A School of Writers

Welcome back to everyone for term three. The students and staff have hit the ground running and we have had a great first week back. The students have got straight back into their routines and are engaged in all aspects of their learning.

The high quality of writing that I am seeing students producing has particularly struck me recently. I am impressed by their ideas, their structures and their use of conventions to ensure that their writing makes sense. Everyone is a writer and has the ability to make a difference through written words. An example of this is the letter below that a Year 3 student decided to write to me:

Dear Paul,

I would like to make an argument about having real grass.

Argument 1

The school is awesome but this would be a great addition to the school. It would look good on the internet and also be a nice relaxing space. People would think this school is amazing. People love grass in our gardens. We have grass in our own yard and we take care of it and if grass is in most of our houses it would mean we all like grass and this is a great addition to our school.

Argument 2

Grass and nourished dirt would be softer than tanbark. Children could slip over, land on their tailbone and not get hurt at all. It wouldn’t be like asphalt or tanbark , getting a splinter or a graze, none of that would happen.

Argument 3

Grass doesn’t cost much. Just a penny or two will get you a paddock full of lush green grass. Our grass would be protected until they are big and grown up, then we could have so much fun in there.

In conclusion, grass doesn’t cost much, it could be protected, it would look good on the internet and finally nobody would get hurt and go home hurt.

Signed: Luke, 3B

I will take Luke’s letter to our Buildings and Grounds Meeting, and we will ensure that he gets a reply.

Holiday Maintenance

The school always looks pristine on the first day back – let’s try and keep it that way! Thank you to Graham, our maintenance person who coordinated the holiday works. Tasks completed include the installation of a sink in the science room; painting upgrades; restoration of the shelter shed ceiling; timber restoration around the Year 1 area.

Mid-Year Review

One of the school’s responsibilities at this time of the year is to review the work in our Annual Implementation Plan (AIP). Schools develop their AIPs alongside the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) 2.0, which puts equal weighting on learning and wellbeing.

We have accomplished a lot in these areas, as summarised below:

Literacy

Professional learning prioritised in the areas of Reading and Writing. Our Assistant Principal (Nicole) and Literacy Learning Specialist (Binh) have been attending The Literacy Pedagogy and Practice course delivered by the Department of Education. This work has since been delivered to staff as we focus on and implement ‘The Big Six’ of Reading - oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension
Adaptation of our Literacy lessons to improve our efficacy in delivering Reading and Writing through a structured Literacy approach (moving away from teaching Reading and Writing separately).

Numeracy

A school assessment team has been established which has spent time reviewing and updating the FPS assessment schedule to align with the Victorian Curriculum 2.0. Significant changes have been made to ensure that the scheduled assessments are purposeful for planning, teaching and learning.
The assessment team, including learning specialists, have delivered whole school professional learning to support staff in assessment of student learning using PAT Maths and Essential Assessment.

All our learning work is underpinned by the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM) 2.0, with an increased focus on the element of explicit teaching.

Wellbeing

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) has delivered lessons to address all aspects of our SWPBS Matrix.
A major and minor behaviour flow chart has been created and shared across the whole school. This is displayed in each classroom so teachers know how to respond to different behaviours. Teachers and visitors to the school also have keychains attached to their keys with our SWPBS behaviour matrix and continuum of responses.

We will continue to use the leadership section of the newsletter to share our school improvement work in detail.

Curriculum Day

Last Monday, staff participated in a curriculum day led by Nicole Rettke (Assistant Principal) and Binh Hoang (Literacy Learning Specialist). Nicole and Binh delivered the professional learning that they experienced at the Literacy Facilitators course. The focus for the day was effective teaching of:

‘The Big 6’ and a structured Literacy approach.
Reading Fluency
Reading Comprehension
Grammar and Cohesive Ties

This day built on our previous curriculum day last term, where Lyn Stone presented to staff on deepening teacher knowledge and practice in the explicit teaching of writing – thus making stronger links between the teaching of reading and writing. See Binh's Literacy Update in this newsletter for more information.

Foundation & Year 1 Swimming Program

Last week our Foundation and Year 1 students had the first of their seven weekly swimming lessons at Ivanhoe Pool. Congratulations to all our students for the enthusiasm and responsibility that they displayed to ensure that the sessions were productive and safe. Thank you to the teachers and parent volunteers who supported this event.

Message from our School Nurses

We have had an increase of children coming to school with temperatures and feeling unwell. Many of them are ‘crashing’ at lunchtime as the pain relief they were given before school wears off. Please keep your children at home if they are sick.

National Reconciliation Week

We were delighted and proud to receive the email below from Children’s Ground, which congratulates the school for our fundraising efforts for National Reconciliation Week last term. Thank you to everyone in our community, students, staff and parents, who supported this important work.

Congratulations! With your incredible fundraising total of $2,653. Your school has been recognised as one of the Top 5 School Fundraisers in this year’s Wear it Yellow campaign. 🎉

Together, your community has shown incredible support for First Nations children and families – thank you. All this time I have been on my morning walk to Mr. Wednesday for a coffee and I had no idea I was walking past such fundraising champions!

As a thank you for your amazing efforts, we’re excited to send you a Children’s Ground prize pack valued at over $200! We'll also give your place of education a shout-out on social media.

Thank you for making Wear it Yellow 2025 such a powerful and inspiring campaign.

Parent Battle of the Bands (PBOB) Recognition

We also received another email from the organisers of the Parent Battle of the Bands. It is terrific to see our community come out in support of our parent band North Side Hustle. Stay tuned for the final battle of the year, where northside and southside bands battle it out for reigning glory.

A huge thank you for being part of Northside's Battles — what a night! It was such a pleasure to see your bands light up the stage and your communities come out in full force! The vibe in the room was electric — such a great reminder of what happens when music, parents and purpose collide.

These events aren’t just a good time (though they’re that too!) — they’re a real boost for music education and a powerful way to build connections across your school communities. We’re so proud to help raise funds that directly support your school's music programs, and to do it through joy, laughter, and a LOT OF rock and roll!

A heartfelt congrats to Preston South PS, Wales St PS, Preston West PS and Fairfield PS for bringing the biggest crowds — amazing effort.

A big thanks to our partners at Rock Academy and Ferguson Plarre Bakehouse for recognising those community turnouts with some brilliant prizes.

We’ll be doing the final fundraising reconciliation after our Grand Final at the Corner Hotel in September, as the totals depend on how that night goes. We will be in touch with each school after that with the breakdown of the funds donated to your music and performing arts program.

Thanks again for the energy and heart you bring, you are the heart of PBOB!

Neighbour Parking Concerns

The school continues to receive emails and phone calls from our neighbours regarding parent parking. They are concerned with vehicles parked in the restricted zones, parents leaving their cars at the ‘kiss and go zones’ at pick-up and drop-off, and are frustrated with driveways being blocked.

Please be considerate of our neighbours as you bring your children to/from school.

Congratulations to Jade O’Grady & Steph Benwell

Two of our teachers had exciting news during the holidays, welcoming their new babies into the world.

Congratulations to Jade on the birth of baby Bobbi. Congratulations to Steph on the birth of baby Tilly.

Long Service Leave

I will be taking eight days long service leave, Monday 11 – Wednesday 20 August. Nicole Rettke will be Acting Principal during this time.

What’s On this Term

We have already had our first swimming lessons of the term, and today our Year 3 students had an exciting excursion to Melbourne Aquarium.

I am sure that you are aware of ART FOR ALL preparations and the amazing work that our volunteers are doing. The ART FOR ALL newsletter (and this newsletter too!) has all the information that you need.

Other dates for your diary include:

Thursday 7 August: Year 1 & Year 2 Concert
Saturday 9 August: Year 5 Parent Night Out, 7:30pm at the Grandview Hotel
Tuesday 12 – Thursday 14 August: Parent Teacher Interviews (early dismissal at 1pm on Thursday 14 August).
Tuesday 19 August: Book Week parade and celebrations
Friday 29 - Sunday 31 August: ART FOR ALL weekend
Monday 1 – Friday 12 September: Year 2 Swimming Program
Wednesday 3 – Friday 5 September: Year 5 Camp
Wednesday 10 September: Year 4 Indigenous Perspectives Excursion

Thank you for your ongoing support of our school.

~ Paul Wallace, Principal

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