Assistant Principal Report
Dear Highvale Families,
Welcome back to school! I hope everyone had a lovely Easter and a relaxing holiday break. Over the holidays, I enjoyed spending quality time with my family down at the beach, going to the movies, and catching up with friends. It’s been great to return refreshed and hear from the students how they spent their time over the holidays.
Although it’s only been two short weeks since we returned, Term 2 is already off to a busy and exciting start! From classroom activities to special assemblies and events, our students have jumped straight into their learning with enthusiasm. We’re looking forward to everything this term has in store!
Webinar: Raising Kids in a Digital World – Thursday 15th May
We are excited to invite our school community to an upcoming online webinar, Raising Kids in a Digital World, which closely aligns with the Inform and Empower digital eSafety program that our students participate in at school.
This informative session will be held online on Thursday 15th May from 7:30pm to 9:00pm and will be presented by Martin McGauran, founder and digital eSafety educator of Inform & Empower. He will be joined by Carly McGauran, a registered psychologist. Together, they will deliver an honest and practical presentation covering the realities of online gaming, social media, cyberbullying, and managing devices at home.
We strongly encourage all families to register and attend this valuable session. For further details and to register, please use the link below. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights and tools to help support your child in navigating the digital world safely and confidently.
Webinar registration: bit.ly/CommunityWebinarMay15
Swimming Programs Making a Splash This Term!
Term 2 has kicked off with a splash as our swimming programs got underway! In Week 1, our Year 5 students participated in a two-day intensive swimming program. Over the two days, they focused on essential water safety and survival skills, as well as learning revival and rescue techniques and refining their swimming strokes.
This week, our Prep to Year 3 students have been enjoying their daily 45-minute swimming lessons. Throughout the week, they have developed their water confidence, built foundational stroke techniques, and gained a greater understanding of how to stay safe in and around the water.
Students in Years 4 and 6 can look forward to their swimming programs in Term 4, where they too will have the opportunity to build essential water safety skills and confidence.
We’d like to extend a big thank you to the families who have provided such positive feedback about the new structure of our swimming programs—it’s wonderful to hear they’ve been so well received.
Student Voice
- Swimming has been really fun. I didn’t know how to do a somersault in the water but then the teachers taught me how. They explained that if you don’t blow out of your nose while doing the somersault, then your nose and ears will get blocked with water. - Anekha 3J
- I loved swimming in the big pool with my friends - Benji Prep FY
- I liked my animal group I was in; the starfish! - Hannah Prep B
- My favourite thing at swimming is doing the stingray - that’s when you have to go to the bottom of the pool and try to touch it. I am confident with it so I can go very deep. - Sebastian 2M
- I loved putting my face inside of the water - Anaaya Prep FY
- I like doing torpedo and handstands in the water. Swimming is fun! - Gretel 2M
- I liked swimming under water in the pool - Faraz Prep FY
- I felt proud that I learnt how to do a handstand and backflip in the water. The teacher told me I did a great job! - Dante 3J
- I liked learning new skills in swimming and I had a really nice instructor. - Ivan 2S
- I like swimming because it’s fun and it’s made me happy. - Emily 3CBB
- I loved swimming lessons because it is fun - Natalie Prep B
- I like being in the water and doing freestyle with my group. - Ushika 3CBB
- Swimming has been so fun. I loved collecting the sinkies from the bottom of the ball. - Dennis 2S
- I liked going on the bus to swimming - Noah Prep B
Exploring Interests Through Weekly Clubs
At Highvale Primary School, we recognise that our students have a wide range of interests, and we’re proud to support them in exploring these through the weekly clubs on offer. Each term, a variety of clubs are made available to specific year levels, based on student voice and current interests and needs.
Starting in Week 3, students can take part in the following recess clubs:
• Mindful Monday – Held in the Library and open to all students who would like a quiet space to read, draw, or play a calm game.
• Choir – Every Monday for students in Years 3–6 who love to sing and perform.
• Robotics & Coding Club – Every Tuesday for Years 5 & 6 students looking to develop their tech and engineering skills.
• Drawing Club – Every Thursday for Years 3–6 students interested in step-by-step drawing activities.
• Gardening Club – Every Thursday in the Sanctuary, open to all students keen to dig in and learn more about plants and gardening.
For more information about each club and how to sign up, please refer to the posters below. We can’t wait to see our students getting involved and exploring their passions!
Enjoy a wonderful week everyone!
Kind regards,
Kelly Soccio
Assistant Principal