From the  Principal 

Welcome to the start of Week 8 of Term 4. The weeks are flying by and we have only three weeks to go until the big term break. It is an exciting, productive and busy time of the year for us all. 

COLOUR RUN - A Splash of Gratitude for Our First Colour Run!

What an incredible event! Our very first Colour Run was an absolute triumph, and we have our amazing Parents and Friends Association (PFA) to thank for their hard work and dedication. Led by two remarkable parents, Kelly Wheeler and Laura Davies, supported by nearly 50 others, this event truly showcased the vibrant spirit of our school community. Together, we raised an impressive amount of money to support our school, and we couldn’t be more grateful. The total amount raised will be shared with the school at the whole school assembly on December 6th. The eagerly awaited announcement of the winning class will also be made at assembly on December 6th. 

The day was filled with energy, laughter, and a kaleidoscope of colours as students and staff came together to run. From the colourful powder to the bubbles and water, every moment was joyful. Adding to the fun were the guest appearances from the principal team, who joined in the festivities dressed as inflatable, run-loving animals—much to the delight of all!

This event exemplified what makes our community so special: enthusiastic participation, organisation, and a sense of fun. 

To our incredible PFA and all who volunteered or participated: thank you for your tireless efforts and commitment. Your contributions remind us that together, we can achieve amazing things for our children and school.

Here’s to more colourful and joyful events in the future!

2025 PLANNING

I have been spending much of my time on our school’s workforce plan, essentially budgeting and staffing for 2025. Every year, it is a challenge to select the absolute best staff we can for our children and our school. We have a selection process in place, to secure additional staff including teachers and a school nurse to join our school. Please trust the process. We will announce class teachers in time, but at this stage our final staffing is not yet confirmed. 

We will have 26 classes, based on approximately 580 enrolments at Carnegie PS in 2025. The class structures will include:

4 x Preps

4 x Grade 1

5 x Grade 2

3 x Grade 3

1 x Grade 3/4

3 x Grade 4

3 x Grade 5

3 x Grade 6

Grade structure is always determined by asking the question, “What is best for the students?” 

We believe this model will work to accommodate our students at CPS.

We will offer some additional literacy intervention to support our students with learning diversities. This is what the Department of Education refers to as a ‘reasonable adjustment to the program’. 

Twenty-one teachers are now trained in the OG approach that supports a consistent methodology in the teaching of reading, writing and spelling in the junior years (Prep – grade 2) that aims to reduce the amount of intervention required in the senior years. It is part of a 4 year plan at CPS.

CLASSES

Our teachers and school leadership team will dedicate time to ensure we use student friendship requests and teacher judgement to place students in their classes, and these will be announced later this year. This is always a mix of ability and social/emotional needs. Please trust the process.

FAREWELLS 

SUE McGREGOR

It is with mixed emotions that we announce Sue McGregor’s departure. Sue has been a valued and beloved member of the CPS community since 2012, leaving an indelible mark on both our staff and students over the past 12 years.

Sue’s journey with CPS began in Grade 6 after she requested a Prep classroom! She continued in Grade 6, both as teacher and leader, for over a decade before transitioning to the Junior School, where she has led the Grade 1 team with dedication for the past year. Her empathy, gratitude, and passion have profoundly impacted everyone who has had the pleasure of working alongside her.

Beyond her work in the classroom, Sue is especially known for her incredible charity work and community-building through her organisation, “Helping Hands, Helping Hearts”. She has made several trips to Vietnam, often taking staff members to introduce them to her charity work, which includes supporting orphanages, hospitals, heart surgeries, and charity schools. Sue’s care for others extended to her students as well, with her Grade 6 students participating in activities that included buying gifts for children whose parents are incarcerated.

Her commitment to CPS has been fully supported by her family, with her mum assisting with costumes for production, her dad contributing to graduations and productions, and her sister helping out as well. Sue has also been a longstanding contributor to our wellbeing team, where her background in psychology was invaluable in shaping effective practices for our school.

Sue’s personality will be remembered, particularly for her enthusiasm for school dress-ups—her portrayal of “Mother Teresa” at camp was unforgettable! A passionate advocate for learning, Sue worked with students at both ends of the learning spectrum, helping struggling learners and challenging high achievers alike.

This is a bittersweet moment for CPS, but we deeply respect Sue’s decision to continue nurturing and caring for others in her next professional chapter. We will miss her dearly but look forward to hearing all about her new adventures and the continued impact she will surely make.

CHRISTINA KIM

We bid farewell to Christine, our dedicated school nurse, who joined our community at the start of 2024. Christine has been instrumental in setting a high benchmark as our school’s first nurse, providing care and support to our students, staff, and families. Her warmth, professionalism, and ability to build positive relationships with everyone she encountered have left a big impact on our school community. 

While we will miss Christine greatly, we wish her all the best as she moves on to spend more time with her family and support their family business. Thank you, Christine, for your contributions to our school.

With Gratitude to you all,

Karen Roberts

 I wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of

 the lands on which this is being read and pay my respects to elders past present and emerging. I wish to acknowledge our First Nations people and pay respects to them. I note further that these lands were never ceded and are, and always will be, Aboriginal Lands.