Principal's Report

Dear HPS Community, 

We've had a great week at HPS with lots happening and a great positive vibe around with the nice sunny weather. We enjoyed a performance by Viewbank College band yesterday afternoon and we send a huge thank you to students and their teachers, who came and performed to a crowd of interested Heidelberg students .

The audience was treated to a set list of songs that got everyone movin' and groovin'. Music certainly is good for the mind and soul. Thank you to Ewen Soo, Helen Thomas and Tegan Griffiths for coordinating the visit.

Next week, on Thursday, we look forward to celebrating Matsuri Day as a whole school community. There are many fabulous activities planned, with everyone invited to join in by dressing up in Japanese inspired outfits or that of students own heritage and culture. There is no problem if students choose not to dress up relating to the themes, they can still wear school uniform. 

This term marks the last term of primary schooling for our Year 6 students. The focus for this term is often about preparing and managing expectations of secondary school but is also an important time to reflect on all the achievements and opportunities that have been experienced since the very firsts they had as they began their formal education way back in 2019!

Beginning all those firsts are our 2026 Foundation students who will next week have their first transition session at HPS. We welcome our youngest learners and their family to our school community and look forward to the years ahead that we work together to provide a variety of experiences and opportunities that allows individuals to find the area in which they shine. We pride ourselves on building understanding and acceptance of others in our whole school community through observing and living by our school values of Respect, Resilience, Responsibility and Compassion.

Our community are invaluable partners in supporting the educational needs of our children. Together we provide a vibrant and dynamic school that engages students to be curious and creative thinkers.

Class placement 2026

Each year when planning for the next years' classes, we ask each student to nominate 3 friends they would like to be in a class with. Students are guaranteed one person from the list, which is not considered in any priority order.

Next week we will be sending home a nomination form with each child. We ask parents/ guardians to discuss nominations with their child/ren and facilitate conversations around people who can positively support them to demonstrate our school values 

and enable them to focus on their learning. 

Students who do not complete and return their nomination form as discussed with parents/ guardians at home by the due date will be supported in class by their teacher to complete.

As I am sure you can appreciate, creating new classes is complex with a need to balance many competing considerations. The information regarding your child that you have been consulting and collaborating with the classroom teacher about, are things that they will now take into account when formulating next year's groupings. Therefore, there really should be no need to provide requests to the principal. The more advice we receive regarding who should and shouldn't be put together, increases the chances for imbalances to occur. We hope that you can place trust in our professionalism and positive intent to place your child in a well suited environment to support their social, emotional and academic needs. We thank you in advance for your understanding and support.

If there is extraordinary information that you believe has not yet been shared then please discuss with classroom teach or myself.

Building Update

Some changes that have occurred this week include...

• change to fencing to create construction site for both the learning centre along Darebin St as well as the gymnasium site back onto Warringal Shopping Centre. The walkway that has been created enables access to the oval
• demolition of the bottom school toilet block/sports and maintenance shed
• painting and cleaning of the portable and SAC buildings
• basic, initial landscaping completed in front of portables

School Council Meeting Dates: Start time 6pm, Conclude by 8pm 

Term 4

Tuesday 28 October 

Tuesday 2 December

Wishing you a lovely weekend and a great week ahead!

Naomi Ivers

Principal

Heidelberg Primary School