From the Principal
The end of the year is fast approaching. The calendar is jam packed full of events in the lead up to the final day of Term 4 2025. A calendar of events was sent out via Compass and as a hard copy. Zoo, MSAC, Bounce, Braeside Park, Wellbeing Day, Grade 6 Market Day, Grade 5 travel expo, Prep Portfolio, Parent/carers thank you morning tea and Grade 6 Graduation.
Assembly on Friday 12th December will feature end of year wrap ups from each year level. Our final assembly on Friday 19th December will be dedicated to farewelling our Grade 6 students. Student reports will go live on Compass on Friday 12th December.
Parent Thank You Morning Tea
A thank you cuppa & croissant will be held on Friday 12th Dec to say thank you to our wonderful and supportive parent community for an amazing 2025.
We will be holding the Parents/carers thank you on Friday 12th December at 9:00am straight after student drop off, in the Gym. If you’re able to make it, please complete the link which was sent out via Compass for catering purposes.
Market Day – Grade 6
The Grade 6 students have been busy preparing their Market Day products for sale in the final week of term Monday 15th Dec.
Transition Day – Tuesday 9th December
The transition into a new year level involves adjusting to several changes including the physical environment, learning experiences, rules and routines and relationships with a new group of students and teachers. Whilst it can be a time of great excitement, it is not uncommon for children to also be a little nervous.
Tuesday 10th we will have a whole school transition day. This day will allow the students to become familiar with the physical environment they will be in for in 2026 and learn about what will be involved as well as participate in a variety of activities.
The Grade 6 students attend their Secondary Colleges for 2026 on Tuesday 9th Dec, students go straight to their respective Secondary Colleges.
Foundation 2025 Portfolio Presentations
The Foundation 2025 students will share their portfolios with their parents in the last week of school. This is a special afternoon for both parents and students to share highlights from the year.
Grade 6 Graduation Tuesday 16th December
It is an exciting time for the Grade 6 students who are busy finalising their memory books and preparing for their graduation evening. The ceremony starts at 5pm. Students arrive: 4.45pm.
Please Note: Limited Capacity
We understand the desire to include grandparents and siblings in this special event. Unfortunately, due to the large size of this cohort, we are unable to accommodate requests for additional attendees beyond the two adults per student limit. While we would love to include everyone, space constraints mean we’ve had to make difficult decisions. This ensures the safety and comfort of all attendees, including our students. Thank you for working with us to make this event a success for everyone involved.
Last Day of Term 4 – Friday 19th December
The final assembly will begin at 1:00pm and students will be dismissed at 1:30pm.
We will farewell our Grade 6 students who will be dismissed from the basketball court. All other students in Foundation to Grade 5 will be dismissed from their classrooms.
School structure for 2026
Grade structure for next year; Foundation x 5 grades, Grade 1 x 4 grades, Grade 2 x 4 grades, Grade 3 x 4 grades, Grade 4 x 4 grades, Grade 5 x 4 grades and Grade 6 x 4 grades. Specialist classes will remain the same – Phys. Ed, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Japanese and Wellbeing/Digital Technologies.
Staffing for 2026.
Principal (Leanne Bradney), Assistant Principals (Tracy Richards and Jarrod Bainbridge)
Foundation: Andy Bentley, Julia Howell, Madeleine Williams, Demi Woodlock, Mel Johnson
Grade 1: Nathan James, Jo Pyke, Jiva Cory, Lauren Martin
Grade 2: Bec Crute, Taylor Glew, Tara Bickham, Alexandra Watkin
Grade 3: Sally Murphy, Jackie Sell, Isabelle Harper, Jaci Lundy/Caroline Whitfield
Grade 4: Michelle Pieters, Sophie Pierce/Ash Muir, Darcy Brown, Perri Davies (T2-4) Megan Rosenbrock/Tobi Webster (Term 1)
Grade 5: Dillon Hendricks, Liam Grimwade, Nicola Watson, Chelsea Brownlie
Grade 6: Ryan Hubbard, Brent Rafferty/Michelle Byrne, Casey Blacklaw, Audrey Ulrich
Specialists:
Phys Ed: Cliff Anderson/Emma Wicks,
Visual Arts: Tess Arnold/Maddie Holland/Michelle Richard,
Wellbeing: Jarrod Sing/ Sophie Pierce (Wednesday),
Performing Arts: Michelle Richard/Michelle Mackenzie
Japanese: Mami Sherwood/Michelle Mackenzie
Classroom Support:
Lisa Flynn, Bri Beglau
Education Support Staff:
Trish Mccarthy, Michelle Green, Faye Harris, Elise Zajac, Nada Cevizovic
Admin Staff:
Helen Teasdale (Business Manager)
Jane Hulley & Shelley Keating (Administration/First Aid)
Helen Bradnam (First Aid/Administration)
We welcome 3 new staff members
Lauren Martin, Chelsea Brownlie, Alexandra Watkin & Nada Cevizovic
We welcome back Michelle Byrne and Bri Beglau.
Farewell
Sam Opie has been appointed to a Learning Specialist role at Keysborough Gardens Primary School commencing in 2026. Sam has been a valued member of PPS for the past four years. Congratulations, Sam, we wish you all the very best for the future.
Mandy Went is hanging up her teaching hat and retiring after four wonderful years at PPS as part of the Grade 1 team. We wish her all the very best for the next chapter of her life, one we’re sure will be filled with plenty of relaxation, new adventures, and well-deserved time for herself.
Lauren Macafee: Lauren will begin family leave at the end of the year. We wish Lauren and Tom all the very best with the impending arrival of their first child.
Emily Hibberd and Perri Davies will begin family/partner leave early Term 1.
Mural Project
After several rain delays, our Indigenous mural was finally completed on Wednesday. Bayley has done a fantastic job and has created a piece that truly represents Parkdale PS.
Changes to school council from 2026
From 2026, parents, carers and community members who would like to join the school council need a working with children (WWC) clearance to nominate. If you are considering nominating for school council, and don’t already have a WWCC, I encourage you to apply for a volunteer WWC check as soon as possible. This will allow for processing times, which are estimated to be from 3 to 12 weeks.
Please note that if you do not hold a WWC clearance, you will not be able to nominate for school council, so it is vital that you prepare in advance. Obtaining a WWC clearance is free for volunteers, and you can apply online at Service Victoria.
When applying for your volunteer WWC check, please nominate the Department of Education as the organisation you are working for.
If you already hold an employee WWC clearance, you do not need to obtain a volunteer WWC clearance to nominate for school council.
Victorian Institute of Teaching-registered teachers and school students who are interested in joining school council are not required to obtain a WWC clearance.
Current parents and community members of school council do not need to apply for a WWC check immediately. Current members only need a WWC clearance if their term ends and they wish to nominate or be co-opted again.
How to support your child under 16 with the new social media age restrictions
From 10 December 2025, the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 will require social media platforms to:
prevent children and young people under 16 from having a social media account
deactivate or freeze existing accounts held by people under 16.
Delaying access to social media protects the health and wellbeing of young people and gives them extra time to build real world connections and digital literacy skills.
The responsibility will be on the social media platforms, not parents, carers, children or schools, to implement these new restrictions.
Most popular social media platforms will be age restricted. These include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit and YouTube.
Messaging services and online games, as well as apps and platforms that support health and education, can still be used.
How to help under 16s prepare for the change
Parents and carers play an important role in supporting their children to be safe online.
To help get under 16s ready for the social media minimum age requirements, you can go to the eSafety website to learn more about the social media age restrictions and find tips on how to talk about social media age restrictions with young people.
What the change means for our school
At our school, all age-restricted social media platforms are blocked for student use on the school network. Staff have access to YouTube on staff devices only.
To keep up to date about the new social media age restrictions, visit the eSafety website and subscribe to their newsletter.
Transition Prep and Year 7
Webpage to help families and students prepare for a new school year
A new school year is an exciting time for students and families, but it can be a big step – particularly for those starting Prep or secondary school. The Department of Education has a webpage with resources and information to help you prepare for the new school year.
During the school holidays, please consider reading through the resources, which include:
tips to help transition from kinder to Prep, primary to secondary school, and Year 10 to VCE
what to expect at school
help with school costs and fees
health and wellbeing guidance to support children’s mental health.
Please refer to the New year of learning webpage.
Kind regards
Leanne Bradney