Principal's Report

Dear Skye Families, 

Farewell Kim

As we farewell one of Skye's most beloved and dedicated staff members, we reflect with enormous gratitude on the eleven amazing years that Kim Weissenburger has given to our school community.

Kim's journey at Skye began in the classroom, where her warmth, passion and skill as a teacher made an immediate and lasting impression on students and staff alike. Her deep commitment to literacy, and in particular the science of reading and evidence-informed explicit instruction, saw her step into the role of Literacy Learning Specialist, where she worked tirelessly to build the capacity of teachers and lift outcomes for students across the school.

In her role as Assistant Principal, Kim took on the Wellbeing portfolio and, quite simply, put wellbeing on the map at Skye. Through her leadership of School Wide Positive Behaviour Support and the Berry Street Education Model, Kim helped create the calm, orderly and predictable learning environments our students thrive in today. The improvements we have seen in student attitudes to school and in our attendance data are a direct reflection of the foundations she laid. Kim didn't just implement programs, she built a whole school wellbeing team to champion these initiatives and ensure they became embedded in the fabric of our school.

Kim also led our Education Support team with the same consistency, care and high expectations she brought to everything she did, building staff capacity to directly and confidently support the unique and individual needs of every student in their care. Her community engagement initiatives, from open library mornings and parent volunteer training to the Fathering Project and valuable contributions to School Council and PTF, reflect a leader who understood that great schools are built on strong communities.

While farewelling Kim is bittersweet, we are pleased that her legacy is in safe hands. Danielle Wadley, who many of you will know through her outstanding work as our Disability and Inclusion Leading Teacher, steps into the Acting Assistant Principal role from Monday 27th July. Danielle has already built strong and trusted relationships with staff, students and families at Skye, and we are confident that the foundations Kim has so carefully laid will continue to grow and flourish under her leadership.

Beyond all of this, Kim's warmth and friendly nature have made her a cherished presence at Skye, someone who could be relied upon not only for her expertise but for her genuine care for the people around her. It has been my personal privilege to work alongside Kim over the last four years, and the close and collaborative relationship we have built is something I will treasure deeply.

It fills us with enormous pride to see Kim take the leap into Principalship, and we have no doubt that the students and staff at Wallaroo Primary School are very lucky indeed. We thank Kim for everything she has given to Skye and wish her every success in this exciting new chapter.

Regional Executive Team Meeting

Earlier this week, Skye Primary School had the honour of hosting the South Eastern Victoria Region's Regional Executive Team for their quarterly meeting. It was a privilege to welcome the region's leaders to our school and to showcase the outstanding work happening in our classrooms.

We presented to the team on our recent Systematic Maths Fluency improvement journey, highlighting the progress our students and teachers have made, before heading into Year 5 and Year 6 classrooms to observe our fluency routines in action. It was a proud moment for our school, and the feedback from the team was overwhelmingly positive. They spoke warmly about the trajectory we are on and offered some valuable insights to help shape our next steps. A wonderful affirmation of the hard work and commitment of our teaching staff.

Year 5 Camp — Sovereign Hill

Last week I had the pleasure of joining our Year 5 students on their school camp to the iconic Sovereign Hill in Ballarat, and what a memorable experience it was. The cohort threw themselves into every activity with enthusiasm, positivity and outstanding behaviour.

What stood out most was the curiosity and depth of thinking the students brought to their exploration of this significant period in Australia's history. From examining the perspectives of First Peoples and immigrants to reflecting on living standards, sacrifices, modes of transport, construction and the lives of business owners during the Gold Rush era, our students showed a genuine desire to understand history in all its complexity. It was a joy to learn alongside them.

Music Bingo Night 

Tickets are still available for next Friday's parent-only Music Bingo event at Skye. It's a great chance to connect with other families in a relaxed setting for a fun evening of music and games. BYO food and drinks. Individual tickets are $25 or secure a table of 8 for $180.

Building Works Update

Ramps Project

It has been wonderful to see the main ramp open and in use over the first two weeks of term, and while temporary fencing remains in place, the improved access has provided welcome relief for parents, students and staff navigating their way around the school. Balustrades are expected to be installed within the next fortnight, which will bring this project closer to its completion.

A little more patience is required as we wait for the seeded grass on the fenced hill to establish, and landscaping works to restore the indigenous garden and surrounding pathway are still to come. We appreciate the understanding and good humour our community has shown throughout this process and look forward to sharing the finished result with you soon.

On-Site Kindergarten

Despite some recent challenges, we are pleased to advise that the practical completion date for our on-site kindergarten remains on track. This is an exciting milestone for our school community and we can't wait to see this wonderful new space come to life.

Over the next few days, you may notice some of our staff making their way up and down the Ballarto Road hill on foot. This is due to a temporary closure of the staff carpark while critical works are carried out to reroute services, an important step in the final stages of construction. We thank our staff for their flexibility and our families for their patience as we navigate these hurdles.

Dog-Free School — Reminder

As communicated at the end of last term, Skye Primary School is now a dog-free zone. We ask that dogs are left at home when dropping off or picking up on school grounds. Thank you to the vast majority of our families who have already embraced this change, it has made a noticeable difference to the safety and calm of our mornings and afternoons. Please note this policy does not apply to service dogs or therapy dogs.

Have a great fortnight!

Warm regards, 

Tim