Leadership Report

Week 5 Wrap-Up at Newlands Primary

What a week it’s been! We’ve wrapped up Week 5 with big smiles, colourful shirts, and plenty to celebrate. A massive thank you to The Get Up Kids for their support this week — I couldn’t have done it without you!

Cross Country Success

The water must be magic at Newlands! Eight — yes, seriously eight of our students have qualified for the next round of district cross country. Huge congratulations to Paxton, Reuben, Harvey, Marlo, Ari, Archie, Ramona, and Isabelle for blazing through the Coburg terrain. A special shout-out goes to all our students who competed. Your encouragement and support for one another throughout the event didn’t go unnoticed. In fact, another school reached out to commend Newlands on the positive energy and team spirit our students displayed. That’s something to be truly proud of.

School Visits & Our First Bilingual World Cup

We love sharing our work and learning from others. This week, we welcomed teachers from Camberwell and Fitzroy Primary who came to observe our Literacy program. On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of visiting Brunswick South Primary as part of the Bilingual Network.

And now for the exciting news... We're thrilled to announce Newlands will participate in the first-ever Bilingual World Cup later in Term 4! Teams from German, Japanese, Italian, French, and other bilingual schools will come together for a friendly futbal competition. Even more exciting? We'll be hosting the first event!

The Colour Run

We’ll have a full recap in next week’s newsletter, but here’s a sneak peek: It was epic!

Our Parents and Friends Association once again showed just how amazing they are raising funds and putting on an unforgettable day of fun. Students, staff, and families left the event covered in every colour of the rainbow and grinning from ear to ear.

Thanks to everyone who joined us, donated, and sacrificed a clean white T-shirt for the cause. The money raised will help transform our B-Block buildings into brand-new classrooms by 2026. We’ll share the final total soon!

What’s Happening in the Classrooms at Newlands!

I received feedback that my questions for the newsletter are always about learning, so I thought I would change it up this week!

Foundation

We asked our Foundation students: “What do you do when you’re served dinner and it doesn’t taste nice?” Here are their very honest (and hilarious!) responses:

Arabella – “I keep trying to eat it.”
Ava – “You keep trying to eat even if it doesn’t look good.”
Axel – “I refuse to eat it!”
Maeve – “I tell my Mum and Dad I don’t like it and they have to make something else.”
Tejas – “Even if it doesn’t look good, I still force myself to eat it.”
Lachlan – “I leave the table!”
Lucas – “Leave the table and pretend I have to go to the toilet.”

Kids always tell it like it is!

Years 1/2

“What are you doing this weekend? And if you could do anything, what would it be?”

Apollo – “Playing footy for Preston Bullants – it’s the only thing I want to do!”
Frankie – “Making cupcakes. I’d do the Colour Run again!”
Anushka – “Swimming with Sienna – I’d do the Colour Run again too.”
Evie – “Two playdates. I’d do the exact same thing!”
Theo – “Two birthday parties. If I could do anything, I’d fly to San Francisco!”
Eva – “No idea… I’d fly over a lake!”
Fearne – “Going to the circus. I’d go to the snow and throw snowballs at Mum!”
Alice – “Going to the circus with Fearne. I’d want to be invisible and scare my Mum!”
Freddie – “Having a playdate. I’d travel the world, make things, sell them, and get rich!”

Years 3/4:

We asked:“If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?”

Hazel – “A border collie – they’re smart and athletic.”
Fletcher – “A cheetah – super fast!”
Iris – “A sloth – I’m slow and enjoy being slow!”
Blaise – “A cat – they’re agile!”
Alyssia – “An elephant and a cat – both are so cute.”
Edi – “A phoenix – they never die.”
Aviva – “A vampire bat – they never die either!”
Calen – “A puma – I’d be able to hunt and hunt.”
Lily – “A cat – they’re lazy and roam free.”
Albertine – “A cat – they just sleep all day.”
Flora – “A kelpie – fast, energetic, and playful!”

Years 5/6

"If you could have any job when you're older, what would it be and why?”

Charlie – “An actor – I love being creative.”
Elsa – “An artist – I love making things.”
Eloise – “Anything in the Arts – I love being creative.”
Felix – “Play in the NBA – I want to be a basketball!”
Edison – “NBA player – so I’m rich!”
Martin – “Soccer player – I love being active.”
Beatrix – “Whatever makes me rich!”
Billie – “A librarian – I’ve always wanted to be one.”
Artie – “A chef – I love cooking!”(Edit: “I want to eat your food, not do dishes!”)
Xavier – “A famous basketball player!”
Eva – “Work at 7-Eleven so I can get free food!”

These responses remind us just how wonderfully thoughtful, imaginative, and refreshingly honest our students are. Stay tuned for more classroom moments next week!

Sorry Day & Reconciliation Week at Newlands

This Monday marks National Sorry Day, a significant moment in Australia’s history. It’s a time for us to stand together in reflection and recognition of the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, especially the Stolen Generations.

Following Sorry Day, we will engage in Reconciliation Week with a series of learning experiences designed to deepen our understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories. These experiences align closely with our Term 2 inquiry unit, which focuses on Indigenous perspectives. Through reflection, learning, and community engagement, we hope to foster respect, inclusivity, and a united future for all Australians.

Wednesday Morning: Chilean & Argentinian Food Fest!

Get ready for a delicious morning! Our very own Alberto & Veni has been hard at work—three weeks in the kitchen! preparing an incredible spread of traditional Chilean and Argentinian cuisine for our Wednesday morning tea.

A huge thank you to all the families who are helping make this morning tea possible. They’re not just about food—they’re about bringing our community together.

Join us at 9:00am on Wednesday in the community area. Bring your appetite and your love for good company!

Have a great weekend!

Luke