Principal's Report

NAPLAN Results

The National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results were released recently.

The 2024 Year 3 and 5 NAPLAN results for Spring Gully Primary School are set out below. 

The two tables below set out the % of students who achieved ‘Exceeding’ or ‘Strong’ results in the NAPLAN proficiency levels. To enable our results to be effectively compared, I have them alongside the Similar School % for 2024 and the State % for 2024.

These are excellent results, and contribute to other data sets, that have us categorised as a high performing school.

YEAR 3 STUDENTS - % EXCEEDING OR STRONG

YEAR 5 STUDENTS - % EXCEEDING OR STRONG

Fathers and Special Friends' Day Breakfast 

Last Friday we celebrated all of our fathers and special friends with a cooked breakfast. It was great to see so many come along and enjoy the morning. We appreciate all that our fathers, father figures and special friends do to support our students at SGPS. A belated Happy Fathers’ Day for last Sunday! We love celebrating these events and bringing our community together.

Special thanks as always to our amazing SGPS staff for volunteering to set up, cook, serve, clean and pack up. These events are not possible without their support.

Social Media

As technology continues to advance, social media has become a common part of our lives. While it offers many benefits, it’s important to recognise the potential risks for our students who may not yet be ready to navigate its challenges.

Social media platforms can sometimes expose children to content and interactions that are not appropriate for their age. Young minds may struggle to understand online privacy, cyberbullying, and the importance of balancing screen time with other activities. These platforms can also impact their self-esteem and focus if not used with guidance and limits.

Brett and I spend time following up on issues that stem from social media, that could be avoided. This mostly relates to conflict resolution, but also includes supporting children exposed to violence, pornography and online predators. There are good reasons why social media sites are restricted to children 13 years and above. By setting a legal age limit, legislators aim to reduce the exposure of children and young teens to harmful online interactions that can lead to long-lasting emotional and psychological scars.

Here are a few key points to keep in mind, if you choose not to follow these age restrictions, or if indeed you have a child that is 13 or older:

1. Privacy and Safety: Children may not fully grasp how to protect their personal information. It’s crucial to monitor their online activities and teach them about privacy settings and the importance of not sharing sensitive details.
2. Cyberbullying: Online interactions can sometimes lead to bullying or harassment. Open communication with your child about their online experiences can help prevent and address these issues.
3. Balanced Use: Excessive screen time can affect a child’s social skills and academic performance. Encouraging a healthy balance between online and offline activities is essential.
4. Content Awareness: Children might come across content that is not age-appropriate. Discussing what they see online and guiding them towards positive and educational content can help them make better choices.

As a school, we are committed to supporting our students in their digital journey. We encourage you to have open discussions with your child about their online experiences and to work together to establish healthy habits. Should you have any concerns or need additional resources, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Brett and I are happy to provide some tips and tricks to help with restricting use and monitoring content.

Thank you for your continued support in ensuring the well-being and success of our students.

Book Week

A big thank you to all our students, teachers and families for supporting another successful book week. 

Although I was away at a conference with Mr. Parkes, the photos of our students (and staff) during the parade looked fantastic. Students creatively dressed up as their favourite book character and our school community enjoyed watching the parade.

The Blurbs performance followed the parade and was well-received, as always. Mr. Greer couldn't help but steal the limelight during the show. Although he's still talking about how amazing he was, the faces on The Blurbs performers tell a different story!

Thanks to all of our staff, students and families for making this such a fun event.

Grades 1/2 Melbourne Zoo  Excursion

Our 1/2 children attended their major excursion on Monday. They all seemed to have had a great day, although I am sure there were some tired children (and adults) that evening!

Thanks to our staff and parent helpers for supporting this excursion. 

Early School Finish End of Term

Term 3 concludes on Friday 20th September. Students will be dismissed at 2.15pm. An assembly is scheduled for 2.00pm and students will be dismissed from there. Term 4 commences on Monday, 7th October.

Parent, Caregiver and Guardian Opinion Survey

On Monday 29th July approximately 100 randomly selected families received an invitation to participate in a Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey. Thanks to those that have already completed this survey.  For those that haven’t, the closing date has now been extended until the end of Term three, Friday 20 September. We’d like to get lots of survey responses, so please consider taking 10 minutes to help us out with this.