Principal's Message

From the Principal

Relationships, Routines and Expectations. 

As students and staff begin their new year together an important whole school focus has been to establish calm and productive learning environments where students have a sense of belonging and are connected to their peers. The three crucial elements the school is prioritising to create this solid foundation are relationships, routines, and expectations.

When I first started teaching, the hidden rules to setting up a good classroom were don’t smile until Easter, don’t tell students your first name and make an example of the first student who disrupts the classroom. Thankfully our teaching practice has evolved immensely since this time, and we have moved to a more relational way of working with our students. This does not mean the teacher is the student’s friend, but it does mean we know the importance of being warm, approachable and caring. 

A strong classroom environment though cannot be built on relationships alone. It must also have clear expectations and routines. Routines provide a sense of structure, allowing the learning community to manage time efficiently and reduce the mental load of decision-making. It has been great to walk through classrooms and see these routines being explicitly taught so good learning habits for success are in place. These routines are equally important at home for families. A consistent and predictable night time routine such as dinner, bath, book and bed help set your child up for a successful day at school the next day. 

It has also been great to walk thru the school and see the work being done to ensure expectations on behaviour, learning habits and the way we treat each other being developed in collaboration with students. When students have a voice in the development of these expectations, they have ownership over their learning community and are more likely to be invested in choosing the behaviours that reflect our three main goals of school – safety, learning and getting along with others. 

As we navigate the year ahead, remember that success comes in many forms and learning is a journey not a defined outcome. By focusing on these areas, we are setting a strong foundation that will underpin our students progress and development. 

Reminder of Beginning of Day Drop Off Times 

Our yard is supervised by staff from 8:35 each morning. We ask parents to not drop their children off earlier than this. From 8:35 – 8:50 students are encouraged to spend time in the yard catching up with friends and/or playing before the start of the school day. The 8:50 bell signals to students that they are able to enter the classrooms and begin organising their belongings ready for learning to commence at 9:00am. 

Year 5/6 Staffing

Next week we are excited to welcome Mr. James Stephens back after his family leave! We hope he had a well-deserved time to enjoy the precious moments that being a new dad has brought him. We know he has appreciated this time with wife Rae and baby Phillipa as they start their life together as family. We thank Mr Ben Stephens for his time in Year 5/6a over these last two weeks.

Next week Miss Paton will join our selected Year 5/6 students for 9 days at Somers Camp. This camp can only run when there is sufficient staff, and we thank Georgie for offering to go. We know it will be an amazing experience. During this time Mr Ben Stephens will work with Year 5/6b, and we thank Ben for his ongoing support of our school. Not only are we lucky to have a great CRT but one who knows our school so well and provides consistency for our students. 

Somers Camp 

Next week we have several Year 5/6 students off to Somers Camp along with Miss Paton. This is a 9 day camping experience that is offered every second year to students in grades 5 & 6 in government schools. Our students will be attending with a selection of other students from all the primary schools in the Hamilton and Portland area. Across the 9 days students will work through the challenge of being away from home, building new friendships, working together as a team and overcoming challenging tasks. Essential skills to develop as leaders of the school and as our students progress towards secondary school. 

Lunch Orders

This week our families had the opportunity to place lunch orders for their child thanks to a service being provided by Hamilton Racing Club. All the products are made in their commercial kitchen which is headed by their Chef Campbell Cameron. Nutritionist Ellie Falkenberg of Freshly Fed also works out of the racecourse and is making the snack menu products.   Students are able to have a lunch order available on a TUESDAY and THURSDAY. Orders are placed directly through the Spriggy Schools website or app and must be placed before 9:00am on the previous day. Late orders are not able to be placed through the school. 

Thankyou for the Donations

A big Thankyou to Dale and Renee at Carpet Court for donating a carpet mat for the Art Room. This mat replaces the previous one which had seen many years. We are sure that Ms Brown and our students are loving this new soft addition to the room.  We would also like to thank Anthony from “Tins in the Bin” who donated five more mats to the school this week, along with other schools in the area. “Tins in the Bin” is a not-for-profit organisation that support families in need with food and supplies.  These mats will be a great addition to some common learning spaces such as the Library. 

Athletic Sports Day coming Up 

Parents will find information attached to today’s newsletter regarding our upcoming Aths Days on March 4th and 5th. Tuesday March 4th will take place at Mitchell Park and will involve our Year 1 – 6 students completing their running events for the days. Our Foundation students will not attend this day but will be looking forward to showcasing their running on the next day. Wednesday March 5th is a whole school event and involves the completion of the Field events. The Aths day is always a great day for our school community to come together and support our students 

Foundation  BBQ

We’re thrilled to invite our 2025 Foundation families to join us for a warm and welcoming BBQ Celebration on Wednesday February 26th. The evening promises a chance to connect with fellow families in the foundation community. Whether you're new to the foundation or a returning parent the BBQ is a great night to get to know one another, enjoy a sausage in bread, and learn more about the wonderful programs the Foundation Team have in store for you and your family.

Leadership Badges 

Our Year 6 leaders have transitioned into their new roles beautifully and should be proud of the calm and respectful way they are conducting themselves.  Their first assembly last week was if they had been doing it all year as they spoke with clarity and confidence.  Across the term Mrs Langley and Mr Kelson will be working closely with the Year 5/6 team to shape each role to the needs of the school. We look forward to handing out badges and formally welcoming our leaders into the role at Assembly on Friday 28th February. 

School Council  

A reminder that the first meeting of the year for School Council will take place next Wednesday 19th February.  This will be the last meeting for our current Council, and we thank Anna Robertson, Cecilia Fitzgerald and Russell Bennett for their time over the last 2 years. Anna and Russell are eligible to nominate again as their students are currently attending school.  Information is included in this newsletter regarding the election process for our 2025 School Council. 

Griffin St – Parking

The Southern Grampians Shire has advised us that on Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th February (next week) they will be preforming road works in Griffin Street.  They ask to avoid damage to property no cars be parked in the street.