Principal Report

As we reflect on another successful term, there is much to celebrate across our school community. Students have enthusiastically participated in a wide range of learning, wellbeing and sporting opportunities, including our Colour Run, Cross Country events, Breakfast Club, Run Club, Life Ed sessions, Social Skills Program, Soccer Gala Day and Interschool Sports competitions. These experiences have provided valuable opportunities for students to develop new skills, build friendships, demonstrate teamwork and challenge themselves both inside and outside the classroom. We congratulate all of our students on their achievements throughout the term and thank them for the enthusiasm, resilience and positive attitude they have consistently shown. We are incredibly proud of the way they have represented themselves and our school community.

Welcome to Highvale

This term we have had many new students and families begin their journey at HPS. Welcome to HPS to the following student: Aarav Bist PFY. We are sure you will love being a part of the Highvale community. Please reach out if there is anything we can do to assist with your transition into our school.

June Birthdays

Happy Birthday to the following students who will celebrate their special day throughout June: Jeremy C PA, Emma L 5S, Leo L 3C, Noah L 1GC, Elise L 4G, Danny G 6D, Caleb W 2L, Wey Xin S 4C, Neymi H 4P, Artus G 5S, Frederick P 5S, Luke D 4P, Chloe Q 4G, Isabella M 2L, Dara F 2M, Maya E 6S, Calvin C 4G, Ene Z 5E, Natalie H 1GC, Ava N 3L, Hannah T 3A, Dinson K 2L, Kushita N 4C, Mia W PA, James V 6T, Mirabelle L 5S, Dhev J 4P, Gretel L 3C, Pramish A 4C, Yuri P 2. We hope you all have a terrific birthday. 

Attendance

At Highvale Primary School we firmly believe that attending school every day plays a crucial role in shaping a child's educational journey. Regular attendance allows students to fully engage in classroom activities, discussions, and hands-on learning experiences. It provides them with the opportunity to grasp new concepts, ask questions and collaborate with their peers. Consistent attendance helps build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills, enabling children to excel academically. This term, we will be reinforcing the importance of attending school every day. 

Congratulations to the 231 students who have achieved 100% attendance in June so far. Some of these students include: Mason X PA, Shawn N PA, Angela N PFY, Rayden L PFY, Ace H 1P, Griva P 1P, Joy P 1GC, Noah L 1GC, Kaylee S 2M, Leo S 2M, Yuri P 2L, Isabella M 2L, Yun-Hai L 3A, Claire C 3A, Sandeer H 3L, Surveen B 3L, Gabriella D 3C, Haidar A 3C, Ella C 4C, Jasmine G 4C, Andrea L 4G, Jia M 4G, Sophie M 4P, Ethan X 4P, Lily M 5E, Aaliyah M 5E, Sidarrth G 5M, Megan C 5M, Akhil A 5S, Oliver G 5S, Jonathan H 6T, Louis H 6T, Zoe L 6S, Siddh M 6S, Vicky L 6D and Sam T 6D.

Remember: It is not ok to be away!

Toilet upgrade 

I would like to provide our community with a further update regarding the refurbishment of our student toilet facilities. We have engaged G J Law Plumbing to undertake significant upgrade works, which are scheduled to commence during the school holidays on Monday 29th June and are expected to take approximately four days to complete. As part of these works, all student toilets will be replaced, along with associated pipework and all urinal cisterns will be replaced and thoroughly cleaned. We are confident that these upgrades will significantly improve the hygiene and functionality of all four toilet blocks. Additional works to enhance the overall presentation of these spaces, including improvements to floor coverings and surrounding finishes, are planned for Terms Three and Four. We also ask families to continue reinforcing with their children the importance of respecting and caring for our school facilities. Finally, we would like to sincerely thank our school community for its ongoing support through fundraising initiatives and Building Fund contributions. Your generosity has played an important role in enabling us to undertake these improvements for our students.

Chess Competition 

Congratulations to our Chess Team on their outstanding performance at their recent chess competition at Brandon Park PS, where they achieved an impressive 4th place finish of the 15 competing schools. Our Chess Team includes the following students: Austen H 4P, Lucas L 1GC, Vrushank M 2L, Yuvi M 4P, Vishruth M 2L, Hirvya N 5M, Omar N 2M, Swanik O 4P, Jenil P 3A, Tevin R 5E, Aadhi S 6T, Amay S 2M, Max W 2L, Shawn W 4G, Caleb W 2M, Bob W 3L and Walter Z 2L. Competing against a number of strong schools, our students demonstrated excellent strategic thinking, concentration, resilience and sportsmanship throughout the day. This result is a wonderful achievement, particularly as one of our team's first competitive events and reflects the dedication and enthusiasm our students have shown towards chess. We are incredibly proud of the way the Chess Team represented our school and look forward to seeing the team continue to develop and achieve success in future competitions. Of the 144 competitors at the competition, we had one student finish in the Top 20 overall category. Congratulations to Yuvi M, who ranked 15th overall and earned a Distinction certificate and a Bronze Medal in the Year Three/ Four category.    

TheirCare Price Increase

From Term Three there is a small increase in the prices of TheirCare services.

Student Led Conferences 

Our recent Student Led Conferences were a tremendous success, providing students with a valuable opportunity to take ownership of their learning and share their achievements, progress and goals with their families. It was wonderful to see students confidently reflect on their learning journey, celebrate their successes and discuss areas for future growth. The conferences fostered meaningful conversations between students, parents and teachers, strengthening the partnership between home and school. We thank our families for their strong attendance and engagement and congratulate our students on the maturity, confidence and pride they demonstrated throughout the process.

We would warmly welcome feedback from all members of our school community to help us continue strengthening this experience. Your insights and perspectives are incredibly valuable.

Student-Led Conference Feedback Form

Gala Day

Our Year Five and Six students recently participated in the Sports Gala Day on Friday 19th June, representing our school with pride, enthusiasm and outstanding sportsmanship. While we were not crowned champions by winning the most games, the feedback we received from teachers at other schools was far more meaningful. Several staff members from other schools commented on how inclusive, supportive and encouraging our students were throughout the day, consistently demonstrating respect for teammates, opponents and officials. As the Principal of Highvale, this recognition means more to me than any sporting result, as it reflects the values and character we strive to develop in our students. I congratulate all of our Year Five and Six students on the way they conducted themselves on Gala Day and represented our school. You should be incredibly proud of your actions, you certainly made us proud.

Prep Enrolments

We have been pleased to welcome many prospective families to our school through our twice-weekly school tours. These tours provide an opportunity for families to see our learning programs in action, meet staff and gain an understanding of what makes Highvale such a special place to learn and grow. We are delighted to report that we have already received a strong number of Prep enrolments for 2027 and look forward to welcoming these students and their families into our school community. Thank you to our staff and students who continue to showcase our school so positively during each tour.

Production – Porridge 

Excitement is building across the school as we prepare for our upcoming whole-school production in Term Three: Tuesday 1st September. Students in the main cast have been working hard behind the scenes, learning songs, dances and performance pieces, while Mx Dutlow and Ms Dwoling have been busy coordinating what promises to be a memorable event for our school community. The production provides a wonderful opportunity for students to showcase their talents, build confidence and celebrate the creativity and teamwork that make our school so special. We look forward to welcoming families and friends to support our students and enjoy an evening of outstanding entertainment. More information about our School Production will be available in Term Three. 

Run Club

Run Club continues to be a fantastic success, with students demonstrating outstanding commitment and enthusiasm each week. It has been wonderful to see so many students arriving early on Tuesday and Thursday mornings to participate, improve their fitness and challenge themselves. The dedication, perseverance and positive attitudes shown by our students have been impressive, and we congratulate everyone involved for their ongoing commitment to this valuable wellbeing initiative. The following students have consistently attended Run Club in Term Two and will be presented with a certificate at our next assembly. 

Year Two: Ewen Lim, Ashwin Sundara Moorthi, Thomas Yang and Carter Creta

Year Three: Andrew Chhor, Quintin Chung, Xin Xin Dai, Dennis Derav, Claire Han, Heidi Huang, Sander Huang, Yun-Hai Lim, Jenil Parmar, Oscar Saxon and Cici Sun. 

Year Four: Vivaan Das, Anekha Dhillon, Akith Gunawardana, Austen Huo, Duhi Jajimsetti

Duthi Jajimsetti, Kushita Narula, Tiya Thananjeyan, Eline Wang, Jane Zhang, Hana Zheng and Calvin Creta. 

Year Five: Kai Yan Dai, Cassie Han, Jasmine Jian, Sara Li, Emily Lin, Aaliyah Mogla, Lily Momin, Hirvya Naidu, Tevin Ranaraja, Lilah Shoshan, Anesh Sundara Moorthi, Saijan Thananjeyan, Andrea Wong, Eason Yang, Ene Zhang and Xiuqi Zhang.

Year Six: Salwa Ali, Joshua Christiansz, Eleni Kizilis, Aaron Lee, Alaistair Lee, Eelon Lim, 

Chong Ze, Ansh Patel, James Vat, Kaitlyn Wu, Seth Yap and Mikayla Lim.

Breakfast Club

Our Wednesday morning Breakfast Club continues to be a wonderful success, providing students, families and staff with the opportunity to connect and start the day in a positive and welcoming environment. Attendance has grown steadily, with many students enjoying a healthy breakfast, catching up with friends and preparing for a successful day of learning. A special congratulations must go to our School Captains, Keitarou, Minul, Aradhya and Maya who have done an outstanding job leading this initiative. They have demonstrated exceptional leadership, responsibility and commitment each week, greeting families, preparing food and serving our community with enthusiasm and maturity. We are incredibly proud of the positive impact they have had on the success of Breakfast Club and thank them for their dedication to our school community.

Parent Feedback Form

As we approach the end of Semester One, we invite all parents and carers to complete our feedback form via Compass and share their thoughts on the school year so far. We value the perspectives of our families and would appreciate hearing about the programs, initiatives and experiences that you believe have been successful, as well as any suggestions or ideas you may have for Semester Two. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us reflect, improve and continue providing the best possible opportunities for our students. Thank you to those families who have taken the time to contribute to the ongoing growth and success of Highvale Primary School.

Talking points from the Survey

We have been pleased to receive overwhelmingly positive feedback regarding many of the programs and initiatives offered throughout Semester One. Common themes included strong endorsement of the Dance Curriculum, Swimming Program, Breakfast Club, Run Club, Chinese New Year Cultural Celebration, Market Day, Instrumental Music, Chess Competition and Fresh Fruit Friday. Families highlighted the value of these opportunities in supporting student learning, wellbeing, cultural awareness, physical activity and community engagement. It is encouraging to see these initiatives having such a positive impact on our students and school community, and we appreciate the thoughtful feedback and suggestions that will help guide our planning for Semester Two. While the survey results were overwhelmingly positive, families also provided valuable feedback on areas where we can continue to improve. Common themes included upgrading aspects of the physical environment, particularly the junior playground, expanding opportunities for extra-curricular activities and competitive sporting programs, and maintaining a strong focus on student wellbeing and bullying prevention. Families also highlighted the importance of clear and timely communication regarding school events, homework expectations and classroom routines. Additional feedback related to maintaining high standards of facility cleanliness, improving website updates, strengthening induction processes for new families and exploring additional leadership opportunities for students. We greatly appreciate this constructive feedback and will carefully consider these suggestions as we plan priorities and initiatives for Semester Two and beyond.

Hoop time Basketball Competition 

We are excited to offer Year Three and Four students the opportunity to participate in the Hoop Time Basketball Tournament on 17th August 2026 at Dandenong Stadium. Organised by Basketball Victoria, Hoop Time provides students of all skill levels with the chance to enjoy a fun and inclusive basketball competition. Divisions are available for beginners through to more experienced players, ensuring all interested students can participate. Families wishing to express their interest are encouraged to respond via Compass. Please feel free to contact the office or kate.steele@education.vic.gov.au with any questions.

ICAS

We are excited to once again offer students in Years 3 to 6 the chance to once again participate in the ICAS academic competition. This is an internationally recognised program that provides students with additional opportunities to display their knowledge, skills and confidence across several areas of the Victorian Curriculum. ICAS is an optional program that gives you the freedom to choose which assessments your child participates in. Below is a summary of the competition, directions for registration and pricing information for those interested in participating. For more detailed information about this year’s ICAS, visit: (icasassessments.com/products-icas/) Registration for all subject areas closes on Monday 27 July at 11:59pm. This year, our students can select to sit the following assessments: Digital Technologies, Writing, English, Science, Spelling Bee and Mathematics. 

If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please: 

1. Read about ICAS subjects and prices icasassessments.com/products-icas/
2. Go to the Parent Portal to sign up to chosen subject areas shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps  
3. Enter our school’s access code – HPF553
4. Enter your child’s details, select the subject areas your child would like to participate in, then proceed to payment.  

Financial Contributions

I would like to sincerely thank our families for their ongoing support through the payment of school contributions and Building Fund donations. These contributions play a vital role in enabling us to maintain and improve our facilities, resources and learning environments for all students. The recent upgrades to our student toilet facilities are a direct result of the support we receive from our community, and we are grateful for the investment families make in helping us provide the best possible environment for our students to learn, grow and thrive. If you wish to make a voluntary contribution, please contact our Business Manager fiona.figg@education.vic.gov.au.

End of Term: Early Dismissal

As we approach the end of term, I would like to remind families that students will be dismissed at 2:30pm this Friday 26th June. Please ensure appropriate arrangements have been made for your child's collection at this time. Following dismissal, students will begin a well-deserved two-week holiday break. 

I would also like to let families know that I will be taking two weeks of Long Service Leave at the start of Term Three and travelling to Greece for a holiday during this period. While I am away, Kelly Soccio will be Acting Principal and will continue to provide strong leadership and support for our students, staff and school community. I have every confidence that the school will continue to thrive under Kelly’s leadership and thank her for taking on this role. 

As we conclude what has been a highly successful term, I would like to thank our students, staff and families for their ongoing support and contribution to our school community. I wish everyone a safe, restful and enjoyable holiday break and look forward to returning refreshed and ready for an exciting Term Three at Highvale Primary School.

Have a great week ahead HPS families,

Carly Epskamp

carly.epskamp@education.vic.gov.au