Across Oliver's Desk  

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As this is the final newsletter of the term, I’d like to congratulate our whole school community on a brilliant start to the year. Woori Yallock Primary School has never been as large or as well thought of as it is today. We are the destination school for the valley and that hasn’t happened because of any new housing developments. That has happened because of the great teaching, the orderly environment we have and our results which people can look up, see and compare us to other schools. It’s been a wonderful term particularly for our new Preps that have just transitioned so well. I do love going into the Prep rooms as they are just so enthusiastic about everything!

Grade 6 Leadership Day

Our grade six leaders spent last Friday in the city at the emerging leader’s day. The students heard from a range of speakers like Catherine Laga’aia and Nick Hudson. It was a fantastic day out for the students and great for them to rub shoulders with leaders from other schools as well as inspiring young role models. Below is a review of the day from Summer Armstrong and Amelia Hughes. 

On Friday the grade six leaders went to the city for National Young Leader’s Day. On the day we saw four different types of speakers! Those speakers were Nick Hudson, Catherine Laga’aia, Jacqui Bell and Adrian Beck. Nick Hudson is the founder of the push up challenge which, faced multiple setbacks, such as hackers and even Nick having to have open heart surgery! A cool fact about him is that part of his heart is actually from a cow’s heart.

Catherine Laga’aia is the actress who is playing Moana in the new live action movie. Jacqui Bell is the youngest person to run an ultra marathon on every single continent, even Antarctica. She was very a very motivational person, telling us how she faced her depression stage in life. (we are pictured with her above)

Adrian Beck is an author who wrote books such as Fox Kid, Villain and Villain Respawn. He is also a former TV producer. 

It was an amazing day and we really recommend to any of the students in our school to become a leader so that you can also go to the young leaders day.

Overall everything was spectacular, we wish there was more than one of these days.

From Summer Armstrong and Amelia Hughes (JSC Leaders) 

Enterprise Market

After getting feedback from parents last year (mostly Jade Vassallo). We decided to move the Enterprise Market from busy term 4. It went really well with the grade 5/6 students doing a wonderful job of putting together fun stalls to sell their wares. 

A big thank you to the students and the parents for making the school $7111, a world record for our students and an incredible result. This money is always used to support parents with the cost of the 5/6 end of year excursions, and paying for the student’s graduation dinner.

A big thanks to our office staff for their organisation, the token system really made things easier and safer for the school. And a special big thanks to the grade 5/6 teachers for going above and beyond! 

Lastly a big thank you to the parents that always do so much to make this day a success. With a change of timing of Enterprise Market and a change with the token system, it is an outstanding result that this year raised the most money we have ever achieved, $2000 more than two years ago.

A brilliant team effort. 

District Athletics

On Thursday 1st April our grade 3-6 children went and competed in the District Athletics carnival. We just missed first place overall; which was still a great result. Therefore, I would like to congratulate Mr Gibbons, Zac Brandenberger and Nate Hoorn our sport captains, the house captains and all the fast runners we have at the school. At the house sports the students nearly beat the teachers in the relay race, the closest they have ever come. So we really do have some fast runners.

There were lots of fantastic achievements with many of our students winning events which will mean they will compete in the region finals next.

Really notable overall achievements in their age groups:

Rylea Coster - 3rd Overall 

Zac Brandenberger - 3rd Overall

Judd Curnow - 3rd Overall

What a fantastic day for the school. Every year I love seeing our kids in the Woori sports tops and who proud they are to wear them. 

Go Woori!

The Woori Excellence Award

The Woori Excellence Award is the highest honour a student can achieve in their grade each term. Teacher’s judge who they believe has strived for excellence academically, socially and upheld our values of high expectations and respect.

The recipients of this award will have their award (and their picture) displayed in a frame in the office area until the following term. They will also receive a special pin to be worn with pride on their uniform. Pin colours are determined on how many previous excellence awards a child has received. Winning one of these awards is a major achievement. The colours for this award are:

1st –    White

2nd –   Green

3rd –    Pink

4th -     Yellow

5th -     Orange

6th -     Blue

Congratulations to this terms winners:

Steps Winners For the Term

ANZAC Day -2026

This year ANZAC day falls on the first Saturday of Term 2.

This year the Upper Yarra RSL will again stage their very child friendly ceremony. Students are encouraged to March down the main street of Yarra Junction to the cenotaph where a service will be held.

I would like to invite students of all age groups to participate. Please join us on Saturday 25th April at 10:00am in front of the Commonwealth Bank in Yarra Junction. We will march behind our Woori Yallock Primary School flag. Children are encouraged to wear medals belonging to grandparents or other relatives. 

I wish you all a very safe and happy Easter, I hope you all get time to read and relax.

I hope to do the same and I also hope to see Carlton begin to bring me some joy again. At the moment all I have is that word hope and some very bad last halves. I hope in the next newsletter I’m telling you about the courageous Carlton win over Collingwood! Right Rory McHale, (Rory tells me more about Carlton’s issues and then the Age journalists and they are pretty brutal). So, I hope to get one back on you Rory.   

Thanks again for a great term.

Oliver Thockloth

Principal