Principal's Report

World Teacher's Day

World Teachers’ Day, celebrated today (October 31st), is a special occasion to recognise and thank teachers for their dedication, passion, and the lasting impact they have on students’ lives. It highlights the vital role teachers play in shaping the future through education, care, and inspiration. At our school, we take this opportunity to show appreciation for the incredible work our teachers do every day, creating engaging learning environments, supporting student wellbeing, and helping every child reach their potential. So what did we do...we ate pie! Thank you, Whittlesea Bakehouse, for the delicious pies.

This week, I attended some very valuable professional learning. On Wednesday, I attended the Department of Education's 'Bricks & Mortar' program, which is all about school facilities and how you manage and maintain school grounds.  This program is designed to strengthen the understanding of practical and compliant management of school facilities. The session explored key areas, including asset planning, preventative and routine maintenance, essential safety measures, and asbestos management. Participants learned about legal and regulatory responsibilities, risk management, and how to align maintenance planning with school priorities. The workshop provided me with practical tools and strategies to ensure our buildings are safe and well-maintained and support high-quality learning environments.

Most of the information presented showed that Whittlesea Primary School is in 'good shape', as we have completed the demolition of the old toilet block (supported by the new toilet installation) and, more recently, the works associated with the Accessible Building Program grant, which has supported us with new pathways, ramps, and ground markings. 

It is also very pleasing to see that this has been reflected in the results from the 2025 Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey, with a score of 89%.

Then on Thursday morning, Ms Gittos and I attended the Whittlesea School network meeting. This is a regular meeting of all the schools in the City of Whittlesea. One of the meeting's focuses was the use of school data. As a school, we have a significant amount of data at our disposal. This is all provided via a central website that lets us easily view all our data for both learning and wellbeing).  This is one data set I would really like to share with our community.  This is our Reading growth data from Year 3 to Year 5 (NAPLAN), showing impressive growth and highlighting the hard work of our students (and staff), with results 7% above the state average.

2026 Captains

Today, Mrs Northridge and Mrs Short met with the Year 5 students to outline the nomination process for our 2026 captains.

This includes, School Captains, House Captains and SVT Captain. 

Year 5 students interested in these leadership roles have until Friday, 14 November, to submit a written application explaining why they believe they would make an excellent School and/or House Captain. 

• Students applying for the House Captain will read their application in front of the Year 5 students
• Students shortlisted for School Captain and SVT Captain will participate in a formal interview with a panel that includes leadership and this year’s School Captains. 

Any student with questions can speak to Mrs Short, who is coordinating this process. Copies of the notices sent home today are available below.

We look forward to seeing our future school leaders showcase their leadership potential.

More pavers are up! Thank you again to all the families who have invested in creating a forever memory at Whittlesea Primary School x

Enjoy your 'longish' weekend.

Kaylene