routines. I would like to again acknowledge the amazing Education Support staff we have at CNPS, who go out of their way to support the students of Carlton North Primary School. Term One also sees the ‘Great Lee Street Mini Fete’ taking shape. As we are all aware the fete will look different this year as a result of the capital works project. However, the fete promises to be another great way for community to come together as we work to raise funds for our great school. In the coming weeks, with school council endorsement, we will be talking about the fundraising effort and how we will be prioritising funds raised. We are encouraging all families to get involved with the annual, albeit ‘mini’ fete. If you are able to volunteer your time, please see Compass for more information or visit the office.
CNPS Voluntary Contributions
Every year, the school purchases stationery items, classroom supplies and eLearning subscriptions on behalf of all students. Parent/Carer voluntary contributions assist the school in managing these costs. We are greatly appreciative of any contributions made. Compass has been updated to allow payment to be made through the portal via Course Confirmations. Payment can also be made by EFTPOS at the office. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)
The Victorian Government offer a Sports, Camps and Excursions Fund (CSEF) for families who hold a valid means-tested concession card. A special consideration category also exists. If you would like more information about CSEF, please contact the office or visit Carlton North Primary School - Parent Contributions and Financial Support
Meet the Teacher
Meet the Teacher interviews have been running this week – Monday 16 February – Friday 20 February 2026. This is an opportunity to share information about your child/ren with the classroom teacher and hear about the first three weeks of the 2026 school year. Please visit Compass for more information.
NAPLAN
The 2025 National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) will be administered to students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9 from Wednesday 11 March to Monday 23 March 2026. CNPS will be sharing more information with families of Year 3 and 5 regarding assessments in the coming weeks. If any parent has any questions regarding NAPLAN 2026, please contact your classroom teacher.
School Council
Nominations for school council will open on Monday 23 February 2026 at 8am and close on Monday 2 March 2026 at 4pm. Nomination forms will be available (from 23/2/26) for collection at the front office. Once all nominations are received, CNPS will advise of the need for elections. Please look out for more information regarding this process via Compass newsfeed.
Professional Learning
Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS)
This week Jane, Maddi and I undertook training with the University of Melbourne and the Department of Education in relation to Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS). The Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative aims to increase the capacity of Victorian primary schools to support the mental health of their students, through upskilling experienced teachers to become Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders. The initiative was developed by paediatricians, educators, psychologists, researchers and teachers. This important training has created the opportunity for CNPS to commence a review of our wellbeing programs/structures, evaluate our current data collection sources with relation to mental health and begin planning for how we can evolve our mental health and wellbeing supports for students. Please look out for more information from Jane and Maddi pertaining to this important initiative in the coming months.
Yarra and Darebin Network / Area Forum
Over the past two days Erin Brown attended two valuable professional learning sessions alongside fellow school Principals. On Tuesday, Erin attended the Area Principal Forum. David Howes, Deputy Secretary of Schools and Regional Services at the Victorian Department of Education, provided an update on statewide priorities and goals for 2026. Frank Handy from the Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution outlined the support and mediation services available to schools and families. Senior Education Improvement Leaders also shared updates on the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 (VTLM 2.0) and the important role that a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) plays in strengthening student learning and wellbeing outcomes. Yesterday, Wednesday 18 February 2026, Erin attended the Darebin and Yarra Schools Principal Network meeting, where Ryan Dunn further explored VTLM 2.0 and MTSS, reinforcing the consistent, evidence-based approaches being implemented across schools in our network. These sessions provided valuable clarity around system priorities and will continue to inform our school’s improvement work to ensure the best possible outcomes for our students.
Adults Visiting the School / Volunteering at CNPS
Carlton North Primary School operates under the Child Safe Standards at all times.
For the safety of the children, all adults visiting the school must enter via the main administration door, regardless of their destination. Between 9:15am and 3:15pm, all other gates remain locked. Visitors are asked to sign in at the front counter and provide a reason for their visit.
If you would like to volunteer for any school activities in 2026, from school reading to school excursions and special events, you will need to be familiar with our Child Safety Policies and procedures. We have published an event on compass with the relevant policies attached. Please read these and consent if you intend to volunteer this year.
All visitors/volunteers must also provide evidence of a current, fully processed Working With Children Check (WWCC). If you need to apply for a volunteer WWCC, you can do so here.
School – Home Partnership
The hallmark of a strong school-home partnership is open and respectful dialogue, that embodies the school values. Please feel free to reach out to Jane, Erin, Trish or I should you have any questions or queries as the term progresses.
Looking forward to a big year at CNPS!
Warm Regards
Matthew Ferguson
Principal