Principal's Perspective

Dear parents and carers, 

It has certainly been another busy fortnight here at ASPS!  The highlight for many students would no doubt have been the colour fun run organised by our amazing Parents’ Association. 

Wednesday afternoon saw students running around the oval covered in colour and squealing with delight!  The joy on their faces, the laughing, excitement, agitated energy and overall fun was a lovely sight to see.  Thank you to Necole Reszka for her work in setup prior to the day and on the day, making the event a success. Thank you also to the PA members, many parent volunteers who assisted on the day and the staff for participating in many ways.  It was a fantastic event and thankfully the rain held off for most of the afternoon. 

A big thank you to parents for allowing students to participate and for the fundraising efforts that will go a long way to contributing to the purchase of a new hall projector and screen. 

School Photos 

Thank you to our parent helpers who assisted with school photos.  It was another exciting day at school with students looking their best for their individual portrait and class photo.  Unfortunately, due to the wet weather we were unable to take our whole school photo, we will let families know the new date once this has been confirmed with the photographers.  

Pedestrian Gate 

As many of you would be aware, the small side pedestrian gate next the old/original building on Tooronga Road has created a lack of flow and bottleneck during peak times, particularly pickup.  After investigating many options, and in consultation with the school improvement committee and school council, the decision was made to move the current fence and install a double gate that will be in line with the grounds master plan.  While initially slated for next week, due a delay by a supplier, these works will be starting early June. 

Burgess Street Footpath Improvement

A big shout out of thanks to ASPS parent, Georgie Forest who notified Boroondara Council of the potential for students to overshoot the footpath when riding bikes or scooters on Burgess Street where the footpath meets Auburn Road.   

Council have done an evaluation and have agreed to install a safety fence panel at the intersection.  Council anticipates that it will be installed early in the new financial year. 

Thank you to Georgie for advocating on behalf of our students and the wider community. 

Attitudes to School Survey  

Students in years four to six will be participating in the upcoming Attitudes to School Survey.  A Xuno alert was sent to parents of these students, however if you missed the alert and you do not wish for your child to participate, please contact the school before Friday 29 May. 

ICT Update 

We are currently organising the purchase of 60 new laptops for student use. As we are no longer a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) school, in line with Department of Education guidelines, the school is continuing to invest in increasing student access to ICT resources and technology. These investments are essential in supporting contemporary teaching and learning opportunities across the school. 

In addition to purchasing devices, maintaining and upgrading the school’s network infrastructure also requires significant ongoing investment and maintenance. Recently, the school was required to purchase a new server, representing another substantial but necessary expense. 

Parent Voluntary Contributions

Parent voluntary contributions support far more than classroom materials. They help the school provide engaging educational programs, improved facilities, updated resources and valuable learning experiences for students across all year levels. Contributions towards Parent Payments and the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden (SAKG) program directly assist the school in maintaining and improving our learning environment. 

As with all schools, we must carefully balance the ongoing costs of maintaining our existing infrastructure while planning for future improvements and upgrades. The scope and timing of future projects across the school will largely depend on available funding and the level of community support received through voluntary contributions. 

Increased participation in parent contributions allows the school to invest further in facilities, resources, equipment and programs that directly benefit students. These contributions help ensure that we can continue to provide high-quality learning environments and opportunities for both current and future students. 

We understand that every family’s circumstances are different and appreciate all contributions, large or small. Families who have not yet made a contribution, or who may wish to arrange a payment plan, are encouraged to contact the school office. Together, we can continue building a positive, well-equipped and thriving school community for all students. 

Staff

Staff participated in their final day of the Berry Street education model on the Monday 11th May curriculum day.  This was the last of the four-day program which has been delivered over the past 12 months.  At the end of the curriculum day staff undertook their 6-month anaphylaxis briefing update. 

I thank parents and carers for the changes that you made to your routines, so staff could participate in this comprehensive professional development program and first aid update.  

Warm regards,

Travis