From the Principal's Desk
Assemblies
Thank you to our Year Prep community who prepared and presented our first Advent Paraliturgy on Monday. Assemblies will continue to be conducted in the Hall to incorporate Advent Paraliturgies.
This coming Monday our Year 1/2L children will lead us in celebrating the second week of Advent.
Please see below for a summary of our remaining paraliturgies:
- Monday 9th December @ 9:00am:
- Year 1/2L to lead
- Monday 16th December @ 9:00am:
- Year 1/2V to lead
- Wednesday 18th December @ 12:15pm
- Year 1/2K to lead
All families are welcome to attend. Our usual Assembly items will follow the liturgies.
Christmas Concert
I hope you have all marked in your diaries the date and details of our much-loved End of Year Picnic/Christmas Concert scheduled for Monday 16th December.
Gates will open at 5:00 pm for families to set up
their picnic rug, join in some Christmas cheer and enjoy some time together before the formalities begin. Feel free to BYO a picnic dinner, or bring your own 'take-away'. Alternatively, our PFA will be running a sausage sizzle for you to enjoy.
In consideration to all, we ask that families sitting on deck chairs and the like set up toward the back or around the perimeter.
Formalities will commence at 6:00 pm with our Christmas concert: Dance Machine. Our concert will showcase the skills our children have acquired throughout our Term 4 Dance Program so 'be there or be square!'
We hope this proves a wonderful opportunity to finish off the year on a high.
Christmas Raffle
This week each child will bring home a booklet of 10 tickets for our end-of-year Christmas Raffle which will be drawn at the Christmas Concert.
There are some fantastic prizes to be won including the main prize of the Elektra Hoverboard, valued at $600
Other prizes include:
- Family voucher to A Maze N Things in Phillip Island
- Lego Packs
- a $150 and a $50 Bunnings Vouchers
Tickets are only $1.00 each!
Tickets (and money) are to be returned to the school office by Friday 13th December (Make sure to write your name on the tickets). More tickets can also be purchased from the school office. Good luck!
Staffing 2025
Farewell
It is always a time of mixed emotions as we must say goodbye to various staff. It's sad to see them leave but also exciting as new chapters begin.
At the end of this year, we bid farewell to Mrs Victoria La Fauci, Mr Jacob Lloyd, Miss Olivia Bovolato and Miss Mia Ellis.
Victoria joined us way back in 2010, has taught in most year levels, has mentored many teachers and has been our Learning Diversity Leader for the past two years. Victoria has been a dedicated and loyal teacher and is highly respected by all. Victoria has accepted a teaching position at St James Primary School in Brighton, much, much closer to home. We thank Victoria for the care, compassion, and professionalism she has shared with our students, families and staff. We wish her all the best in this new chapter.
While Jacob has only been with us for one year, he has been able to build strong, meaningful relationships with his students (and families), creating a warm and supportive environment for all. Jacob's decision to move to India to teach is an incredible opportunity, and we wish him all the best in his new adventure.
Olivia has been working with us in Education Support for the past two years, and now, having completed her Teaching Degree, she embarks on a new journey. Liv will spend next year teaching and travelling, so we wish her well, and we thank her for the love and support she has provided our children.
Mia, who has also been working in Education Support, joined us earlier this year and has provided a calming influence to the children she has been working with. We wish her well in her endeavours to find a better work-study-life balance.
And also at the end of this year, we will also say goodbye
to Ms Aphrodite Loizou as she and her partner prepare for the birth of baby number two. It is a most exciting time for all and we can't wait to meet their new little addition! We look forward to catching up with Aphrodite in the new year when she comes for 'Show and Tell'.
Welcome Back
Next year, we welcome Mrs Chrissie Marakis and Mrs Debbie Roumbos back from maternity leave. Both Chrissie and Debbie will be returning on a part-time basis and we are excited to have them back.
2025
While there are still a few holes to fill, our indicative staffing profile moving into 2025 is as follows:
Year Prep Community
- Prep N: Mrs Nives Childs
Year 1/2 Community
- Year 1/2 V: Mrs Nerissa Viegas
- Year 1/2 S: Mrs Chantel Simon (4 days) & Ms Chrissie Marakis (1day)
- Year 1/2 M: Mrs Lauren Molluso (4 days) & Ms Chrissie Marakis (1 day)
Year 3/4 Community
- Year 3/4 P: Miss Stefanie Poropat
- Year 3/4 F: Miss Kaitlin Ferris
- Year 3/4 K Miss Jess Kenny
Year 5/6 Community
- Year 5/6 R: Mrs Candice Rogers
- Year 5/6 L: Miss Khanh Ly
- Year 5/6 N: Libby Napier
Italian: Signora Catrina Anderson
Visual Arts:Mrs Brittney Wohling
Physical Education: Mr Dan Palanca
Library/Reading Recovery: Miss Jane Wilkinson
Reading Intervention:Signora Anderson
Learning Support Officers: Miss Letitia Hyde, Mrs Veronica Tweedly, Mrs Laura Cosentino, Miss Olivia Anderson & Miss Mia Erbsland
Student Wellbeing Leader: Mrs Lauren Molluso
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader: Miss Stefanie Poropat
Learning Diversity Leader: TBA
Director of Learning and Teaching: Ms Deborah Courtney
Deputy Principal/Religious Education Leader: Miss Jane Wilkinson
Administration Officers: Mrs Debbie Roumbos, Mrs Laura Cosentino, Mrs Deanne Fitzgerald
Principal: Mr Anthony Hyde
Promotional Photo Shoot
Every three to four years, we conduct a photo shoot so that our promotional material and social platforms remain relevant. Our next shoot is planned for next Monday, 9th December. Please ensure all children are wearing their full Summer Uniform except for Year 3/4P and Year 3/4F, who are to wear their Sports Uniform as scheduled.
Whole School Transition Session
Next Wednesday 11th December our current Year Prep - 5 children will have the opportunity to gather in their 2025 Learning Communities as a 'taster' of what is to come.
This transition opportunity has worked well in past years in relieving some of the anxiety associated with the year-to-year transition. It will allow for students to experience the 'space', and for all children to 'meet & greet' and work as a new community.
This will be followed by our Step-Up Day (17th December), where children will meet their teacher and classmates for 2025.
Library Bags and Books
Please ensure your children return all Library bags and books to Miss Wilkinson by Monday 9th December. The bags will be collected and kept in the Library ready to be used again next year.
We need Library bags made for our new Preps so anyone interested in doing some sewing over the summer break please see Miss Wilkinson to collect the material.
Fees and Levies
Thank you to all families who are up-to-date with fee and levy payments for 2024. Unless you have organised a payment plan, all fees and levies should have now been settled.
Unfortunately, we still have an outstanding amount of $28,599. Accounts will be re-sent again in the coming days, and in fairness to all families, we ask that overdue accounts be settled immediately.
Have a wonderful week.
God Bless
Anthony Hyde
(Principal)