From the Principal

Dear families,

Grade 5/6 Camp – Anglesea Coastal Forest Lodge

This week, our Grade 5/6 students headed off to Anglesea Coastal Forest Lodge for their much-anticipated school camp. Camp is always a highlight of the school year, providing students with opportunities to challenge themselves, develop independence, strengthen friendships and create lasting memories.

A big thank you to our dedicated staff who have given up time away from their own families to ensure our Willy Kids have such a wonderful experience. These opportunities simply wouldn't be possible without their commitment and enthusiasm.

2026 Art Show – An Amazing Community Success!

What an incredible weekend for our Williamstown Primary School community! Our 2026 Art Show was a tremendous success, bringing together families, staff and students to celebrate the creativity and artistic talents of our Willy Kids.

Across Friday evening's cocktail event and Sunday's family celebration, it was fantastic to see our community come together to support the school. We are thrilled to announce that the event raised approximately $10,000, an outstanding result that will go directly towards supporting our school.

A special thank you to Julia and the Friends of Willy team, whose incredible efforts in planning, organising and delivering the event made it all possible. To Marcia and our talented Willy Kids, thank you for bringing such imagination, colour and creativity to life through the amazing artwork on display.

I would also like to acknowledge the many parent volunteers, staff and community members who contributed their time across the weekend. Events of this scale require an enormous amount of work behind the scenes, and we are incredibly fortunate to have such a supportive school community.

2027 Prep Transition – Our Newest Willy Kids

Our 2027 Prep students are now halfway through their transition program, and it has been wonderful to welcome our newest Willy Kids into the school.

These sessions are an important part of helping children become familiar with their new school environment, build connections with staff and other students, and develop the confidence needed for a successful start to school.

We have been delighted with how well our future Preps have settled into their sessions and look forward to continuing to build their excitement and confidence as we prepare for 2027.

Important Reminder – Student-Free Curriculum Days

A reminder to all families that Monday 2 November and Wednesday 4 November are student-free curriculum days. Students are not required to attend school on either day.

These days have been allocated to two important areas of staff professional responsibility and development:

• Monday 2 November – Student Report Writing: Teachers will undertake dedicated assessment and reporting work in preparation for Semester 2 student reports.
• Wednesday 4 November – Whole-Staff First Aid Training: All staff will participate in essential first aid training, ensuring we maintain the knowledge and skills required to respond effectively to student health and safety needs.

We appreciate that student-free days can require additional planning for families and thank you for your understanding and support. Both days are important in ensuring we continue to provide high-quality teaching, learning and a safe school environment for all our Willy Kids.

Williamstown Primary School Dads Unite for Movember

This November, dads from Williamstown Primary School are coming together to raise funds and awareness for men’s health.

Spearheaded by a group of Prep dads, with fathers from other year levels also taking part, the team (Motown Dads) is proudly supporting Movember and its vital work in raising awareness of a range of men's health issues.

These are causes that touch families and communities everywhere.

Official fundraising kicks off on 1 November, and we’d love the school community to get behind us!

Whether you’d like to make a donation or join the team yourself, every bit of support makes a difference.

Donate or join here: https://donate.movember.com/au/team/2486939

Warm regards,

Mat Montebello