From Mr Ridgway

Welcome Back

I hope everyone had a safe, enjoyable, and restful break. As we return to school, we are excited to dive into another term filled with engaging learning and activities.

What's Ahead: Our senior students will have the opportunity to build teamwork and resilience while enjoying the great outdoors in the Year 5 and Year 6 camps, we will celebrate the important people in our students' lives with a special Mothers and Special Persons Day event (more info to come), we will continue to welcome prospective future students and give them a taste of school life during the 2027 Foundation School Experience sessions, and engaging learning experiences outside the classroom will enrich our curriculum through various incursions and excursions.

We look forward to a term filled with growth, discovery, and memorable experiences. Let's make Term 2 a fantastic one!

ANZAC Day 2026

This afternoon, our school community came together to honour the brave men and women who have served and sacrificed for our country during our ANZAC Day Ceremony. 

Thank you to our School Captains for their leadership in hosting the ceremony. I would also like to extend my thanks to all the students, staff, and families who attended.

ANZAC Day is a time for us to reflect on the courage, resilience, and spirit of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) who landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. It is a day to remember not only those who fought and died in that campaign but also all Australians who have served in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. The values of bravery, mateship, and sacrifice that ANZAC Day embodies continue to inspire us and remind us of the importance of peace and unity.

Australian Education Union - Next Steps

I am writing to keep you informed about the upcoming industrial action organised by the Australian Education Union (AEU), and how this may impact our school operations.

The AEU has advised the Department of Education of several work bans that came into effect from 6:00am on Monday, 20 April 2026. These include limitations on meetings, certain administrative duties, and a ban on completing written comments for student reports. As a result, you should be aware that student reports issued this semester will not include written comments.

In addition, AEU members can participate in a half-day protected stop-work action on Thursday, 21 May 2026 from 9:00am to 12:48pm. During this time, participating staff will not be on site. Please note that different areas of Melbourne will take the half-day protected stop-work action on different days.

At this stage, we are still determining how this action will affect supervision and learning programs at our school. I will provide further communication as soon as I have a clearer understanding of operational arrangements for that day.

I understand that this uncertainty can be challenging for families, and I appreciate your patience as I work through these developments. 

We will continue to keep you informed as more details become available. If you have any immediate concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

2027 Foundation Enrolments are now open

We are pleased to announce that Foundation enrolments for the 2027 school year are now open!

If you have a child starting Foundation in 2027, we encourage you to submit your enrolment forms early. This helps us plan effectively for the year ahead, particularly with staffing and class sizes.

If you already have children attending Cheltenham East and have a sibling ready to begin their school journey, please ensure their enrolment is submitted promptly. All the information required to enrol is available on our website. Click here to access the website.

2026 House Cross Country

On the afternoon of Wednesday, 22 April, the Year 3-6 students took part in our House Cross Country. It was great to see so many students giving their best effort across either the 2km or 3km course. 

Well done to everyone who participated, and congratulations to the students who will now go on to represent the school at the District Cross Country on Tuesday, 5 May at Mentone Grammar Playing Fields. A Compass Event will be shared soon.

Thank you to the staff and parents/carers who helped out and supported the event across the afternoon. A big thank you to Mrs Robinson for organising the carnival and making sure everything ran smoothly.

Final Points Tally 

1st Tarmaroo 89 points

2nd Kambara 73 points

3rd Arunyah 72 points

4th Coolac 63 points

District Cross Country Team

Building and Grounds Upgrades

Over the holiday break, we had several buildings and grounds upgrades take place.

• Repair of the sinkhole
• Netball rings installed
• New shade sail installed above the currently out-of-action amphitheatre
• Garden bed capping replaced (Outside Year 5/6)
• Decking sanded outside staffroom (to be stained next)
• Broken windows were replaced in the breezeway 
• Also, glass panes were removed in the breezeway, with the wall to be removed next. This will then open up the eating area into the passive play space.
• The main building exit door near the stage has been fixed
• Broken oval fence pailings replaced
• Student toilet lights changed - Now on timer to remain on at all times during daylight hours
• School gutters cleaned
• Lawn and garden works completed

Have a wonderful weekend

Mr Robert Ridgway