Krystina's Chatter

Welcome back to Term 2! 

I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable break. It’s been a fabulous start to the term here at school—students have returned with big smiles, positive attitudes, and a readiness to learn. Our classrooms have settled quickly, and it’s been wonderful to see students so engaged in their learning right from day one.

As many of you know, I am currently the Assistant Principal here at Hamlyn Banks, and this term I’ve had the privilege of stepping into the Acting Principal role while Mr Holloway takes Long Service Leave. I’m incredibly proud to be leading our wonderful school community during this time and am committed to ensuring a smooth and positive term for all students, staff, and families.

HBPS is famous!

Last term, we were thrilled to welcome the Department of Education media team to our school to capture some of the fantastic work happening in our classrooms. The focus of their visit was to showcase our strong phonics instruction, and they were incredibly impressed by the quality of teaching and learning on display. Our stars—Mrs M, Michelle, Mr Holloway, and our amazing Prep students—did an outstanding job representing Hamlyn Banks. We are so proud that the dedication and hard work of our staff and students over the past few years is being recognised at a state level. It’s a wonderful celebration of the growth and progress we’ve made as a school community.

If you have not yet seen the video - you can access it on the Department of Education LinkedIn page HERE

Staffing Updates

We have a few important staffing updates to share with you for Term 2:

• Elly Schwennesen has stepped into the Acting Assistant Principal role during this period.
• Emma Clay will be providing additional wellbeing support while Nigel is on leave.
• Rochelle Padua will be stepping in to share the 2A classroom with Emma and will take over full-time when Emma departs to welcome her baby. 
• A big congratulations to Jemima Luck, who has secured a secondment at the DET Central Office until the end of the year—an exciting opportunity and a well-deserved achievement!
• Over the break, we also completed some recruitment, and I’m pleased to announce that Dana Schache will be joining us as the new 1A classroom teacher from Week 3.

Please join me in congratulating and supporting our staff as they transition into these new roles. We’re incredibly fortunate to have such a flexible, talented, and dedicated team.

ANZAC Day Ceremony

Last Thursday, we held a thoughtful and respectful ANZAC Day ceremony to commemorate and reflect. Our wonderful school captains did an outstanding job leading the service, and students across the school prepared beautiful poppy wreaths, which were placed beneath our flagpoles in tribute. It was a meaningful opportunity for our school community to come together in reflection, and we are incredibly proud of our students for the respect and care they showed during the ceremony.

Lest We Forget

Let’s Talk Toilets!

In Term 1, we recorded over 3,000 toilet visits during learning time—and that number jumped to nearly 6,000 when we included accompanying partners. While we completely understand that students may need to use the bathroom during the day, these frequent interruptions have a real impact on learning time for both students and staff.

We’ve spoken to students about the many opportunities they have throughout the day to use the toilet—before school, during recess and lunch, and during designated break times in class. Rest assured, no child will ever be denied access to the toilet when needed. However, with our new routines and a school-wide focus on reducing unnecessary visits, we’re aiming to minimise these interruptions and maximise learning.

We ask for your support in encouraging your child/ren to use the toilet before school begins each day. Together, we can help build independence and make the most of our valuable learning time.

Uniform Reminders

A reminder that all students are expected to wear full school uniform each day, in line with the Department of Education’s uniform guidelines. This includes correct school-branded jumpers or jackets, and appropriate footwear. Students will not be permitted to wear non-uniform items such as coloured hoodies, jumpers, or hats.

House t-shirts may only be worn on your child’s designated specialist day:

• Year 5/6 – Tuesdays
• Year 3/4 – Wednesdays
• Year 1/2 – Thursdays
• Prep – Fridays

Hair that falls below the shoulders must be tied back, and the only jewellery permitted is plain sleepers or studs for pierced ears. Watches are allowed, however smartwatches must be on ‘school mode’ during the school day.

If your family has received a School Saving Bonus, we encourage you to use these funds for uniform purchases before they expire at the end of the term. If you need assistance or have questions about using your bonus, please contact the school office—we’re happy to help.

Here’s to a successful Term 2. 

Krystina Simpson