Principal's Desk
Choosing a School for 2026 – Foundation Applications Now Open
At this time of year, many families are making big decisions about schooling for next year. For some, it’s about choosing the right secondary school for their Year 6 child. For others, it’s the very first step into formal education as they begin thinking about where their pre-schooler will start Foundation in 2026.
Choosing the right school is a deeply personal decision, and it’s important to find a place that feels like the right fit for your child and your family. One of the best ways to get a feel for a school is to visit – explore the learning spaces, chat with staff and students, and take part in school tours or open days. This is just as helpful whether you’re looking at primary or secondary schools.
From the beginning of Term 2, we began accepting enrolments for Foundation in 2026. We encourage families considering Park Ridge to take a virtual tour on our website to get a sense of what makes our school special – including insights from our students, staff, and parents. We also warmly welcome you to book an in-person tour, where we’ll be happy to show you around, answer your questions, and discuss how we can best support your child.
Mrs Chalmers, Mr Garvey and I have already been enjoying the opportunity to meet many new families and show them what life at Park Ridge is all about. To book a tour, head to https://parkridge-ps.vic.edu.au or give our friendly office team a call on 9752 8555.
For more information about school enrolment across Victoria, including timelines and tips for choosing the right school, visit: https://www.vic.gov.au/how-choose-school-and-enrol.
If you know someone who’s currently exploring primary school options, please encourage them to check us out online or come and visit. We love sharing what makes Park Ridge such a special place to learn and grow.
ANZAC Day at Park Ridge
Each year on April 25, we join the nation in observing ANZAC Day – a solemn occasion to remember and honour those who served and sacrificed in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping missions. The ANZAC spirit, built on courage, mateship, and sacrifice, remains a powerful inspiration in our school and wider community.
Our Year 6 students took the lead this year in helping their younger peers understand the meaning behind ANZAC Day through thoughtful classroom lessons. They also coordinated a respectful and moving whole-school assembly. It was a privilege to watch our senior students take on key roles in the ceremony with such maturity and care. A huge thank you to the Year 6 team for organising the event, and well done to our student leaders who made the occasion so meaningful.
Smart Watches and Mobile Phones at School
It’s hard to believe, but recent data shows there are now more mobile phone plans in Australia than people! It also turns out that around 68% of children aged 3–17 own a smartphone, with an average weekly screen time of over 21 hours.
At Park Ridge, we follow the Department of Education’s clear guidelines around mobile phones in schools:
Students must sign their phones in at the office before school and collect them at the end of the day.
Phones must remain switched off and securely stored during school hours.
Wearable devices like smartwatches aren’t included in the state policy, but at Park Ridge, we ask that all notifications be turned off during the school day. Importantly, these devices should not be used for communication during school time. If you need to get in touch with your child, please contact the school office.
We appreciate your support in helping us maintain a focused and respectful learning environment for all students. For more information, please visit the Department of Education’s website.
Child Safe Standards – Keeping Our Students Safe
At Park Ridge, student safety is our number one priority. As part of our ongoing commitment to the Child Safe Standards, our School Council’s Education Sub-Committee regularly reviews the policies and practices we have in place to ensure our students are protected and supported.
This term, we’ll be using the newsletter to highlight each of the Child Safe Standards so our community can better understand them and contribute feedback on how we can continue to improve. Parents and carers are invited to be part of this process – the best way to contribute is by joining our Education Sub-Committee or attending a meeting. If you're interested, please contact the school office on 9752 8555 or email: park.ridge.ps@education.vic.gov.au
If you ever have a concern about child safety, please speak with a member of our leadership team. We are always here to listen and take action where needed.
Thank You for Your Contributions
A heartfelt thank you from our School Council and Finance Committee to all families who have supported the school through parent payments and voluntary contributions. Your generosity plays a vital role in helping us deliver rich learning experiences and resources for our students.
Raising Concerns – Working Together
At times, your child may come home upset by something that happened at school. This is a normal part of growing up and learning to navigate friendships and challenges. As the trusted adults in their lives, it’s important that we work together to help them build resilience and find positive solutions.
We ask that any concerns be raised directly with your child’s classroom teacher as the first step. If further support is needed, our leadership team – Mrs Chalmers, Mr Garvey or I – are here to help. We kindly ask that parents avoid approaching other families to resolve playground matters, as this can often make situations more complex.
We are proud of the supportive and respectful culture we have at Park Ridge, and we thank you for helping to maintain this within our community.
As always, we’re here if you’d like to chat – feel free to pop in and say hello to Carrie, Brendan or me.
Take care and have a great week ahead.
Take care,
Mr Dale Blythman