Greetings from Shaun
Assembly and Pupil of the Week
We warmly invite you to our first official assembly of the year, tomorrow, Friday, 20th February.
At the assembly, we’ll celebrate our first Pupils of the Week for 2026.
Assembly begins at 3pm, so please arrive a couple of minutes early to ensure we can start on time. You can access the hall through the double green doors.
A quick note about Pupil of the Week. Some families choose not to let their child know in advance that they are receiving the award, as they enjoy the surprise at assembly. With that in mind, we ask that everyone is mindful of this and avoid congratulating students beforehand, just in case they are not yet aware.
If you would prefer to let your child know ahead of time, that is absolutely fine as well. We love celebrating our students and appreciate everyone helping to keep the moment special for each family and each child.
NAPLAN
NAPLAN is fast approaching for our Grade 3 and 5 students. In the week starting from the 11th of March 2026, Week 7, our students will embark on their NAPLAN assessments.
The assessments will primarily be conducted online, except for the Year 3 writing test, which will remain on paper. To familiarise students with the online format, they will participate in coordinated practice tests ahead of the official testing period.
While we encourage students to do their best, we also remind them that NAPLAN is just one measure of their learning journey.
Should you have any queries regarding your child's participation in the NAPLAN tests, feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher.
For additional information, please refer to the NAPLAN Information Brochure for Parents and Carers below:
NAPLAN Information Brochure for Parents and Carers
You can also access sample tests on the NAPLAN website's Public Demonstration Site: (https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site ).
Mobile Phone and Smart Watch Policy
A reminder to all families about our Mobile Device Policy, which applies to mobile phones, iPads and smartwatches. In line with Department of Education requirements, all personal devices must be handed in at the school office before 9am and can be collected after 3:30pm.
This includes smartwatches with communication, messaging or internet access, even if they are set to school mode or do not disturb. Where possible, I strongly encourage families to have children leave these devices at home.
Teachers will be following this up, particularly in relation to smartwatches. If a device has not been handed in before school, students will be asked to take it to the office for storage.
If you need to contact your child during the school day, please do so via the school office and we will ensure your message is passed on promptly.
Working Bee
On Saturday the 14th of March we are holding a Working Bee to prepare for the Fete. We will be focusing on a general tidy up of the grounds, including weeding and gardening at the front of the school, a clean up around the yard, tidying the OSHC house, some painting inside the cubby houses, and planting fruit trees if they are available in time.
If you are able to help, even for part of the morning, we would greatly appreciate it. Please register via the link below so we can plan for the day:
School Council Election Results
We recently finalised our School Council election process and I am pleased to welcome both new and returning members. Welcome back Stephen Moore, Ellis Richardson and Alick Weber who will continue their involvement on Council for another two year term, and we welcome Sarah Vahtola as a new parent representative this year.
Our staff representatives for the year are Rebecca Garrow, Eleanor Yewers and Sam Gaudion, joining existing members Jo Pitt, Christian Scallan, Michael Smalley and Lucy Sinclair, Caterina CArnovale and myself.
We also have two twelve month community member positions still available. If you are interested and would like to learn more about what is involved, please come and see me.
2025 Annual Report- Community Meeting
Each year we complete an Annual Report to share with our community, reflecting on the previous year and how we delivered on our goals and commitments to student learning.
Our Public Reporting Meeting will be held on Wednesday the 25th of March. All members of our school community are welcome to attend.
Following departmental endorsement, the 2025 Annual Report will be published on our website. Previous Annual Reports can also be accessed via the Publications section of the website.
Drop-Off and Pick-Up Routine + Kiss and Go
This is a reminder that school crossings are the safest place for all students to cross the road, as they are manned by a crossing supervisor. Staff will continue to direct students toward the crossing to ensure everyone's safety.
We ask for the community's support by using the crossing with your child or regularly reminding your child to use it if they walk home independently.
It’s important that parents, carers, and families observe the road rules, especially on our many one-way streets, and avoid double parking when picking up children, as this puts students' safety at risk.
The Kiss & Go sections, located on Hawthorne Road and Henry Street, are designed for quick drop-offs and can be used effectively if everyone follows the correct procedures:
- Cars should remain for no more than two minutes.
- Drivers must stay near their vehicles and not lock the car or leave the vicinity.
- Please be patient when finding a drop-off spot, especially along busy Helen Street, Hawthorne Road, or Henry Street.
Fete- Working with Children Check and Induction
Don't forget, if you have volunteered for the fete (or are thinking of volunteering), you will require a Working with Children Check. It’s a 15 minute job, if you need to apply for a volunteer WWCC, you can do so here:
To volunteer at the fete, you will need to complete a brief 2-minute, fete-specific volunteer induction. If you have time before the event, feel free to drop by the office, where Donna, Sarah, or Caterina can walk you through the process and sign you off.
Take care,
Shaun