Principal's Report
Flexible. Resilient. Positive. 2026
What a fabulous Winter term we have had at Rangeview! We have commemorated ANZAC Day, Level 6 have gone on camp to Howqua and have had a series of puberty sessions with Sexual Health Victoria, our Level 5 students have also had Life Education sessions, our staff have participated in professional learning in Responsive Teaching, students competed at District, Division and Regional Cross Country, we have had two of our 5/6 Winter Interschool Sports Days, the P&F Committee Oktoberfest Fair planning is in full swing, our student leaders have met each Friday morning, our Level 1 & 2 students have had Hands on Science Incursions, our Level 3 & 4 students have participated in an intensive swimming program, we have started the Wednesday morning Breakfast Club, we have celebrated Education Support Appreciation Day, we have recognised National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week, our P&F Committee have run a fabulous Bunnings BBQ for the Level 6 Graduation and the Mother's Day Stall, each of our levels of teachers have had a planning day together to prepare for Term 3, our Lego club, German Club and Coding Club have met, we introduced our new school Wellbeing Dog - Bingo, we have run our Parent-Teacher Conferences, student Progress Reports were available through COMPASS, and today we are celebrating our whole school Wellbeing / eSmart Superhero Day.
Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM 2.0)
The VTLM 2.0 is informed by contemporary evidence about the way students learn and the most effective teaching practices and approaches to achieve strong learning outcomes for students, including priority cohorts. It has explicit teaching at its core.
The department developed the VTLM 2.0 in consultation with the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO). The model is also informed by insights from school leaders and practitioners, and effective teaching and learning practices already in place in many schools across Victoria.
Rangeview is working through the introduction of the VTLM and we have worked with Ollie Lovell and Nathanial Swain to further our understanding of the Elements of Learning. We have also started to work extensively with Bronwyn Ryrie-Jones to dive deeply into Explicit Teaching as an Element of Teaching with a specific focus on Responsive Teaching. Responsive Teaching involves regular checks for understanding throughout a lesson to enable changes to instruction delivery in real time.
Our whole staff received PL with Bronwyn on the first day of Term One, and then through four sessions throughout this year. Our Principal class worked with Bronwyn at the Network Conference, and our SIT team are working with her through multiple sessions as half days to create a school ‘Playbook’ for both Instruction and Engagement. Finally, our Team Leaders are attending three full day sessions with Bronwyn across the year at The Round. Two of our student leaders attended the start of the first Middle Leaders session at The Round and made the Acknowledgement of Country.
This multilevel approach is creating deep understanding and levels of change across the school in a much more streamlined way and staff are voicing appreciation for the access to this quality professional learning.
School Wide Positive Behaviour Matrix (SWPBS)
School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) is a globally recognised, evidence-based framework that helps schools create safe, positive, and inclusive environments where students and staff can thrive.
SWPBS supports the Education State priorities and the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 by helping schools build consistent, whole-school systems that promote positive behaviour, wellbeing, and inclusion—creating the right conditions for effective teaching, learning, and leadership across the school.
Rangeview is working currently on the creation of the school’s Behaviour Matrix for our SWPBS launch in 2027. This document will link our school values – Respect, Resilience and Kindness – to the different areas of the school and expected behaviours in these areas. Below is a completed example for another school.
By teaching the students explicitly what we expect in positive language, we can reward the behaviours we want to see and decrease the behaviours we do not want to see.
We have decided to focus on the Toilets as our first Matrix area and to this end staff have been working on simple positive behaviours that we expect in our toilets. This has been challenging for the value of Resilience! Below is the working document which students were introduced to this week.
National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week
The school acknowledged National Sorry Day on 26th May and also Reconciliation week from 27th May to 3rd June. A section of the Prime Minister's apology was played to all students, and we held a minute of silence. Classes accessed curriculum and resources around reconciliation and students participated in chalk drawings to create a ‘sorry’ art work.
Krista Morris ran a hugely successful Bush Tucker plants incursion in Library sessions and the Whole School Splash of Yellow raised funds for the indigenous charity – Children’s Ground.
We will be celebrating NAIDOC week when we return for Term 3.
We thank Jen Bonte for her work in leading our schools’ Indigenous perspectives and also the classroom teachers for supporting our students in this learning.
Level 6 Camp
In Week Two our Level 6 cohort travelled to Camp Howqua to participate in a 3 night, 4 day adventure camp. Activities included archery, low and high ropes, giant waterslide, flying fox, mud run, and horseback riding.
The weather was incredibly kind to us and the students and staff had a fabulous time.
We extend thanks to the Level 6 teaching team who attended, Lisa Janes, Dave Torr, Samantha Carter and Chelsea Verrell, the ES Alex Campbell and Jono Sar, and the Principal Class - Tania Balderston and myself. We also extend a huge thanks to our parent volunteers - Byron Wilding, Simon Tuchinsky and Will Loh. We could not run the camping program we do without the generous support of our families.
Cross Country
On Wednesday May 20th we had over 50 students from Levels 3 - 6 compete at the District Cross Country. Rangeview again won the day and we were so proud of all of our wonderful runners! Congratulations to the 26 students who made Division.
On 1st June our students competed in the Division Cross Country and then 9 students went on to compete in the Regional Cross Country in Yarra Glen. We congratulate all of the participants and also our two students who qualified for the State final.
5/6 Winter Interschool Sports Days
On Friday 29th May and Friday 12th June, our 226 level 5 and 6 students participated in the Winter Interschool sports. Netball, Soccer, Rounders, T-ball and Lawn Bowls were all on offer and we were again very proud of the enthusiasm, behaviour and sportspersonship of our students. They are always a credit to the school.
Level 3 / 4 Swimming
We ran the schools intensive swimming sessions earlier this month with Levels 3 and 4 attending lessons at Aqualink in Nunawading. Just Swimming at Aqualink is an outstanding swim school with a focus on refining and strengthening technique. Students all bus to the pools and the first session is spent grading and grouping the students to ensure the instruction is targeted and the students have opportunity to move up in their skill development. We have had much positive feedback from students at all levels around these sessions and they returned tired and happy from the pools.
Staff Professional Learning
On Monday 18th May staff participated in professional learning in our new School Wide Positive Behaviour Support program. School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) is a globally recognised, evidence-based framework that helps schools create safe, positive, and inclusive environments where students and staff can thrive.
There are seven essential features of Tier 1 universal prevention;
Common philosophy and purpose
Leadership
Clarifying expected behaviours
Teaching expected behaviours
Acknowledging expected behaviours
Discouraging inappropriate behaviour
Ongoing monitoring
Staff also participated in some excellent professional learning with the Australians Together First Nations group. The Australians Together Learning Framework provides a unique, comprehensive and structured approach for a transformational journey of discovery and learning.
Discover & Learn About Indigenous Perspectives | Australians Together
RAFT
Our wonderful Dads group has organised a Dad's and Kids event for Term 3 - The Board Games Day.
Come along and join the fun.
Parents & Friends
Our wonderful P&F committee has organised two events this term – the Mother’s Day Stall and the Grade 6 Graduation Bunnings BBQ. Both were very successful events with funds raised for our Level 6 students to have a fabulous graduation night, and almost every gift was sold at the Mother’s Day stall.
Curriculum Day
We have one planned curriculum day for Term 3 – Monday 17th August. Staff will participate in the annual CPR and Anaphylaxis training on this day and many will also complete the Level 2 First Aide.
We wish all of our families a safe and happy school holiday period and we look forward to more adventures and learning in Term 3.
Marika Ferguson
Principal
