Leadership Report

There’s nothing worse than being sick and missing out on all the fun at Newlands. It was so good to hear the basketballs bouncing and sneakers screeching again in the mornings, see our numeracy and writing groups back in action, and feel the bass drop of Funky Fridays return.

A huge thank you to Jess and Graeme, who took the reins while I was bedridden. They supported our leaders during school tours, facilitated a Disability Inclusion workshop for our network, and led a cross-school writing moderation. 

Zootopia 2 – Outdoor Cinema Night at Newlands (Tonight!)

Tonight we come together for our 2026 Outdoor Cinema event. Want cake before sausages? Popcorn before empanadas? Choc-tops before soup? Go for it. It’s dark, no one will notice, and everyone will be too busy finding their blanket on the grass anyway.

This is always a fantastic evening run by our incredible PFA. If you have a spare hour, it’s not too late to lend a hand with food:https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4EA5A923A5F9C07-63719354-outdoor#/

Can Zootopia 2 live up to the original? We’ll find out tonight. Don’t forget your blankets and warm clothes!

Wednesday 6th May – 9:00am–12:00pm – AEU Stop Work Action

Is it inconvenient? Yes. That’s the point.

Teachers are advocating for better pay and working conditions, and the disruption is intended to highlight the importance of education across the state. The best way to support teachers is to keep your child at home between 9:00am and 12:00pm. If this isn’t possible, supervision will be available, but no formal learning will take place during this time. We hope a meaningful resolution is reached soon so we can get back to doing what we do best.

Friday 8th May – 8:00am – Mother’s Day Breakfast

While Mother’s Day is on the Sunday, we’re inviting everyone to join us Friday morning for our annual breakfast celebration.

There are strong rumours that Newlands has secured enrolments thanks to José’s elite bread toasting, Luisa’s precision cheese placement, and Raúl’s unmatched egg-cracking technique. This event is always a highlight and a chance for us to say thank you for your ongoing support. Thanks ChatGPT for putting together a Tim Smith Inspired poster.

Annual General Meeting – Tuesday 19th May, 6:00pm @ Newlands Primary

Our AGM is an opportunity to reflect on our 2025 goals—what was achieved, what actions were put in place, the impact of actions and where we need to continue to focus. We’ll also move into our 2026 Annual Implementation Plan and outline priorities for the year ahead.

I’ll admit it’s been two weeks without getting into classrooms, which I’m not thrilled about, but I’ll be back on deck next week. Thankfully, our incredible teams continue to keep everything running smoothly and up to date. Check out the classroom pages in this newsletter to hear about all the great learning taking place. 

Next week is also Graeme’s final week for the term before heading on paternity leave. We wish him all the very best—enjoy every moment, because before you know it, they’re in Grade 6, watching Stranger Things, and your car playlist has become exclusively Taylor Swift on repeat.

We’re also excited to welcome Adrian Hanson, currently Assistant Principal at Roxburgh Park, who will be stepping in for the remainder of the term. Please make sure you wish Graeme well and say hello to Adrian when you see them next week.

Have a fantastic weekend,

Thanks,

Luke