From the Principal

Welcome to IPS

Get Ready to Walk, IPS!

Next Thursday, one of the most exciting events on our school calendar is back! Our biennial Walk-a-thon is our major fundraiser for the year, bringing together plenty of enthusiasm, friendly competition, school spirit and, of course, a fantastic opportunity to get active.

While the Walk-a-thon is all about having fun and challenging ourselves to complete as many laps as possible, it also plays an important role in improving our school. Each year, our Junior School Council members have a say in how the funds raised are spent, helping to make IPS an even better place to learn, play and grow.

We encourage all families to get behind the event by helping children find sponsors for each lap they complete. Every lap counts, and every contribution helps make a difference!

We are also delighted to have the Police joining us to support the event and help keep everyone safe. Families are warmly invited to come along, cheer on our enthusiastic walkers and help create an encouraging atmosphere. Students always seem to find a little extra energy when they have a cheer squad behind them!

If you have a current Working with Children Check and can spare some time to volunteer on the day, we would greatly appreciate your help. Please refer to Compass for the volunteer form and further details.

Thank you to Annette from the canteen who is donating icy poles to all our student walkers!

We are looking forward to a wonderful day filled with energy, encouragement, community spirit and plenty of steps towards making our school even better. Let’s get those sponsors on board and make this year’s Walk-a-thon our best one yet!

Class formation for 2027

The creation of balanced classes that best meet the needs of all our learners, be they wellbeing, academic, support, social or otherwise, is a complex task and one that our staff invest a great deal into. As part of this process our students have the opportunity to have a voice in their class placement for the following year. This takes the form of naming five others in their year level who they consider to be good learning partners for themselves (rather than simply listing friends).

This year, the process of selecting these other students will be a 'take home' activity to be completed with parents or carers and then returned to school.

The rationale is multifaceted: it allows a degree of parental input into a child's thinking in terms of both differentiating between friends and study partners, as well as helping a child reflect in a calm, secure environment on who are their long-term social supports as opposed to the current 'flavour of the week'.  Depending on how you  approach this task as family it will also allow you as carers to gather insights on how your child learns and the factors that they consider the most important in achieving successful outcomes at school. Your child's class teacher may also have information to support this process.

Please look out for a hard copy notice coming home in the next few days; it will also be posted electronically via Compass should this be your preferred medium.

For any other information that you would like the school to be made aware of to support a successful transition into 2027 please email the school office directly for the attention of the school Principal class staff.  Please note, we are unable to accept requests relating to specific teaching staff.

Age Appropriate sexual health Conversations

Not sure how to start conversations about puberty, body safety, consent and respectful relationships? Don't feel confident to have "the chat" about sex, puberty, and body safety? You're not alone. 

If you missed the IPS Talking the Talk parent/carer information session in July, Banyule Youth Services are offering one that you can attend (online) later this month (27/10).

Join award-winning educator and registered nurse Vanessa Hamilton for an engaging parent information session designed to give you the knowledge, confidence and practical language to have age-appropriate conversations with your child. Aimed at parents of 5 - 17-year-olds, Topics include:-

• Body and protective safety
• Puberty and reproduction
• Online safety and exposure to sexual content
• Consent and respectful relationships
• Inclusion and diversity-Gender-based violence prevention

DATE: Tuesday 27 October   TIME: 8pm-9.30pm   WHERE: FREE - online (you must register - details below) (a recording will be made available for those registered)Bookings Essential: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/talking-the-talk-how-to-have-age-appropriate-conversations-tickets-2002677810241?aff=oddtdtcreator

More information: Jess Sayers 0468 753 812 jessica.sayers@banyule.vic.gov.au

PFA Upcoming Events

TRIVIA NIGHT

Tickets to TRIVIA NIGHT are ON SALE NOW!

https://www.trybooking.com/1653016

Teams of 8 to 10.

Purchase a whole table, or individual tickets ($30pp). 

Tables are numbered, so feel free to let other parents know to purchase tickets on the same table as you!

Drinks available at bar prices.

BYO food / dinner / nibbles.

Adults only event. 

Trivia questions on a variety of general topics, followed by music and dancing.

Join us for a very fun night! Tickets are selling fast, don't miss out!

SILENT AUCTION 

Our 2026 IPS Silent Auction is now LIVE: https://www.32auctions.com/IPS26

Please visit and bid generously!

With over 100 items there’s something for everyone. From early Christmas shopping, to summer holiday plans, to health and fitness, to nights out with friends, and MUCH MORE... let’s support the businesses who have supported us while raising money for our wonderful school.

Together with Trivia Night, this is our major fundraiser for the year. Funds raised this year will help support an extensive outdoor play space upgrade to be located near the Grade 2 classrooms. This project will include the creation of retaining walls, landscaping and play equipment. Your generous support will help us create a welcoming environment where children can play, explore and connect for years to come.

Please share our Auction site within the school community and beyond.

Also, it’s not too late to donate! If you would like to donate an item, voucher or experience to be included in our Auction, please email silentauctionips@gmail.com

Thank you everyone for your support.

HAPPY BIDDING!

Check out more of the PFA's exciting upcoming events on the PFA page.

Italian Day

Giornata Italiana a IPS!

We are gearing up for our Giornata Italiana 2026 (Italian Day) on 5th November.

We will start the day with an Italian Parade where staff and students revel in dressing up based on an Italian theme.  Each year we have seen impressive and inventive costumes!

After the parade, in small groups, students will work with Rosa Voto from the Melbourne School of Tarantella to learn about Southern Italian culture through dance, music and storytelling. 

Families can order an Italian lunch from the canteen and gelato will also be on offer!

We look forward to another great Giornata Italiana!

Grazie mille, Maestra Isabella.

Year 4 Camp

Year 4 students are having a wonderful time on their annual adventure camp in Alexandra. We are pleased that the weather so far, has been glorious and they have been able to make the most of the fantastic outdoor activities on offer.  Families have been following along with the adventures through photos shared on Compass, giving everyone a glimpse of the fun, challenges and memorable experiences the students are enjoying together.

Here are a few photos from a very early start this morning! Camps provide wonderful opportunities for our students to build independence, persistence, resilience and at the same time making memories that will last a lifetime.

Finally

Our Monday morning assemblies are always filled with wonderful moments, whether we are celebrating students who have achieved something amazing or watching them shine as they demonstrate our school values of confidence, persistence, independence, respect and resilience.

Whilst we often have a large audience of families who pop in to support children, for those who weren't able to be there this week, I thought I would share a special moment from this week’s assembly. Our Foundation students took to the front to perform a piece they have been practising in Music this term, and what a beautiful job they did!  They performed with such confidence and enthusiasm, earning themselves a well-deserved, rousing round of applause from the audience.

It is always a joy to see our youngest learners growing in confidence, sharing their talents and taking pride in what they can achieve.  This is something that familes who attended our first Foundation Transition day on Wednesday were so impressed with.  We look forward to welcoming our new students and families for next year and seeing them grow in the same way.

Thank you for your continued support.

Pam Wright

Co Principal

http://www.ivanhoeps.vic.edu.au/ 

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Victoria and pay respect to the ongoing living cultures of First Peoples.