School Flags can be booked via the school office. It is anticipated and promoted that school flags will be borrowed for school holiday periods, weekends, public holidays, or times during an 'Alternate Education Program.'

21st of March 2025

TCPS NEWS

Harmony Day

Today TCPS celebrated Harmony Day. We had a special presentation at our school assembly to acknowledge the significance of the day. Our students were able to wear a ‘Splash of Orange’ in acknowledgement of the day and of course did in huge numbers.

Harmony Day is specifically celebrated around Australia on 21st March each year. It's a day where all Australians celebrate our cultural diversity. Harmony Day coincides with the United Nations' International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The ongoing theme of Harmony Day is 'Everyone Belongs'. Harmony Day is a day of cultural respect for all. It provides us with an opportunity to support:

The importance of all Australians respecting one another regardless of cultural, racial or religious differences
The fair treatment of all Australians, encouraging people to recognize that our interactions should be accepting of, and responsive to, each other’s backgrounds, circumstances, needs and preferences
Opportunities for people to participate equitably in Australian society and to understand the rights and responsibilities that we share as part of that society
A sense of belonging for everyone by helping communities work towards a spirit of inclusiveness and a shared identity as Australians
The benefits of living in a culturally diverse society
Building the capacity of specific communities who are under significant pressure because of their culture or religion.

TCPS Council

The newly formed 2025 TCPS Council met for the first time last night. It is in this meeting that office positions are also allocated. I am now able to announce the following:

The 2025 School Council will be as following:

Brad Millar - President
Julie Roncon – Vice President
Fernanda Alberici – New Parent Rep
Kate Eddiehausen - Parent Rep
Emily Pearson – New Parent Rep
Adam Rule – New Parent Rep
Darren Roskosch (Principal - Executive Officer of SC)
Jo Loader (Assistant Principal – TCPS rep)
Bianca McSparron (Business Manager- Finance/Minute Secretary

The meeting commenced with the Annual Public Reporting Meeting, where the 2024 Annual Report was tabled. This highlights our school's achievements in 2024. This report will be made available electronically to the School Community once confirmed by the Department of Education.

Community Connections Group

The CCG has planned a Mother's Day lunch for May.

Details below which will also be will also be shared via COMPASS.

Darren Roskosch

TCPS Principal

2025 Home Groups

Based on current enrolment numbers - homegroups have been designed around he following numbers and ratios. Staffing will be announced in the last Newsletter for the year.

As of 7/2/25	Prep	Grade 1	Grade 2	Grade 3	Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 6	Total
2025 Enrolment	74	108	97	104	107	93	96	679
2025 Staffing	4	5	5	4.4	4.4	4	4	30.8
Ratio	18.50	21.60	19.40	23.63	24.31	23.25	24.00	22.04 (Whole School Student to Teacher ratio)

General Information for ONGOING Reference

Parking at Front of School

Unfortunately, there is no way to add more, but a number of parking initiatives have been implemented to help with the congestion. Two key ones are our focus on, and promotion of, Active Travel, and the 2 minute drop off zone at the front of the school.

What we do need however is for our TCPS drivers to support the initiative with their actions.

Please avoid the frustration experienced by parents caused by drivers who breach the parking sign regulations and exiting their parked car in the 2 minute 'Drop and Go' standing zone. Whilst the Shire do manage parking zones and all external road issues, we do feel obliged to pass on the impact and frustrations being experienced by parents in the hope of it being a friendly reminder. Limited parking and parking restrictions significantly impact student drop off and collection – please consider active travel where possible.

TCPS ASSEMBLY: Friday 2.20pm

Our TCPS Assembly is a very important part of our week. It is an opportunity to proactively reinforce our TCPS Pillars, Culture, and expectations through the acknowledgement and celebration of our students and school. Love of Learning is a key Character Strength of focus, as is Gratitude.

The inclusion of photos and emails celebrating our school and students in and around our community is a key part of our assembly. Due to the substantial amount of time required to process all inclusions, internal and external, and then to build into our assembly's visual format, can I please request that all items are sent to me by Thursday prior to assembly at the latest. If these emails/photos are sent to the school office or your child's teacher - they will be forwarded to me accordingly - but may miss the timeline.

Ideally, they can be sent directly to me via email darren.roskosch@education.vic.gov.au

Elements that TCPS families can contribute to our TCPS Assembly

TCPS Goes Global: Take a school flag (we have 10) or a TCPS polo on your journeys around the globe and send us a photo (3 maximum). I will then feature these at our assembly and have a photo added to our display wall at the front office. Please contact the school office to book a flag. It is anticipated and promoted that school flags will be borrowed for school holiday periods, weekends, public holidays, or times during an 'Alternate Education Program.'

TCPS Super Stars: If you know a TCPS child/teacher/family member who has achieved something amazing in any field (not just sporting) please send me the details and a possible photo or 2 so that we can all celebrate and acknowledge the achievement.

TCPS: Shout Outs: If you have a special family member visiting for the first time who are in the audience - please let me know and I will give them a special TCPS 'Shout Out.'

Annual privacy reminder for our school community.

Our school collects and uses student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy and the Schools’ Privacy Collection Notice.

Our policy - Please refer to our Media Agreement and Permission document on our COMPASS Portal. It describes how we collect and use photographs, video and recordings of students. The policy also explains when parent consent is required and how it can be provided and withdrawn.

We ask parents to also review the guidance we provide on how we use [Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education] safely at the school and what parents can do to further protect their child’s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns regarding your child using [Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education], please contact the school.

Please be reminded of the following:

Dogs are not permitted onsite for a number of reasons mainly related to student well-being. Please also refrain from tying your beloved pets to entry points. Please note that this decision is based on our council’s responsibility for risk management in our school, ensuring a safe environment for our students, staff and community.
Hats are required for all students in order to be able to play outside.
No bikes or scooters to be ridden in the yard

Media Agreement - Parent Permission

Parents are provided the opportunity to have their children excluded from all media inclusions external to our school - eg. Newspaper articles. This is a respected parent choice. Unfortunately there is no allowance to be able to pick and choose participation after this decision has been made. Primarily this is due to our school being unable to resource the management required to allow for selective alterations. We will however be as sensitive as we possible can to children feeling left out of these opportunities.

Early Pick up of Children from School

Can I please request that parents contact individual staff members as early as possible if you are collecting your child/ren prior to the end of the school day. This will help in organising for children to be sent to the office ready for collection. Based on the increasing frequency of these occurrences we are unable to use the PA system due to the distraction and disruption it causes to teaching and learning across the school.

PA announcements occur in recess and lunch breaks.

As teachers do not have constant access to emails during the day, I encourage as much advanced notice as possible so we can do our best to have your child/ren ready and waiting for collection. Office staff will do their best to support you where possible, however with our increasing size there may be unfortunate delays especially if no advanced notice is provided.

Early Pick Up of Students

As we avoid disrupting learning through unnecessary PA announcements please know:

You are able to email the teacher the day prior with a pickup time so that they can arrange for your child to be at the office waiting for you at the desired time.
We are able to call your student over the PA during the times below as students are on recess and lunch.

11am – 11:20am

1:20pm – 2:10pm

Our teaching and learning hours are 9am – 3:10pm

Recess: 11am – 11:20am
Lunchtime: 1:20pm – 2:10pm
Dismissal time: 3:10pm

We know that sometimes these early departures are unavoidable and necessary. However early departures do have the potential ability to cause disruption to not only your child's learning, but the learning of others.

Communication Devices

Staff have noted that more and more of our students are wearing Smart Watches. There is absolutely no problem with this at all, however parents should be reminded that there are a number of conditions that must be adhered to, as per Department of Education and Training policy.

In accordance with the Department’s Mobile Phones Policy issued by the Minister for Education, personal mobile phones/Smart Watches/cellular, telecommunication devices MUST NOT BE USED at TCPS during school hours, including lunchtime and recess. Devices should be handed to teachers at the commencement of the school day, and then collected at days end.

Smart Watches need to be programmed such that they do not function as communication devices during school hours. These devices are not permitted or required on school camps and excursions. All, and any, communication should be directed through your child's homegroup teacher or the school office.

Although a smart watch does have the ability to be used as a communication device, please remember that any such device that can be used for communication must be handed into the teacher at the start of the day.

Smart watches are able to be switched to 'School Mode' between the times of 9:00am-3:10pm allowing them to function only as a watch and therefore do not have to be handed in.

All communication between home and school, and vice versa, should be done via the school office.

Family Holidays

If you are planning a family holiday during school time, please be reminded that permission from the school is required, in order to determine the best way to support students in their learning during periods of prolonged absence. Please contact your child's teacher for further information.

Home group structures

As our school has moved into our 6th year of existence, it continues to grow as expected.

2018: 127 students (Inaugural year)

2019: 238 students

2020: 361 students

2021: 469 students

2022: 543 students

2023: 586 students

2024: 665 students

2025: 679 students

Torquay Coast Primary School Newsletter

School Phone Number - 03 5218 5600 School Email - torquay.coast.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Issue 7 · 21 Mar 2025

In this issue

School Phone Number - 03 5218 5600
School Email - torquay.coast.ps@education.vic.gov.au