Principal's Desk

Focus for 2026

Each year the school leadership team develops an Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) which sets out the key improvement strategies we’re focusing on. This year’s AIP focuses on two key improvement strategies:

1. VTLM2.0 and explicit teaching

2. Implementation of SWPBS

    

Each of these focus areas has tasks and activities that staff will undertake so that we can continue to improve the learning outcomes of students.

Here are some of the tasks that teachers and Education Support staff will work on to achieve our goals this year:

• Professional learning sessions with literacy and numeracy experts such as Bronwyn Ryrie Jones, Dr Nathaniel Swaine and Emina McLean.

• Continued implementation of Little Learners Love Literacy in the P-2 years so that our children have the best start possible in learning how to read.

• Ensuring our assessment practices are consistent and in line with current research on monitoring student learning progress.

• Introduce School Wide Positive Behaviour Supports for teaching of expected behaviour

• Develop a whole school recognition of positive behaviour

• Establish, and monitor consistent routines for learning

These are only a snapshot of the activities we have planned this year for our school improvement work.

Respectful, safe, engaged: shared expectations to support student behaviour

Living Our Values at Park Ridge Primary School

At Park Ridge Primary School, our shared values - We Are Respectful, We Are Kind and We Are Resilient - guide everything we do. They shape our classrooms, our playgrounds and the way we work together as a community. These values help ensure our school is a place where every child feels safe, supported and able to achieve their personal best.

Importantly, these are not just words on a wall. They are behaviours we explicitly teach, model and celebrate every day.

What This Looks Like for Our Students

We Are Respectful

Our students show respect by following staff instructions and school rules, caring for school property and the belongings of others, and using polite and inclusive language. Respect also means listening to different perspectives and valuing the contributions of others.

We Are Kind

Kindness is seen in the way students include others in their learning and play, show empathy, offer help to peers and make positive choices that ensure everyone feels safe and valued. We actively teach and reinforce the importance of compassion and standing up for others in respectful ways.

We Are Resilient

Learning isn’t always easy — and that’s where resilience matters. We encourage students to try their best, even when tasks feel challenging, to accept feedback as part of growth, and to seek help when they need it. Being resilient means bouncing back from setbacks and continuing to move forward.

How We Support These Values

As a school, we are committed to embedding these expectations consistently and positively.

• We explicitly teach, model and acknowledge expected behaviours.

• We build strong relationships so every student feels seen, heard and valued.

• We proactively address conflict and concerns using restorative approaches.

• We deliver inclusive, evidence-based teaching to meet the needs of all learners.

• We provide additional supports when required and teach strategies for emotional regulation, problem-solving and persistence.

Our aim is to develop confident learners and thoughtful citizens who are equipped not just for school, but for life beyond the school gates.

Working in Partnership with Families

Our partnership with families is essential. When students see the same messages reinforced at home and at school, the impact is powerful.

You can support our values by:

• Reinforcing school expectations at home.

• Modelling respectful communication about staff, students and other families — both in person and online.

• Encouraging empathy, inclusion and positive conflict resolution.

• Talking with your child about challenges as opportunities to learn and grow.

• Praising effort, persistence and improvement — not just achievement.

• Supporting strong attendance — every day counts.

Together, by consistently modelling and reinforcing Respect, Kindness and Resilience, we strengthen our school community and ensure every child at Park Ridge Primary School has the opportunity to thrive.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support.

The Respectful, safe, engaged: shared expectations to support student behaviour statement is available on the department’s website.

Further information, resources and support are available at Supporting positive behaviour in Victorian government schools.

School is Better When Your Child is There

We all want our kids to get a great education, and the building blocks for a great education begin with students coming to school each and every day. If students miss school regularly, they miss out on learning the fundamental skills that will set them up for success in the later years of school. There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes. Each missed day is associated with progressively lower achievement in numeracy, writing and reading. Attendance patterns are established early – a child regularly missing days in the early years of school will often continue to miss classes in the later years, and receive lower outcomes than their classmates. It’s vital that students go to school every day – even in the early years of primary school.

IN VICTORIA, SCHOOL IS COMPULSORY FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 6 -17 YEARS

The main reasons for absence are:

Sickness – There are always times when students need to miss school, such as when they’re ill. It’s vital that they’re only away on the days they are genuinely sick.

Developing good sleep patterns, eating well and exercising regularly can make a big difference.

Family holidays – It’s vital that holidays are planned during school holidays where possible, and not during the term. If you are planning to go on holiday during term time, make sure that you talk to the school in advance, and work with us to develop an absence learning plan.

“Day off” – Think twice before letting your child have a “day off” as they could fall behind their classmates – every day counts.

Truancy – This is when students choose not to go to school without their parent’s permission. There can be many reasons for truancy. The best way to address this is for the school and families to work together.

BEING AWAY FROM SCHOOL FOR ONE DAY A FORTNIGHT EQUALS MISSING 1.5 YEARS OVER 13 YEARS OF SCHOOL

If for any reason your child must miss school, there are things you can do to ensure they don’t fall behind:

1. Inform the school

• Speak with your child’s classroom teacher and find out what work they need to do to keep up.

• Develop an absence learning plan with your teacher and ensure your child completes the plan.

   

Remember, every day counts. If your child must miss school, speak with your classroom teacher as early as possible. Openly communicating with the school about all absences is a good way to prevent attendance issues being escalated to a School Attendance Officer. A School Attendance Officer is a Department of Education Regional Director who has authority to follow up attendance issues. Chronic or ongoing attendance issues that are escalated can lead to an Infringement Notice being issued to families. If you’re having attendance issues with your child, please let your classroom teacher know so we can work together to get your child to school every day.

Top attendance tips for families:

• The school wants to work in partnership with families – act early if you have any concerns by contacting us and asking for advice and support

• Remember that every day counts

• There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes and their social connectedness

• Talk positively about school and the importance of attending every day

• Open and prompt communication with the school about all absences is a good idea

• Avoid making routine medical and dental appointments during the school day or planning family holidays during the term

• Seek help from Carrie Chalmers or myself if you are concerned about your child’s attendance and wellbeing. We want to work in partnership with families to support student attendance and wellbeing.

Please feel free to pop in for a chat with either Carrie, Brendan or I, should you wish to discuss anything. 

Our doors are always open! 

Take care,

Mr. Dale Blythman