David's Message

Dear Sunny Heights Parents and Carers,

I've thought long and hard about what to write today. I think the best way to reflect on the last few weeks is to go back a little further, three years ago to be precise. It was three years ago I submitted my application to the panel for Sunshine Heights Primary School, and in doing so began a new journey with you all. I shared the following words with the panel:

"The part of being a principal that I most aspire to is the opportunity to serve, and grow with, a community. I know how vital it is to build trust with a community, in order to keep the community's aspirations alive for their children. Learning is an emotional experience - my vision is to create an environment where emotion and social connection are integrated in the content, pedagogy and environment. Sunshine Heights Primary School is, in many ways, more like a village rather than simply a school. It is a deeply connected and vibrant multicultural community and one that I relish the opportunity to work within. The expression, “It takes a village to raise a child”, might best be reimagined as “It takes a school to raise a village.”

I am incredibly proud of our community, how in the past few weeks you have all wrapped around each other and a family in need, and at the same time volunteered time, energy and support for our students during Science Week. I know many members who have shared their hearts with each other, and especially provided support to Gus, Zelda, Emmett and their family during this sad time. Yesterday part of our community gathered to celebrate Jess Brown's life in a style fitting of her memory, with bright colours and sparkles. I am confident that our community will continue to be a source of support, joy, reflection and connection in the coming months.

In the coming weeks we have some joyful ways to continue to connect as a community. Next week on Thursday 24th August, we will have our Book Week costume parade at 9:15am. Parents are very welcome to attend and dress up as well! This is always a really fun day for us, and I know our students and families put in a huge amount of effort to their costumes. 

On Friday 25th August, we have Wear It Purple Day, where students, staff and parents can wear a splash of purple, or some rainbows, to show our support for LGBTIQ youth and students in our community. The Rainbow Shoelace Project have helped us out with 400 packets of beads to display on our shoelaces; if you or your child would like some of these please see me early next week. On this day we will share age appropriate picture story books of diversity. It is important to me that we continue to recognise Wear it Purple Day; as well as being a Department of Education policy that sits across every public school in Victoria, it is also a core tenet of who we are at Sunshine Heights. We celebrate diversity as a strength, and ensure all our community members are welcome to Know themselves, Show themselves and Grow themselves during their time with us. 

Finally, on Friday 1st September we will have our Father's and Special Person's Breakfast. As a parent I love being able to spend time with my children, and I know that this can be hard for all of us with busy lives, jobs and commitments. We will therefore be able to hold our usual celebration with a coffee and something to eat, along with some activities and music, as we drop off our children at school. Students will also complete some activities in school to ensure everyone has a special day. Please watch out on compass for further updates on times for this event. 

I would like to finish by saying an enormous thank you to our community. I have not been in a school in the past 20 years that had parents so involved in their child's education. This is a very special place and I know I speak for the whole team when I say we can't wait to go bigger, better and more connected in the future. 

Best wishes, 

David and the Sunny Heights Team