From the Principal
Karen Roberts
WELCOME BACK TO 2025
We are thrilled to welcome all our students, families, and staff back to school for what promises to be an exciting and rewarding year! The smiles and happy faces on day one set the perfect tone, and we’ve enjoyed a smooth transition into the new school year. Our teachers have returned refreshed, prepared, and excited to support every student with their learning and achievement.
Our learning spaces have been ‘redesigned’, to reflect evidence-based practices in classroom setup. These updated learning spaces promote consistency across the school while fostering effective environments for learning.
Our Prep students are involved in a Department mandated testing process. Their official start date at CPS is Friday 7th February. We can’t wait to greet them.
STAFF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
To kick off the year, staff participated in two days of professional learning. Together, we explored key areas to ensure a strong and focused start:
- CPS Vision for Teaching and Learning: We worked collaboratively to develop our shared vision for teaching and learning excellence.
- CPS Teaching and Learning Playbook: As part of Goal 1 in our Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) — Maximising learning outcomes in literacy and numeracy for every student — we introduced the CPS Teaching and Learning Playbook. This resource, being created by our School Improvement team, establishes consistent teaching practices across the school. Highlights included:
- A focus on Harnessing Attention, recognising its pivotal role as the currency of the classroom.
- New whiteboard routines designed to enhance lesson clarity and student engagement.
- School-Wide Positive Behaviours: We reaffirmed the importance of whole-school routines that underpin both student wellbeing and achievement.
Every Minute Counts:
Brain Breaks: to help the brain shift focus and stay alert, preparing your class to learn: For example; refocus breaks, movement breaks, talking breaks, circle time and more.
Timetabling priorities
We are proud of the incredible effort and energy from our staff in preparing for the year ahead, and we can’t wait to see all that our students will learn and accomplish in 2025!
OUR STAFF
This year marks the beginning of some exciting new chapters for our school community. We are delighted to introduce a new addition to our leadership team, Gen Murtagh (Learning Specialist) who will bring fresh perspectives, energy, and expertise. Together, we will continue to build on Carnegie's strong foundation and create innovative opportunities for our staff and students.
A warm welcome also to the many new staff members joining us this year:
- Alexandra (Lexie) Fazio (Prep)
- Sarah Francis (LOTE)
- Georgia Lydeamore (Grade 2)
- Joanna Lee (Grade 2)
- Jane Lavery (Grade 3)
- Amanda Tebb (Grade 5)
- Both Mrs Pollard and Mrs Bentata-Grimm return for a day a week in the art room
We are so pleased to have them as part of our team and look forward to the unique contributions they will bring.
In the next few weeks, we will be working to appoint a new First Aid Officer and School Psychologist, as the people we had appointed withdrew. We will keep you posted.
Christina Kim has agreed to returning as a ‘temp’, to support us for the start of the year. (Please be reminded the appointment of our First Aid Officer is possible due to your fee contributions so we again thank you in advance for choosing to pay these fees.)
NEW YEAR LINK
It may be a good idea to save the link below which is a "Return to School in 2025" resource. It may assist those starting as new parents or those new to the system in understanding how schooling works in Victoria in 2025.
A new year of learning | vic.gov.au
With Gratitude to you all,
Karen Roberts
I wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of
the lands on which this is being read and pay my respects to elders past present and emerging. I wish to acknowledge our First Nations people and pay respects to them. I note further that these lands were never ceded and are, and always will be, Aboriginal Lands.