Principal Report

School Values

Another busy fortnight at IPS. There have been many highlights over the past two weeks, and I can honestly say the way our students have been conducting themselves and using our school values is impressive.

For those new to our school, our students voiced in 2023 that they wanted values that are easy to understand for all children, from Foundation to Year 6, and they felt our current values at the time didn’t reflect this. Over the past 18 months, they have worked on not only rewording our values to what they are today – Be Kind, Work Hard, Grow Together – but they also personally designed the logo. Additionally, they have worked on creating a behaviour matrix to help all students understand how these values work in practice.

We are continuing to expand on our values and will soon be introducing a triage of conversation called Bounce Back. A triage of conversation is a restorative approach to resolving issues, where students have structured conversations designed to address and repair any harm done to relationships. This approach focuses on understanding the situation, taking responsibility, and working together to make things right, helping students build resilience and empathy.

I have inserted the image below, which I’m sure you have seen around the school. Now you know why these values are so important to our community.

Hostel

Our Year 5/6 students had their first hostel session for 2025. Due to ongoing COVID issues, last year was a bit hit and miss, but we’re thrilled to have this valuable program up and running again. During their first session, the students focused on hand hygiene and the importance of keeping everyone safe. This is particularly crucial as we continue to navigate health and safety in the community.

Looking ahead, most fortnights will be spent playing games and engaging in activities that allow students to get to know each other and interact with the residents. This initiative is more than just about having fun; it plays a significant role in building meaningful connections between the students and residents.

The benefits of this community initiative are immense for both the students and the residents. For the students, it provides an opportunity to develop important social skills, empathy, and a sense of responsibility as they engage with others outside of their usual peer group. They also gain a greater appreciation for the elderly, which helps nurture a spirit of respect and kindness.

For the residents, the initiative offers regular social interaction, helping to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. The activities not only brighten their day but also create a welcoming atmosphere where everyone feels valued. By participating, the students and residents help create a stronger, more connected community, which is at the heart of our school values. We’re excited to see this program grow and to watch these meaningful relationships develop over the coming months.

Staff Training

To ensure our staff are delivering relevant and up-to-date content, we regularly hold Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). These are sessions where staff work together every Thursday evening on different areas of focus. This term, we have been concentrating on completing Writing Mastery training in the 6+1 Traits of Writing. As a result, teachers will be better equipped to deliver more targeted and effective writing instruction, focusing on key traits such as ideas, organisation, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation.

By completing this training, staff will be able to provide more structured and consistent feedback to students, helping them refine their writing skills. Teachers will also have access to practical strategies and resources to support student growth in writing across all year levels. This focus on writing mastery will have a lasting impact on student outcomes, ensuring that they are able to express themselves clearly and creatively, both in their schoolwork and beyond.

We are excited to see the positive changes this will bring to both our teaching practices and our students' writing abilities.

ResourceSmart Schools Sustainability Education Program

The ResourceSmart Schools Sustainability Education Program is a fantastic initiative that helps schools, including smaller ones, work towards becoming more sustainable. Through this program, schools receive guidance and resources to integrate sustainability into their curriculum and day-to-day operations. It supports schools in reducing their environmental impact, such as through energy and water conservation, waste management, and sustainable food practices. By working on sustainability projects, schools engage students in hands-on learning while also fostering a sense of responsibility and connection to the environment. For smaller schools, the program provides tailored support to help them implement these changes within their budget and capacity, making it easier for them to become sustainability leaders in their communities.

We’re also excited to announce that we’ll be working with Emily, who will be helping us form an active sustainability group within our Junior School Council (JSC). Over the coming years, she will work closely with this group to drive sustainable initiatives and create lasting change in our school. This is an exciting space, so be sure to keep an eye out for the great work to come!

Parents and Friends

It was pleasing to see such a great turnout for our Parents and Friends AGM. The work that our Parents and Friends do is absolutely vital to our school community. Last year alone, they raised $10,000 and spent $11,000 on providing amazing resources and other things that our students may not otherwise have access to.

This year, our P&F is starting with $5,000 and is looking forward to the continued support of families in their fundraising activities. While we were able to fill all positions, it was noted that we are in desperate need of more volunteers. You don’t necessarily need to join the P&F, but any help you can offer when you are able to would be greatly appreciated. Please keep an eye on the newsletter, and if you think you could help out, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Congratulations to all those who have taken on positions:

• President: Lani Neale
• Vice President: Amanda Kellogg
• Secretary: Steph Guy
• General Committee: Jade Verbaan, Brooke Elliott, Kathryn Paton, Matthew Norman, Sherilee Luckman, Josh Kellogg and Kristy Noonan

If you haven’t already, please return your forms for helping with our hot lunches and upcoming catering jobs.

Ruby and Madelyn Swimming 

A huge congratulations to Ruby-Sue and Madelyn Lawson, who represented our school last Friday at the Sandhurst Division swimming carnival in Bendigo. This is the first time in many years that we have had students represent IPS at this swimming event. 

Ruby-Sue placed 2nd in her 50m Breaststroke event and 4th in her 50m Freestyle event with a huge Personal Best time of 37.88 seconds. 

Madelyn placed 1st in her 50m Breaststroke event, securing herself a place at the Loddon Mallee Regionals in Swan Hill next Tuesday 11th, and also got a 2nd place in her 50m Freestyle event! 

What an incredible effort by both girls!

School Photos

Photos for Shoto's are tomorrow. A number of forms have yet to be handed in, so please bring them along tomorrow if you wish to purchase any photos. Don't forget to wear school uniforms for the photos.