Corinne Pupillo

Dear Parents, carers & friends of JSA,

As we move towards the end of the school year, there is always a full calendar of events that bring us together to wrap up the 2025 school year. I know these events don't happen without a team behind the scenes that ensure the best opportunities for our students. I'd like to take the opportunity to thank all the amazing staff and volunteers that work tirelessly to create engaging opportunities for our students.

Some of the exciting events have and will include:

Prep Orientation - 12 & 14 November - it was a pleasure meeting our new preps and their families on Wednesday. It's a time of year that allows us to warmly welcome our new families and start to build positive partnerships.
Student Support Group Meetings: Monday 10 November - Thursday 27 November
Hume Whittlesea LLEN Vocational Education Awards - Thursday 20 November at RMIT Bundoora
Awards - Middle Sub School (Friday 21 November) & Secondary Sub School (Thursday 27 November)
Special Lunch Order Day - Wednesday 26 November
PBS Celebration Incursion - Friday 28 November
Year 12 Graduation - Friday 5 December & Year 6 Graduation Thursday 11 December
Transition Week - Monday 15 - Friday 19 December

2026 Class Lists

Staff have been working on creating the 2026 Class lists with many hours of consultation and collaboration. The 2026 Class lists will be distributed to parents and carers on Friday 5 December 2025, a week prior to transition week which commences on Monday 15 December 2025.

PASS Awards - Outstanding Principal Nomination

Principals Association of Specialist School (PASS) annual awards ceremony will be held tonight, Friday 14 November and I would like to thank Mary Boutros for nominating me for the Outstanding Principal's Award. I am very grateful to be shortlisted and thank all the staff that supported the nomination. I don't believe I stand out amongst any of my principal colleagues and I know that every principal dedicates their professional career to improving student outcomes by building staff capacity and investing resources to support evidence based initiatives.

Shortlisted summary

Over the past 12 years, Corinne has shaped JSA into a school known for its excellence in autism education. She has built a culture of high expectations, inclusion, and student voice, where every young person is seen for their strengths and supported to grow with confidence.

Corinne has worked in partnership with families, valuing your knowledge and insights in shaping each child’s learning journey. She has also invested in our staff, providing mentoring and professional learning that continues to strengthen our teaching and support practices across the school.

Under her leadership, JSA has achieved SWPBS Gold School status, developed innovative wellbeing and engagement programs, and created meaningful learning spaces such as the Yaluk Performing Arts Centre, which now showcases our vibrant annual school productions.

This nomination reflects not only Corinne’s leadership, but the shared commitment of our whole school community.

We are very proud of this recognition and sincerely thank Corinne for her vision, dedication and unwavering belief in our students. On behalf of all the staff and leadership team, Mary Boutros.

Hume Whittlesea LLEN Awards

Thursday 20 November 2025

The Hume Whittlesea LLEN recognises and awards students excelling in vocational education in local schools. The HWLLEN Vocational Education Awards are proudly supported by Hume City Council, the City of Whittlesea, and the Hume and Whittlesea Youth Commitments, and celebrate student achievements in VCE VM, VET, VPC and SBAT.

These Awards aim to promote the importance and relevance of vocational education and training pathways and celebrate the students’ engagement and achievements within their chosen fields. The awards are based on the student’s results, attitudes and achievements, and are nominated by their schools and are endorsed through recommendations from employers, teachers and work placement coordinators.

Congratulations to the following students for being the recipient of one of the Hume Whittlesea LLEN Awards. I'm looking forward to attending the special ceremony at RMIT, Broadmeadows and celebrate the success. We are very proud of you all.

Liam Norgren
Ahmad Kaddour
Ruben Nunez
Jacob La Mattina
Summer Hughes
Lucas Powell
Solomon Basit

2025 VPC Project - Car wash

I was so impressed with the VPC classes this last fortnight. This year the class focused on designing a range of fundraising events to demonstrate achievement in their learning outcomes. Integrating subjects such as Personal Development Skills, Numeracy and Literacy are complementary to the type of assessments or projects the students are undertaking both in and outside of the classroom. The final car washing day was today and I hope that the VPC class were able to achieve their fundraising target.

2025 Year Book

As we reflect back on 2025, Ashley Stace and Sally McKerchar have been working behind the scenes to collate a snapshot and celebrations of 2025. The annual yearbook has been cherished by our students and families and reminds them of the learning environment, staff and friends from year to year. Thank you to both Ashley and Sally for your special skills and time in putting this together for us. We anticipate the Yearbook will arrive in the early to mid December. I hope your child also cherishes the 2025 Yearbook as much as I do.

Term 4 PUPIL FREE Days

Friday 12 December - Preparation for Transition Week [Monday 15 - Friday 19 December]

School Council

The final School Council meeting for 2025 will be held on Thursday 4 December 2025.

MEMBER	POSITION
Corinne Pupillo	Executive Officer (Principal) /corinne.pupillo@education.vic.gov.au
Lisa Sette	Community Representative & President / lisa.sette@education.vic.gov.au
VACANCY	Community Representative
Paul Malavisi	Parent Representative
Mark Mansfield	Parent Representative
Chris Ernst	Parent Representative
Savana Bahjat	Parent Representative
Andrew McDonough	Parent Representative
Abdul Qadir Amir Memon	Parent Representative
Mary Boutros	DE Representative
Daniel Moloney	DE Representative

School Council Sub-Committee Representatives

Finance Sub Committee Representative - Mark Mansfield
School Infrastructure Sub Committee Representative – Mary Boutros
Fundraising Sub Committee Representative – Fiona Micelotta

Communication with Staff Policy

Jacana School for Autism understands the importance of providing helpful and timely responses to common enquiries from parents and carers. To ensure that members of our school community are directed to the most appropriate person to assist them, the information below outlines key contacts for common queries:

to report a student absence, please text the Absence Line on 0439 114 197
to report any urgent issues relating to a student on a particular day, please contact the general office on 9309 6258
to discuss a student’s academic progress, health or wellbeing, please contact your child’s classroom teacher/ sub school leader.
- Primary Sub School Leader: Daniel Moloney
  daniel.moloney@education.vic.gov.au
- Middle Years Sub School Leader: Amelia Frantz amelia.frantz@education.vic.gov.au
- Secondary Sub School Leader; Stefania Mantinioti stefania.mantinioti@education.vic.gov.au
- Senior Secondary Sub School Leader: Sean Procko sean.procko@education.vic.gov.au
for enquiries regarding camps and excursions, please contact your child’s classroom teacher.
to make a complaint, please contact the Principal/Assistant Principals on
9309 6258.
- Principal:
  Corinne Pupillo | corinne.pupillo@education.vic.gov.au
- Assistant Principal [Inclusion and Wellbeing] :
  Daniel Moloney | daniel.moloney@education.vic.gov.au
- Assistant Principal [Teaching and Learning]:
- Ellen Paterson | ellen.paterson@education.vic.gov.au

Please also refer to our Complaints Policy, available on the school website

https://www.jacanaschoolforautism.vic.edu.au/policies/management/

to report a potential hazard or incident on the school site, please contact:
OHS Manager Nominee
Mary Boutros on 9309 6258 or mary.boutros@education.vic.gov.au
for parent payments, please contact the general office on 9309 6258
for all other enquiries, please contact our Office on 9309 6258

School staff will do their best to respond to general queries as soon as possible and ask that you allow us 2 – 3 working days to provide you with a detailed response. We will endeavour to respond to urgent matters within 24 hours where possible.

Unwell students

If your child is presenting with cold and flu like symptoms we kindly ask families to keep your child at home if they are experiencing symptoms.

Each morning when students are getting ready for school, I ask that you be mindful of how your child is presenting. If they/he/she is feeling/looking/acting unusual or is complaining of being unwell please take them to the doctor. Minimising the cross-infection will assist in reducing the risk of spreading bugs and viruses.

All student absences can be made through the dedicated student absence notification number. Text the student's name, room number and reason for absence.

Make sure you have the student absence notification number saved in your contacts:

Student absence line: 0439 114 197

Reminder: Our newsletter is published each fortnight and will provide you with important information about the school and events that may be of interest to you. I encourage you to read the newsletter that will be sent home via your home email, on the school's Facebook and Instagram Page, Seesaw or on the school's website.

JSA also has a Facebook and Instagram Page. Please like and follow our pages.

https://www.facebook.com/JacanaSchoolforAutism

https://www.instagram.com/jacana.school/

School Website

https://www.jacanaschoolforautism.vic.edu.au/

Term 4 Commences	06 Oct
Colour Run	09 Oct
Halloween (Whole School Trick or Treating )	31 Oct
Student Free Day	03 Nov
Melbourne Cup Public Holiday	04 Nov
SSG Weeks	10 Nov-27 Nov
Remembrance Day	11 Nov
Prep Orientation	12 Nov
Prep Orientation	14 Nov
PBS Celebration	28 Nov
Year 12 Graduation	05 December
Year 6 Graduation	11 December
Curriculum Day	12 December
Transition Week	15 December
Last Day of School - 2025	19 December

Important 2025 Dates

TERM 4