Parents & Friends Club
Welcome back to another school year. The Parents & Friends Club (PFC) at Essex Heights Primary School is a welcoming and fun committee that allows parents and caregivers of students at the school to play an active role in organising and running events that benefit the entire school.
We do this by working collaboratively with the staff and School Council, to represent a culture of positive engagement and community involvement, to raise funds for the school for special projects, all while getting the students (and parents) involved and having lots of fun along the way! Students also love seeing parents and caregivers around the school helping – it brings a smile to their face!
Some examples of the events and activities organised by the PFC are the Welcome Event, Easter Raffle, Disco, Mother’s and Father’s Day Stalls, Secondhand Uniform Stalls, Carnival, End of Year Event, Trivia nights and more. This year we are holding an adults only Winery Tour; it's promising to be a fabulous day out.
In 2024, we raised over $16,850! This incredible achievement has allowed us to contribute to several key projects, including upgrades to the Stadium lighting and fans, as well as installation of the new shade sail on The Heights.
2025 is our Carnival year, and it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest and most exciting events we've ever had! Whether you’re a returning parent or joining us for the first time, we want to ensure everyone is in the loop about this year’s festivities and how you can get involved. Please follow us on our social media channels to keep up to date with Carnival news and how you can help!
We would love to welcome new members to the PFC this year and as we understand that everyone’s lives are busy. We meet once a term in person and once a term online. To be involved, please email pfc.ehps@gmail.com. Our first two meetings will be:
- Wednesday 12 February at 7.30pm – online via Microsoft Teams (link to be shared in Compass News Feed); and
- Wednesday 12 March at 7.30pm – Annual General Meeting and election of PFC Executive Team – Staff Room at school.
PFC Annual General Meeting (AGM) - your chance to get involved!
The Parents & Friends Club (PFC) Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Wednesday 12 March 2025 at 7.30pm. It’s just around the corner, and we encourage all parents to attend! The AGM will take place in the Staff Room at school, and we’ll elect the new Executive and Officebearers for the next 12 months, and will be discussing exciting updates, upcoming events, and the future direction of the PFC.
What happens at the AGM?
At the AGM, we’ll review the past year’s activities and achievements, plan for the upcoming year, and, most importantly, elect new committee members to help lead the PFC. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about what the PFC does, meet fellow parents, and get involved in shaping the future of our school community.
We Need You!
The PFC relies on volunteers to make everything happen, and we’re currently seeking individuals to take on key executive roles for 2025. Roles can be shared to lighten the load.
The positions vacant are:
| Executive/Office Bearers | |
| President | Leads the PFC, chairs meetings, and acts as the primary liaison between the PFC, School Principal, administration, and the community. They help guide the PFC’s goals and delegate tasks to ensure everything runs smoothly. Key tasks: Set clear objectives, managing communications through newsletters & WhatsApp groups, delegating responsibilities, and ensuring productive meetings |
| Secretary | Responsible for record-keeping, preparing meeting agendas, and sending out reminders and updates to ensure smooth communication within the group. Key tasks: Taking meeting minutes, preparing agendas, and managing meeting communications. |
| Treasurer | Manages the budget for PFC events and works closely with the school’s Business Manager to ensure financial transparency and accuracy. Key tasks: Reporting on the PFC’s financial status at meetings, budgeting for events. |
| Committee | |
| Social Media Coordinator | A creative and tech-savvy role, the Social Media Coordinator is responsible for managing the PFC’s online presence via Facebook and Instagram. Key tasks: Creating and posting content on social media, promoting school events, and engaging with the community. |
| Secondhand Uniform Coordinator | This role involves helping to collect, organise, and distribute secondhand uniforms. It's a great way to support sustainability and affordability for families. Key tasks: Coordinating uniform collection and sales, communicating with families, and organising uniform stalls. |
How Can You Help?
Whether you are interested in taking on one of these roles or just want to support the PFC in another way, we would love to have your involvement! If you’re interested in any of the above roles or simply want to learn more, please join us at the AGM. We also welcome nominations from the floor during the meeting, so if you or someone you know is interested, don’t hesitate to step forward.
PFC Welcome Event
The PFC invites the school community to welcome new families to EHPS and celebrate the start of the new school year on Friday 21 February from 5pm to 7pm on The Heights at school.
BYO food, drinks, and picnic rugs/chairs.
Please register your attendance online via Trybooking or use the QR Code on the flyer below (or in your Compass News Feed).
Looking forward to seeing you there!
PFC Winery Tour - fully booked!
Thanks for the brilliant response to our upcoming PFC Winery Tour on Saturday 1 March. All available places have been booked, and we're looking forward to a fun day on the Mornington Peninsula. This event is a fundraiser for our school and we thank you for the support. A huge thank you to our sponsors Scott Kim Real Estate and Wolf of the Willows who have provided an incredible assortment of raffle prizes! We are incredibly grateful.
EHPS Social Media on Facebook & Instagram
Join our social media platforms:
- Facebook – we have two Facebook pages:
- Essex Heights Primary School Community – Private group intended for current members of the EHPS community who have a child currently enrolled. Content relates to current/relevant events/activities/news for our school community. Requires answering the Membership Questions to join.
- Essex Heights Primary School – open group for anyone who has a connection with, or interest in, Essex Heights Primary School.
- Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/essexheights.ps
Sam Watson
PFC President
Secondhand Uniform & Lost Property
The secondhand uniform sale and donation day for Term 1, the first for this year, will be held on Friday 14 February from 3pm to 3.45pm at the Stadium.
Donations of good quality, clean, current EHPS logo uniform that you no longer require, will be gratefully received at the Term 1 secondhand uniform donation day on Friday 14th. Please remember to remove or cross out your child's name before donating. The sale of donations are a fundraiser for our school.
Secondhand uniform is managed by parent volunteers on behalf of our school community. Please bring your donations to the specified location on the date and time advised; if you can't deliver your donations on the scheduled date and time, please arrange for a friend/family member to deliver on your behalf.
Do you need a some extra items? Come and see the great items being offered at very reasonable prices next Friday:
| Term 1 Secondhand Uniform Sale | |
|---|---|
| Shorts/Pants - grey & green | $5 - $10 |
| Polo shirt | $5 - $10 |
| Skorts | $10 - $15 |
| Jumper | $10 - $15 |
| Bomber Jacket | $10 - $15 |
| Summer Dress | $10 - $20 |
| Winter Dress | $10 - $20 |
| Art Smock / Library Bag / Chair Bag | $2 |
| Hat - all styles | $5 |
| School Bag | $10 - $15 |
Payment via EFTPOS (Visa/MasterCard) only. All proceeds are fundraising for our school.
Lost Property: The four lost property boxes at school (located at Eucalyptus, Banksia, Violet buildings and the Stadium foyer) will be cleared on Friday. Named items will be returned to students. Unnamed items may be offered for sale as a fundraiser for the school. This process will be greatly assisted if you can check the boxes before school (until 8.50am) or after the school day finishes (from 3.30pm) before Friday if your child has lost uniform items.
The second donation day for Term 1 is scheduled for Friday 28 March from 3pm to 3.30pm.
Niki Ngo & Natalie Gilbert
Secondhand Uniform Coordinators
Ritchie’s IGA Loyalty Program
Our school is part of the Ritchies Community Benefit Program (RCBP). EHPS received $25.14 from the RCBP in January.
If you shop at a Ritchies IGA (the local store is in Mount Waverley) and are a member of their loyalty program, please support EHPS by choosing our school as your nominated beneficiary. Each month we receive 0.5% of purchases made by customers who have selected our school each month. Please encourage family and friends who also shop at IGA to support EHPS.
Contact the PFC
Contact the PFC by email on pfc.ehps@gmail.com