Acting Assistant Principal Update

Dear Families and Friends,

I hope everyone is enjoying this final week of Autumn and managing to stay warm as the colder weather sets in! More importantly, I hope you and your families are successfully dodging the various seasonal bugs and sicknesses that have been making the rounds lately. We appreciate your continued support in keeping children home when they are feeling unwell to help look after the health of our whole school community.

National Reconciliation Week

Today, Wednesday 27 May 2026, marks the beginning of National Reconciliation Week (NRW). This dedicated week provides a significant opportunity for our school staff and students to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and achievements.

This year’s theme is All In, which invites us to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation. Over the coming week, our teachers will be leading activities to support our learners in exploring what it means to be truly 'All In' to build a shared understanding of responsibility.

Featured Artwork & Artist

Some of our classes will be engaging with the official #NRW2026 poster artwork titled Gaagal, created by Gumbaynggirr Bundjalung artist Otis Hope Carey. Carey's primary pursuit is sharing culture through his art to promote healthy conversations and education.

In the workspace photo, you can see the artist in his studio carefully painting the flowing lines of this piece. The word Gaagal translates to 'Ocean', which is a deeply important, healing clan totem for the Gumbaynggirr people. Carey uses the ocean as a metaphor for people from all walks of life swirling together to be 'all in' for reconciliation. The exaggerated, traditional concentric circles represent ripples on the water when struck by rain or wind, echoing how our collective voices and actions can ripple outward from Alphington Primary to invite others on this crucial journey.

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) 2026

Today at 12:00pm, our students joined millions of children across the country for National Simultaneous Storytime! Now in its 26th year, this event celebrates literacy and a shared love of reading.

This year, students enjoyed Luna Roo the Kangaroo Baller, an energetic story about a rookie kangaroo captain finding her inner strength and learning to trust her teammates on the football pitch.

Important Reminders & Upcoming Events

• STEAM Expo: Our annual STEAM Expo will be held next Wednesday 3rd of June. The displays will be set up across all classrooms starting from 3:45pm. We strongly encourage as many families and friends as possible to come along and celebrate our students' creativity and hard work!

• Division Cross Country: Also, next Wednesday 3rd of June, a team of 11 APS students will be representing Alphington Primary at the Banyule Division Cross Country at Banyule Flats. We wish them all the absolute best of luck!
• Student Free Day: A quick reminder that Friday 5th of June is a Student Free Day. Our staff will be onsite engaging in professional learning, so no students are to attend school on this day. For families requiring care, TheirCare will be operating for the day.

2027 Prep Enrolments

If you are an existing family with a sibling commencing in 2027, please make sure your enrolment forms are handed into the front office as soon as possible so we can secure your place.

Have a fantastic week, everyone.

Luke Kleinig

Acting Assistant Principal