Dear Members of the Glen Waverley Primary School Community,

I trust all is well with you and your family and welcome to this fortnight’s newsletter where so much is shared about our wonderful school. As per usual, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me on 9802 9938 or via email at frank.catalano@education.vic.gov.au

School Council Update

As mentioned in our previous newsletter, this year we had more nominations than positions available hence we have had to undertake a ballot (voting) process. May I take this opportunity to thank the members of our school community who nominated and to those that voted as your time, effort and commitment to our school is appreciated immensely.

Congratulations to the following parents and staff who will form the 2026 School Council:

Parent Representatives:

Aditya Sathe, Jessey Kaur, Suresh Ramachandraiah, Jay Shah, Rahul Tanner, Bhakti Mangale, Rajat Mathur, Harshani Hewage, Atul Malhotra, Rajesh Jumani and Harshil Parikh.

Staff Representatives:

Vicki John, Ryo Sugihara, Peter Shen, Amanda Seach and myself.

I have also included an overview of the role of the School Council compared to that of the principal:

Area of Activity

The School Council ……

The Principal ……

Curriculum

Develops the broad direction and vision for the school using guidelines provided by the Department

Leads development of teaching and learning programs

Determines teacher, subject and time allocations, timetables, class sizes and structures

Student Management

Develops student engagement policy and student dress code

Consults with the school community before adopting changes to these policies

Implements these policies

Considers and, where appropriate, grants exemptions to dress codes

Manages all matters of student wellbeing, discipline and academic progress

Staff Employment and Management

Approved employment of some staff e.g. casual replacement teachers, canteen staff

Recommends to the Secretary of the Department the appointment of a principal

Is responsible (as delegated by the Secretary to the Department) for the employment and management of persons in the Teaching Service (including non-teaching staff)

Buildings and Grounds

Enters in contracts for buildings and grounds improvements

Oversees maintenance of all facilities

Monitors implementation of contracts

Child Safety Standards

Develops policies as required by the Child Safety Standards

Reviews existing contracts and ensures future contracts address the requirements of the Child Safety Standards

Implements these policies

Thank you everyone and we look forward to providing ‘School Council’ updates throughout the year.

International Women’s Day (IWD)

International Women’s Day is a very important day in our school’s calendar as we take the opportunity to thank and acknowledge the incredible women that contribute to our school and the wider community. For those who may not be aware, this year’s theme is: Give to Gain, and the purpose of IWD is to:

1. Recognise achievement

IWD shines a light on the contributions women have made across all areas of society — from science and education to leadership, the arts and community life. It acknowledges progress made over generations and highlights role models who inspire future change.

2. Advocate for gender equality

The day is also a reminder that gender inequality still exists worldwide. Issues such as the gender pay gap, unequal access to education, underrepresentation in leadership, and gender-based violence remain ongoing challenges. IWD encourages individuals, organisations and governments to take meaningful action.

3. Historical roots in activism

International Women’s Day grew out of early 20th-century labour and suffrage movements in North America and Europe, where women campaigned for fair pay, voting rights and improved working conditions. It has since become a global movement supported by the United Nations, which officially recognised the day in 1975.

4. A global call to action

Each year has a specific theme (such as equity, leadership or innovation), encouraging collective reflection and measurable change. Schools, workplaces and communities mark the day through events, discussions and initiatives that promote respect, opportunity and inclusion for women and girls.

This year, I invited some ex-students (alumni) to share how they “Give to Gain.” Unfortunately, Simran (2019 graduate) was unable to attend due to the passing of a close family member, however Gunya (2002 graduate) and mother of Kiyan and Imaya, attended and shared her professional journey in the ‘male dominated’ world of construction and how she works very hard to ensure future generations of women, do not encounter nor have to experience, some of the issues she has.

Gunya who is an engineer, also donated the text, “I want to be an Engineer” which was written by one of her work colleagues, Samantha Dungey.

Congratulations to Klarissa

Klarissa (Year 5) is passionate about supporting others and recently she participated in a community walk to raise funds for her church, below is a copy of an email she sent me:

Hi Mr Catalano,

I just wanted to let you know, on the Labor Day public holiday, I completed the 4.5km Community Walk, which I raised $133. I was pretty happy with the effort, being the first time I’ve tried this type of thing. I would someday like to try a proper fun run/walk to raise money for something like kids’ cancer, so this was a good introductory type of one.

Well done and congratulations Klarissa as it is wonderful to see how you support others!

Principal Awards

Congratulations to the following students for receiving a Principal Awards recently:

Year Prep:

Arjun for being a really honest and respectful member of our school community

Year 1:

Paige, Jaya, Jinia, Caitlin, Elliana, Thiseli and Delwyn for being really responsible members of our school community as the children spent quite a considerable amount of time cleaning our school grounds
Assd for creating a very intricate drawing for my office
Reyan, Aithira and Oneki for making excellent progress with their writing
Kriyansh, Arkarsh and Viraaj for creating a beautiful card for my office

Year 2:

Dhev and Kaniishka for writing a beautiful card for my office

Year 3:

Ella and Dinara for being really responsible and honest members of our school community

Year 4:

Eric for continuing to develop his writing skills as depicted in the Kids Corner section of our newsletter where he shares a persuasive piece

Year 5:

Arnav for making excellent progress with his Maths learning
Minza and Elaina for supporting a future student with their transition visit
Kiyan for being a very supportive friend

Community Advertising