Principal's Report
Dear Parents and Carers,
We are now halfway through Term 1, and it has been a busy and productive start to the year at Elsternwick Primary School. Classrooms are well and truly underway, with students building strong learning routines and embracing new challenges. It has also been wonderful to see so many families connecting with the school through recent events and information sessions.
Our staff and student leaders have stepped into the year with enthusiasm and purpose, helping to set a positive tone across the school. Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we work together to ensure a strong and successful start for every child.
School Council
Our 2025 School Council recently held its final meeting. I would like to sincerely thank our outgoing parent members, Bec M, Sarah W, Jessie R and Chris S, along with our school employee members, Eliza S and Rachel S, for their dedication and service. Their thoughtful contributions and steady support have been greatly valued. While members are welcome to nominate again, I want to formally acknowledge the time and care they have given to supporting our school community.
The 2026 School Council will comprise the following members:
Parents and Carers
Lachlan Martin
Nick Prohasky
Bonita Gardiner
Bart Calman
Kristy DeGeorge
Belinda Hutchinson
Mitch Tucker
Megan Hondromatidis
School Employees:
Madeline McBurnie
Leanne Williams
Jethro Kirby
Amy Parsons
Michael Portaro
School Council meets twice per term, with the first meeting of this new council scheduled for 30 March.
Student Leaders
It was a pleasure to present our student leaders with their 2026 badges and officially welcome them into their leadership roles for the year ahead. From the outset, our Year 6 leaders have shown enthusiasm and initiative, embracing their responsibilities with confidence and maturity.
I had the opportunity to attend the Year 6 camp to Canberra a few weeks ago, where I saw firsthand the way our leaders represent Elsternwick Primary School. They demonstrated teamwork, respect and a genuine commitment to making the most of every learning opportunity. It was wonderful to see them supporting one another and taking pride in their school.
I am excited to work alongside them throughout the year and look forward to the positive impact they will have on our school community. Thank you to the families who joined us for this special occasion. Your support makes these milestones even more meaningful for our students.
School Strategic Plan 2025–2029
The School Strategic Plan (SSP) is a key component of the Department of Education’s School Accountability and Improvement Framework. It outlines our school’s vision, goals and targets, and clearly communicates how we will continue to improve outcomes for every student at Elsternwick Primary School.
Following our recent school review, our new 2025–2029 School Strategic Plan sets a clear direction for the next four years. The plan reflects our commitment to high expectations, academic growth and student wellbeing.
Our strategic focus areas are:
Improving student learning growth in literacy and numeracy. This includes strengthening teacher expertise, refining our instructional model in line with the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0, and using evidence informed practices and data to drive responsive teaching and intervention. We are particularly focused on increasing student growth and extending high achieving learners.
Maintaining and strengthening student wellbeing and engagement. We will continue to ensure students feel safe, valued and supported. A key priority is empowering students to advocate for themselves, seek help when needed and practise upstander behaviours. We will also embed consistent wellbeing language and expectations across the school.
Our School Vision and Values of Respect, Responsibility, Personal Excellence and Curiosity remain central to this work.
Over the coming months, we will continue to share how these priorities are being implemented across classrooms and the broader school community. We look forward to working in partnership with families to achieve the best possible outcomes for every student at EPS.
2026 School Goals
Each year, Elsternwick Primary School develops an Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) that brings our four year School Strategic Plan to life. The AIP outlines the specific goals, targets and Key Improvement Strategies selected for focus in the coming year, along with the actions, measures and evidence we will use to monitor progress and evaluate impact.
Our 2026 AIP continues to position EPS in the Excelling range across Learning and Wellbeing and focuses on strengthening practice to ensure continuous improvement.
Our two core priorities for 2026 are:
Goal 1: To improve student learning growth in literacy and numeracy
Key Improvement Strategy: Build teacher expertise in what to teach and how to teach it.
In 2026, this will include strengthening teachers’ content knowledge in Literacy and Mathematics, refining whole school curriculum documentation aligned to Victorian Curriculum 2.0, embedding consistent instructional practices, and enhancing moderation and assessment practices. Leading Teachers will support teams through structured planning, coaching, learning walks and targeted professional learning to ensure high quality teaching in every classroom.
Goal 2: To maintain and strengthen students’ experience of feeling safe, valued and supported
Key Improvement Strategy: Develop whole school expectations, consistent language and embedded wellbeing approaches to support all students to practise upstander behaviours.
This work will focus on strengthening Positive Classroom Management Strategies, embedding consistent wellbeing language and expectations, using Compass Pulse and survey data to guide targeted supports, and empowering students to seek help and advocate for themselves. Inclusion Leaders and the Wellbeing Team will work alongside classroom teachers to ensure consistent and proactive approaches across the school.
Throughout 2026, progress against these goals will be closely monitored through student achievement data, Attitudes to School Survey results, Safe, Valued and Supported survey data, learning walks and classroom observations.
Together, these priorities ensure we remain focused on both high academic growth and strong student wellbeing outcomes for every learner at EPS.
School Tours
A huge congratulations to our School Captains on successfully hosting their first school tour a few weeks ago, which was fully booked. They represented Elsternwick Primary School with confidence and pride, showcasing our vibrant learning environment and sharing what makes our community so special.
Fortnightly tours will continue for the remainder of the term and into Term 2, providing prospective families with the opportunity to see EPS in action. It is always wonderful to see our student leaders stepping forward and speaking so positively about their school.
If you know anyone who may be interested in joining our school community, they can book a tour via the link below:
Book a school tour here:https://compasstix.com/event/c0edcaee-c754-4faa-977a-ceb1862a3548
Well done to our captains for their outstanding leadership and enthusiasm.
Have a great weekend,
Michael