From the Principal 

Art Exhibition Celebration - Animals in the Wild 

Last week, Zehra Erczmann and a team led by Art Specialist Shelley Bradley curated an outstanding art exhibition that celebrated each student's creative work from throughout the year. The exhibition showcased pieces that reflected students' imagination and skills, and visitors were truly inspired as they explored artwork themed animal habitats. This event was a beautiful reminder of how art encourages us to look within ourselves, connect with others, and engage with our community and the world around us. Thank you to everyone involved for making this exhibition such a memorable and inspiring experience.

Remembrance Day Observance

On Monday, we paused as a school community to reflect on the significance of Remembrance Day. At 11:00 am, student leaders read poems that honoured the bravery and sacrifices of those who served. The moving sound of the bugle played over our intercom system, creating a moment of and respect across the school.

Thank you to our student leaders and everyone who joined in this important tribute.

Exciting News: New Demountable Buildings Arriving

We are pleased to announce that on Monday, the Department of Education informed us they will be delivering the first of three demountable buildings (portables). This building will be placed on the upper basketball court and marks the beginning of a transition process to relocate the Gould League from the main building. This will allow us to repurpose the main building spaces exclusively for Le Page Primary School’s teaching and learning programs.

The refurbishment of the main building is anticipated to be completed by Term 4, 2025, for the start of the 2026 school year. This news has brought a sense of gratitude and relief, as it ensures that, as our school continues to grow, we will have ample space for grades, specialist programs, and our allied health team.

We will keep you updated as more details become available. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm as we work to enhance our school’s facilities for our students and staff.

Lockdown Drill

Today, our school conducted a lockdown drill as part of our scheduled termly safety procedures. Regular lockdown and evacuation drills are essential to ensure that both staff and students are prepared for emergency situations. The drill was managed effectively, and we are pleased with how smoothly it was conducted.

Bike Education

Our students in Years 3 to 6 recently participated in the Bike Education program, a valuable experience focused on road safety and cycling skills. Lessons began with a safety induction and progressed to both on-site and off-site riding, allowing students to apply their learning in real-world contexts. This program provides students with essential road safety skills, helping them to become more confident and responsible cyclists.

School Feedback Survey To support the Leader in Me (7 Habits) Journey, we are conducting a survey to learn more about areas of strength and areas for improvement. The survey data will help the school leadership team track the impacts of the Leader in Me process. We are asking all staff members, parents/guardians, and students in Years 4, 5 and 6 to participate. For parents/guardians the survey is now open and will close on Friday 6th of December.

The survey is anonymous and takes 5 to 10 minutes to complete. Parents/guardians are asked to respond to questions about their child’s school experience.  Parents with more than one child, will be asked to think about their eldest child’s experiences.

https://www.leaderinme.com/s/le-page-primary-school/families

2025 Foundation Parents Information Session

We invite all Foundation parents to attend an information session on December 2 at 6:00 pm. This session will provide essential information about the Foundation program, timetable, and uniform. It will also be an opportunity to meet the Foundation Team and ask any questions you may have. In addition, TeamKids will present their before and after school care services for families. This is a valuable session for all new parents, and we encourage you to attend.

Picnic Concert – Wednesday, December 4, 6:00–8:00 pm

We are excited for our annual Picnic Concert on Wednesday, December 4, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring the family, enjoy a picnic dinner on the school oval, and be entertained by our talented students, choir, and band. Don't forget to bring a blanket or folding chairs for added comfort. We look forward to sharing this special evening with you!

Grade Structure for 2025

In 2025, our school will have 11 grades: FA, 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 34A, 34B, 34C, 56A, 56B, and 56C. The introduction of straight F-2 grades is based on our student numbers and the focused, targeted approach to teaching phonics. Our Specialist Programs in Visual Arts, Cultural Studies, Music, P.E./Sport, and Auslan will continue as part of our commitment to a well-rounded curriculum. Grade lists will be confirmed in December.

Like many schools in our Network, we are experiencing a decrease in Foundation enrolments for 2025, with schools like Kingston Heath and Cheltenham East Primary Schools reducing one Foundation grade. We are hopeful for a return to sustainability or growth in Foundation enrolments in 2026. Thank you for your support as we continue to adapt to meet the needs of our students.

Le Page Primary Hosts School Teams to Observe Teaching Practices

Recently, Le Page Primary had the pleasure of hosting school teams interested in observing our classroom practices. The main areas of focus included classroom routines, furniture setup, and the use of mini whiteboards to provide instant feedback on student understanding.

Our visitors shared valuable feedback on these practices, particularly in relation to Cognitive Load Theory, and left with key improvement ideas to consider within their own schools. We extend our gratitude to Jarrod Bradley, our Numeracy Learning Specialist, who managed this professional learning day and contributed to its success.

How Students Learn

Le Page Primary is revisiting fundamental elements of learning and ensuring that classrooms and teaching strategies align, and staff understandings and practices are common and consistent across the school. Areas of focus have included the following.

Understanding Learning and Memory

Learning is fundamentally a change in long-term memory. Two types of memory play essential roles in processing information during learning: working memory and long-term memory. Working memory acts as a mental workspace, allowing students to actively engage with new facts, concepts, and procedures. In contrast, long-term memory stores this knowledge for future application. Through learning, students form relationships and connect information in long-term memory, building complex mental models.

Since working memory has a limited capacity, effective learning occurs when new information is introduced in manageable parts. Breaking down content into steps, along with providing guidance, feedback, and practice opportunities, helps students connect new information with existing knowledge in long-term memory. These strategies are especially beneficial for students who may have additional needs with processing information, as scaffolding and practice enhance retention and understanding.

Teaching by someone with expert knowledge is particularly effective, as they can present material in a structured, clear manner that aligns with how students best retain and apply new learning.

Developing and Demonstrating Mastery

Mastery is achieved when students can store knowledge-facts, concepts, or procedures, in long-term memory and then recall and organise it meaningfully. As students’ understanding grows, they recognise relationships between these elements, building increasingly sophisticated mental models. With repeated and varied practice, students’ ability to recall and apply their learning fluently improves, allowing them to transfer knowledge to new situations. When knowledge is deeply embedded in long-term memory, students can retrieve and recombine it to test solutions to unfamiliar problems and generate creative ideas. Critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving are enhanced when students have a solid foundation of background knowledge to draw on.

Active Engagement in Learning

For learning to be effective, students must be actively engaged and focused, transferring information from working memory to long-term memory. Engagement increases in a supportive, responsive learning environment where students feel that their efforts lead to success, are positively inclined toward learning, and have strong, supportive relationships with teachers. Motivation is further strengthened when students experience success, feel culturally safe, supported, and have a sense of belonging within their learning community.

A structured environment, clear expectations, and defined goals enhance engagement and focus, allowing students to concentrate on acquiring essential knowledge and skills. The most effective teaching practices foster this supportive environment, enabling students to fully engage and succeed in their learning journey.

Habit 6: Synergise

In Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Habit 6 – Synergise, is all about working together to achieve better results than anyone could accomplish alone. This habit emphasises the power of collaboration, teamwork, and valuing each person’s unique strengths.

Our students have found Habit 6 to be particularly helpful. By practicing Synergy, they learn that combining their ideas and efforts with others often leads to more creative solutions and stronger outcomes. Synergising teaches them the importance of respecting and listening to each other, which enhances both their learning and their relationships.

Thoughts for the Week

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” Tony Robbins

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” Steve Jobs

Have a great weekend everyone.

George Danson