Assistant Principal - Welfare & Wellbeing
Every Day Counts
The importance of regular school attendance.
At Park Ridge Primary School, we prioritise regular school attendance. We will work with families to ensure students are in class with their peers and teachers and enjoying all the benefits that brings.
Attending school every day means experiencing what counts – the learning, friendship, fun and opportunities that can shape your child’s future.
We understand that there are times when your child will need to miss school but to ensure minimal disruption to their education, please consider scheduling family holidays or medical/dental appointments outside of school time. If your child is well enough to attend but is worried about friendships, schoolwork or assessments, please encourage them to come to school. Avoiding school can make these feelings worse and can create a negative pattern of behaviour.
If your child is having difficulty attending school, talk to their teacher or myself about getting support.
We know that parents and carers can be juggling challenges daily to get your children to school. If your child must miss school, notify us as soon as possible via Compass so we can work together to support them.
For more information about the importance of everyday attendance, see Attendance and Missing School.
Remember, Every Day Counts.
Working with Universities
We are pleased to let you know that over the coming months, Park Ridge Primary School will be welcoming several Social Work students from RMIT University who will be completing their professional placements with us.
As part of their placement, the students will work alongside our staff in classrooms across the school and may also facilitate small group sessions with students. These activities will be conducted under the supervision of school staff and in accordance with the Victorian Department of Education's guidelines and requirements.
The small group sessions are designed to support students' wellbeing and may focus on areas such as:
Building positive friendships
Developing social skills
Strengthening self-esteem and confidence
Emotional regulation and resilience
Positive communication and problem-solving
These groups are intended to provide additional opportunities for students to develop important social and emotional skills in a supportive environment.
If you would prefer that your child does not participate in any small group sessions facilitated by the RMIT Social Work students, please notify your child's classroom teacher.
We look forward to working with the RMIT students and are excited about the additional support they will bring to our students and school community.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Carrie Chalmers
Assistant Principal