Principals' Message

R U OK? Day (Free Dress Day next Thursday)

Next Thursday is R U OK? Day – a day with the goal of building strong, connected relationships and supporting people who might be struggling with life's ups and downs. It’s a day where we take a moment to check in with those around us and celebrate each other for who we are. To mark the day, students are encouraged to wear free dress for the day.

The original idea for a Free Dress Day came from our Semester 1 Student Voice Leaders, Lily and Sahara, and RUOK? Day was chosen as the day by this semester’s SVLs.

We are so proud of the passion and clarity with which Lily and Sahara expressed their opinions to the 3-6 student body and teachers.

Parent/Carer Opinion Survey

A reminder that the Parent/Carer Opinion Survey is open until 18 September. The survey provides valuable feedback about families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour and engagement. While participation is optional, we greatly value and encourage your feedback.

Survey results will also inform our School Review in Term 1 next year. All Victorian government schools undertake a review every four years, led by an independent reviewer. The process considers school data and feedback from students, staff and families to celebrate what we do well and identify opportunities for continued improvement.

Please look out for the Compass message with the link and PIN number required to access the survey.  

Book Week – Symphony of Stories

Book Week was once again a wonderful celebration of reading, creativity and our love of books at Donvale Primary School. This year’s theme, “Symphony of Stories,” provided the perfect opportunity for students and staff to celebrate the stories that inspire, entertain and connect us.

We began the day with our much-loved Book Week Parade, with students and staff proudly showing off an amazing array of creative costumes inspired by favourite books and characters.

Following the parade, students worked in their House Matters groups, rotating through a range of engaging activities based on this year’s shortlisted texts. It was wonderful to see students from across different year levels learning, creating and sharing their enjoyment of literature together.

In the afternoon, we came together as a whole school to celebrate our Book Week competition winners. Congratulations to Isla M, Isla F, Oliver L, Alannah J , Daniel T, Lizzie C, Eliza C, Ananya, Sanavi, Eugenie, Vivienne, Hannah, Ayana, Ella D, Tracy and Jayron  on their fantastic achievements!

A big thank you to our staff for making Book Week such an enjoyable and memorable celebration, and to our families for the creativity and effort that went into the many fabulous costumes. It was certainly a wonderful Symphony of Stories!

Victorian State Schools Spectacular – This Is Me

We were incredibly proud to have 20 Donvale Primary School students participate in this year’s Victorian State Schools Spectacular as part of the Mass Choir.

Led and supported by Mrs Cheung, Mr Reiter and Kerry Gerraty, our students worked hard in the lead-up to the event, practising the songs and actions at lunchtimes. They represented Donvale beautifully on the big stage.

Mrs Hodgson and I had the pleasure of attending the matinee performance and we were incredibly impressed by the talent, energy and skill of all the performers. This year’s theme, “This Is Me” was brought to life through an amazing combination of singing, dancing, music and performance.

Congratulations to our 20 students on being part of such a memorable experience. We are very proud of you!

Fathers' Day Stall and Breakfast

A big thank you to our wonderful parent volunteers who organised this year’s Father’s Day Stall. There was plenty of excitement as students carefully selected a special gift for Dad, Grandpa or another important father figure in their lives. Thank you to everyone who helped organise, set up and run the stall -  your time and support are greatly appreciated.

We also extend our thanks to the Cubs Club and Lions Club for hosting our Father’s Day Breakfast. It was wonderful to see so many families enjoying an egg and bacon roll together and spending some special time at school before the day began.

We hope all of our dads, grandfathers and special father figures have a very Happy Father’s Day and enjoy being celebrated by their families this weekend!

Hats

We would like to remind families that students are now required to wear hats during outside playtimes from 1 September to 30 April.

We encourage our families to consider their child's summer clothing and skin protection in preparation for the warmer, sunnier days ahead.

A reminder to please label your child’s hat and all other clothing and belongings to help ensure lost items can be easily returned to their owner.

Attendance Update

Congratulations to 3/4C for having the best attendance for the month of August and to our Year 2s for being the best attended year level!