Principals Weekly Update
Dear Armadale Community,
It is hard to believe we have just one week to go until the end of Term 3. It has certainly been a very busy and productive term, and we know many of us are looking forward to some well-deserved downtime to relax, recharge and enjoy a slower pace for a little while.
Before we finish the term, we have one more major event to look forward to - Footy Colours Day! Our Year 6 House Captains/Community Building SRC team have been busy planning a fun day of activities designed to build house spirit, connection and community. We are looking forward to seeing a wonderful sea of footy colours and attire across the school as we come together to celebrate our Houses and enjoy one final whole-school celebration for the term.
Building Consistency in Our Classrooms
A significant focus for us this term has been supporting all our learners to establish clear classroom expectations, procedures and routines. This work aligns with the Victorian Department of Education’s Positive Classroom Management Strategies and is an important foundation for creating calm, predictable and productive learning environments. We have seen noticeable progress across the school, and we will continue this work in Term 4 with the aim of establishing consistent whole-school expectations so that our students experience the same clear routines and expectations wherever they are learning.
This term also saw the launch of our Whole School Learning Model, which aligns with the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 learning model and provides a consistent approach to how learning is structured across our classrooms. Routines have been a big focus for all of us, and it has been very encouraging to see the progress our students are making.
A reminder about our morning routine: The 8:45am bell signals the start of the school day. At this time, children are expected to put their bags in their classroom and begin their morning transition. The 15 minutes between 8:45am and 9:00am allows children to settle into the day in a way that works for them. Quiet activities are available in classrooms for children who prefer a calm start, while children who benefit from some physical activity can spend this time playing outside.
At 9:00am, all students are expected to be in their classroom, seated and ready to begin learning. We ask families to support children by helping them understand that 8:45am is the beginning of the school day and that their bag needs to be taken into the classroom at this time.
Special Acknowledgement
One of the things that makes us incredibly proud as leaders is seeing our students take their learning beyond the classroom. This term, Emily (2S) took the initiative to write and illustrate her own story and then shared it with the children at her brother Tom’s kindergarten.
It was wonderful to see Emily step confidently into the role of author, sharing her creativity and love of storytelling with a younger audience. These authentic opportunities to create, share and inspire others are such a wonderful reflection of the learners we want to nurture at Armadale Primary School.
Final Assembly – Jellis Craig Awards
Our final assembly for Term 3 will be a special opportunity to celebrate our students and their achievements. The assembly will be held on Tuesday 15 September at 2:30pm in the MPC. Each classroom teacher will present the Jellis Craig Award to one student from their class.
The award recognises a child who has shown growth in living our school values of Respect, Responsibility, Relationships, Reflection and Resilience. This might be through their learning, friendships, wellbeing or the way they contribute to their classroom. Recipients are children who have worked hard to improve, have persevered when things have been challenging, listened to feedback and used what they have learnt in new situations.
Most importantly, the Jellis Craig Award is about growth, effort and improvement and not about being perfect. It celebrates students who have made progress over time and who are showing the positive attitudes and behaviours that help them, and those around them, to thrive.
Upcoming Dates:
Tuesday 15 September
- Final Whole School Assembly
- Jellis Craig Awards resented
Friday 18 September
- Footy Colours Day
- Last day of Term 3 (2:30 finish)
Rochelle Cukier
Principal
Rochelle.Cukier@education.vic.gov.au
Connie Apostolos-Thermos
Assistant Principal