Principal Report

What a busy week of learning this week has been. This week I have been inundated by students in year F-2, visiting the office to share their amazing efforts in writing. I have been so impressed by what many of the students have achieved so far, with some of the Foundation students already completing full sentences on lined pages with beautiful and accurate handwriting. I do hope families take the opportunity to visit the classrooms during Education Week (20th -24th May) and look at the amazing efforts and tasks that students have completed so far this year.

Another highlight from this week was an opportunity to interview 22 students who applied for a role on the Student Voice Team for 2024. The Student Voice Team (SVT) is a group of 26 students who meet regularly with me to discuss aspects of their experiences at our school. The group ‘unpacks’ responses from student surveys, suggests improvements, and explores their own and others experiences at ARPS- both positive and areas for improvement. The group is comprised of 16 elected student leaders (School Captains, School Vice Captains, House Captains and House Vice Captains). The other 10 students are from Year 3-6. These students submit an Expression of Interest and (if more than 10 apply) are then interviewed to determine the most ‘vocal’ group of 10 students who can have a voice in cultural, behavioural and environmental changes in our school.

I was very impressed by the quality an insights of the applicants I interviewed this year, and look forward to working with this group, starting tomorrow.

NAPLAN preliminary results and Attendance

Last week, schools received an initial report with some of the preliminary NAPLAN results for our 2024 year 3 and 5 students. As a school, we are pleased that many targets from our Annual Implementation Plan (especially for year 3) have been met. We do not have all the results yet (such as writing results) and we look forward to sharing these with our community when they are available.

What is very evident from the results received so far (when compared directly to student absence data) is that students who have regular, high levels of attendance at Albany Rise PS, also have had the more positive results overall. It was an interesting exercise comparing student results in year 3 and 5 against individual student attendance patterns, and noting that the majority of students who have regular absences from school, also had the lowest performance profiles across all NAPLAN areas assessed. This is certainly data that we will be exploring further, to determine how best, as a school, we can support these learners to improve their attendance and learning profiles.

School Saving Bonus

You may have seen the recent announcement of the School Saving Bonus, as part of the Victorian Budget 2024/25. We are sharing more information about how families will be able to access and use this support.

This one-off support will include $400 for each eligible student to help families cover the costs of school uniforms and activities in 2025.

It will be available to parents and carers of every child enrolled in a Victorian government school in 2025.

Cash will not be paid directly to individuals or families. Instead, families will receive the bonus as credits on their school accounts that will help meet the costs of your children’s activities and uniforms.

Existing supports

The School Saving Bonus support will be in addition to existing and continuing means-tested supports for camps, sports, excursions and uniforms.

The application-based Affordable School Uniform program, through State Schools’ Relief, will continue to be available to families experiencing financial hardship or other forms of vulnerability and short-term crisis. This program allows schools to make multiple applications for support on parents' behalf throughout the year if needed. Narelle Seremetis (Education Support) is available every day of the week to support families with this process.

There will be more information and guidance about the School Saving Bonus in Term 3, 2024, ahead of its implementation in 2025.

Please come and talk to Lyndelle at the office if you require any kind of financial support. There are many options available to families experience hardship.

Colour Run awards

Colour Run special fundraising awards will be provided to students at our Assembly this Friday, 10th May. Congratulations again to Shashwat in 5JK who was the highest fundraiser in the school for this event.

House Sports result announced this Friday at Assembly

Our Year 3-6 House Athletics sports last week were highly successful- and what great weather! This week at assembly (Friday) Celia Kelsall will be announcing the winner of the House Athletics competition. Thanks again to all the families who helped out on the day and to staff and students for their enthusiastic participation. A special thanks to Ms Kelsall, for all her preparation and arrangements on the day.

Excursions: Permissions, Absences and Declining an activity on Compass

We are so grateful to all the families who have supported school administration by ensuring permissions and responses to upcoming events on Compass are completed in a timely manner (and before the due date). As a school, we are eager to have every student participate in school events. Where the event requires payments, or travel by bus, the school MUST have a record of parent/caregiver permission. At ARPS this permission is provided by parents/caregivers on Compass.

In the event that a student is unable to attend an event requiring permission on Compass (eg. Absent), it is very important that parents/caregivers indicate that the student is NOT attending by going onto Compass and recording a ‘decline’ response, before the event closes (or contact the office as soon as possible).

Planning for all events, especially with many students involved, usually requires management of staffing, suitable bus arrangements, changing of timetables, allocation to students to different classes, and (if a student is declining an event) providing another student with the opportunity to attend (eg. In a team event with set numbers, such as District sports events). Not informing the office of the intention to either attend or not attend on Compass, causes unnecessary ‘last minute’ planning, staffing, and student placement issues.

Parents/caregivers are reminded that if financial support is needed for a student to attend an event, this can be arranged by communicating with the administration staff in the office.

Curriculum Day- Report Writing Friday 24th May- Student Free (OSHC options may be available)

Camp Australia currently has bookings ‘open’ for a full day of care during our upcoming Curriculum Day on 26th May. Bookings MUST be in by 17th May. Camp Australia requires a minimum of 15 students booked for the full day of care, for the program to go ahead. Currently, we are well short of this number. Any parents who are intending to use this service on 26th May, are urged to BOOK NOW to avoid the program being cancelled on 26th May. Refer to the Camp Australia flyer and information page in this newsletter.

BUNNINGS BBQ FUNDRAISER- HELPERS NEEDED - SUNDAY 9th JUNE

Our school has been fortunate to secure two Bunnings BBQ fundraiser weekend slots in 2024. The first of these is on Sunday 9th June. A roster is being developed for parents to assist in this Parents ‘Association fundraising event. If you can spare just one hour, we would very much appreciate your time and support on the day. Please see the office to ‘sign up’.

Parent teacher Conferences- save the dates: Weds 12th June (day times) & Monday 17th June (afterschool ‘til 6.45pm)

Each year, parents area strongly encouraged to meet with each child’s teacher and share the learning progress across the curriculum. Parents of students in Year F-2 will have 10 minutes allocated to meet with the teacher and discuss learning progress, individual learning plans, future goals and special needs.

Parents and students in Year 3-6 have 15 minutes allocated, during which the students present the learning and achievements they have had during the year thus far. These ‘3 way conferences’ allow the students to celebrate the goals they have achieved, the tasks and learning they have completed, and their future learning goals and aspirations.

I urge parents to ‘save the date’ and keep an eye out for the upcoming Compass link

to book your allocated time with your child’s teacher later this term.

Mothers Day Stall

A HUGE thank you to our Parents Association for the planning, resourcing and management of today's Mothers' Day Stall. there was a fabulous range of gifts available for students to choose for their special person, parent or caregiver.

A very happy Mothers Day for Sunday to all our families!

Student of the Week