From the Principal
As we move into March next week and welcome the beginning of Autumn, it’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through the term. The weeks have flown by, and we are so proud of all that has been achieved so far. There is still plenty to look forward to in the weeks ahead, with lots of exciting learning and events planned.
We have a special feature in this week's newsletter, to help you get to know all our school staff a little bit better. Every staff member (teaching and non-teaching) has answered a few interesting questions about themselves, and we have created a page for each of the teams where you can check out their responses. See if you can find out which member of staff's favourite food is their mum's roast chicken.
School Council
School council nominations closed on Monday 16th Feb. All positions have been filled. School council 2026: Parent reps: David Williams, Anna Barclay, Cassandra Bernaudo, Fiona Stockdale, Kate Woolhouse, Steve Michelson, Suzanne Black, Anna McDonald, Karen Bornman (PPA rep). DET reps Leanne Bradney, Jarrod Bainbridge, Tracy Richards, Helen Teasdale
Retiring school council member: Jess Bambridge
Jess has been on school council for the past 6 years as vice president and the past 2 years as president. Thank you, Jess, for your time, effort, and commitment to PPS school council and to improving our school community.
Tours for our 2027 Prep enrolments are now underway
We are incredibly proud to welcome prospective families into our school and show them through our classrooms, showcasing the learning opportunities available to every child.
During our tours, visitors see our school in action. Our students are engaged, confident and enthusiastic as they participate in focused classroom learning. Prospective parents see our children participating in literacy and numeracy sessions, posing thoughtful questions and collaborating with their peers in a calm, well structured environment. Families also enjoy seeing our specialist programs in full swing. From creative expression in Art and Music, to cultural learning in Japanese, developing skills in Digital Technologies, and energetic participation in Physical Education.
District Swimming
Congratulations to the 26 students who proudly represented PPS at the district swimming competition on Monday. The team delivered an outstanding performance, finishing in first place overall for the day. We wish Ellie B, Georgia T, Naveen S, Zoe O, Hayden J, Sean E, Finn K, Alex M, Maria C, Lily M, Ella R, Aidan B, Archie F, Beau M, Poppy G, Grace R all the best in the division competition next month. Congratulations to Ellie B and Aidan B named PPS swim captains. Thank you to Mr A, Mr Bainbridge and Trish for supporting the students on the day.
Grade 2 and 4 swimming
This week, Grade 2 and Grade 4 successfully completed their swimming sessions. Students had a wonderful time in the pool building their water confidence and practicing swimming skills. We are proud of their enthusiasm, effort, and positive attitude throughout the sessions.
Shade Sails
We are currently exploring shade sail options for the quadrangle, assessing which layout will work most effectively around the existing trees. Our goal is to improve sun protection while preserving the trees and ensuring the final solution is both practical and functional for everyday use.
Grandparents/Special Person afternoon – Friday 20 March 2:45pm-3:30pm
On Friday 20th March, Grandparents and special visitors are invited to visit Parkdale Primary School from 2:45 - 3:30 pm. This is always a very special day, and the children love the opportunity to show their special visitor their classroom and some of their work.
The Importance of Being at School
Going to school every day is an important part of your child’s education. Children and young people learn new things at school every day, connect with friends, have fun and develop good habits that help them to succeed. Attending and participating in school will help your child:
develop important skills and knowledge to help them learn
develop social and emotional skills such as good communication, resilience and teamwork
establish friendships with peers which help develop self-esteem and a sense of belonging.
There is no good number of days for missing school. Being away from school for 1 day a fortnight adds up to missing 4 whole weeks of school a year. Where possible, you should avoid your child missing school, for example, make appointments for your child outside of school hours and keep family holidays to outside term time.
Supervision before school
Supervision begins at 8:50am, which is 10 minutes prior to the 9:00am start of the school day.
Prior to this time, staff are engaged in preparation and meetings. We understand that many families need to begin work earlier in the morning. OHSC is available for family’s requiring supervision before 8:50am. We also offer before school activities and students involved in these activities are supervised by the coach of these sports. Parents must wait with their child to ensure the coach arrives for the session. If your child makes their way to school independently, we encourage families to plan departure times, so students arrive shortly before the school day begins.
With 625 students arriving each morning, it is essential that all students enter the school calmly and go directly to their classrooms. This ensures a calm, safe start to the day for everyone. Thank you for your cooperation and ongoing support.
Kind regards
Leanne Bradney