Principals Report

Welcome back to Term 2! 

Dear parents, carers and friends of WSPS,

I hope that everyone had a break over the holidays and made some memories over Easter. I would like to welcome the new families who have started at WSPS this week, may your time with us be enjoyable and memorable. 

We have a lot to look forward to this term. As always, it will be action packed and engaging. Some of the events this term include:

• District & Division Cross Country
• Cybersafety 
• Talk the talk parent Information session
• Book Fair
• Education Week Open Morning
• JSC Crazy Hair Day
• Grade 4 Camp
• Somers Camp
• Mothers & Special Person’s Day stall

• Incursions and excursions

   

And much, much more!

You can keep up to date by checking in with our newsletter each fortnight, using our calendar on Compass and year level communications this term. 

Mini Oval  

Our mini oval was officially completed last Thursday, and it has been wonderful to see students already making the most of this new space. From active play to social connection, the oval has quickly become a vibrant hub of activity across the school.

This fantastic upgrade was made possible through the incredible support of our community, particularly through the success of our fundraising events, along with the dedication and hard work of the Wales Street Social Committee. Their commitment to enhancing our school environment is greatly appreciated.

We thank our entire community for contributing to this achievement, which will benefit our students for years to come.

Prep Enrolments

We are currently taking prep enrolments for 2027. If you have a preschool child who will be starting school in 2027, please complete an enrolment form now and return it to school. If you have neighbours who have a preschool child starting school in 2027, please let them know that they can join a tour and enrol now. Prep enrolment information can be located on our website.

Update Regarding Statewide Industrial Action

You may have seen recent media coverage about industrial action occurring in Victorian government schools as part of negotiations between the Australian Education Union (AEU) and the Victorian Government.

Two key matters being raised through these negotiations relate to ensuring government schools are funded to the full level outlined under national agreements and working towards salary levels for Victorian teachers and school staff that are comparable with colleagues in other Australian states. These matters form part of broader discussions about ensuring government schools remain well-resourced and continue to attract and retain high-quality educators, which ultimately supports the learning and wellbeing of students.

Semester Reports – no written comments:-

One of the statewide industrial actions involves teachers not providing written comments on student progress reports this semester. Families will still receive information about their child’s progress through a progression point, which indicates the extent to which a student is demonstrating the expected standards in the Victorian Curriculum.

Rolling stop-work meetings:-

Another action taking place across the state involves rolling stop-work meetings. Staff from our school will be joining colleagues from other local schools on Wednesday 20th May. Further details about arrangements for that day will be shared with families on Compass.

We appreciate the continued support and understanding of our parent community as these statewide negotiations progress. 

Talking the Talk

As many of you are aware, sexuality and consent education form part of the Victorian Curriculum and are mandated in all government schools across Victoria. Research shows that comprehensive sexuality education is most effective when supported by a whole-school approach and strong partnerships between schools and families. 

At Wales Street, we implement a program called Talking the Talk. To support parents and carers, we will be hosting an online information session at 8pm on Tuesday May 5 via Zoom. Please note that this session is intended for adults and is not suitable for children to view. If you would like to attend, please scan the QR code or follow the link provided. 

Michelle Turner, our Mental Health and Wellbeing leader has been trained as a facilitator for the program and will be facilitating classroom lessons for the grades 5 & 6.

Parking and Kiss & Go zones

A reminder that the ‘Kiss & Go’ zones are for parents to pull up & drop their children off. This is not an area to park your car and come into the school. Parents rely on these spaces for a quick drop off and get away so please use these spaces as they are intended for.

The office has also received complaints from neighbours regarding cars parking right across driveways and they are unable to go out. Parking officers will be monitoring our local streets over the next few weeks. Please be mindful when parking your car.

Lost Property

We already have a large number of items in the lost property this term. 

PLEASE make sure your child’s items have their names clearly marked on them. One of our staff goes through the lost property every week and items that are labelled are returned. 

 We’re looking forward to a fantastic term ahead!