Principal's Report

Dear EHPS Community,

Welcome back to Term 4! I hope everyone enjoyed a restful spring break and found time to recharge for the exciting final chapter of the school year. Term 4 is always a special one! It’s a time to celebrate achievements, reflect on growth, and look ahead to new goals and opportunities.

Term 3 concluded on a high note with plenty to celebrate. On Thursday 11 September, our Boys Hockey Team proudly represented the school in the State Final — an outstanding achievement and a testament to their hard work, teamwork, and dedication.

On the final day of the term, Friday, 19 September, we held our much-loved Footy Colours Day. Students and staff joined in the fun by wearing their team colours and enjoying a special footy-themed lunch from the canteen. It was a fantastic way to finish the term together with great spirit and community pride.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the lunchtime competitions. Your enthusiasm made the day extra special. Well done to all the winners and enjoy your Quelch sticks!

We’ve had a busy start to term with students settling back into school, a variety of sporting events, and all students going through final rehearsals and practice for our whole school music celebration Showcase. 

There are many highlights to look forward to this term, including our annual Pink Stumps Day Staff versus Year 6 cricket match in support of the McGrath Foundation on Wednesday 11 November, the Junior House Athletics for our Prep to Year 2 students on Thursday 11 December, and of course Carnival on Saturday 29 November. This term we will also experience transition activities and for our Year 6 students, graduation celebrations. 

As you are aware, Mr Perini informed the school community at the start of term that he is taking leave for the whole of Term 4, sharing the following message with the EHPS community:

Good afternoon Essex Heights Community,

I hope that you have had the opportunity to spend quality family time over the school holidays. Term 4 is an exciting time for the school with Showcase just a few weeks away, the Carnival approaching in late November and preparations beginning for 2026.

I would like to inform you that due to a serious family medical issue, I will be taking leave for all of term 4. This leave has been approved by the Department of Education, and I have informed Jen Bittner, School Council President and all staff. This decision provides clarity and continuity for the school for the remainder of the year. In my absence Elisha Cotterell will again be acting Principal, and I thank her for stepping up at a difficult time. I hope you can understand that this must be my priority at this time.

I wish all the students a smooth return to Term 4 and I look forward to hearing of all their great achievements.

Best wishes to you all.

George Perini

Principal

We wish him and his family well and look forward to his return to EHPS.

Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey

A random sample of Essex Heights families were invited to participate in this year’s annual Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion survey. Thank you to those who took the time to respond. The survey has now closed, and we look forward to receiving and reviewing the valuable feedback provided by our community. The information collected will be carefully considered by the school leadership team, the school improvement team, and the Community Engagement Working Party of School Council. This feedback will play an important role in shaping our planning and future priorities.

Showcase 2025

It’s that time of year again! Showcase is next week! The children are busy rehearsing, and we are really looking forward to a spectacular night of musical entertainment on Friday 24 October. Tickets went on sale last week and the uptake of tickets has been extraordinary; the Stalls sold out on the first day. The performance is almost sold out, so if you still require tickets, please purchase them as soon as possible. For all Showcase details, please refer to your Compass News Feed and the Showcase page in this newsletter.

Congratulations Amelia & Hannah

Our congratulations to Amelia M and former student Hannah K (class of 2024) who recently won silver in the National Clubs Carnival 2025 – Acrobatic Gymnastics in the Level 4 Women’s Pair – Junior section, representing Skylark Sports. A fantastic achievement!

SunSmart & hats in Term 4

In accordance with our SunSmart Policy, all families are reminded that the children are required to wear a SunSmart hat throughout Term 4. These should be in the school uniform dark green colour, in legionnaire, bucket or wide brimmed styles for maximum sun protection; these hats are available from our uniform supplier, Spartan School World. Please also make sure your child's hat is clearly labelled with their name. I would ask parents to ensure that children are bringing the appropriate headwear to school each day this term. Children without a hat will be directed to an undercover area for their protection. 

Planning for 2026

As advised last term, planning for the next school year is underway. Families were informed that there will be all single level classes in 2026, and our 24 classrooms are allocated as follows: 

In Term 4, a great deal of planning for the year ahead takes place. At this stage, we anticipate having 24 classes, including four Prep classes. Our school continues to attract strong enrolment interest, with many families in the Mount Waverley area seeking exceptional educational opportunities for their children supported by our outstanding teachers, facilities and resources. We expect to have around 600 students enrolled next year, with places available only to families residing within our designated zone.

At this time of year, children are often thinking about next year and their transition into the next year level. The staff are focussed on their students, their health and wellbeing as well as the many important factors necessary for the children to have a successful transition into 2026. Creating new class groups for next year will enable children to grow their friendship group across the year level as well as to be challenged with different thinking educationally.

The process of class creation is a very complex task, as there are many factors to consider before deciding the best student combinations. The educational needs of each child must be the most important criteria so that each has the best prospect of learning to their full potential. When developing class lists, teachers ensure that each class has an equitable spread of boys and girls with a range of academic abilities. Student compatibility and behaviour is also considered, and students are placed with children with whom they work well. Children’s feedback will be sought by their classroom teacher. The allocation of classes takes many hours of consideration and planning by staff who know the children in the school context, and it is taken very seriously to ensure that each child’s learning potential is maximised.

As always, in the formation of new classes, the children’s educational needs and the maintenance of positive working groups will be important criteria used to guide placement. If you have matters that are of interest to the educational needs of your child, please put them in writing and return to me by Friday 7 November. This, of course, is an opportunity for me to gain an insight into the matters that you see as important for the educational wellbeing of your child. Our staff will consider information shared by parents/ carers carefully when allocating students to classes and I can assure you that all information will be always handled confidentially.

Please note that while all requests will be carefully considered, it may not be possible to accommodate them due to the many competing and complex factors involved in this process. I would like to emphasise that the staff at EHPS are highly skilled and dedicated professionals who work in the best interests of every child. Genuine concerns will always be taken seriously, however, requests for specific teachers will not be considered. Class placements will be determined based on each student’s educational needs and the overall requirements of the school.

As parents and carers, you play a vital role in demonstrating resilience to your children. Now is a good time to consider how you might respond if your child has concerns about their class placement in the coming months. If your child raises an issue, take the opportunity to talk with them and listen to their perspective. You may choose to discuss their concerns with a staff member if needed.

It’s most important, however, to model responsible and positive behaviour. Encourage your child to see the new year as a chance to develop new friendships and working relationships, while also reminding them that there are plenty of opportunities outside of class time to stay connected with existing friends. Approaching change with optimism helps build resilience and confidence.

Also essential to our consideration in our planning and preparation is knowing if your child is leaving EHPS and not returning in 2026. Please email the school email address as soon as possible – essex.heights.ps@education.vic.gov.au – if your child is leaving EHPS to advise the following details:

• Child's name and 2025 class
• Date of last day at EHPS (2025 school year ends on Friday 19 December)
• Name of the school your child is enrolled at 
• Commencement date at new school (2026 school year commences on Tuesday 27 January)
• The reason for leaving EHPS  
• New contact details (if applicable), e.g. address, phone number, email

The 2026 school year commences on Tuesday 27 January. This day is a student-free day in all Victorian Government schools and our Office will open. At EHPS, Wednesday 28 January will also be a student-free day as staff prepare for the new school year and term. Years 1 to 6 students first day at school next year is Thursday 29 January. Details of Prep students commencement at school will be finalised and communicated with 2026 Prep families and in the next newsletter. 

School Dismissal

Families are reminded that school dismissal is at 3.30pm and a parent/carer must collect their child at this time, or make arrangements for their care. Staff are on yard duty until 3.45pm to ensure all students are then in the care/supervision of another adult from this time. Our duty of care requires that any children remaining at school at this time must be in the care of/supervised by an adult in an after school program, After School Care run by our OSHC program, or with a parent/family member/friend. It is not okay for children to remain playing in school grounds or next door in Essex Heights Reserve unsupervised after this time.

No school for students

Families are reminded about the upcoming days when students do not attend school:

• Friday 31 October – Staff Professional Practice Day. 
• Monday 3 November – Student-free Day (staff focus on Assessment and Reporting).
• Tuesday 4 November – Melbourne Cup public holiday.

Our OSHC program will be provide care from 7am to 6pm on Friday and Monday for children enrolled in the program; booking is essential.

Celebrate Children’s Week

Children’s Week is a national celebration that recognises the talents, skills, achievements and rights of children.

It will run from Saturday 18 October to Sunday 26 October 2025, with thousands of Victorian children and families expected to take part.

This year’s theme is ‘Everyone should know about Children’s Rights’, based on Article 42 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

During Children’s Week, local councils, not-for-profit organisations, schools and early childhood services will host in-person and online events and activities that celebrate childhood and showcase children’s achievements.

All Children’s Week events in Victoria are free to families with children aged up to 12 years. This gives Victorian families the opportunity to enjoy fun, engaging and educational experiences. For more information about Children’s Week and free events in your area, refer to the Children’s Week webpage.

Celebrate together

During Children’s Week, local councils, not-for-profit organisations, schools and early childhood services will host in-person and online events and activities that celebrate childhood and showcase children’s achievements.

The department is supporting more than 240 free Children’s Week events and activities for Victorian families with children aged up to 12 years. This gives families the opportunity to enjoy fun, engaging and educational experiences.

Scholarships to support students

Scholarships are available for eligible students in Year 4 to Year 11, and for Year 12 students planning to do tertiary studies in 2026.

Student scholarships

The Department of Education administers a number of scholarships that are available to eligible students who are enrolled in Year 4 to Year 12 in 2025.

Applicants for these scholarships will be evaluated on their:

• participation in school activities
• community involvement
• academic achievement.

Scholarships are either one-off payments or cover the duration of the student’s course or annual study.

Many of these scholarships have specific eligibility criteria, so please refer to individual applications for more information. Applications open on Wednesday 1 October 2025 and close on Monday 2 February 2026. 

For more information and a list of available scholarships, refer to the Student scholarships for Grade 4 to Year 12 fact sheet. 

For information on how to apply, refer to Student scholarships.

Happy Diwali

Diwali will be celebrated on Monday 20 October this year. On behalf of our whole community, I would like to wish a Happy Diwali to all the families that celebrate this special day. The festival of lights signifies peace and joy, the victory of good over evil, and light over darkness. I hope that this celebration may have even greater significance as we move out of our dark times and give thanks for our reopening as a society. Best wishes to all EHPS families celebrating, and I hope that you have the opportunity to celebrate with your families.

Welcome

We welcome the following students and their families to the EHPS community:

• Sophie P (PZ) & Owen P (2BC)
• Reese H (PGZ)
• Jeremy F (34R)

I look forward to seeing you at Showcase next Friday and around school in the coming weeks.

Kindest regards,

Elisha Cotterell

Acting Principal