Principals' Message

NED show

Last week our students were captivated by NED's Resiliency Ride, an engaging performance that combined storytelling, incredible yo-yo tricks and a little magic to share powerful lessons about resilience and personal growth.

Throughout the performance, students explored practical strategies to help them overcome challenges, persevere when things are difficult and develop a positive mindset. The show centred around NED's three important life messages:

• Never Give Up
• Encourage Others

• Do Your Best

   

These simple yet powerful messages align closely with our school values and reinforce the importance of supporting one another while always striving to be our best.

100 days of school!

It seems only yesterday that we welcomed the Prep Class of 2026 through our school gates. With their clean uniforms, big bags and bigger smiles, our prep students joined the Donvale Primary community and have brightened our lives every single day since. Under the care and guidance of Miss Thomas, Mrs Dimitrious, Mrs Kristy and Mrs Carysse, our youngest students have grown and learned so much already.

Yesterday we celebrated their 100th day at school. This time, however, their youthful 

 appearances had gone, with many prep students needing walking sticks, canes, walkers and extra time to move throughout the school - as they were dressed as 100-year-olds! The preps enjoyed a beautiful assembly with their Grade 6 buddies. They performed a lovely song coordinated by Miss Ranson and each Grade 6 buddy delivered a heart-felt speech about their younger buddy.

We are so proud of our preppies and can't wait to see how much they learn and grow during their next 100 days at school! 

Attitudes to School Survey

The 2026 Student Attitudes to School Survey reflects strong growth across our learning measures. 

Our Annual Implementation Plan identified three priority improvement goals for 2026, and we are pleased to report that all three targets were exceeded:

• Stimulated Learning: Increased from 64% to 77% (target: 74%). 
• Student Voice and Agency: Increased from 53% to 69% (target: 65%). 

• Teacher Concern: Increased from 66% to 76% (target: 75%). 

   

These results indicate that students are finding their learning more engaging, feel they have a greater voice in their learning and school life, and increasingly believe their teachers know, care for and support them. The improvements reflect the impact of our continued focus on explicit teaching, student leadership opportunities, classroom engagement strategies, and building strong, positive relationships between staff and students.

Student Voice Leaders

We are very proud of our Student Voice Leaders at Donvale Primary School. In Semester One, our SVLs achieved a great deal - leading Class Meetings, celebrating our successes, bringing up issues affecting our student body and proposing initiatives to improve the school. Their commitment to elevating student voice, discuss issues affecting our school and advocating for student agency was wonderful to witness.

At the beginning of this term, students were encouraged to write speeches to be chosen to be elected (or re-elected) as Student Voice Leaders for Semester Two. We are excited to see how these students will continue to empower our students to make our school an even better place.

Congratulations to the following students who received their Student Voice Leader badges at assembly today from the Honourable Gabriel Ng, Member for Menzies:

Thank you......

A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful staff, students and families for making Principals’ Day such a special occasion. From the fantastic banner at the front of the school, to the delicious morning tea, beautiful speeches, thoughtful cards and generous gifts, we were certainly made to feel very appreciated! Our staff and students truly went above and beyond.