Principal's Reflection

Lets not get ahead of ourselves…

Term 4 has commenced like a sprint, and we have jumped out of the blocks with incredible speed! Speaking with parents at pickup time, I have started to catch myself referencing the rush to Christmas and the end of term. Reflecting on this, I have thought about how often I am convincing myself of urgent end of year deadlines that are of my own making! Meanwhile, my own young children are blissfully unaware of how close Christmas is and are more interested in making sure I stop working and jump on the trampoline for a few minutes. I am sure over the coming weeks, we will catch ourselves wishing time away in search of a much needed break, and begging for time to slow down so we can squeeze in one more thing. The reflection is simple; being organised and on schedule can help us feel in control during busy periods but being present and engaged in the here and now is just as critical for our wellbeing and ultimately our productivity.

Here at school, the same balance applies. Some things to prepare for include:

Events and Fundraising (Don’t forget Trivi-Yeah!). These events have supported banners, sports equipment, bike shelters, Gaga Pits, sports, performing arts and will continue to help us enrich the school experience. Our active fundraising committee put an immense amount of work into their busy program and they do call it the season of giving after all! We sincerely appreciate the funds raised, but most importantly the sense of pride and community that these events help us to develop.
Graduation: Year 6 and Year 12 students will be finishing assessments and tickets will be sold for the celebrations that follow.
Exams – For all secondary students these can be a stressful time, but also an opportunity to consolidate and demonstrate excellent learning growth.
Activities days – excursion notices will be released for consent and payment. Don’t miss out!
Information evenings and transition. Both steps to prep and year 7 orientation will happen in a few weeks’ time. I am so excited to welcome our newest Altona College students.

Some things that we can be present and engaged in:

Learning: There is still more than half a term of incredible learning to engage in. Try to keep attendance up and enjoy everything that is still on offer.
Relationships: In times of stress we can get distracted and even a little short tempered. Take time to be empathetic and kind to the people around you. Invest in positive relationships and gratitude – they yield far greater rewards than the physical gifts that are often exchanged in the festive season.
Gratitude: Thanks is enough: All department of education staff work by this mantra. Your support, cooperation and appreciation for our work is a far more powerful reward than any gift. We welcome kindness, but please don’t put any added pressure on yourselves to send in gifts. A few kind words are more than enough of a reward!

Some updates here at school:

Our concrete works are complete, thank you for your patience amid all of the disruption.
The bike racks are open again and our covered shelter will commence this week. It should be operational before Christmas and more than ready for the new year.
Rotary Teacher Awards – congratulations to Janelle Bragg and Rhett Dadswell who were both celebrated as award winners last week. We are very proud to have such exceptional talent among our staff.
Staffing is well under way for 2025 and with six new year seven classes and two almost-full prep classes, enrolments are tight. We are approaching capacity with limited space in year prep, one and three available. All other year levels are almost completely full. If you are aware of families who are considering enrolments, please encourage them to proceed quickly to avoid disappointment as the year draws to a close.
Fee letters will be sent out in the coming weeks for 2025. Your generous contributions make a significant difference in our capacity to enrich the school experience. While we will ensure learning is resourced, voluntary contributions ensure that quality materials, programs and upgrades can be provided. Consider a smaller direct debit plan to lighten the burden, fees range from $9.00 – $12.00 per week and these regular, small contributions are no less valuable than lump sums.
School council – with just one more meeting left for the year, I am so grateful to have been supported this year by such a strong and committed team. To Sarah B, Julia G, Tania S, Sarah P, Charmaine R, Marita M, Laura N, Casey S, Casey A, Talia L and Deb D – thankyou in advance of our final 2025 meeting. I encourage parents to consider nominating in the new year, further information will be provided before the end of this year to support anyone who would like to join us in 2025.

There are always more items than I can attend to in this article. Please connect with the pages that follow and our Facebook page to keep up with the celebrations that are soon to follow. Have a wonderful term and while I will try to enjoy every day as it comes, I will also try to contain my excitement for the many exciting milestones that await us later in the term!

Warmest regards,

Nathan Guthridge

Principal