Welcome to 2026

I trust you had a wonderful summer break. It has been a delight to see so many smiling, excited faces back at school this morning—including parents confidently handing over their children as we begin another year together. As I visited classrooms today, students were eager to share stories of their holiday adventures. All learning spaces were calm and purposeful, with classes already engaged in learning. While some students were setting up their resources, others were practising their entry and exit routines, setting a positive tone for the year ahead.

For our staff, the summer break provided an opportunity to rest, reset and prioritise some much-needed self-care. While we sometimes hear comments about “9 to 3:30” or “school holidays again,” our teachers at TPS work tirelessly every day to ensure that both the learning and wellbeing of their students remain a high priority. Their commitment to continuous improvement and meeting the diverse needs of students consistently extends well beyond the school day. The summer break is therefore an important time to switch off, recharge and return refreshed for the year ahead.

Over the past five weeks, alongside rest and relaxation, I have had time to reflect on what continues to motivate me after 25 years in education. It may sound cliché, but it truly is the students and those daily ‘aha’ moments that make this work so rewarding. It’s witnessing our youngest learners blend sounds to read their first words, seeing friendships form both inside and outside the classroom, and working in partnership with families. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work in wonderful schools alongside dedicated teams, families and students—and that is something I deeply value.

School culture is something we all contribute to, and in 2026 I will continue to lead and embed a culture that is safe, inclusive and respectful for all members of our community.

Classroom Contact

Your child’s classroom teacher(s) are your first point of contact regarding your child, and they are keen to work in partnership with families to provide the best possible support.

Teachers begin their school day at 8:45am. Mornings are a busy time as staff prepare for learning to commence, so we ask that families refrain from approaching teachers before school, as this can impact the smooth start to the day for students.

If you need to contact your child’s teacher, please do so via Compass, or arrange a meeting after school. Teachers are available for meetings on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:30pm. Staff are not available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays as they are engaged in scheduled professional learning.

Attendance

Regular attendance and punctuality are essential to support your child’s learning and wellbeing. Our organisational bell rings at 8:55am, signalling for students to move to their line-up areas before heading into class. Rolls are marked at 9:00am.

Students arriving after 9:00am must be signed in at the office by a parent or carer and issued with a late pass to give to their classroom teacher. Students are not permitted to sign themselves in.

If your child is absent, please record an attendance note via the Compass app, including the reason for the absence. Any unexplained absences will result in an SMS notification at 10:00am advising that your child has been marked absent.

In line with our Attendance Policy, attendance and punctuality are monitored regularly by the leadership team. Families may be contacted if we notice patterns of prolonged absences or frequent late arrivals. These conversations are always supportive in nature, as we are keen to work with families to ensure the best outcomes for students.

Curriculum Day

On Tuesday, staff participated in professional learning focused on the following areas:

Child Safe Standards
School routines and expectations
Start-Up Program

The Start-Up Program is designed to explicitly embed our school-wide routines and expectations, clarify what high-quality lessons look like, and ensure students understand what they can expect in every classroom. We know that when routines and expectations are clear and consistent, students thrive—learning environments are calm, and engagement levels are high in every lesson.

At TPS, we hold high expectations for student engagement. We expect students to be present, attentive, and active learners. Through the use of clear engagement norms, we continue to create classrooms where students feel safe to respond, take risks, and make mistakes. These practices build confidence and foster a strong culture of inclusion for all learners.

As we move through the first week of term, teachers will be reviewing cohort assessment data from the end of 2025. This ensures staff have a clear understanding of where students are at, what they need next, and how to design learning sequences that move students along the learning continuum in preparation for Planning Week in Week 3.

Book Packs

It was wonderful to see how excited students were to arrive this morning and find all their learning resources ready to use in the classroom. Teachers have been supporting students with organisation, and feedback has been very positive, with students finding it easy to settle into learning knowing they have everything they need.

We thank families who have already finalised payment for book packs and kindly ask those who have not yet done so to complete payment via Compass or through the school office. If you are experiencing any difficulty with payment, please contact the school so we can support you. Payment plans are available and can be easily arranged through Compass.

Fencing Upgrade

We are pleased to share that the new fencing is almost complete! A significant amount of work was undertaken over January, with a few final touches being completed over the coming days. We are grateful to our families who continue to support the school through voluntary parent contributions, which allow us to fund important projects and enhancements beyond departmental provisions.

With the fencing now nearing completion, we are excited to commence the next phase of our landscaping plan. This will include the development of the garden area with the installation of cubbies and an imaginative play space, followed by upgrades to the gardens along Brookville Road and the front of the school.

Once again, we thank all families who supported the 2025 fundraising events. Your generosity has enabled us to fully fund the redevelopment of this garden area, and we look forward to sharing this space with our students very soon.

School News

Honesty Responsibility Friendship Respect Kindness

Wednesday 28th January 2026 · 28 Jan 2026

In this issue