Assistant Principal Report

Celebrating Learning in Science

As we begin Term 4, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the families who joined us for our Celebrations of Learning at the end of last term. It was wonderful to see so many parents, carers and family members taking the time to visit classrooms and engage with the learning that has been taking place across our school.

A particular highlight was the fantastic Science learning that students proudly shared. Across all year levels, students demonstrated curiosity, creativity and a genuine excitement for learning as they explained their investigations, experiments and discoveries. It was impressive to see students confidently discussing their thinking, explaining their findings and showcasing the skills they have developed throughout the term.

Our Celebrations of Learning provide students with an authentic opportunity to reflect on and communicate their learning journey. Seeing students speak so confidently about what they have learned and how they have grown was a wonderful reminder of the power of engaging and meaningful learning experiences.

Thank you for your ongoing support and for helping us celebrate the achievements of our students.

Foundation 2027 Enrolments – Transition Begins Soon!

Starting Thursday 22nd October, we will begin our Foundation Transition Program for children starting school in 2027. Families who have already enrolled for next year should have received an email with details about their child’s attendance at the first session.

This program is designed to support a smooth and confident start to school life. To ensure your child is fully prepared and able to participate in all transition activities, please make sure they are enrolled with us as soon as possible.

Enrolments for Foundation (Prep) 2027 at Deer Park West Primary School are still open!

Starting school is a major milestone, and at Deer Park West Primary School, we are committed to supporting families every step of the way. Our school offers a warm, inclusive, and nurturing environment where every child is encouraged to learn, grow, and thrive.

If you have a child starting Foundation in 2027—or know someone who does—please contact our school office to learn more about the enrolment process and collect a transition pack. This can also be accessed through our school website. We’re here to make this transition a positive and exciting experience for every child and family.

Warm regards,

Joshua Fielding

Assistant Principal

Supporting Your Child’s Wellbeing – The Children’s Wellbeing Continuum

As parents and carers, one of the most important things you can do is support your children to understand and talk about how they are feeling.

The Children’s Wellbeing Continuum is a simple, evidence-based tool designed to help families have meaningful conversations about children’s social and emotional wellbeing. It provides a snapshot of how a child is feeling at a particular point in time and can help children and adults recognise when extra support may be needed. 

Did you know that we use this continuum at Deer Park West Primary to check in with our students to see how they are feeling?

The Continuum has four points:

🟢 Good – Feeling happy, connected and able to manage everyday challenges.🟡 Coping – Experiencing some challenges but generally managing with support.🟠 Struggling – Finding things more difficult and needing additional support.🔴 Overwhelmed – Finding it very difficult to cope and needing immediate support from trusted adults.

We encourage families to use the Continuum as a starting point for regular conversations with your child. You might ask, “Where do you think you are on the Wellbeing Continuum today?” or “What could help you move towards feeling more settled?”

There is no right or wrong place to be on the Continuum. Wellbeing can change from day to day, and talking openly about how we are feeling helps children build the skills and confidence to recognise their emotions and seek help when they need it.

Using the Continuum at home can also help parents, teachers and other trusted adults use a shared language when talking about wellbeing. Most importantly, it can support the early identification of concerns, allowing children to receive support before small challenges become bigger ones.

We encourage all families to explore the Children’s Wellbeing Continuum and make it part of your regular conversations about wellbeing at home.

💊 Medication Reminder

A friendly reminder to families that students should not have medication stored in their school bags.

For the safety of all students, all medication must be handed to the school office and stored appropriately. Medication should be provided in its original packaging, clearly showing the student’s name, dosage and administration instructions.

This includes prescription medication, over-the-counter medication and any medication that your child may need during the school day.

Please ensure that medication is not sent to school in your child’s bag. If your child requires medication at school, please contact the office so we can ensure the appropriate arrangements are in place.

Thank you for helping us keep our students safe and supporting our school’s medication procedures. We really appreciate your cooperation! 

Warm regards,

Vanessa Harrison 

Acting Assistant Principal