Principal's Report

Dear EHPS Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to Term 4! I hope everyone enjoyed a restful spring break and found time to recharge for the exciting final chapter of the school year. Term 4 is always a special one! It’s a time to celebrate achievements, reflect on growth and look ahead to new goals and opportunities.

Footy Colours Day

On the final day of Term 3, we held our much-loved Footy Colours Day. Students and staff joined in the fun by wearing their team colours and enjoying a special footy-themed lunch from the Canteen. It was a fantastic way to finish the term together with great spirit and community pride.

Showcase 2026

It’s that time of year again! Showcase will be held on Thursday 29 October.

The children are busy rehearsing and we are really looking forward to a spectacular night of musical entertainment. Tickets went on sale yesterday and the uptake of tickets has been extraordinary; the Stalls sold out very quickly. Tickets are still available but the performance is almost sold out. So if you still require tickets, please purchase them as soon as possible.

For all Showcase details please refer to your Compass News Feed and the Showcase page in this newsletter. Please reply to the Compass event notice when published advising us if your child will be arriving at school at the usual time of 8:50am or from 11:15am to start classes at 11:30am.

I look forward to seeing all our school community gathered together to celebrate the love of music and the talent of our children.

Planning for 2027

As advised recently, planning for the next school year is underway. Families were informed that there will be single level classes in 2027 and our 24 classrooms are allocated as follows:

In Term 4, a great deal of planning for the year ahead takes place. At this stage, we anticipate having 24 classes, including four Prep classes. Our school continues to attract strong enrolment interest, with many families in the Mount Waverley area seeking exceptional educational opportunities for their children supported by our outstanding teachers, facilities and resources. We expect to have around 575 students enrolled next year, with places available only to families residing within our designated zone and a small number of new Prep families who are out of zone.

At this time of year, children are often thinking about next year and their transition into the next year level. The staff are focussed on their students, their health and wellbeing as well as the many important factors necessary for the children to have a successful transition into 2027. Creating new class groups for next year will enable children to grow their friendship group across the year level as well as to be challenged with different thinking educationally.

The process of class creation is a very complex task, as there are many factors to consider before deciding the best student combinations. The educational needs of each child must be the most important criteria so that each has the best prospect of learning to their full potential. When developing class lists, teachers ensure that each class has an equitable spread of boys and girls with a range of academic abilities. Student compatibility and behaviour is also considered and students are placed with children with whom they work well. Children’s feedback will be sought by their classroom teacher. The allocation of classes takes many hours of consideration and planning by staff who know the children in the school context and it is taken very seriously to ensure that each child’s learning potential is maximised.

Educational Needs of Children

As always, in the formation of new classes, the children’s educational needs and the maintenance of positive working groups will be important criteria used to guide placement. If you have matters that are of interest to the educational needs of your child, please put them in writing and return to me by Friday 6 November. This, of course, is an opportunity for me to gain an insight into the matters that you see as important for the educational wellbeing of your child. Our staff will consider information shared by parents/carers carefully when allocating students to classes and I can assure you that all information will be always handled confidentially.

Please note that while all requests will be carefully considered, it may not be possible to accommodate them due to the many competing and complex factors involved in this process. I would like to emphasise that the staff at EHPS are highly skilled and dedicated professionals who work in the best interests of every child. Genuine concerns will always be taken seriously, however, requests for specific teachers will not be considered. Class placements will be determined based on each student’s educational needs and the overall requirements of the school.

As parents and carers, you play a vital role in demonstrating resilience to your children. Now is a good time to consider how you might respond if your child has concerns about their class placement in the coming months. If your child raises an issue, take the opportunity to talk with them and listen to their perspective. You may choose to discuss their concerns with a staff member if needed.

It’s most important, however, to model responsible and positive behaviour. Encourage your child to see the new year as a chance to develop new friendships and working relationships, while also reminding them that there are plenty of opportunities outside of class time to stay connected with existing friends. Approaching change with optimism helps build resilience and confidence.

Leaving EHPS

Also essential to our consideration in our planning and preparation is knowing if your child, currently in Prep to Year 5, is leaving EHPS and not returning in 2027. Please send an email to the school email address for my attention as soon as possible – essex.heights.ps@education.vic.gov.au – if your child is leaving EHPS to advise the following details:

Child's name and 2026 class
Date of last day at EHPS (the last day of the 2026 school year is Friday 18 December)
Name of the school your child is enrolled at
Commencement date at new school (the 2027 school year commences on Wednesday 27 January)
The reason for leaving EHPS
New contact details, e.g. address, phone number, email

Note: not applicable for Year 6 students.

2027 School Year

Next year the school year commences for staff on Wednesday 27 January 2027. This day is a student-free day in all Victorian Government schools and our Office will open. At EHPS, Thursday 28 January will also be a student-free day as staff prepare for the new school year and term.

Years 1 to 6 students’ first day at school next year is Friday 29 January.

Details of Prep students commencement at school will be finalised and communicated with 2027 Prep families at the Information Evening in November.

SunSmart & hats in Term 4

In accordance with our SunSmart Policy, all families are reminded that the children are required to wear a SunSmart hat throughout Term 4. These should be in the school uniform dark green colour, in legionnaire, bucket or wide brimmed styles for maximum sun protection; these hats are available from our uniform supplier, Spartan School World. Please also make sure your child's hat is clearly labelled with their name. I would ask parents to ensure that children are bringing their hats to school each day this term. Children without a hat will be directed to an undercover area for their protection.

New parking restrictions introduced

EHPS families are reminded of the new parking restrictions introduced by the City of Monash following the recent consultation period. The parking restrictions were installed over the school holiday period and come into effect at the start of Term 4. The changes are the installation of a Permit Zone between 8:30am to 9:30am and 3pm to 4pm on school days along the:

east side of Davidson Street
west side of Vista Avenue; and
east side of Midway Street between Essex Road and No. 10

Please be aware of these new changes if you use these locations.

A copy of the letter from the City of Monash is available from the School Office.

Holidays or other leave during school terms

I would like to draw to your attention to the importance of regular school attendance. Student absence from school causes disruption to children’s learning and sometimes unsettles friendship groups. I strongly encourage families to take holidays in vacation periods and not during the term.

I do appreciate the value of family reunification, and the importance of cultural and religious events but I hope you will consider the impact on your children’s education.

If you are planning a holiday and your child will be absent before the end of this term or at the beginning of next term, parents/carers are reminded that the Department of Education school attendance guidelines require you to request my approval for your child to be absent during school term for any of the following reasons:

Family holiday
Religious/Cultural observance
Leisure or social activities
School refusal
Other – special event or participation in elite sporting event/training

To request approval for your child to be away from school, parents/carers are required to send an email to essex.heights.ps@education.vic.gov.au for my attention with the details of your child's absence (include your child’s name, child’s class, first and last dates of absence and a reason for the absence; if you have two or more children, please include details in one email). You will receive an email response with further steps.

No school for students

School Council have approved the following and remaining student-free days in this school year:

Friday 30 October – student-free day
Monday 2 November – Professional Practice Day for teaching staff; students do not attend school.

Care from 7am to 6pm will be available for students enrolled in our OSHC program. Booking on Xplor Home app essential when notified the booking portal is open.

Basketball after school program will go ahead on Friday 30 October, however there will not be a Soccer after school program session on Monday 2 November.

Due to the student-free days, the next issue of Contact is scheduled for publication on Wednesday 4 November (week 5).

Student scholarships

The Department of Education administers a number of scholarships that are available to eligible students who are enrolled in and complete Year 4 to Year 12 in 2026.

Applicants for these scholarships will be evaluated on their:

academic achievement.
participation in school activities
financial need.

Scholarships are either one-off payments or cover the duration of the student’s course.

Many of these scholarships have specific eligibility criteria, so please refer to individual applications for more information. Applications opened on Thursday 1 October 2026 and close on Monday 1 February 2027.

For more information refer to https://www.vic.gov.au/student-scholarships

Celebrating our Diversity

We acknowledge the following significant days for some of our families. Our very diverse and inclusive community has many exciting and special cultural days. It is important for us to know more about them.

Durga Puja - 17–21 October

A Hindu festival honouring the goddess Durga. It is especially popular in West Bengal, Assam, Odisha and Tripura in India, as well as in Bangladesh and parts of Nepal. Observances include worship rituals, performing arts, gift-giving, family visits, feasting and public processions.

Vijay Dashami (Dussehra) - 20 October

A Hindu festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil. It marks the conclusion of the multi-day Navaratri festival.

Gurgaddi (Inauguration) of Guru Granth Sahib - 20 October

This observance commemorates the inauguration of the Sikh holy scripture, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Sikhs revere the scripture as their living Guru.

United Nations Day - 24 October

Marks the entry into force of the United Nations Charter in 1945. The day highlights the UN’s work promoting international peace, human rights, and social and economic development.

Kathina - 27 October–4 November

A Buddhist observance marking the end of the rainy-season retreat undertaken by Theravada Buddhist monks in Southeast Asia. Lay Buddhists express gratitude by donating to temples and providing monks with new robes. Dates can vary according to local traditions.

Oxi Day - 28 October

Commemorates the Greek government's rejection of an ultimatum from Axis forces seeking to occupy Greek territory in 1940. The day symbolises courage, solidarity and heroism for Greek communities worldwide.

All Saints’ Day - 1 November

A Christian observance honouring saints, both known and unknown, including people recognised for their holiness, devotion to God or martyrdom for their faith.

All Souls’ Day - 2 November

A Christian day of remembrance and prayer for the souls of the departed.

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) - 2 November

A Mexican tradition combining Indigenous Aztec customs of honouring ancestors with the Christian observance of All Souls’ Day. It developed into its present form following Spanish colonisation.

Welcome

We welcome the following students and their families to the EHPS community:

Xavier T (PZB) & Horus T (3S) - welcome back
Mila D (1M)
Billy K (1M)

I look forward to seeing you around the school and at Showcase on 29 October.

Kindest regards,

George Perini

Principal