Principal's Message

Principal's Message

Welcome to the start of Week 3 of an 11-week term.

I encourage all parents to scan the entire newsletter as there are some important (and wonderful) parts relevant for everyone.

I was offsite two days last week. On Wednesday, I attended a professional development day on the subject of "Trust in Schools." On Thursday, I was invited to be a critical friend for a local school for their one-day review. Such reviews occur once every four years for Victorian government schools. I view both of these as learning opportunities that may benefit South Melbourne Primary School. 

One of my favourite words is hubris. Its definition, in my view, is an arrogance that leads to a lack of learning. I often say that our school is imperfect. If you think in terms of a cup with a crack in it, the opportunity is that the crack lets the light in. Constantly seeking the next edge of performance, without putting too much pressure on the people in the organisation, should be the goal of any principal.

At assembly on Friday, I looked at the large crowd of students, parents and staff watching performances of students at the front of the gym and felt proud. I felt extremely happy, but also a sense of, "I wonder what we can do to make this even better." Excellence is an endless pursuit, and you never really get there, but striving for it is noble and right.

On the two days of professional development, I spoke with a number of principals and school leaders. One theme they kept coming back to was how difficult parents had become. Not students, not staff, but parents. Several of these leaders said that after long careers, they were looking forward to retirement because they'd had enough of parents. I felt sad for them, but also an empathy and understanding that it's not the mountain that defeats you, but the stone in your shoe. It was a pity for them and some others in our system that parents had become that stone.

I then thought about my own experience at South Melbourne Primary School. I can't say I share the sentiment. The parents at the front door every morning, and especially family Friday, actually inspire me rather than inhibit me. The flow-on effect is when a school leader is inspired, they attempt to inspire others in the organisation. Seeing the parents and the students is actually an energy boost, not a drainer, at South Melbourne Primary School.

That's not to say we're immune from difficult parent conversations. I encourage the parents to be invested and to identify any issues as they occur, because we all want the best for every child. I guess it's the rationality and reasonableness that makes the difference at our school compared to others. Respectful disagreement leads to improvement. Disrespectful disagreement leads to frustration, and clearly, for some of these leaders, to thoughts of retirement through fatigue.

I, along with the wonderful staff at South Melbourne Primary School, am fundamentally wonderfully supported by interested, motivated, and reasonable parent interactions. This not only makes the job easier, but it allows a team to form around every child, with the boat rowing in the same direction.

Long may this be the case. Thank you for your inspiration. I'll see you at the front door, and especially on Family Friday.

Bits and Bobs

We have our eyes firmly focused on 2026 and finishing well. Part of us needs to plan for 2027 to keep ahead of the game. I ask all parents who are leaving the school at the end of this year to contact the office as a matter of urgency, so we know your plans. It is critical that we can find out which students are staying and which are leaving. Please contact the office if you are leaving the school. If we don’t hear from you, we will assume your child is returning in 2027.

On the flip side, if any family has younger brothers or sisters joining in Prep in 2027 and hasn’t yet put in an application, please contact the office urgently. We are planning for Prep transition sessions, and we need this information.

Just a quick note that it is World Teachers’ Day on Friday, October 30. Maybe just a little note or a kind word to your child’s teacher would be a polite gratitude to consider.

A quick reminder that we have a Curriculum Day (Report Writing) on Monday, the 2nd of November, the day before the Melbourne Cup holiday on Tuesday, the 3rd of November. Please plan accordingly, noting that OSHClub will operate if you book in on the Monday.

We have begun work on student placement into 2027 classes. Please read the following article for details.

Student Placement into 2027 Classes Process

• In early Term 4, staff will begin drafting 2027 class placements. Teachers have not yet been assigned to grades; that process will occur later once staffing is confirmed.
• Parents cannot request specific teachers for their child. We trust our staff and expect only minor, relevant feedback from families.
• As part of our value of Community, parents may share information that could support their child’s academic or wellbeing outcomes. This is not for expressing teacher preferences. Past feedback from families has been thoughtful and appreciated.
• Please do not ask, “Can X student be with their friend Y student?”. Students are given the chance to select 5 preferred students in the year level, and we aim to match them with at least 1 of these preferences. (We cannot promise this, but it would be rare that we are unable to match them with at least 1 preference).
• Please also inform us of any relevant family relationships (e.g. cousins in the same year level), as surnames are not used to group students. 
• If you’ve made requests in previous years, please resubmit them, past feedback is not retained as circumstances can change from year to year.
• A feedback window will be open from Saturday, October 17 to Friday, October 30 at 3:30pm. Submissions must be:
  • Written only, sent to south.melbourne.ps@education.vic.gov.au
  • Subject line: Attention Mr. Noel
  • Acknowledged via reply email
• Feedback outside this window will not be accepted unless under exceptional circumstances. All students will be placed using the same fair process and timeline.
• Thank you for your support.

Key Dates - Term 4

• Monday 2 November: Curriculum Day for Report Writing (no classes, OSHClub operating)
• Tuesday 3 November: Melbourne Cup Holiday (no classes)
• Friday 13 November: Whole School Assembly (parents welcome)
• Wednesday 16 December: Final Whole School Assembly (parents welcome)
• Thursday 17 December: Activities Day - Finishes 2:30pm

• Friday 18 December: Student Free Day (OSHClub operating)

   

(Thursday 28 January: First Day of 2027 for students)