Principal Team's Report

We're nearly there!

It's hard to believe that we're heading into the final week of Term 3! It's been a massive term at the Springs, with so many exciting opportunities and experiences for our students. Over the past fortnight alone, we've seen our students participate in Science experiments at their Year 3 Incursion, we've had students attend sporting events in netball, basketball and athletics, we've had students shine on stage, as well as showing some amazing academic achievements in the classroom. There is such a buzz around the school at the moment - it really is a joy walking around and popping into classrooms. One particular highlight is our Morning Circles, which are beginning to happen in every classroom, setting our students up for a focused and positive day of learning. These are part of the Berry Street Education Model, of which we are halfway through our training, and we look forward to these becoming an integral part of each day at the Springs. 

Enjoy the holiday break, Springers families - stay safe, spend some time relaxing and enjoy making precious family memories! We'll see you back on Monday, October 6, ready for a HUGE Term 4!

Performing Arts at PSPS

We are very proud of our young superstars who have worked so hard to prepare for their moment on stage during performances of Beauty and the Beast last week. It was a pleasure to again be invited by Pakenham Secondary College to join with them as part of their annual production. This not only creates a wonderful opportunity for our budding stage stars but also helps us strengthen our connection with other organisations in our community. As our school's Mission states, we are committed to ensuring all students become 'respectful and informed members of our local and global community'.

Congratulations also need to go to our State School Spectacular students who will be performing two shows this weekend. Months of hard work and dedication have gone into ensuring they are ready to hit the stage, and we can't wait to see the results! Thank you to Mrs Esther Priestley and Mrs Kelsey Collett, who have helped our students shine.

Hat Reminder - Compulsory for Term 4

Just a reminder that Term 4 is a compulsory hat term at Pakenham Springs. Not only is this a stated expectation in our Uniform Policy, it is also an essential health and safety precaution that we all need to help instil in our young people. SunSmart hats help protect the sensitive skin on our faces and necks from getting sunburnt. Prolonged exposure to the sun's harmful rays can have a dangerous and sometimes fatal impact on the long-term health of students. We ask for your support in ensuring all students have a SunSmart hat in their bag ready for the first day of Term 4. Please note that students will be required to sit in a sheltered area if they do not have an appropriate hat for break times. They may miss valuable learning time taking place in the outdoor environment, and they will be unable to attend any events or excursions if they do not have a SunSmart hat. This is not negotiable. The safety of our students is our number one priority.

Save the date! Springfest 2025 is coming...

We look forward to showcasing and celebrating our Specialist Subjects in our bi-annual Springfest afternoon coming up in Term 4 on Friday, 21st November. Pop it in your diary now! Special exhibitions, demonstrations, games, prizes and food trucks galore! We hope to see our whole community turn out for this special event.

Parent and Carers - We want to hear your voice!

Our school is conducting the annual Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey offered by the Department of Education and is seeking your feedback. The survey is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, and student engagement. The survey is optional, but we encourage and appreciate your participation.

Our school will use the survey results to assist in identifying areas for improvement and professional development needs in the school, to target school planning and improvement strategies. 

The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey will be open online from Monday, 18 August to Friday, 19 September 2025.

All families are encouraged to complete the survey.

Access the survey here:

https://research.orima.com/parent 

PIN: 641896

BYOD 2026 reminder - Year 3 and 4 Families

It is wonderful to see such an overwhelmingly positive response to our BYOD program for 2026! We have been sent order numbers from Learning With Technologies, and there are already a large number of devices that have been ordered by families - this is so exciting for us. 

The order portal is now open at https://pakenhamsprings.orderportal.com.au/ 

Or CLICK here...

We are also aware that there are some families who have purchased a device privately (or are planning to do so). If you have purchased a device privately, we ask that you please send  an email (renee.cotterell@education.vic.gov.au) letting us know that you have done so and also letting us know the make/model/details of the device purchased. This will assist us with our planning for next year. We will organise a time where privately owned devices can be brought up to the school, and we can ensure that the internet connection for them is all set and ready to go for the beginning of the 2026 school year. 

Planning for 2026

This is the time of year that we begin planning our workforce and class structures for 2026. If you do not anticipate your child being at Pakenham Springs in 2026, please let us know immediately for planning purposes (this does not include our current Year 6 students). If you have a younger child who will be starting Prep next year and hasn't already submitted your enrolment forms, please visit the office immediately so that you do not miss important transition information.

Each year, we get many requests from parents regarding placing their child/ren in classes for the coming year. Class placements take many hours of discussion and take into account many different factors, including compatible groups of students (based on teachers' observations of how students learn together), balance of academic ability, the need for additional learning assistant support and an overall gender balance. Please note that requests for particular teachers, or requests not to have particular teachers, will not be considered, nor will requests for placing students with a certain 'friend' or keeping them away from a student they may have had problems with in the past. If you believe you have information that should be considered when placing your child in a class for next year, please submit this in writing directly to the Principal at renee.cotterell@education.vic.gov.au.

Please see our Class Placement Policy for further information. Class Placement Policy 

Attendance Reminder

Daily school attendance is important for all children and young people to succeed in education and to ensure they don't fall behind both socially and developmentally. Children and young people who regularly attend school and complete Year 12 or an equivalent qualification have better health outcomes, better employment outcomes, and higher incomes across their lives. It is important that children develop habits of regular attendance at an early age.

School participation is important as it maximises life opportunities for children and young people by providing them with education and support networks. School helps people to develop important skills, knowledge and values which set them up for further learning and participation in their community.

If you need support in establishing regular school attendance patterns with your child/ren, please contact your classroom teacher or our office staff.

Communication with staff

Please remember that our staff are doing their best to provide a positive, safe and supportive educational environment for all members of the community. We understand that sometimes a parent or carer may require further information about an incident that has happened at school. This clarification must be done in a respectful manner. Our staff have the right to be safe at work, and any abuse or explicit language towards staff will not be tolerated. Please see the Department's Respectful Behaviours Within the School Community Policy for more information.

Supervision before school

Students are not to arrive at school until 8:30 am on school mornings.  Staff do not begin their workday until this time, and there is insufficient supervision available in the mornings.  Any student arriving before 8:30 am will be asked to sit at the office and wait. We ask for your support in this matter.  Likewise, under no circumstances are students allowed to leave the school grounds in the morning and go across to the shops.  Not only is this incredibly unsafe, with them crossing the busy Heritage BLVD road unsupervised, but a small number of students are also coming back having purchased items inappropriate for the school day.  

Please contact OSHClub if you need to organise care and supervision for your child/ren outside of 8:30 am - 3:30 pm.

Have a wonderful fortnight,

The PSPS Leadership Team