School News

1st May—hats away

Students are now not required to wear hats until the start of September.

School Photographs Thursday 8 May

School photographs are coming up next week on Thursday 8th May. Photographs are ordered and paid for online. Attached is the information on how to access Leading Image and the school access code which is EHH7F35N. Once you enter the site you will be asked to enter your details to create your own account. You can either go in through the Leading Image website leadingimage.com.au or you can scan the QR code on the flyer.

Individual and Class Photographs - all students are photographed regardless of whether an order has been placed. Orders can continue to be made for approximately 5 days after the photo day ( which would be approximately May 13th)

Family Photographs - family photographs must be ordered online by 4.30pm on Wednesday 7th May. Only students who have ordered family photographs will have them done.

Student Leadership Groups/SRC Photographs: these will be taken and can then be ordered once Leading Image provide us with details after photo day.

Foundation enrolment for 2026

As a school we are preparing and planning ahead to 2026 when we will welcome a new cohort of Preps. As part of this process, we are looking forward to welcoming prospective Prep 2026 families to the Parkdale Primary School community into our school over the next few weeks at two key events:

Prep Experience for kinder children on Wednesday 14th May (3-4pm). Phone the school office to register for this event. Please note Elonera and Parkdale Preschool children will have their own visits on different dates.
Open Morning on Monday 12th May (9.30 - 11.30am).

If you have a child already attending Parkdale Primary, but you are enrolling a child in Prep for 2026, you are more than welcome to join us at these events too.

Education Week 2025

This year, Education Week runs from Monday 19 May to Friday 23 May. The theme ‘Celebration of Cultures’ highlights the diversity of our communities and the importance of every child feeling safe and welcome at school.

To find out more about Education Week 2025, visit Education Week | vic.gov.au.

Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge

The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is now open and Parkdale Primary is excited to be taking part! The Challenge is open to all Victorian children from birth to Year 10 and aims to help young readers develop a lifelong love of reading.

It is not a competition; it is a personal challenge for children to read a set number of books by 5 September 2025.

Children from Prep to Year 2 are encouraged to read or ‘experience’ 30 books with their parents and teachers. Children from Year 3 to Year 10 are challenged to read 15 books.

All children who meet the Challenge will receive a certificate of achievement signed by the Victorian Premier and former Premiers.

This year, the Challenge is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the theme ‘20 years of words and wonder’ and a year of special activities.

Since it began in 2005, more than 4.5 million young readers have taken part and together read more than 63 million books!

Full details about how your child can take part will be issued via Compass within the next week.

To read the Premier’s letter to parents, view the booklist and for more information about the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge, visit www.vic.gov.au/premiers-reading-challenge

Happy reading!

National Walk Safely to School Day: Friday 16 May

Well it’s that time of year again when our school seriously starts talking about walking! Walk Safely to School Day asks that we all consider our transport habits and try to incorporate more walking as part of a healthy, active way to get around. And although walking all the way to school isn’t realistic for many of us, it’s quite easy to figure out how you can build a walk into your family’s daily routine.

You can teach your child the healthy habit of walking more by:

• Walking with them the whole way to school

• If they get the bus or train, walk past your usual stop and get on at the next stop

• If you have to drive, park the car a few blocks away from the school and walk the rest of the way.

Regular exercise like walking with your child not only helps them (and you!) beat chronic problems like obesity, heart disease, behavioural and mental health issues and Type 2 diabetes. It also gives you a great opportunity to teach your child safe ways to behave around roads and traffic.

Remember, Active Kids are Healthy Kids so get planning your own Walk Safely to School Day journey for Friday 16 MAY.

For more information, visit www.walk.com.au