Principal's Message
Upwey South Primary School
Please take the time to read each page of our newsletter, as we provide you with information updates across our school.
Upwey South Primary School Counselling Service
As part of our school's commitment to promoting student wellbeing and mental health, we engage the services of a 0.6FTE qualified School Counsellor. Over the past 18 months this role has been undertaken by the amazing Carvin Winans.
As we complete Term One, 2024, we also say goodbye to Carvin, who we are very proud to say has secured a counselling role in a secondary private school in the eastern suburbs. Whilst we will miss Carvin, we are also very pleased that the experiences gained from the counselling service at our school have meant that Carvin was in high-demand across the education sector.
Below is an open-letter from Carvin, to our school community:
Dear Parents/Carers,
I am writing to provide you with an update regarding the counselling service which is currently offered as part of the wellbeing curriculum at Upwey South Primary School. As of the commencement of Term Two, 2024, I will be moving on from Upwey South Primary School and taking a role as an Adolescent School Counsellor at Aquinas College, Ringwood.
I would like to personally acknowledge and thank the community of Upwey South Primary School for allowing me to share a partnership over the last three years which has focussed upon mental and social wellbeing for our students. Upwey South Primary School is an amazing community, and you should be proud of what is being achieved for the students and families of this school. My time working with the teaching staff, school leadership, families, and students has been both rewarding and inspiring. Upwey South Primary School truly does have a holistically focussed approach to curriculum and wellbeing.
The Counselling Service at Upwey South Primary School will continue into the future. We are currently in the process of advertising for a new counsellor to join our amazing school team; and hope to be in the position to share an announcement with our community in early Term Two, 2024.
Should you require any additional information, or wish to communicate regarding your child’s wellbeing, you may contact me directly via:
Carvin Winans- carvin@counsellingwithfreedom.com
For any wellbeing matters which may arise regarding your child, please contact Llewela Humphries (Assistant Principal)- Llewela.Humphries@education.vic.gov.au
It has truly been a pleasure being part of the team at Upwey South Primary School, and I will take many fond memories with me into my next adventure.
Kind regards,
Carvin Winans
We are currently in the recruitment process to replace Carvin, with interviews occurring over the term break. As a school, we are confident that we will be in a position early in Term Two to announce the continuation of our school counselling service.
Foundation enrolment 2024
In 2024, all schools in the Outer Eastern Region of Melbourne will move to an online/digital enrolment platform for Foundation enrolments.
Victorian government school enrolments for Foundation (Prep) for the 2025 school year will open from Monday 15 April 2024, the start of Term 2. Families are asked to submit enrolment applications by Friday 26 July 2024.
The URL (link) for the enrolment database is not yet publicly accessible, however this link will be made available to schools and their communities at the commencement of Term Two.
Staff First-Aid Training
During March, all staff of Upwey South Primary School undertook our annual Level 2 First Aid Training. As a school committed to promoting student wellbeing, and a safe learning environment, all staff at our school are trained annually.
Communicating with the Principal
We look forward to partnering with you in 2024, and welcome your input:
Damien Kitch (Principal) damien.kitch@education.vic.gov.au