Principal Report

Dear Families,

We look forward to welcoming all parents, family, and friends to our ‘Open Classrooms’ and Family Picnic this afternoon and evening. All classrooms will be open for visitors between 3.30-4.15pm and the community are most welcome to come and visit their school.

The personal tour guides for our Open Classroom sessions will be your children who will enjoy the opportunity of showing you their classrooms and the wonderful work they have been doing throughout the year.

Classroom teachers will be available to answer general questions about what is happening in the classrooms and the work the children are completing but it is not a parent teacher interview, so they are not expected to discuss the performance of individual children.

Teachers are currently completing student reports so information on effort, behaviour and academic performance will be presented to parents when these reports become available later in December.

Following on from the classroom visits, from 4.00pm until 7:00pm, there will be a family picnic conducted in the school grounds (soccer pitch / stage area) where parents can come together, relax and enjoy some time to celebrate another big year. The school band and choirs will be performing between 4.30 and 5.30pm to display the excellent talents of the students and our exceptional school music program.

Families are welcome to bring along their own food (picnic hampers, take-away etc) and there will also be food vans available on-site. I look forward to seeing you all at the 2023 Family Picnic before the big final rush begins to end the year.

A new multi-level classroom building for Newport Lakes

I was notified earlier this week that Newport Lakes PS has been allocated a new Mod 10 (double storey), 4 classroom building to meet our current and future student enrolment requirements.

I had previously informed the community that the Education Department had planned to place an additional 5 Mod (single level), 2 classroom building at the school which would not only have taken away more valuable play space but would have also meant the removal of several of our remaining eucalyptus trees that we have on our school grounds.

The plan now is to remove one of the older lower Mod 5 buildings and replace it with a new double storey building of the same footprint size thus gaining 2 more classrooms but not losing any further play space. The facilities and building branch of the education department, the VSBA (Victorian School Building Authority), are now investigating the different options for this to occur. At this present time the VSBA are considering the replacement of the Yr.5/6 classroom building in the southwest corner of the grounds at the rear of the school gym. This option will still involve the removal of one large tree but as part of the program, the area around the building will be fully landscaped with a 2 for 1 replacement program for any tree removed.

Another option being considered is a replacement of one of the existing low-level Mod 5 buildings situated along the laneway. This is a far more complex, inconvenient and expensive option but would allow for better long-term planning and no large trees would be removed. Although the school will be consulted, the final decision of the building program will be that of the VSBA. We will endeavour to keep the school community updated whenever possible.

I would like to take the opportunity of thanking school council, parents club, individual concerned parents and our local member Melissa Horne MP for all their time, diligence and effort they have placed over the last 4 years in achieving this excellent and sensible outcome for our school and community. It has been a long, continuous, and often very tiring and frustrating battle but the outcome makes it worthwhile.

Preparations for the building program will need to begin before the end of the year (clearing out of the classrooms to be removed of all furniture and chattels) in readiness for the building removal over the holidays. Following this, there is the placement and fit out of the new building which will take all of term 1 of the 2024 school year. It will be a difficult time requiring patience and resilience from all but the final outcome will be a better school for now and for the future.

Carols on the Green

One of the many wonderful things about Newport is the manner in which it has been able to maintain its small community feeling. A special event coming up which exemplifies this community feel is the ‘Carols on the Green’ to be conducted on the evening of Saturday 9th December outside the Newport library on Paine Reserve.

It promises to be a fun, family friendly (alcohol free) event so bring along a picnic , a rug and enjoy a wonderful evening together. Our school band and choirs will be performing and representing the school at this special family event.

Have a great fortnight.

David Moss

Principal

Student Charges and Contributions for 2024 are now on Compass and need your action

Before we all close off the school year and to ensure that next year is even better, we would like to advise you of the extra-curricular items & activities as well as the voluntary financial contributions for 2024.

Your ongoing support ensures that our school can offer the best possible education and support for our students. We want to thank you for all your support, whether that’s through fundraising or volunteering your time. This has made a huge difference to our school and the programs we can offer. Our school only invests in items that we believe add value to the school experience for students.

All contributions go specifically towards items and activities that help improve your child’s educational experience. There is an array of payment methods. Please take note payments can be made via Compass or by other means as arranged with the school.

Please refer to the Parent Payment Policy available on our website for a full breakdown of all costs, they are clearly outlined under the 2024 Contribution Schedule.

2024 Extracurricula Contributions & Activities can be paid in full or by two instalments.

Payment in full or first instalment (50%) is due by Monday 4th December
The second instalment is due on Monday 18th March, 2024

Please do not hesitate to contact the school office should you have any questions or need assistance with payments.

2024 Permissions & Agreements - Compass

Each year the school must obtain certain permissions from parents (and/or students) regarding particular areas of school life.

These include;

local excursion permission (e.g. walks to the local park)
movie watching
headlice checks
ICT Code of Conduct and Student phone use
Photography, filming & recoding of students. (previously called media permission)

Previously these would have been completed by parents upon enrolment, however they must been obtained annually.

Parents and carers can now complete these permissions and agreements electronically via the Course Confirmation & Payments section on your Compass portal.

Please complete these before the commencement of the 2024 school year.

For copies of our school policies, please visit our school website.