Across Oliver's Desk 

Dear Parents & Guardians, 

It’s been a funny week with the sad passing of the Queen, the only sovereign in our life time. I remember still singing ‘God Save the Queen when I was at Primary School. The other funny part of the week was on Wednesday when I was in a meeting and started noticing all the staff wearing funny clothes as they arrived at work. It was a little embarrassing but also wonderful to see so many of the kids dressed up as myself. I have to say they are much better versions of me. Some of the cards and messages were beautiful, and I’ll keep them in my special box of teaching memorabilia. Thank you to all of you for making that day very special for me.

What a wonderful full term we have had. I looked back at the newsletter I wrote for this time last year and the first words were about a term of total disruption and online learning. Although there has still been a little more illness and absenteeism from staff and students than normal, I would have to say on a whole it’s been wonderful to have had three terms without any major disruption. 

GRADE 2 SLEEPOVER

Our grade 2’s had a wonderful time on Friday night when they had a sleepover at the school. They had pizza and sushi for dinner, played fun games and even had a disco! One of our students Amelia said, “I had the best time ever! It was awesome!” 

Thank you to Rachael, Sophie, Katie, Vicky, Steph, Libby, Fiona and Sandy for giving the kids a wonderful experience and getting them ready for the grade 3/4 camp next year.

BUILDING WORKS

Even though it doesn’t seem like it, the building works are progressing, the rain has been a major issue for the workers but at the moment we are still on track to move into the new building in May next year. The completion date for the whole scope of the works is September next year. Below is a drawing of the plans, which will start taking shape soon. Once the building is finished there will be work on a new path going down from our kiss and drop. There will be new basketball courts, landscaped gardens, toilets and canteen for the hall and if there are still funds available, we plan to build an amphitheatre on our hill.

School council has already approved some extra works. We will very soon be getting a new walkway connecting the 5/6 portable to the other buildings. We will also be renovating the shed at the top of the school, making it a new bike shed and over the summer holidays we will be building a bike pump track at the bottom of the school near the Warburton Trail. Our current School Council has certainly been busy in terms of upgrading our buildings and grounds. I know it is frustrating at the moment with so much of the school being under construction, but we are a high performing school in terms of results and soon we will also have the facilities to match those results. 

ENROLMENTS FOR 2023 

With our outstanding results over the past five years, our school continues to be the destination school for many families in the Valley. We are unfortunately at capacity next year. We have shut off enrolments for any level from any families from outside our local school zone for 2023.  Unfortunately, our school council and I, do believe that getting a place at our school will only become more difficult in the years to come. That of course will not be an issue for parents that live in our zone or for parents that already have a sibling at the school.

STATE SCHOOL SPECTACULAR

On the weekend the state school spectacular was held in the city. Sophie Young organised some artwork from some of our indigenous students. Below are photos of our school being put up in lights on the big stage. Thank you to our students Lexi Williams, Tianna Sadler, Aleyah Sadler, Axel Hare, Felix Zangmeister and Kirra Smith for their wonderful work.

STAFFING NEWS

Every year before we do anything else we have to firstly decide on the make-up of the Prep Team, this is because of transition activities and the testing of future preps during term four. Therefore, it is my great pleasure to announce the Prep team for 2023:

Jess Howe – Team Leader

Jess Lowe

Bonnie McKercher

Sophie Young

During the first week of term 4 we will unfortunately be saying goodbye to Danielle Marnock who is currently the teacher of 5/6D. Danielle will be going on maternity leave. We look forward to the news sometime in term 4 of the arrival of a new bundle of joy! I will keep you posted.

Danielle will be replaced by Judy Ward. Judy is a very experienced teacher that the students already know as she has worked at our school before. In these times we are lucky to be able to secure such a fantastic high-quality replacement. 

SPELLING COMPETITION FINAL

The spelling competition final is always one of high drama and tension. Having said that, it is fantastic to watch how good our top spellers are. The battle for the grade 5 champion came down to Malachi Syme and Natasha McNamara. It went on and on with both students either getting the word correct or incorrect. In a very tight tussle Natasha was the eventual winner. 

Congratulations to all the students that made the final. The spelling champions for 2022 are listed below:

OUR STUDENTS WRITING DISPLAYED AT THE YARRA JUNCTION LIBRARY

Over the two week period of the school holidays our students writing will be on display at the Yarra Junction library in the children’s section as a part of our whole school ‘Author Study’ unit. The preps explored Julia Donaldson, the 1/2's crafted from Aaron Blabey, the 3/4's focused on Roald Dahl and the 5/6s created pieces based on Shaun Tan stories. If you have the chance, please make your way to the library to read our students’ incredible writing. 

EXCELLENCE AWARDS

I would like to congratulate all our excellence award winners this term. Our excellence awards go to the student the teachers’ judge as the best student for the term in terms of following the school’s values of High Expectations and Respect.

The winners receive a badge that has a different colour to represent how many times a student has won an award. Students will also be acknowledged with their photo and a blurb on why they have won the award in the office area for the following term. 

Congratulations to all our winners who have striven for excellence this term.

Term 3 2022

STEP WINNERS

The following students are our term 3 steps winners. The winners will enjoy a sumptuous morning tea with myself first week back in term 4. Well done to all these students for being ready to learn, attentive and basically brilliant!

 LAST DAY OF TERM

Just a reminder that we finish at 2:30pm on the last day of term.

I hope you all have a safe and happy break! Thank you again for all the support you constantly give us. Our community has again been so positive about everything to do with the school this term and I thank you all for creating that positive environment.  

Please make sure you look after yourself in the next weeks and thank you again for all your support! I’m not sure who is going to win the grand final this year but if your team is still in the mix, I wish you all the best. Next year is definitely the year of the mighty Blue. ‘Well I hope’.

I hope you get a chance to read over the break. I certainly will be!