Dear Parents and Friends,

I want to thank everyone that came along to our Xmas Carols evening last Tuesday, I hope you were as proud as we were. Sometimes as a community we can take these sorts of events for granted but they don’t happen everywhere and not every school is lucky enough to have the family and staff support that we do.

The final 4 weeks of the school year are always a mad rush to the finish line and this year is no different. Over the past 2 weeks and the week ahead we have or will host the following events:

Market Day
School and House Captain speeches
Xmas carols
Prep info night
Parent helpers’ morning tea
Grade 6 graduation
Meet the Teacher (prep BBQ)
Grade 6 pool and movies day
Senior school trivia
Final assembly

On the last day of the year, Wednesday 20th December, we will once again welcome grade 6 parents to our final assembly at 12.30 pm. As with previous years, we ask parents with students in grades prep-5 to not attend the assembly, to allow the grade 6 parents the best opportunity to see their child for the last time at LPS.

Students will finish at 1:30 pm on Wednesday 20th December.

2023 ACHIEVEMENTS

This year we have continued to improve the programs and practices within our school. Our staff have worked incredibly hard to put these new things in place and to ensure we are getting improved outcomes for our students. Below are the key new initiatives we have implemented in 2023 and which we look to continue in 2024.

Introduce Maths Masters program
Develop staff capacity to plan and implement maths investigations with students
Further develop and embed practices in student goal setting in maths
Introduce triads meetings to support conversations around teaching practice
Introduce Friendology program
Engage with consultant to develop staff leadership practices across the school

2024 Student Leaders

On my office wall there is a quote from a man named John Quicy Adams that says: If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.

What this reminds me is that leadership is an action and not a role, and whilst today I announced the students with official leadership roles for 2024, each and every student here has the opportunity to lead others and show them what it means to be a student at our school.

I want to thank the students that nominated or applied to be a School or House Captain. It takes a lot of bravery to put yourself forward for these opportunities. Whilst there is the excitement of potentially being successful, there is also the potential disappointment that goes along with missing out. Well done to everyone that applied.

School Captains

Ayda Salih

Sienna Pilkington

Colby Ellis

Caitlyn Titulaer

House Captains

Marlu

Evie Munt

Maya Munt

Wadherrang

Lachie COndon

Kayla Jessett

Warrin

James Wood

Kaylee Kwasny

Guuguubarra

Tyler Sorrell

Indi Rulach

FAREWELLS AND WELCOMES

At this time of year, it is common that we have some staff leaving and we need to say our farewells. This year we have 6 staff members finishing with us.

Carolyn Johnston- Carolyn has been a member of the LPS team since 2000, with a 1 year stint at Hartwell PS. Carolyn has shown herself to be an outstanding teacher and at different times has had positions of leadership as either a team leader or the leader of English. I am very happy to tell you that Carolyn is leaving LPS to take up a leadership position at Rowville Primary School as a Leading Teacher.

Tim Inglis- Mr Inglis has been a member of staff for the past 5 years. Tim is loved by those he has worked with and the students he has taught. We will very much miss the connections he makes with people. Apart from his efforts as Santa, Tim has been a member of the grade 3 and grade 1 teams and has shown himself to be an exceptional person. We wish Tim all the best at his new school, Dorset Primary School, and for the next steps in his career.

Chandra Exon- Chandra started at LPS this year as a graduate teacher and has made a lot of growth throughout the year as a member of the grade 3 team. It has been exciting for us to support Chandra in this her first year as a teacher and we wish her well at her new school, Launching Place Primary School.

Renae Lansdell- Renae came to us on a 12 month contract from Cranbourne East Primary School and has been a great addition to the prep team. Renae has made an impact in her 12 months, supporting Tessa Holmes in the implementation of the Resource Smart program, taking on the role of I sea I care coordinator and joining school council. Thank you for all your efforts Renae, your baking will certainly be missed. Renae will be joining Tecoma Primary School in 2024.

Ashley Yankos- Ash started with us as a member of theTeam Kids staff before picking up a job as an integration aide. Ash completed her bachelor of education this year and will be starting work as a teacher in 2024 and we wish her well for a very exciting career.

Christine Walker- Whilst the staff above are moving in to new roles, it is with both joy and sadness that I inform of Mrs Walker’s retirement from education. Christine started with the Education Department in 1977 and joined the Lysterfield Primary School family in 1995. Over 28 years, teaching an average of 22 students per year, that is 616 students. Add to this the number of teachers she has mentored and it is difficult to comprehend the immeasurable impact she has had on this community. In the time I have known Christine, even in the final years of a very long career, she has maintained professionalism and a love of learning. Christine is incredibly passionate and continues stay up to date with the latest ideas in education and leadership. Christine will be sorely missed and we wish her all the happiness in the world as she begins her very well-earned retirement.

In addition to these staff, Shae Parkinson is taking 12 months leave without pay. Shae will be working full time at the Melbourne Football Club where she is both an assistant coach and recruiter for the AFLW team.

In 2024 we have a number of staff returning from family leave (Emma Huxley, Amanda Rosewarne, Kelly Reynolds, Rachel Ryan) as well as 2 new staff joining us (Bella Albanese and Emily du Vallon).

We continue to be incredibly grateful that with the challenges of finding suitable staff, we have been able to bring such quality people to our school. We are genuinely excited about our staff for 2024 and know that they will do an amazing job in supporting your children.

GRADUATION

Our grade 6 graduation is always a highlight of the final 2 weeks of school and this year was no different. The grade 6 team of Shae Sloane, Tessa Holes and Rebekah Emonson did an outstanding job with the organisation for this event, aptly supported by others behind the scenes.

It is always a mixture of emotions for our year 6 students and their families. This year’s graduation ceremony was amazing and as always was an emotional evening with some families leaving our school after a long association. It was a wonderful celebration of the students 7 years of primary school. We wish our leaving students all the best in the next stage of their lives. As part of the ceremony, we awarded students for outstanding effort, results and/or attitude in a variety of areas.

Congratulations to the following recipients of this year’s awards:

External Awards:

Endeavour Award: Tyler Niven

Aston Shield: Teagan Wright

LPS Excellence Awards:

Leadership: Lainie Fisher

English - Imogen Allen

Mathematics - Flynn Synnott

Performing Arts – Grace Dekleyn

Visual Arts - Veronica Hubert

School Sports - Caleb Le Grove

School Sports - Flynn Synnott

Physical Education -Cyprus Ali

STEM - Lucas Deloires

Global Education - Raquel Pritchard

Environmental - Matilda Read

Congratulations also to Zoe Robinson for her scholarship to Rowville SC.

2024 CURRICULUM DAYS

In 2024 schools will continue to have access to curriculum days to help improve student outcomes. The dates below are our approved curriculum days for 2024:

Term 1: Monday 29th January (Annual Implementation Plan)
Term 1: Tuesday 30th January (Administration)

Term 1: Tuesday 12th March (Culture/School Values)
Term 2: TBA
Term 4: Monday 11th November (Reporting)

2024 Start dates

As we come to the end of 2023 we have been able to better assess the beginning of next year and as such have made a slight alteration to our previously advertised start days and times. Below are the arrangements for Prep 2024 commencement dates:

Monday 29th January– Curriculum day
Tuesday 30th January – Curriculum day
Wednesday 31st January 9.00 am - 12.30 pm
Thursday 1st February 9.00 am - 12.30 pm
Friday 2nd February 9.00 am-3.30 pm

From Monday 5th February, preps will have full school days (9:00 am — 3:30 pm), with the exception of Wednesdays, until the week commencing Monday 11th March.

All other students will start full time from Wednesday 31st of January.

This will be the final newsletter for 2023 and as such I wish you all a very happy holiday season. I hope that you and your children will enjoy the break from school and get to enjoy spending time with family and friends. Have a great break and we look forward to seeing you in the new year.

Adam Wight, Principal

From PFA

News from Parents and Friends Association