Principal  Message

We are creeping closer to the end of the year and there are many cogs moving at once as we try to wind up 2024 and plan for 2025. We have announced the class structure for 2025, but in case you haven't checked your emails this week, the classes set for next year will be as follows:

We are still doing tours as some parents in other schools consider moving to WPS, so figures are subject to minor changes.

We have run with lower class numbers again as a deliberate strategy to support a teaching and learning program that can differentiate and spend time with students individually to focus on setting learning goals and meeting the point of need for students on the curriculum continuum. We also assist in classroom culture and management with the lower numbers. 

Parent requests are now closed, and I am pleased to say we did not receive very many this year. I appreciate that for all families the unknown in relation to next year's classes is a time of uncertainty and with the small number of requests, I also appreciate that you have confidence that we will be doing our best up here to create class lists that provide for a learning environment that supports everyone. Students are guaranteed at least one buddy from their buddy hand. As a small school there are less options for us and with 3 classes in 1/2 and 3/4, each, it will be harder to place some peers together, but we will honour the one buddy guarantee.  We have begun making class lists  and will spend the next couple of staff meetings focused on this.

Christmas Celebration 11th December 

FOWPS are beginning to prepare for our Christmas event at Stiggant's Reserve. We are looking forward to some great performances and activities on the night. Chris Cavill has around 90 students singing in his Christmas song group. If your child has joined up you can help by practising the lyrics with your child, particularly those in Prep.

The songs have been adapted to a key signature that suits the children's voices, but just practising (in any key) is valuable. I have been joining Chris in the rehearsals and am thoroughly enjoying being back in the music scene! If you would like your child to rehearse at home the songs are Run, Run Rudolf by Chuck Berry and War is Over by John Lennon. 

Kevin O'Mara has also been rehearsing with any students that want to participate in the Bushband on the night. He is also asking for any students who want to perform at the Community Carols on the 14th to come along.

Our hampers in the classroom are filling up nicely. If you haven't contributed yet, please have your child place a small gift in the class hamper for us to auction off at our raffle on the evening. Our students are very excited about this raffle and there a great deal of anticipation about the raffle draw on the night.

I would also like to invite our future Prep families to this event. Come along and experience the community that you are now a part of. The carols are always an event where families and staff come together to let their hair down and celebrate the year that was. There will be a sausage sizzle, ice-cream and drinks available to purchase on the evening thanks to FOWPS.

Grade 6 Graduation - Tuesday 17th December

The Grade 6's students are well and truly ready to graduate as they begin to consider life as a high school student more seriously.  It becomes clearer to us as educators that they are ready for their next chapter in their educational journey. The parent committee is as passionate as always in their preparation of the evening's dinner and celebrations and I thank them in advance for the time they put into this event. 

Kirsty is also busy working with the students on a dance for the evening. We will have State MP Nicole Werner attending on the evening. Our School Council President, Emma Clark will also deliver a speech on behalf of the parent community. The teachers, ES staff and I are all looking forward to celebrating this milestone with our Grade 6 students.

Policy Compliance audit - completed

Behind the scenes we have had several things going on up here in the office. Earlier this year we had our School Review. We then underwent and Occupational Health and Safety Audit, which we passed. And this term I had a policy compliance audit, which we have also been assessed as compliant in. As part of that we have updated several policies that are required to be on our website, for you to reference at any time. These types of audits have taken a great deal of my time up this year, however, I am happy they are done and that as a school we can be confident we have all our ducks in a row. 

Bushfire relocation reminder

Just a reminder that we now relocate to Templestowe Valley Primary School in the event that we are ordered to relocate due to Extreme weather conditions in the Manningham Local Government Area. 

Out of Hours School Care update

This week we announced that we are saying goodbye to Katrina in our Out of Hours Service at the end of this term as she moves on to begin the next phase of her career as an Education Support worker in a secondary school. She will be well suited to the role, and we all wish her the best of luck. This change means we have a new OSH Coordinator coming in to replace Katrina. Franzelle DuPlessis will be taking on this role and has already undertaken a lot of transition with Katrina to get to the know the process and the students in OSH. We look forward to working with Fran and having her on board as a staff member at WPS.  

2025 Calendar

We have been planning ahead to provide you with more information regarding 2025 important dates and events that will take place across the year. By the end of the year we will have the dates ready for you so you can plan 2025 as a family.

Take care,

Nieta