Principal's Report

Dear Skye Families,

Thank you to everyone for such a positive start to the 2026 school year. It's hard to believe we've already reached the end of Term 1!

Easter Hat Parade

This morning's Easter Hat Parade was a wonderful success, with a fantastic turnout from our school community. It was great to see so many students showcasing their imagination and flair through some truly creative hat designs, and the supportive atmosphere among the student audience made it a special occasion for everyone involved.

A huge thank you to our PTF team for coordinating the Easter Raffle. With five fantastic prizes awarded, the initiative raised $1728.80 for our school. A tremendous effort. We are also very grateful to the community members who so generously donated items to make the raffle possible.

Junior Playground Upgrade

Over the school holidays, work will be underway on our Junior Playground upgrade, and we're genuinely excited for students to return to a brand new space to enjoy. This project is the direct result of the incredible fundraising efforts of our school community over the past 18 months, and it's wonderful to see those collective contributions come to life in such a tangible way.

Looking ahead, our next fundraising focus will be installing shade sails over the Playground to ensure the space is comfortable and usable throughout the year.

Mother's Day Event — Thursday 7th May

We look forward to celebrating with our families at our upcoming Mother's Day event on Thursday 7th May.

We understand that scheduling school events can be challenging, as families across our community have a wide range of work and personal commitments. This has been discussed at length through both the PTF and School Council, and as a result, the school has adopted an alternating approach. One year, Mother's Day and Father's Day events will be held as morning breakfasts, and the following year as afternoon events.

This year's Mother's Day event will be held as an afternoon tea, with next year returning to a morning format. Our aim is to strike a balance over time, ensuring that all families have the opportunity to attend across different years. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to these special celebrations.

Attendance — Every Day Counts!

Regular school attendance is one of the most important contributors to a child's long-term success. Being at school each day supports academic progress and builds habits linked to positive health outcomes, stronger employment opportunities, and higher future earnings. Establishing this routine early has a lasting impact well beyond the classroom.

We understand that absences due to illness are sometimes unavoidable. However, there are also times when children may feel reluctant to attend due to challenges or worries at school. In these situations, gently encouraging attendance can help build resilience and confidence over time. If your child is experiencing difficulties, please don't hesitate to reach out. Our staff are always here to work in partnership with families.

It's also worth reflecting on what attendance figures actually mean in practice. Rates of 90% or 95% can sound quite positive, but they still represent a significant amount of missed learning, with each day absent equating to approximately five explicit teaching lessons:

• 95% attendance approx. 10 days absent = 50 lessons missed (~2 weeks of learning)
• 90% attendance approx. 20 days absent = 100 lessons missed (~4 weeks of learning)

• 85% attendance approx. 30 days absent = 150 lessons missed (~6 weeks of learning)

   

As part of our ongoing focus on attendance, you may receive an email from me if your child's attendance has dropped below 90% year-to-date. This communication is intended to be supportive, not punitive, and is simply an opportunity to open a conversation about how we can best support your child.

Thank you for your continued support in helping every student make the most of their learning each day.

TK Tuckshop — We'd Love Your Feedback

Now that we've completed a full term trialling TK Tuckshop, with lunch deliveries available every Thursday, we'd love to hear from our school community. Whether your family uses the service regularly or not at all, your feedback is valuable.

We're particularly interested in your thoughts on food quality, the ordering process, and whether there is enough interest to consider expanding to additional days. Please take a moment to complete our brief feedback form here.

School Concert — The Great Australian Road Trip

We're thrilled to share that this year's school production is The Great Australian Road Trip, a story that follows a family as they travel around Australia, visiting iconic destinations like the Big Banana, Uluru, and the mighty MCG, with a few classic road-trip bumps along the way. We look forward to joining the family and Nana Jude on their adventure!

Auditions for lead roles will begin early in Term 2, initially open to Year 6 students before being extended to other year levels. STOMP will lead the choreography of dance routines alongside Skye PS staff during Term 3.

Our concert venue will once again be the Frankston Arts Centre, with two shows on Tuesday 8th September, a matinee at 12:00pm and an evening performance at 6:00pm. Further information regarding tickets and costumes will be shared towards the end of Term 2.

Exciting times ahead!

Reminder: School Review Parent Survey

As shared via Sentral last week, our four-year School Review is taking place in Term 2. This is a significant opportunity for our community to reflect on the progress we've made and help shape the direction of our next School Strategic Plan.

If you haven't yet had a chance, please take a few minutes to complete our short, anonymous survey, structured around the five key domains of the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO 2.0). Your perspective as a parent is a vital part of this process.

[Complete the Parent Survey Here]

Thank you to those who have already shared their insights. We genuinely value your contribution to the future of our school.

Ramp Works Update

Following the brief pause for NAPLAN, activity at the ramp worksite has ramped up significantly, with earthworks now taking place daily. The updated project timeline points toward a completion date in early June. A key milestone will be the conclusion of Stage 1, the section nearest the BER and the blue basketball court, after which we expect to reopen the access path around the BER.

I'll continue to provide updates as the project progresses.

Wishing all of our families a safe, restful, and happy Easter break. We look forward to welcoming students back for Term 2!

Warm regards,

Tim