An update from Julie

Hoping all of our mums had a beautiful Mother’s Day yesterday. It was lovely that so many of our mums could come along to the Mother's Day morning last Friday to share some special time together doing activities in the classroom, having scones and making a memory at the photo booth! Hoping our mums got to see the beautiful artwork on display in the artroom and enjoyed opening their gift that was made with love in art over the last few weeks. Something to treasure!

Education Support Day!

It is national Education Support Day this Friday and we want to say a huge thank you to Kerry, Lesley, Maree, Julie E, Wendy, Kathleen, Dinesh, Ellie, Will, Dani, Liz, Breannon and Georgette for all the amazing support they give our students, families and staff every day. We greatly appreciate all that they do for us!

Funding Announcement - Capital Works for WPPS

Last Wednesday we received notification that with the 2026-2027 State Budget allocating a further $25.4 million to the Capital Works Fund, our school's grant application for the refurbishment of toilet blocks, which had initially been unsuccessful, had now been allocated funding of $481,896.00!!!

This welcome funding will enable both toilet blocks to be fully refurbished by the VSBA (Victorian School Building Authority) - a wonderful improvement for our school.

Planning for our 2027 Preps

Planning for our 2027 preps is well underway with small group tours offered each Tuesday and Thursday and a parent Information Night organised for tomorrow evening - Tuesday, May 12th at 7:00pm. Word of mouth is still one of the most powerful ways of promoting our school, so if you know of any families who have a prep student starting next year, please encourage them to book in for a tour of our wonderful school. Bookings for a tour can be made via the Trybooking link - https://www.trybooking.com/DMDGN or by emailing or phoning the office. If any of our current families have a prep starting next year, please complete the enrolment form via the Insight Portal or hard copy ASAP. Many thanks!

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program

Our much-loved SAKG program continues to be such a highlight for our Grade 3/4 students each year. Our very passionate SAKG facilitator, Maree, was very excited today to welcome six new young chickens to their new home - our WPPS chicken coop! I am sure they will soon all have names and get lots of attention from our students! We are hopeful they will settle in quickly and be providing eggs for the SAKG program in the next few months! Lots of work is happening in the garden and kitchen space ahead of a visit that will be happening next month from representatives from the SAKG Foundation and our local Federal Member, Nicole Werner. We are always very proud to share the wonderful benefits of our SAKG program!

Lantana Dve. drop-off and pick-up zone re-opening

Parents may have noticed that parking signage along Lantana Drive has been updated to also include the Kiss and Drop signs that can also be seen across the front of the school. Parents of students in Grades 3-6 are welcome to once again use Lantana Drive for drop-offs and pick-ups. Please note that the sign does indicate a 2 minute limit and parents are unable to leave their car - these are the same rules that apply along the Dudley Road Kiss and Drop zone. A teacher will be supervising this space to ensure student safety.

Coffee & Chats

We would love parents to join us for relaxed Coffee and Chat sessions. Come along to meet other parents and staff, share ideas, ask questions, learn about what is happening around our school or just enjoy a coffee! The dates for the next three Coffee and Chats are - Friday 22nd May (9:00-10:00), Thursday 4th June (2:35-3:20) and Monday 15th June (9:00-10:00). We would love to see you there!

Manningham / Monash Network Conference

Last Thursday and Friday Adele and I attended the Monash/Manningham Principal conference. It was an opportunity we get annually to work with our principal colleagues and participate in professional learning focussed on Department of Education priorities. This year there was a focus around classroom management, the implementation of the newest version of the VTLM (Victorian Teaching and Learning Model) and Victorian Lesson Plans and changes to the way network principals will work together to challenge and support one another to help drive student improvement.

Have a great week.

Warm regards,

Julie

julie.crawford@education.vic.gov.au

An update from Adele

In this issue, information is shared about:

Emergency Management Drill: Wednesday 12th May
Disability and Inclusion: Shout Out to our ES Team
Parenting Session: Reminder: Supporting Students Experiencing ‘School Can’t’ (session is online tomorro
Child Safety: Cyber Safety Tip: Kindness Online Matters
Child Safety: Cyber Safety Project Parent Webinar Series (regular Wonga Weekly entry)
eSafety Commission online workshops (regular Wonga Weekly entry)

Emergency Management Drill

Wednesday 12th May

On Wednesday our school will practise an Emergency Management Drill. We are required to rehearse Emergency Management drills each term to ensure staff, students and volunteers are ready in the event of an emergency.

We will practice a drill for an external fire which will see the whole school move to the middle space of the BER.

Disability Inclusion

Shout Out to our ES Team

This week, we proudly acknowledge and celebrate Education Support (ES) Staff Week across Victoria. Our Education Support (ES) staff play an integral role in the life of our school every single day. Whether supporting students in classrooms, providing wellbeing and inclusion support, assisting with administration and operations, or helping create calm, safe and connected learning environments, their contribution is invaluable.

Our team consistently demonstrates care, professionalism, patience and dedication.

The impact of their work is often seen in the quiet moments: the encouragement given, the reassurance offered, the extra support provided, and the countless ways they help our school run smoothly each day.

On behalf of our entire school community, thank you to our wonderful Education Support staff for all that you do for the students, staff and families of Wonga Park Primary School. Your work makes a genuine difference every day.

Reminder: Parent Session 'School Can't' reminder for tomorrow evening

Supporting Students Experiencing ‘School Can’t'

Maroondah City Council (in conjunction with several other councils) is hosting a free online parenting session to support families of children who experience difficulty attending school, often referred to as “school can’t” (previously known as school refusal).

This session will provide practical strategies to help parents and carers recognise early signs of distress, understand the impact of stress and the nervous system, and support children who feel unable to attend school. It also emphasises the importance of reframing this experience as a wellbeing response rather than behaviour, and offers guidance on supporting both your child and yourself.

The webinar will be presented by School Can’t Australia and is designed to build confidence, understanding and practical tools for families.

Date: Tuesday 12 May

Time: 7:00–8:30pm

Format: Online (recording available for registered participants)

Bookings: via this link

Cyber Safety

Cyber Safety Tip: Kindness Online Matters

The same expectations for kindness and respect at school apply online. Talking with children about digital citizenship helps them understand how their words and actions affect others. Encourage children to speak up or seek help if they see unkind behaviour online.

Learn more:https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/issues-and-advice/cyberbullying

Cyber Safety Project Parent Webinar Series

The Cyber Safety Project offers the Cyber Safe Parents 2026 Webinar Series, a practical, engaging online program designed to help families raise smart, safe, and kind digital kids.

Across four live online sessions, parents will gain clear, realistic strategies to confidently support children at home. Topics include:

AI & Critical Thinking – Understanding what AI really is (and isn’t) and why it matters for your family
20 May 2026 | 7.30pm AEST (45 mins)
Balancing Life & Tech – Reducing conflict and restoring healthy screen balance.
3 August 2026 | 7.30pm AEST (45 mins)
Cyberbullying & Resilience – Supporting young people to manage wellbeing online
27 October 2026 | 7.30pm AEDT (45 mins)

This series provides valuable guidance for navigating device set up, online risks, app safety, screen time, critical thinking and digital wellbeing, all in a supportive and parent-friendly format.

We strongly encourage all families to take part in this important learning opportunity.

If you’re unable to attend on the night, you can still register to receive the recording and resources.

Register via: bit.ly/Parents-2026

eSafety Commission Online Workshops (regular Wonga Weekly entry)

The eSafety provides free webinars that provide parents and carers with the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe, positive online experiences.

The schedule for 2026 can be accessed via this link .

Sign up for the eSafety Newsletter to receive the latest online safety news, resources, and advice.

Warm regards,

Adele Brice

Assistant Principal

adele.brice@education.vic.gov.au