Principal's Message

Headlines - Please Note

We encourage you to read this entire newsletter as lots of effort has been put into its production.  Here are the most urgent and important details to read in this edition (not just on this first page):

1. Flag: Activities Day - December 18 (This Page - Below)
2. After School Activities - Feedback Requested (School Leaders Page)
3. Grade 6 Graduation - Helpers Needed (Class Updates and Reminders Page)

Principal's Message

Welcome to the start of Week 7 of an 11 week term. I hope the world has treated you kindly. The term is flying by and we are experiencing success each day with your children. They are just a precious collection of people.

At the start of the week, a friend of mine called Tom parked his car in the street near my apartment as we walked around Albert Park Lake on our usual Monday morning stroll. We do this walk weekly between 5:30am-6:30am. When we returned to his car, we noticed smashed glass on the road. His car had been broken into and some of his personal belongings stolen. It was shocking and sad. The feeling of violation and corruption were my dominant emotions. I felt embarrassed that my friend had this experience right next to my home. He was caring enough to come all the way across town to visit me and this is what he got in return.

The reason I tell this story is that it made me wonder about the "origin" of this type of behaviour. Everyone was once a child and I pondered what went so horribly wrong in this person's life that would make them smash and grab someone else's property? Where did it all start going wrong in this person's life? And what signs would I, as principal, need to recognise to stop this from occurring to the young people that I hold responsibility over at present? And what parenting might have caused things to go so horribly wrong?  Clearly, behaviour is so multi-faceted and complex, so it remains a pondering. 

I met with our new Prep students of 2026 earlier in the week. No parent would have chosen to have children who turn criminal. But children are not born criminal. Something turns (usually early) in their lives that causes meltdown later in life. It is sometimes said that "angry young boys turn into angry young men". This is not a rule, but cliches exist with some element of fundamental truth in them.

As I pondered my friend Tom's misfortune, I wondered what we might have done, as parents and teachers, to prevent an angry person on a South Melbourne street to break and enter a car and hurt an innocent person if we had have known them as a 5 year old? And, would we recognise the signs of dysfunction early enough to help their lives become healthy, and not desperate?

The role of teacher and parent is symbiotic. Its partnership is critical in influencing positive outcomes for children. We are nurturing a future that is unpredictable and uncertain. But there are signs to read along the way that cannot be ignored. We need to be strong and united together - lest we sow the seeds of destruction that lead to broken windows in streets at ungodly hours. 

Principal Access and Problem Solving

Whenever something goes wrong our instinct is to escalate the issue "straight to the boss." It is an understandable reaction - we want something fixed and we want it done now by the person in charge. By and large, our parents are a very mature-minded group. They understand that issues occur in schools and the best link to be made is with their child's classroom teacher in the first instance. If they feel the issue is persistent and unresolved after this attempt, they understand the chain-of-command. The next point of escalation is the Year Level Team Leader. Beyond that, it is the Leading Teacher or Assistant Principal. Sometimes, our Business Manager is involved if the issue relates to finance or facilities.

My role in school is to review the practices of our teachers and leaders. If something escalates to me, I am there to ensure that all staff in the chain have conducted the process well. It is absolutely anomalous for all of these staff members to make grave errors which would cause me to "undo" their decisions. I can't recall the last time that happened. 

My calendar is almost always fully booked. I would like to be more 'available' to every client, but with over 500 students and 50 staff, that is a fantasy. The inefficiency of me being the first in the chain of problem-solving cannot be understated. Waiting for me to resolve parent/child issues would leave the problem on the shelf far too long - that's why we have classroom teachers and leaders to do the work in the first place. 

Schools are complex systems. Problems will invariably occur that need help resolving. Most of our parents are so respectful of the process I have outlined above and I wanted to say thanks. Not all schools have people like you. Many of my colleagues in the system complain that their time is taken up by solving small (but important) problems that really should be serviced further down the food chain. 

Prep Transition

It was wonderful to see our new students of 2026 earlier this week. The vast majority of parents and children were 'newbies'; not having students at SMPS before. The children did a great job engaging in our activities and the parents were receptive to the positive messaging of the school during the information session.

We have three more transition sessions with parents and students and we look forward to inducting our newest community members into the school over the next month or so. What a treat it is to be involved in this process.

Enrolments and Exits

If you are leaving the school in 2026, we need to know. And, if you are taking holidays at the start of 2026 but intend on maintaining your enrolment, please also let us know at the office. If you have a new Prep starting who has not enrolled - get that paperwork in!

FLAG: Activities Day - Thursday, December 18

• On Wednesday 17th December, at approximately 2:00pm we will be having our Final Whole School Assembly of the year! 
• Parents are welcome to attend. 
• We will finish at 3:30pm.
• Many families have indicated that they will be leaving for their holidays after the final assembly of the year and will therefore not be attending school on Thursday 18th December. We understand if this is the case.
• We will still be open and running some activities for students on Thursday 18th December. That day finishes at 2:30pm should you choose to send your child along.
• Friday 19th December is a student-free day and the OSH club will be open for those who need to use their services.

Free Public Transport - Starts January 2026

From 1 January 2026, people aged under 18 can travel free on all Victorian public transport services using a new youth Myki card. This includes trams, trains, buses and coach services.

To access free travel, they must tap the Myki card on and off each time they travel.

More information about the youth Myki card will be available later in Term 4, 2025 – refer to the Myki Types Webpage on the Transport Victoria website.