Principal Report
Welcome to our first newsletter of Term Four. I hope everyone had a great term break and spent time relaxing with family and friends. I was incredibly lucky to experience an overseas trip to Italy, where I had an amazing time soaking up the Italian culture and of course enjoying their delicious food and spectacular historical landmarks. Thank you to our Assistant Principal, Kelly Soccio who stepped in as the Acting Principal in my absence at the end of Term Three. Kelly did a wonderful job managing and leading Highvale PS successfully. Thank you Mrs Soccio, we appreciate you!
Term Four has started off incredibly strong and we are very excited about the opportunities and experiences that we have planned for our students this term. Stay tuned to Compass and newsletters for detailed information about our upcoming events.
Welcome to HPS
We have had some new students begin their learning journey with us at Highvale this term. Welcome to HPS: Zerah U Prep FY, Danny H 1S, Aurora C 2S, Caleb W 1D, Peter L 1B, Hua L 2J, Ethan C 4A, Yimei L 4U, Ziqi G 5S and Harshini H 6S. We are sure you will love being members of our community. If there is anything that you would like to discuss or need assistance with, please contact the School Office on 9887 8000. We are always here to help!
Birthdays
Happy Birthday to the following students who will celebrate their special day throughout October: Xin Xin D 2M, Khloe L 4A, Lin R 5S, Soren R 1D, Prachi R 2M, Kaylee S 2S, Hayley C 2S, Aadhya R 3J, Liliana G 2S, Michael P 5S, Michelle P 5X, Lydia Y Prep B, Aurora C 1S, Emily L 4A, Youli Z 4A, Joshua L 5S, Rhys Y Prep FY, Lexie U 2S, Sara L 4A, Daniel R 6D, Freya H 1D, Zoey X 6D, Amaya D 1S, Leila W 2S, Angela L 3CBB, Oneli S 4A, Shanaya S 4U, Yun-Hai L 2M, Kai P 4A, Samuel M 6S, Rovin S Prep FY, Diana H 3CBB, Rebecca L 6S, Charlie Z Prep B, Rihana V 1S, Phoenix J 2J, Fiora J Prep FY, Grace L 5S, Hannah Y Prep B, Kiaan D 2J and Keitarou Yin S 5S. We hope you all have a terrific birthday.
Attendance
At Highvale Primary School we firmly believe that attending school every day plays a crucial role in shaping a child's educational journey. Regular attendance allows students to fully engage in classroom activities, discussions, and hands-on learning experiences. It provides them with the opportunity to grasp new concepts, ask questions, and collaborate with their peers. Consistent attendance helps build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills, enabling children to excel academically. This term, we will be reinforcing the importance of attending school every day.
Congratulations to the 280 students who have achieved 100% attendance so far in October. Some of these students include: Roy J Prep FY, Fiora J Prep FY, Shanaa J Prep B, Adam J Prep B, Aurora C 1S, Manduul B 1S, Charlotte B 1D, Charlie D 1D, Kenzia C 2S, Quintin C 2S, Jasmine J 2M, Lotus L 2M, Zara L 2J, Phoenix J 2J, Luke D 3CBB, Diana H 3CBB, Serina R 3J,
Olivia G 3J, Shawn F 4A, Kian D 4A, Arshia D 4U, Jun Ler 4U, Ashley C 5S, Mishkaat A 5S, Joshua C 5X, Claire C 5X, Myra D 6S, Anish K 6S, Benjamin G 6D and Kurtis L 6D.
Here are some attendance figures for 2025 so far:
Month | Number of students with 100% attendance |
February | 113 |
March | 126 |
April | 247 |
May | 171 |
June | 189 |
July | 243 |
August | 181 |
September | 216 |
October | 280 (so far) |
Remember: it is not ok to be away!
New Garden
It was fantastic to arrive back at school after the holiday break and discover the new landscaping out the front of the Year Four classrooms was almost complete. A huge thank you to Rob Tidd who designed and executed the works and has been able to create a harmonious and inviting outdoor environment that provides a serene and vibrant space for relaxation, class gatherings, and community enjoyment. The use of carefully selected plants, sustainable materials, and thoughtful landscaping ensures both environmental responsibility and long-term durability. Last week, students from the Green Team had the opportunity to assist Rob with planting trees and mulching the garden, an experience they thoroughly enjoyed. We also thank Chris Vat for his support in managing the students in the Green Team and helping bring the space to completion.
We now invite all members of the Highvale community to participate in selecting a name that best represents our beautiful new garden area. Many of the student suggested names reflect how students feel when spending time in the garden, what they observe in the space, or incorporate Indigenous words from the Woiwurrung language of the Wurundjeri people, whose land we learn and grow on. We encourage families to discuss the options together and vote for the name they feel best represents the spirit of the new garden. The chosen name will be featured on a plaque, which will be unveiled during the official opening in a few weeks’ time. Please vote via the link below:
We thank you for being part of this special moment in our school’s journey!
Painting
Over the holiday break, parts of the school were freshly painted particularly the line up areas and breezeways. This painting project ensures our school is a bright, clean, and welcoming environment for students, staff, and visitors. The refreshed spaces offer a comfortable and engaging atmosphere that support our positive learning environment.
Enrolments for 2026
If you are planning to move house or will be leaving Highvale Primary School at the end of this year, we kindly request that you inform our office staff. This information is essential for us to accurately forecast student numbers and effectively plan the grade structures for the upcoming year. If your child is currently in Grades Prep to 5 and will not be attending Highvale in 2026, please notify the school office in writing at your earliest convenience.
Curriculum Day
A reminder that we have a Curriculum Day on Monday 3rd November and Melbourne Cup Day is on Tuesday 4th November. Students are not required onsite on either of these days, which means they will have a Long Weekend. We hope everyone has a restful and relaxing long weekend.
Prep Transition
Our new Preps have begun their transition into HPS and are almost ready to be Preps in 2026. We have two sessions to go: Thursday 23rd October and Thursday 30th October. Prep students will meet their 2026 teacher on Thursday 30th October. Parents will have the opportunity to purchase their child’s uniform on this day if they haven’t already.
Emergency Management Drill – Practice Lockdown
Tomorrow we will be conducting an emergency management drill, which will include a practice lockdown. This is nothing to be concerned about—schools are mandated to complete these drills each term to ensure that all staff and students are familiar with the procedures in the event of a real emergency. Teachers have already informed students that the drill will be taking place and have shared a social story to help them understand what will happen and why it’s important. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher or the office.
ICAS Assessments
Last term 245 Year Three, Four, Five and Six students completed the ICAS assessments. Initial observations suggest that Highvale students performed extremely well in all six subject areas and we are looking forward to the official results being released over the next few weeks.
Art Exhibition
On Tuesday 11th November we will be showcasing all HPS student work in an Art Exhibition from 3:00pm – 4:30pm. A gold coin donation is required to attend our wonderful Art Exhibition. We hope to see all families in attendance. Thank you to Mrs Sinclair and Ms Fellowes for organising this wonderful event.
Changes to Digital Device use
From 2027, the Victorian Government is introducing changes to the use of digital devices for students from Prep to Grade 6. Under the new guidelines, schools:
- will no longer invite families to purchase or bring their own digital devices to use at school for Prep to Grade 6
- will follow new recommended digital device times, including minimal device time for Prep to Grade 2; and a maximum of 90 minutes per day for grades 3 to 6.
These changes are intended to support families by reducing cost-of-living pressures. They will also support students by reducing screen-time which can reduce the risk of eye strain, sedentary behaviour, and reduced peer interaction. These reforms complement Victoria’s nation-leading mobile phone restrictions, ensuring an integrated approach to addressing digital distraction and the inappropriate use of technology.
This means we will be ceasing our current optional BYOD program for Grades 3-6 from 2027 on. Instead, we will continue to provide class sets of digital devices for use by students. Students who have been using BYO devices prior to 2027 will be able to continue to bring their devices to school, but we will be following the new recommended device use times. Students with disability who use a digital device as a reasonable adjustment are exempt from these changes. These changes are intended to support families with cost-of-living pressures and reduce student screen time. If interested, you can read more about the changes on the department’s website: Digital Learning: Policy.
World Teachers Day
"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." — Albert Einstein
World Teachers Day is on Friday 31st October and HPS will be celebrating our wonderful staff on this day. If you would like to celebrate World Teachers Day, I encourage you to send a quick email to your child’s class teacher highlighting their hard work, commitment and dedication to their students, they’d love to hear from you. Alternatively, Highvale students may like to make a card for their teacher to celebrate this special day.
Division Athletics
Congratulations to the following students that competed on Wednesday 8th October at the Division Athletics Event at the Bill Sewart Athletics Track: Mishkaat A, Stella B, Livia F, Fei H, Mikayla L, Kaitlyn W and Ruth Y. A HUGE congratulations to Stella, who will represent Highvale Primary School in the long jump event at the Regional Competition shortly. We wish you well at this event Stella.
Hayfever Season/ Medication
We have had a large increase in the number of students presenting to First Aid with hayfever symptoms since the start of term. If your child suffers from hayfever, please ensure they take their antihistamine medication every morning when the pollen count is high. The pollen count can be tracked on the www.melbournepollen.com.au/ website. Alternatively, please bring medication or eye drops to school. Medication must be dropped off by a parent and an Administering Medication Form needs to be completed. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Financial Contributions
Highvale Primary School sincerely thanks all parents and carers who have supported our school this year. Your generous contributions play a vital role in helping us enhance and enrich the educational experiences we offer our students. These contributions have enabled us to provide additional resources and opportunities beyond the standard curriculum. If you are yet to make contributions and would like to, please see Compass or come and visit us at the school office. You are helping to make Highvale a very special place for our students to learn and grow.
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
Kids Help - kidshelpline.com.au phone 1800 55 1800
Parent Line - betterhealth.vic.gov.au phone 13 22 89
Headspace - headspace.org.au phone 1800 650 890
eSafety Commissioner - esafety.gov.au - Advice for parents and carers to help children have safe experiences online
Have a great week ahead HPS families,
Carly Epskamp
Principal