Principal's Report

Dear Parents, Families and Community members,

Welcome to a new school year and the many new opportunities it presents! Many of you will have already received communication that Evan Savage, substantive principal of ACS, is completing a 6-month secondment with DET Central Office, working to support Inclusive Education and Professional Practice across the state. Whilst the school community will miss Evan during this time, we are also excited that his influence is now extending beyond the walls of ACS. 

Some of our Year 4 students offered some words of wisdom for Evan in his new role:

"My advice for Evan is that he will need to be ready to do a lot of paperwork" - Lewis

"I think in Evan's new job he will still be working in an office" - Reese

"I think in Evan's new job he should still teach the same school values" - Heman

In Evan's absence, I am excited to step in and fill the role of Acting Principal. My passion and commitment to the school and its community is something I hope ensures we continue to achieve the same excellent outcomes in student achievement and wellbeing. 

When I asked the Year 4 students what might happen while Evan is away, it is clear I do need to prove my capacity to some...

"The school will be abducted by aliens without Evan as principal" - Will 

"I think when Evan is not here for 6 months the school will close down because he is such a good principal" - Alfie

I hope I can ensure we avoid any of these potential disasters!

Yesterday our new Prep students commenced their school lives with us here at ACS. With 87 students across 5 homegroups, things got off to a flying start. No doubt there will be many tired faces tonight! Check out the 'News from the Learning Community' page for some very cute photos!

In our Secondary school we started with 18 Year 7 students, all eager to begin their secondary school journey.

Across the school, many other new students began, bringing our total enrolments up to around 715. Coupled with 120 staff, we are certainly becoming a busy place!

Welcome to all new families - we hope to see you become active members of our school community.

Over the coming weeks I will share updates of our 2023 priorities together with Year level specific information.

For now, have a lovely weekend and celebrate the official end of our first week of 2023!

Welcome New Staff

I'd like to take an opportunity to welcome the many new staff members who have started at ACS in 2023. Like our Preps, this new crop of staff have hit the ground running and after a busy Curriculum day last Friday, have taken to getting to know students (and staff) and already getting a great feel for what it means to be a member of the ACS Community.

Over the term we will endeavour to introduce these people through the newsletter, but if you do see them in and around the school, please make sure you say hi and make them feel welcome.

Prep & New Student ID Photos

Prep students, new students in Years 1-12 and new staff will have their photo taken on Monday 6 February 2023 by our school's photographers, MSP Photography. These photos will be used for ID purposes in our school systems only.

Official school photos (including home group photos) will be taken later in the year.  Further information will be provided closer to the date with all the details and options for purchasing photo packs.

Canteen & Lunch Orders

Every Monday, Thursday & Friday, families will have the opportunity to place orders for students who will receive them at both recess & lunchtime. Snacks are also able to be purchased at recess without prior ordering. 

Orders will continue to be placed online via QuickCliq and must be placed by 9am on the day. The Menu and How to Order guides can be found on Compass by clicking on the Community Icon \ School Information \ Parent Information \ Canteen.

Hats / Sunscreen / Water Bottles

A reminder that Term 1 is a mandatory hat term and whilst we encourage students to wear a broad brimmed school hat, any hat is better than no hat; ‘Yes Hat, Yes Play’. 

We also encourage students to apply sunscreen before coming to school, and this can be topped up throughout the day with either the school supply or some brought from home.

Water bottles are encouraged for all students and staff and can be refilled at school during the day.

Please ensure ALL your child's items are clearly labelled with their name.

Victoria-wide Single-use Plastics Ban 

Single-use plastics make up a third of the litter in our environment and are difficult and costly to clean up. They pollute the environment, harming wildlife and contaminating our food and water. They are also a poor use of resources – they are often used for only a few minutes and generate significant waste that is not recyclable They can often easily be replaced with reusable products. 

Under new regulations, from 1 February 2023, Victorian businesses and organisations (including schools) will not be able to sell, supply or provide a number of single-use plastic items. The ban applies to the following single-use plastic items made from conventional, degradable or compostable plastics:

• Drinking straws
• Cutlery including knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks, sporks, splades, food picks and sporks
• Plates
• Drink stirrers and sticks
• Cotton bud sticks

The ban also applies to:

• Food service items and drink containers made from expanded polystyrene. This includes expanded polystyrene plates, cups, bowls, clam shells and any cover or lid that is also made from expanded polystyrene.

We will be implementing the Victorian government’s single-use plastics ban in the items we use as a school community including at the canteen, OSHC, catering at fundraising events, classroom and staffroom activities and other school events. We will not be using any banned single-use plastic items from 1 February 2023. 

Exceptions to the ban

People who need single-use plastic drinking straws due to a disability or for a medical need will still be able to purchase and use these items. 

The Victorian government has produced a useful Fact Sheet explaining which items are banned and which are not, including information about exemptions. 

Student lunches and snacks from home

Offences relating to the ban do not apply to private or domestic activities at home, e.g. individual families’ decisions about lunch packaging. The intention of the government’s new regulations is to remove these items from the supply chain prior to reaching the customer. 

Kathryn Sier

Acting Principal