Principal's Report

Term Two Reflection 

As we come to the close of another Term, I am filled with pride and happiness as I reflect on some of the main events that have littered Term Two. When you start writing it down, we have packed a lot into this Term, with the energy and enthusiasm of our students, the unwavering support from our families, and the dedication of our staff making it both successful and memorable.

We kicked off the term with a spectacular display of school spirit at the Warrandyte Festival. Our students and parents marched proudly up Yarra Street representing ACPS in an enchanting river themed display and then dazzled the crowd with their performance of a Shrek the Musical Jr. compilation on the main stage. Their talent and hard work shone brightly as they sang and danced their way into the hearts of the festival goers. Little did they know that was just the beginning of what would be a show stopping production months later. Equally impressive was our Festival Kebab stall, run by our wonderful parent volunteers. Their efforts not only satisfied hungry festival-goers but also raised crucial funds for our school. 

A fortnight later and our students were stretching their hamstrings and tightening their laces as we held our School Cross Country. An event that brought the entire school together for a day of healthy competition and personal achievement. The House vs. House rivalry was fierce, yet friendly, and it was fantastic to see so many students pushing themselves as they strived for their personal bests on a challenging 2km and 3km course. A strong team of runners went on to represent ACPS at district, division, and regional carnivals, with Grace, Anna and Molly moving onto the State competition next term—a testament to their dedication and hard work.

One week later and the running shoes were replaced with shopping bags and gold coins as our students visited our annual Mother’s Day Stall to choose a special heartfelt gift for the Mum. This was complemented by our annual Mother’s Day Breakfast the following morning which was a wonderful gathering, filled with croissants, bacon and egg rolls and many Mum’s sharing a special morning with their children. I want to thank all the families who supported these events either volunteering at them or attending them. 

Fast forward a month and I was waking up at Phillip Island beaming with pride as our Grade 3 and 4 students had their first night on their Phillip Island Camp. For our Grade 3 students, this marked the significant milestone of attending their first school camp. For our veterans at the camp, Grade 4, this was their second year of camp and they really stepped up and led by example to help their younger peers enjoy all of the joy that comes with a school camp. The excitement was palpable from the moment we packed the bags onto the bus and pulled away from school. Across the three days, students participated in activities such as rock climbing, archery, flying fox, giant swing, pedal carts, Gaga Ball (this too would become a great highlight of Term 2), beach activities and the penguin parade. The camp was a resounding success, and I commend all our students and thank the attending staff and parent volunteers for making it happen. 

With camp behind us and sleep caught up on across the long weekend, we were back at school and celebrating National Thank A First Responder Day. This was a student-led event to acknowledge and thank our local heroes from the CFA, SES, Vic Police and Ambulance Victoria. A special assembly and morning tea were held to show our gratitude, along with handwritten messages of thanks, which were presented to our first responders in gratitude jars. Their heartfelt messages and the morning's events were a powerful reminder of the importance of community and the profound impact these individuals have on our lives.

We culminated the day with what has become an annual event at ACPS, our Fight MND Big Freeze Event. Many of our teachers, Will Hodgson, our local CFA Captain, and myself took the plunge into an ice-cold dunk tank, raising over $4,000 for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research. The event was a testament to the spirit of giving within our school community. The laughter, excitement, and, of course, the chilly splashes made it a memorable day for all involved.

Then we reach the end of Term Two, and in a way finishing it the way we started, another Shrek the Musical JR performance, but only this time it was not a teaser at the Warrandyte Festival but our 3 Show School Production in the ACPS Theatre. Our term culminated in an absolutely spectacular production of Shrek the Musical Jr. Our students’ performances were nothing short of brilliant. They brought the beloved characters to life with energy and passion, captivating audiences with their talent and teamwork. I had heard that ACPS really knows how to do a great production, but I was beyond proud to see what our students were able to achieve, guided so effectively by Gavin Andrew and his team. I extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in making this production a reality, from our talented students to the staff and volunteers who supported them every step of the way. It was a true showcase of the capacity of The Arts to excite, harness, develop and display the talent, creativity, dedication and camaraderie of our students. 

Thank you to everyone for a wonderful Term, I hope you all have a restful and enjoyable break with many opportunities to spend time as a family. I look forward to welcoming everyone back for Term 3. 

Daniel Webber

Principal