Across Oliver's Desk 

This will of course be our last newsletter for the year. I would like to thank parents, students and staff for what was an exhausting but incredible year for the school and I wish everyone a big and safe Merry Christmas. 

Step up day was a huge success with so many children already excited about their new teacher and classmates. The new year of course is filled with excitement because of the new facilities and the extra playground space we will have at the start of next year. The best thing of all will be when we finally get our renovated hall back at the end of 1st term next year.

JANNA RODRIGUEZ AND SANDY’S GARDEN

Earlier this year the grade six leaders decided they would like to honour the hard work that Sandy puts into the garden and her cooking program. The leaders thought there should be a sign to signify that it really is Sandy’s Garden. Janna Rodriguez (our current environment leader) brought this to her family who put in a combined effort to build a fence for Sandy and have the sign made up and put in. 

Most of it with local donations. (A big thank you to Silvan Timber). But the biggest thank you must go to Janna and particularly Maxine Rawson for making all this happen.

I’m also really pleased that the leaders wanted to acknowledge Sandy who does so much selfless work for the school.

OUR 2024 SCHOOL LEADERS 

It was pleasure for me to announce our 2024 school leaders at a special assembly last Wednesday. I would like to thank all of the students that applied for positions and I look forward to their leadership even if they weren’t successful in obtaining an official role.

The following students were successful: 

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

STEPS BOARD CHAMPIONS 

The following students were the term 4 class champions for the number of ‘steps’ on their class steps board. Each one of these students enjoyed a delicious morning tea on the last day of school, thank you Sandy for doing all the hard work.

STAFFING NEWS 

Unfortunately next year we are going to be without Katherine Bolton, Sarah-Jayne Robinson and Lily Dix. 

Deeon Toogood will beleaving us early in term one. 

Mel Erickson and Jess Howe will also go on maternity leave early in term one. 

I’ve written a lot in the newsletter about Mrs Bolton and her leadership successes and we are very pleased for her that she will be a Leading Teacher at Launching Place Primary next year. Mrs Bolton has been a big part of Woori Yallock Primary School’s success over the last 4 years and we thank her deeply for her commitment to our students. Katherine is a wonderful teacher and leader and I look forward to the news one day when she tells me that she has made it to Principal Class. We will be staying in touch with Mrs Bolton and hopefully another school partnership will begin. 

Sarah-Jayne has been with us since June and filled in when we really needed her. We will miss her calm and friendly nature and we thank her for the fantastic job she did with all of the students in 1/2A. We wish her well with her next teaching position and we know she learnt lots while she has been at Woori Yallock P.S. 

Lily has worked in the welfare office for the past four years. She has helped so many families and is much loved by the students she works with. Lily will be working at Warranwood Primary School next year where we wish her all the best with the next chapter in her career. 

Deeon has been with us for six years and came across from Healesville Primary to take on a position at Woori. In that time Deeon has become an outstanding teacher that consistently gets wonderful results, while building lasting relationships with her students. Unfortunately for us Deeon and her family are moving to South Australia. We will still have Deeon working at the school for a small amount of time next year but I already want to give parents the opportunity to thank her for the great work she has done while at the school. I personally would like to thank Deeon for everything she has done for our school community.

Like Deeon, Mel Erickson and Jess Howe will still be at the school for a short time next year before they go on Maternity Leave. We are not saying goodbye to them but I do want to thank them for the significant work they have contributed this year to make our school the outstanding place it is.  

Next year we welcome back from maternity leave, Danielle Marnock, Katie Thatcher and going back to the classroom after maternity leave will be Amy Cleary and Kat Clark. We are so lucky that we have such quality in teachers across the school when you consider the teacher shortage that is going around us. 

GOODBYE, WE WILL MISS YOU!

Our school community will also be losing the following families next year. Some of these families have been part of our school community for well over ten years and we have gotten to know them so well. The Gaylard family takes out the honour this year of being the family that is leaving with the longest history. The Gaylard family have had children at the school continuously for the past 27 years. Now that is commitment to the school. We wish all these wonderful families well going into the future and thank them for all their contributions to Woori Yallock Primary School: 

The Caldwell family (Lachlan) 

The Carey family (Grace) 

The Comer family (Ellie) 

The Crowley family (Asher)

The Dare family (Milla) 

The Gates family (Molly) 

The Gaylard family (Baileigh)) 

The Hermansen family (Heath) 

The Hyndman family (Sam) 

The Kuth family (Xavier) 

The Lower family (Cohen) 

The Madigan family (Jordan)

The Murphy family (Billie)

The Orwin family (Darcy)

The Paterson family (Ash)

The Rodriguez family (Janna)

The Symes family (Malachi)

The Sykes family (Shayla)

The Tattersall family (Riley)

The Tilley family (Charlie)

The Van Kaathoven family (Natalia) 

We will miss you all very much. 

For myself I’m really looking forward to some quiet reading over the holiday break, catching up with friends and watching my son play cricket for the Olinda 1st XI over the break. 

Obviously, we still have a lot of work going on at the school over the break. I plan to be back at school on the 15th of January if you need me. 

It has been another remarkable year at our school and I particularly thank our committed school council and all the parents that have written beautiful notes to me and complimentary things about our school. I know I say it all the time but I’m just so proud of our whole community.

I wish you all a safe and happy Christmas and I’ll see you all in 2024.