Messages from the Principal - Mr. Barclay.

Hello NPS Families! 

Welcome to another edition of our Newsletter and thank you for taking the time out to read it. :) I hope you have all managed to stay cool today and that you do the same tomorrow! 

NPS School Uniform Refresh  

Throughout the year we have had a committed team working hard, alongside our school council, to freshen up our school uniform. This process is always a little contentious and trying to find a strong balance of functionality, purpose, comfort, and cost is always a huge undertaking. Thank you to all those involved. 

We will share in our final newsletter the improvements we have made including some of the new items we will be phasing in from next year, knowing that we are certainly not expecting current families to run out and purchase all new pieces. 

The improvements will definitely see our overall uniform looking refreshed and updated which is very exciting!  

Nov School Council meeting news/update

To put it bluntly, our school is simply amazing! They are proactive and driven to see our great little school do what it needs to do for our kids. At our most recent meeting this week, there was a great energy in the room as we discussed what external works needed to be undertaken to give the front of our school a new lease on life. Plans have already started this week to reviatalise some of these spaces and make everyone aware who walks, drives, rolls, rides and whatever else past our school that they are passing a great Public School in Newtown Primary School! 

Another item of discussion was our current building works which yes... are dragging well and truly on. A small piece of comfort I take is that it is nothing to do with what we have or have not done - it is simply a matter of higher powers taking longer than expected to sign off on specific things. That said, builders will be on site from Tuesday next week and have (just about) guaranteed that the roof for our walkway will be completed by the end of the year. All other major works (restumping for example) will take place over Christmas so that learning is not disrupted. 

2025 class structure announcement + Step Up Day

As was announced on Tuesday at our School Council Meeting, our 2025 Grade Structure will be as follows; 

• Foundation - 1 class
• Year 1/2 - 2 classes
• Year 3/4 - 2 classes
• Year 5/6 - 3 classes

On Tuesday 17th December, all NPS students will be part of our Step Up Day Program and meet their teacher for 2025.  Teachers have been working hard developing class lists for next year with the aim of making these as balanced and supportive as possible. 

Professional Practice Day 

Today as part of our Pupil Free Day, our wonderful ES staff took part in an Autism 101 PD. We hosted a large number of ES staff from 5 other schools in what was a highly collaborative session led by the Schools Support Services team at the DET Regional Office. 

Prep Transition Program

Today, we hosted our 2025 Preps at school for their third transition session. Mrs Sadowy shared with them a story about a brave Koala who is starting school. Our Preps also practiced taking turns and putting their hands up to share with the class. 

We look forward to welcoming our 2025 Preps next week for their final transition session, where they will be meeting their 2025 year 6 buddies! 

We take pride in our student transition program at NPS and understand it's importance in setting our students up for success in their education journey at NPS and beyond. 

Our Mural is now complete!

And just like that, our mural is now complete. It looks absolutely stunning and, as intended, has certainly brightened up the Dave's Courtyard space for our students and staff to enjoy!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our artist, Kate Shepherdson, for her research, attention to detail and sheer talent! 

Kate has ensured that our mural was brimming with flora and fauna native to the area of the You Yangs. We even have a dedication to a You Yangs local depicted on our wall - 'Koala Clancy' - who has his own Facebook following HERE.    

Finally, and thank you to Kate for putting this together, we have a competition running that will be drawn at our week 10 assembly for those who wish to enter! At the office, students are free to come and collect a coloring-in sheet which has a colouring in side, and a question side relating to the mural and the things on it! Good luck! 

That is it from me. Please have a great and relaxing weekend,  

Corrie. 

Principal

Newtown Primary School