SCHOOL REVIEW

Our School Review began on Thursday, 30 October, with the Review Panel meeting for the first of three sessions. Our school reviewer, Craig Tanner, was extremely positive about our preparation and organisation, commenting that “I’ve never seen one quite like it!” His feedback was a big acknowledgment of the collective effort that has gone into this important process.

I would like to thank Andrew Harrap for his contribution and insight as a panel participant throughout the 3 days, and to acknowledge the exceptional work of our leadership team, Amanda, Liz, Gen and Kate. They represented our school with clarity, confidence, and depth of understanding. Our challenge partners also engaged thoughtfully—questioning, probing, and offering perspectives that were both constructive and thought-provoking. I couldn’t have been prouder.!

Day 2 of the review focused on consultation with our community, where the panel met with groups of teachers, leaders, parents, Education Support Officers, and students to gather feedback and perspectives.

Day 3 brought the process together, as the panel provided its findings and recommendations to help shape our strategic direction for the next four years.

The School Improvement Team has been amazing in both preparing and presenting throughout the Review process. I am a very proud Principal indeed. We work together in a way that is supporting the staff and students to learn and grow together.

Student Reflection:

“On Monday 10th November, Cora, Chloe, Aalya, Samuel, Devika and Will from Grade 5 met with the school reviewers to speak about our school. We shared our opinions on some areas of the school like our learning opportunities and how kids react to different changes. We talked about the school and how we can make Carnegie Primary a better place for everyone. The Reviewers asked us about the support and feedback we are given during class and were open minded with our answers. We also talked about our visions and our four school values of Respect, Resilience, Curiosity and Integrity.”

STAFFING

Staffing for 2026 remains a work in progress and we will advise when we secure new people. We have a recruiting process running at the moment. I would like to welcome Victoria Ferres, classroom teacher, who joins us from Syndal South PS.

FAREWELL- Pip Sciffer

After 20 years+ of service to Carnegie Primary School, we farewell our Business Manager, Pip Sciffer. Pip will be on Long Service Leave for the remainder of the year.

Pip began her journey at CPS in our front office, at the same time her own children were attending the school. Over the years, through hard work and a strong willingness to learn, she progressed through a variety of roles and has served as our Business Manager for the past six years. In this role, Pip has provided reliable support to staff in all areas related to HR, leave, and school operations. She has also played an important role in guiding and supporting Molly, Alice, Annie and Leesa in their work across the office.

Pip has chosen to “pare back” her time as she returns to study and takes the opportunity to travel. She has secured a part time position at a small school close to home, allowing for a better balance in the next stage of her career and life. We thank Pip for her commitment to Carnegie Primary School over two decades and wish her well in her future endeavours.I would like to personally acknowledge her work and support. Working alongside her has been appreciated and most welcome. Gratitude to you Pip.

Pip will not officially leave until the end of January as she will be finishing the rollover, end of year budgeting for 2026 so everything is ready to go for the new year.

FAREWELL- Liz Harley

Liz joined Carnegie Primary School in 2005 after beginning her teaching career at Clayton South Primary School, where she worked as a 5/6 classroom teacher.

Liz has became an integral and deeply valued member of our community with 20 years of service. Liz has contributed to our school in a number of ways. Her big heart and unwavering commitment to student welfare and wellbeing have shaped much of the culture we enjoy today. Liz has taken on a range of key leadership roles, including: Welfare/Wellbeing and Disability Inclusion Leader, leader and mentor of the ES team and lead Respectful Relationships initiative

Liz also shared her talents across the school as a Year 6, Year 5 and Prep classroom teacher, as well as teaching Visual Arts and Music. She has brought compassion, creativity, humour, and a deep belief in the potential of every student. Liz’s impact extends beyond her official responsibilities. She has been a quiet champion of staff wellbeing—brightening birthdays by decorating offices, sprinkling glitter across desks, sharing a perfectly timed meme, or offering a laugh when it was needed most. Her kindness and warmth have made CPS a better, brighter place to work. As Liz begins her new chapter at The Currajong School, we know her talents, dedication, and enormous heart will continue to make a difference in the lives of students in specialist education. While we will miss her deeply, we are excited for the incredible work she will continue to do.

We wish Liz every success and happiness in this new adventure. You will always be part of our CPS family.

FAREWELL- Rebecca Pollard

Rebecca arrived in 2013 as a CRT, quickly securing ongoing positions thanks to the expertise she brought from her teaching experiences in the UK and Sydney. From the very beginning, she proved to be a fun and bubbly asset to our school community. Rebecca has taught across all year levels as a classroom teacher, led teaching teams, mentored student teachers, and shared her creativity as both a Music and Art teacher. A short sabbatical in Sydney with her new husband saw her leave for a year in 2019, but—much to our delight—they both returned to us in 2020.

Following periods of family leave in 2022 and 2024, she returned in a part-time capacity to support our Arts programs. Her talents in music, particularly her work with the Choir, Year 6 productions, and staff singing performances, are among the things she is most well known and loved. Rebecca brings joy, humour, artistry, and unwavering professionalism to everything she does.

Rebecca is joining Valkstone PS. Whilst we will miss her energy, creativity, and warmth, we know she will continue to inspire and uplift every community she joins. We wish her every success in this next exciting chapter.

PREP TRANSITION

It was wonderful to see our new students of 2026 last week. Many of the parents and children were 'newbies'; not having students at CPS before. The children did a great job engaging in our activities and the parents were receptive to the positive messaging of the school during the information session.

We have one more transition session with the students: Wednesday 26th November 11.30 - 1.15pm and we look forward to inducting our newest community members into the school. What a pleasure it is to be involved in this process.

A BIG acknowledgement to Mrs Amanda Miller, our terrific Assistant Principal for coordinating Transition.

ENROLMENTS AND EXITS

If you are leaving the school in 2026, we need to know. And, if you are taking holidays at the start of 2026 but intend on maintaining your enrolment, please also let us know at the office. If you have a new Prep starting who has not enrolled - get that paperwork in!

CLASSROOM MASTERY

We are excited to share that our school will be implementing Classroom Mastery in 2026, a whole-school program designed to strengthen classroom routines, improve learning environments, and support all students to thrive. This initiative will help create classrooms that are calm, predictable, and engaging - places where students can focus on learning and teachers can teach with confidence.

What is Classroom Mastery?

Classroom Mastery is an evidence-informed approach that helps teachers establish consistent routines and clear expectations for every part of the school day. From classroom entry and lesson launch to transitions and lesson exit, the program provides a structured framework to guide behaviour, attention, and engagement. By embedding these routines, the program ensures students know what is expected and can participate fully in lessons.

Why are we introducing it?

Research and practical experience show that predictable, consistent routines significantly improve student engagement and wellbeing. When students know what to do and understand behavioural expectations, classrooms are calmer, disruptions are fewer and learning time increases. Classroom Mastery also supports teachers by giving them simple, repeatable routines and a shared language for positive behaviour and clear instruction.

What will this look like at our school?

In 2026, you may notice:

● Clear routines for entering and exiting classrooms, participating in lessons, and transitions between activities.

● Common language and expectations used by all teachers to ensure consistency and fairness.

● Teacher coaching and feedback, helping staff embed routines in a sustainable way.

● A focus on wellbeing and belonging, helping all students feel safe, included, and respected.

FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORT - Starts January 2026

From 1 January 2026, people aged under 18 can travel free on all Victorian public transport services using a new youth Myki card. This includes trams, trains, buses and coach services.

To access free travel, they must tap the Myki card on and off each time they travel.

More information about the youth Myki card, refer to the Myki Types Webpage on the Transport Victoria website.

With thanks,

Karen Roberts

Principal

Respect, Resilience, Curiosity, Integrity

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