Principal's Address

WEEK 8 | TERM 1

PRINCIPAL'S AWARD

It continues to be a busy and productive period at Deanside Primary School. Over the past two weeks, our classrooms have remained focused on establishing strong learning routines, refining instructional practices and supporting every student to demonstrate growth and confidence in their learning.  We are also extremely proud of the way our Grade 3 and Grade 5 students approached the NAPLAN assessments. Their positive attitude, perseverance and commitment to doing their personal best were commendable, and they represented our school with maturity and resilience throughout the process.

There is a noticeable sense of purpose across the school — students are increasingly settled into expectations, staff teams are collaborating closely to strengthen curriculum delivery, and our community continues to show strong support for the work taking place each day. This consistency is vital in a growing school environment and reflects the collective commitment of our staff, students and families.

Staffing NEWS

Farewell Ms Lina

It is with pride and some sadness that we share the news that Lina has been provisionally appointed as Principal of Essendon Primary School, commencing at the start of Term 2.

Since joining Deanside Primary School in August 2021, Lina has played a pivotal role in establishing the strong foundations, positive culture and sense of community that define our school today. From teaching Art to our first cohort of students to helping lead the school’s growth from 63 to more than 700 students, her care for children, commitment to families and dedication to student success have had a lasting impact.

While Lina will be greatly missed, we are incredibly proud of her achievement and the leadership journey she is continuing. We thank her for her outstanding contribution to our beautiful school and wish her every success in her new role. Further information regarding leadership arrangements for Term 2 will be shared with families in the coming weeks.

Farewell Mr Linton

Nick Linton has made the very difficult decision to leave Deanside Primary School as he and his wife relocate to the eastern suburbs.  Over recent weeks, Nick has shown extraordinary dedication by undertaking a very long daily commute so he could continue supporting the students of 6A and maintain the strong relationships he has built with them. Unfortunately, this arrangement has not been sustainable, and he has now accepted a teaching position much closer to home.

Nick has been a valued and caring member of our staff, and his calm presence, professionalism and genuine commitment to his students will be greatly missed. On behalf of our entire school community — and particularly the students and families of 6A — I would like to sincerely thank Nick for the positive impact he has made. We wish him every happiness and success as he begins this new chapter.

Nick’s final day at Deanside Primary School will be the last day of Term 1, Thursday 2 April 2026.

Farewell Miss Cassar

Miss Cassar has made the decision to return to her previous school for the remainder of the 2026 school year. She will finish with her class at the end of this week.

We thank Miss Cassar for the relationships she has built with the students in 2D and wish her every success in the next stage of her teaching career.

Our priority is to ensure continuity of teaching and learning for all students. We are pleased to confirm that Mrs Lay will transition from her current STEM role to become the classroom teacher of 2D from the beginning of Week 9. Mrs Lay will teach the class from Monday to Thursday, providing consistency and stability while we continue the process of securing a longer-term replacement.

We understand that changes in staffing can sometimes raise questions for families and may feel unsettling. Please be assured that your child’s learning, wellbeing and established classroom routines will remain central to all decisions during this transition. The school has commenced the process of recruiting new classroom teachers, and we will continue to prioritise continuity of teaching and learning. Further information will be shared with families as soon as it becomes available.

STATEWIDE STOP-WORK DAY ON TUESDAY 24 MARCH 

Families may be aware that members of the teaching profession across Victoria are scheduled to undertake protected industrial action next week. This includes a state-wide stop-work day on Tuesday 24th March, following a strong vote by public school staff in support of taking action as part of ongoing enterprise bargaining discussions with the Victorian Government. 

Industrial action of this nature is generally taken in response to matters such as salary negotiations, workload concerns and broader workforce sustainability issues. Teacher organisations have indicated that the action is intended to highlight the need to attract and retain staff and to improve working conditions across the profession. 

As a result of the planned stop-work action, the school will not be able to provide a normal teaching and learning program on this day. Families are therefore asked, where possible, to make alternative arrangements and keep children at home. This will help ensure student safety and enable the school to manage supervision requirements effectively during the disruption.

We understand that situations like this can be challenging for families, and we appreciate your understanding and support. We will continue to communicate any updates as they become available and will ensure that regular classroom programs resume as quickly as possible following the industrial action. 

School Council

Thank you to Karen Costabile, Emma Moore, Syed Asad Ali Taqvi and Abdul Majid Ghiasee for nominating for School Council. Over the last two weeks we have run a vote to finalise our School Council members for 2026. I am pleased to announce that Karen Costabile, Emma Moore and Abdul Majid Ghiasee have been voted into office by our community.  Thank you to Syed Asad Ali Taqvi for expressing interest in the role.

As a result, we can now announce that the 2026 members of School Council are –

Stuart Telford (Executive Officer)

Bianca Gavin (Staff Representative)

Kerri Popczyk (Staff Representative)

Harleen Kaur (Parent Representative)

Susan Borg (Parent Representative)

Sapna Choudhary (Parent Representative)

Karen Costabile (Parent Representative)

Emma Moore (Parent Representative)

Abdul Majid Ghiasee (Parent Representative)

Supporting Student Health and Wellbeing

As a school, we are committed to being proactive and transparent in our communication regarding student health and medical matters.

Last week, a Compass notification was sent to families regarding a suspected case of Chickenpox. We have since been advised that this was a misdiagnosis, and we sincerely apologise for any confusion or concern this may have caused. Further medical advice has confirmed that the student has Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, not Chickenpox.

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease is a common and highly contagious viral infection, particularly among primary-aged children. Symptoms may include fever, sore throat, reduced appetite, mouth sores and a blister-like rash on the hands, feet and sometimes the buttocks. The illness typically lasts between 7–10 days and is usually managed with rest, fluids and pain relief.

If your child is showing symptoms consistent with Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, we ask that they remain at home until all blisters have dried to help reduce the spread within our community.

We also kindly ask families to respect the privacy of individuals in these situations. The school will continue to share relevant health information with the community in line with Department of Education guidelines, while ensuring confidentiality is maintained. Thank you for your understanding and support

School Improvement Works

Over the past weekend, improvement works commenced on several passive play spaces around our school. Over the coming week, these areas will be transformed with the installation of attractive synthetic grass surfaces, creating welcoming and comfortable environments for students to relax, socialise and unwind during recess and lunch breaks.

These upgrades form part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing student wellbeing and ensuring our outdoor spaces support a variety of play and social experiences. We look forward to sharing photos and updates with families as the works progress throughout the week.

Looking Ahead

As we approach the final weeks of term, our focus remains on maintaining strong learning momentum, supporting student wellbeing and ensuring a smooth transition into Term 2. Staff will soon begin preparing end-of-term assessments and reviewing student progress data to inform next term’s planning.

We are proud of the positive culture continuing to develop at Deanside Primary School. Growth always brings complexity, but it also brings opportunity — opportunity to innovate, to strengthen systems and to build an even more connected school community.

Our school values remain central to everything we do. Please continue to show Respect, Be Responsible, Strive for Excellence and demonstrate genuine Care for others and the environment.

Thank you.

Stuart Telford

Principal