Dear Parents/Carers,

SOMERS CAMP 2026 – AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE

Our 20 students and 3 teachers are having an absolutely wonderful time at Somers Camp, and what a privilege it has been for them to be part of such a special experience!

From the moment they arrived on Tuesday, our students have embraced every opportunity with enthusiasm, resilience and teamwork. Over the course of the 9-day camp (concluding 4th March), they will have challenged themselves, built new friendships and represented our school with pride.

Each day is filled with exciting activities designed to build independence, confidence and leadership. Whether participating in outdoor challenges, team-building tasks, beach activities or evening events, our students will have stepped outside their comfort zones and supported one another every step of the way. It's wonderful to see them encouraging their peers, celebrating successes and showing persistence when things feel challenging.

The camp environment provides such a unique opportunity for personal growth. Students learn to manage routines, take responsibility, and work collaboratively with others from different schools. They develop important life skills — resilience, adaptability, communication and cooperation — all while having an incredible amount of fun.

Our three attending teachers; Ms Hann, Mrs Versteegh and Mrs Owen have been so impressed by the maturity, positivity and spirit shown by our group so far.

They have commented on how proudly our students are representing our school community.

The smiles in the photos say it all — laughter, teamwork, sandy shoes, windswept hair and memories being made. These are experiences our students will carry with them for many years to come.

We are incredibly proud of each and every one of them and look forward to hearing more stories when they return.

What a fantastic Somers Camp adventure!

FOUNDATION STUDENTS MEET FAY

Our Foundation students had a fantastic time meeting Faye, our wonderful School Crossing Supervisor!

Faye shared her knowledge about how to safely cross the road, including:

Stopping at the curb
Looking both ways
Listening carefully
Waiting for the signal to cross

Students learned the importance of being alert, following instructions and always using the crossing correctly. It was a great hands-on opportunity to build confidence and practise safe road habits.

A big thank you to Faye for helping keep our students safe each and every day — we appreciate you!

NAPLAN 2026 YEAR 3 AND 5

Students in Years 3 and 5 are required to sit the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests in March.

This is an important program to assess the consistency of student outcomes across our state and the country.

The schedule for this year is as follows:

DATE	YEAR 3	YEAR 5
Monday 2nd March 2026	Practice Test and Ipad/Notebook Check 11:45am	Practice Test and Ipad/Notebook Check 11:45am
Wednesday 11th March 2026	Writing (Paper) 9:30am-10:30am	Writing 9:30am-10:30am
Wednesday 11th March 2026	Reading 11:45am-12:45pm	Reading 11:45am-12:45pm
Thursday 12th March 2026	Conventions of Language 11:45am-12:45pm	Conventions of Language 11:45am-12:45pm
Friday 13th March 2026	Numeracy 9:30am-10:30am	Numeracy 9:30am-10:30am
Tuesday 17th March 2026	CATCH UP all tests	CATCH UP all tests
Monday 23rd March 2026	Closed	Closed

Ideally, we would encourage your children to participate and be in attendance on these sitting days.

Where students are unwell or unable to be at school on those days, they will be made up where possible in the following week.

If you have concerns regarding your child’s participation in these tests please contact your child’s class teacher.

Parents are able to withdraw their children if required. If your child is exempt from completing the NAPLAN the school will contact you personally.

Please see the Parent/Carers information attached.

EMERGENCY DRILLS

Emergency drills are crucial for preparing our staff and students for various scenarios and ensuring a quick and organised response. There are four drills that occur throughout the year which include to the Oval, Lock-in, Lockdown, and Off-site.

Below is our scheduling and procedures:

1. Oval Drill: Monday 30th March 2026

This drill is to practice and familiarise students, staff and visitors with evacuation procedures in an open area, such as the school oval.

2. Lockdown Drill (remain in classrooms): Monday 22nd June 2026

This drill is to practice securing a facility in response to an immediate threat, such as an intruder or dangerous situation.

3. Lock-in Drill (School Gym): Monday 31st August 2026

This drill is to simulate securing a facility or room due to external threats, such as severe weather or nearby incidents.

4. Off-site Evacuation (Botanic Gardens): Monday 16th November 2026

This drill is to practice evacuating a facility and relocating individuals to a predetermined off-site location.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

A reminder that students are expected to wear the correct school uniform each day. Being in full school uniform is an important expectation. It supports a positive learning environment, helps staff easily identify our students when they are on excursions or representing the school, and reinforces our shared standards and values.

Students are expected to wear the school logo jumper, polo tops and school hat which can be purchased from the school uniform shop. Students may wear plain navy bottoms without logos which can be purchased from the school uniform shop or other retailers and navy school dress.

As part of our Student Dress Code Policy, we would also like to remind families of the following:

• Decorative jewellery is not permitted. Students may wear stud earrings or sleepers in their ears.

• Shoulder-length or longer hair must be tied back to help minimise the spread of nits and lice and support student safety.

• Extreme hair colours (such as green, pink or purple rinses) and extreme hairstyles (such as spikes or mohawks) are not permitted.

We appreciate your support in ensuring students come to school dressed correctly each day. If you have any questions or require assistance with uniforms, please contact the school office on 5561 5955.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

MOBILE PHONES & PERSONAL DEVICES

I'm attaching a copy of the school's Mobile phone (and personal devices) policy in line with the Department of Education Victoria Guidelines.

I'd refer you to the excerpt below.

PURPOSE

To explain to our school community the Department’s and Warrnambool Primary School’s policy requirements and expectations relating to students using mobile phones and other personal mobile

devices during school hours.

SCOPE

This policy applies to:

1. All students at Warrnambool Primary School and,

2. Students’ personal mobile phones and other personal mobile devices brought onto school

premises during school hours, including recess and lunchtime.

This does include smart watches which have games, messaging capability, cameras and other applications. Teachers have informed me of the distracting nature of these devices during class time. Our advice is to leave these types of watches and devices which have these capabilities at home. If they must have them, transiting to and from school, they are to be handed into the office at the start of the day and collected when exiting at the end of the day.

PUPIL FREE DAY AND PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Please note that we have a long weekend next weekend and a Pupil Free Day the following Monday as approved at School Council.

Monday 9th March 2026 - PUBLIC HOLIDAY (no TheirCare)

Monday 16th March 2026 - Pupil Free Day (TheirCare Operating)

Have a great weekend.

Peter Lee

Principal

Student Birthdays