Principal's Page

From Christian's desk....

Next Week - A Huge, Fun Filled, Colourful Week!

Next week our school is going to be awash with colour and energy:

Tuesday is CHAPS' Crazy Hair Day! Bring your pocket money for Popcorn & Fairyfloss ($2.50 per serve)!
Thursday the school is celebrating Pride Month. Students are welcome to come to school dressed in all the colours of the rainbow! During the day students will engage in age-appropriate learning, consistent with the Victorian Curriculum, relative to diversity. If your family has questions regarding the content of this learning you are welcome to contact me directly at christian.holdsworth@education.vic.gov.au
Friday is Junior School Council’s Free Dress Day. Students are asked to bring a gold coin donation to support both State Schools Relief and, following the devastation of the recent storms, our neighbours in the Hills, via the Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service.

Look after yourselves and your loved ones

Last night, as all Principals do on a near to monthly basis, I reported on our school’s current climate at School Council. In doing so I reflected on another event adding to a remarkable period of our school’s history.

On Friday 11th June, as a result of the previous days’ extreme weather cutting the school’s power and telecommunications, our school was officially closed by DET for the third time in less than a year. The previous two being for a confirmed community case of COVID-19 in July – August 2020 and, as a result of the classroom fire in January this year.

The latest school closure is all the more significant given it was on the day our students and staff were due to return to onsite learning following the state’s fourth bout of COVID-19 enforced Remote and Flexible Learning.

The enormity of this trio of closures is that it is extremely uncommon for school’s to cease onsite operations. To the best of previous Principal Graeme Caudry’s and my knowledge, these are the only closures in the school’s history.

The devastation of the storms has reached all corners of our community, with the impacts varying from inconvenient to devastating. It is with great pride that once again, our school community has both calmly responded to the circumstances and done everything possible to support each other.

I encourage our community to continue to do so and look out for each other.

For direct Health and Wellbeing Support:

In an emergency always call triple zero (000).
Lifeline on 13 11 14
DET Employee Assistance Program - Lifeworks 1300 361 008
Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636
Kids Help Line – 1800 55 1800

Croydon Hills Primary School Farmers’ Market

I can confirm that the school will be hosting three Sunday morning Farmer’s Markets on 10th October, 14th November and 12th December; 8:00am – 12:00pm. The vision for the series of events includes a ‘simple market’ that hosts a variety of stalls (via private stall holders), some rides and a school BBQ.

If you are interested in working with parent volunteer, Aimee Willison aimee.willison@gmail.com and me on this project please connect with us via email christian.holdsworth@education.vic.gov.au .

Christian Holdsworth - Principal