A Message from David & Cam

It has been another very busy fortnight at AGPS as we move closer and closer towards the end of the year. Planning and preparation for all things 2026 is in full swing as well as preparing for many fun activities for our students, staff and families as we look to celebrate what has been a very positive year for our school. A reminder to keep up to date with all upcoming events as the diaries are getting fuller and fuller!

School Review

The final day of our school review was held on Wednesday. The focus of this day is for the review panel to collate and report on their findings from the fieldwork day held earlier this term. The summary of the findings is then used to identify the future direction of the school and build our next strategic plan.

Overall, the findings of the panel were overwhelmingly positive and we celebrated all that we have achieved as a school over the past 4 years. This was highlighted by our outstanding student achievement data which indicates that our students are achieving stronger results than similar, network and state schools in a vast majority of measures. We have been recognised as a high-performing school which is aspirational, inclusive and supportive - we should all be incredibly proud of the wonderful school we have!

As we look to the future, our work will centre around building an even stronger MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports). In simple terms, this means creating a clear, consistent approach to supporting every student—whether they need extension, targeted help, or additional wellbeing support. MTSS helps us make sure no student slips through the cracks by:

Having a well-organised system that provides the right level of support for each student, with help increasing as their needs become more specific.
Using high-quality, research-based teaching and support in every layer of the system, delivered by knowledgeable, skilled and well-trained staff.
Administering early checks for all students to spot who may need extra help, followed by more detailed assessments so we can target support to the exact skills each student needs.
Using student data to decide what level of support will be most effective.
Regularly tracking student progress to make sure the support we provide is working and making a real difference.

This approach will help us continue to lift student achievement and strengthen wellbeing across the school.

We are in a very positive place as a school, and the years ahead are full of exciting opportunities. I look forward to sharing our new Strategic Plan with you once it is finalised.

Finally, I would like to send a huge thank you to our panel members, and a special mention to Victoria Reynolds, who has volunteered her time and provided valuable parent insights into the whole process. We are very lucky to have such a committed and passionate school council president!

2026 Starting Dates & Pupil-Free Days

School Council have recently approved the following dates for 2026:

2025 Start Dates:

Staff Begin 27th Jan (Tuesday)
Students Begin 28th Jan (Wednesday)
Preps Begin 2nd February (Monday)

Pupil-Free Days:

6th March (Friday) - Literacy
5th June (Friday) - Assessment and Reporting
27th July (Monday) - Wellbeing
2nd November (Monday) - Assessment and Reporting

Transitions

2026 Prep

It has been a couple of exciting weeks where we have welcomed our newest members of the AGPS community to our school. Our 2026 preps have had the first two of their five transition sessions and got a small taste of school life. This process is such an important step to ensuring the students have the best possible beginning to their schooling journey. The students are able to become familiar with the people, classrooms and playgrounds as well as get to know the other students that will potentially be their classmates next year.

All the students, no matter if they bounded into the classroom or needed a little extra TLC at the beginning, left at the end of their sessions with huge smiles and confident walks as they ran to their parents to share their stories.

2026 Step-Up Days

Yesterday we held our first Step-Up Day for students in Years 1–5. Just like our Prep transition sessions, these experiences are designed to help students move confidently and smoothly into their next year of learning. We know that this time of year can bring a mix of excitement and nerves for many children, and Step-Up Days play an important role in easing worries by giving students a sense of what to expect, who they might learn with, and the new opportunities ahead.

As class lists are finalised over the coming weeks, it’s normal for students to feel curious or uncertain about what their new class might look like. I encourage you to have positive conversations with your child about the year ahead, highlighting the fun, potential friendships, new skills and the fresh start that each school year brings. Your optimism and reassurance can make a significant difference in how your child approaches these changes, helping them feel confident, settled, and excited for 2026.

Times Tables Rockstars

TTRS Update – What a Journey Since June!

Our students have been absolutely powering through their Times Tables Rockstars practice this year. Since starting in June, every year level has shown fantastic dedication, enthusiasm, and growth.

Across the school, over 480 students have been regularly logging in, practising, and cheering each other on. Here’s a snapshot of how each year level is tracking:

Year 2 students are answering questions in 3.61 seconds on average, with 84% accuracy, and 97 students jumping in to play.
Year 3 are flying, averaging 2.52 seconds per question with 91% accuracy, and 95 students involved.
Year 4 students are showing great persistence, averaging 4.01 seconds with 92% accuracy, powered by 96 students.
Year 5 are working steadily with an average of 3.38 seconds and 94% accuracy, with 96 students playing.
Year 6 are rounding us out strongly at 3.17 seconds and 94% accuracy, with 98 students participating.

OZ Rocks Tournament Achievements

We also recently took part in the OZ Rocks Australia-wide tournament, and our school results were outstanding:

AGPS placed 30th out of 694 schools across the country.
2/3A placed 23rd out of 3,817 classes for their class average score.
A huge congratulations to Mason (2/3A), who finished 29th out of 45,000 students nationally!

These results reflect not only skill, but also focus, persistence, and a willingness to practise regularly.

Why Learning Times Tables Matters

Confidence with times tables makes a real difference in everyday life. It helps students solve problems quickly, work more confidently in maths lessons, and build the mental flexibility needed for more complex concepts down the track. Whether they're calculating change, doubling a recipe, or tackling multiplication and division problems, strong recall makes everything smoother.

We’re incredibly proud of the effort our students are showing. Thank you for supporting them at home—it truly makes a difference. Keep encouraging short, regular practice sessions; they add up more than you’d think.

AGPS Drama Club Performance

The AGPS Drama Club, led by Michelle, are a group of dedicated performers who have been meeting in their playtime throughout the year. They are very excited to perform for the whole school community tomorrow with their performance of The Wizard of Oz

Performance Details:

📅 Friday, 5 December (Week 9)

🕝 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM

📍 Location: Under Gumbuya

This year’s production features a fantastic cast of choir members, dancers, and performers who have worked hard to bring this classic story to the stage. All families are warmly invited to join us for this special performance and support our talented Drama Club students.

Student Leadership Roles

Our Grade 5 students have submitted their applications for formal leadership positions in Grade 6. Applications are shortlisted and then students are able to discuss their applications and ideas for the role with Cam and myself during an interview. The captains will be announced at our end of year assembly.

Along with School Captains and Vice Captains, there are a number of other leadership opportunities that the students can apply for and these roles include Sports Leaders, Art Leaders, STEM Leaders, Library Leaders & KEFAR Leaders.

We are really proud of the student leadership opportunities that are offered at Altona Green and are very excited to hear about all the great ideas that the students will have to make our school even better.

Grade One Dinner

A couple of weeks ago, our Year 1 students had the opportunity to come to school after hours for dinner, dancing and fun with their friends. The grade one dinner is part of our overall camping program at AGPS and is a nice way for the students to celebrate the year together with the whole cohort.

A special thank you to Hannah, Michelle, Alicia and Cam who helped to organise and run the event. The kids had a great time!

Traffic Safety Reminders

A number of traffic safety concerns have been brought to our attention recently. We ask for your cooperation with the following to ensure the safety of all of those in our community:

Use the parking bays and ask all students to use the passenger side doors when entering or exiting the car.
Use the roundabout instead of doing a u-turn in front of the school
Ensure no children are left alone in cars during pick-up and drop-off
Only use the staff carpark if you are dropping off or collecting your child from TeamKids
Avoid walking through the staff carpark at all times

90s Game Show Night

We would just like to thank everyone for their support of the 90s Game Show Night that was held last Friday. The night was a great success - all tickets were sold, we raised a lot of money for our school and most importantly, we had a heap of fun! A huge thank you to Meagan and Anna for leading the event and to those who spent time helping with the final set-up on Friday.

Thanks for a great fortnight. We hope you all have a great weekend.

Take care,

David and Cam