From the  Principal 

Together We Raised Over $100,000 — Here’s What’s Next!

Last year, our Parents and Friends Association proudly raised more than $100,000. The school community voted on how the funds would be spent. The successful projects included:

• Resurfacing the basketball courts;
• Creating four square courts and;
• Improving the landscaping at the front of the school.
• Excitingly, if funds remain after these projects are completed, we will explore purchasing portable soccer goals for students to enjoy during recess and lunch breaks. 

We are now beginning to plan for how funds raised in 2026 could be used and would love to hear your ideas. Please send any suggestions to pfa@carnegieps.vic.edu.au, after which we will run another community survey to vote on the preferred projects. 

We also received feedback requesting more non-sporting options, and we are absolutely taking this on board, so we especially welcome ideas in this area. 

Thank you again for your continued support of our school community!

Classroom Mastery

Last week we met with our Classroom Mastery coach, who offered some outstanding feedback to our coaching team who visit classrooms to observe and feed forward to our teachers. 

Prep Tours

I would like to offer a shout out to both our teachers and the school improvement team for working in partnership. As we continue to welcome enrolments for Prep 2027, our School Improvement Team (SIT) has been proudly hosting small group tours across the school. Amanda and I could not be prouder of what we are seeing in every learning space — students engaged, teachers thriving, and a strong sense of purpose and consistency evident throughout the school.

Across classrooms, there is a visible and deliberate consistency in teaching and learning practices. Our explicit teaching model is becoming increasingly embedded, entry and exit routines are smoother and more purposeful, and students are actively participating in their learning through strategies such as mini whiteboards, turn and talk opportunities, and live modelling. It is incredibly rewarding to see these practices coming to life in authentic and meaningful ways.

One of the highlights of these tours is that many prospective parents choose to stay afterwards for further conversation. Questions are always welcomed, and these discussions often provide an opportunity to reflect on the journey our school has been on together.

One of the most thought-provoking questions I have been asked recently was:“What will be your legacy?”

My response at the time was an impromptu one:

“I believe my legacy will be the transformational change we are achieving  together — not only in our physical environment, but more importantly in our teaching and learning culture. Across the school, we are implementing strong evidence-informed practices designed to improve outcomes and growth for every student, while also strengthening the professional capacity of our staff.

Investing in people — both students and teachers — is always worthwhile, because they are worth it."

School Grounds Improvements

Last week, new pathways were completed at the rear of the school to improve pedestrian access and movement across the grounds. Despite challenging weather conditions, Heath and the team from Broadbents worked efficiently to deliver an excellent result. The new paths have already enhanced accessibility and the overall presentation of the area. We are now looking forward to seeing the smaller lawn sections establish and flourish over the coming weeks. 

Child Safety at Our School

At our school, the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of every child is our highest priority. We are committed to maintaining a child safe environment where all students feel respected, valued and protected.

Victorian Government schools are required to comply with the Victorian Child Safe Standards, which help ensure schools create and maintain safe environments for children and young people.

As part of our commitment to child safety, we regularly review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure they reflect current Department of Education requirements and best practice.

We encourage all families to familiarise themselves with our child safety policies and procedures available on our school website. These documents outline important information regarding:

• Child Safety and Wellbeing
• Student Wellbeing and Engagement
• Bullying Prevention
• Digital Technologies and Online Safety
• Visitors and Volunteers
• Complaints and Reporting Processes
• Duty of Care and Supervision
• Camps, Excursions and Risk Management

Families play an important role in supporting child safety and wellbeing. We encourage parents and carers to speak with their children about feeling safe at school, online safety, respectful relationships and seeking help from trusted adults when needed.

If you ever have concerns regarding the safety or wellbeing of a child, please contact the school promptly so we can provide appropriate support and follow-up.

Thank you for continuing to work in partnership with us to ensure our school remains a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for all students.

Karen Roberts

Principal 

Respect, Resilience, Curiosity,  Integrity