From the Principal

Dear families,

Welcome to the newsletter for Week 2. It has been another busy start to the term with our Prep - Year 2 excursion to Science Works and the start of our School Swimming Program this week. 

Just a note for families, I will be on Long Service Leave for 3 days next week. I have a few small periods of Long Service Leave booked between now and the end of the school year. Please be reminded that when I am not at school Ms Danielle George assumes the role of Acting Principal. 

Athletics Club:

Athletics Club will continue to run on Monday and Wednesday mornings, 8:00am start on the school basketball courts. 

NAIDOC Week Smoking Ceremony:

Wurundjeri Woiwurrung words from Stacie:

Below are some of the Woiwurrung words that Stacie shared with us during Friday's NAIDOC Week celebration.

• Murrup – Spirit
• Bunjil – Wedge-tailed Eagle, Creator
• Waa – Crow, Protector
• Baliyan – Bat, Guardian of Waterways (you may see other spellings of this word, but this is the spelling Stacie shared with us)
• Naran-ik – My name is...
• Kirrip-ik – My friend

We look forward to continuing to build our connection with Stacie, who is a member of Djirri Djirri, a Wurundjeri women's dance group, and to creating further opportunities for our students and staff to learn from and alongside her.

Science Works Excursion - Prep - Year 2:

Swimming Program:

A timetable for swimming (in the pool times) is below:

9:45-10:30        P/1

10:30-11:15     1/2

11:15-12:00      3/4B & 3/4 JM

12:00-12:45      4/5

12:45-1:30         6

Parent / Teacher Interviews:

Bookings are now open on the NPortal for our Parent / Teacher Interviews (under nMeet). I ask that families who engage with the termly Program Support Group Meetings (PSG's) do not book in for a Parent Teacher Interview. These families already have termly meetings to discuss goals related to Personalised Learning Plans. 

St Vincent de Paul - Winter Appeal:

Winter Food Drive – Help Us Make a Difference!

This winter, our school is proud to be supporting St Vincent de Paul by holding a Winter Food Drive as part of our Social Justice initiative to help people in our local community who are doing it tough.

If you are able, we would greatly appreciate donations of non-perishable food items such as canned vegetables, soup, pasta, rice, cereal, long-life milk, baked beans, and other pantry staples. Please place your donations in the collection box in the foyer. Every donation, no matter how big or small, will help provide comfort and support to those in need during the colder months.

As students, we are excited to work together to make a positive difference in our community. Your generosity and kindness can help brighten someone's day and remind them that they are not alone.

Thank you for supporting our St Vincent de Paul Winter Food Drive. Together, we can make a real difference this winter!

Thank you for your support, Payton,  Eliza & Bianca - Social Justice Leaders

Children's Book Week 2026:

In 2026, the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) proudly celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Book of the Year Awards. Since 1946, these awards have recognised the outstanding talent, creativity, and imagination of Australian authors and illustrators, inspiring generations of young readers.

To celebrate this special week, we have planned a number of exciting events for our students:

• Book Week Book Fair – Our Scholastic Book Fair will be held during Book Week. More information, including dates and purchasing details, will be shared in upcoming newsletters.
• Book Week Dress-Up Day and Parade – On Friday 28 August, students are invited to come to school dressed as their favourite book character, author, or illustrator. 

We look forward to celebrating the wonderful world of books and seeing everyone's creative costumes!

Declan McDermott

Principal