Principals' Message

Another term has come to an end; and what a term it has been! Term 3 is often described as the “quieter” term, although I’m not sure any of us at Donvale Primary School would agree!

We certainly finished the term on a high, with R U OK? Day, Trivia Night and Footy Day rounding out another busy and rewarding term. There have been so many opportunities for our students and community to connect, participate and celebrate, and we would like to thank our staff, students and families for their continued enthusiasm and support.

Writers' Festival - My Three Wishes

Our biennial Writers’ Festival is almost here! This year’s theme “My Three Wishes” has inspired some wonderful writing across the school. 

Each student has created a special piece based on their three wishes, drawing on writing techniques explicitly taught in the classroom, including show don’t tell; the power of three; onomatopoeia; ellipsis and more. The Festival is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our students as writers and showcase the fantastic writing happening at Donvale Primary School.

We will officially open the Writers’ Festival with a special assembly on Tuesday, 20 October at 9.15am, where student writing awards will also be presented.

Following the assembly, families are warmly invited to visit our Writers’ Gallery in the GP Room, where every student’s finished piece will be on display along with some artwork to compliment the piece. The Gallery will also be open before and after school on Wednesday and Thursday, with classes visiting throughout the school day. 

This year, we are proud to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and we kindly ask families to consider a gold coin donation when visiting the Gallery.

We look forward to welcoming you and celebrating our wonderful Donvale writers!

Basketball and Netball Upgrades 

We are excited to share that our basketball and netball facilities will be getting an upgrade over the school holidays!

During the first week of the holidays, all basketball and netball towers, backboards and nets will be replaced and/or upgraded. This project has been made possible through a combination of our school fundraising efforts and school funds. A big thank you to our families and community for supporting our fundraising initiatives - it is wonderful to see these funds going directly towards improving our facilities for students.

Families are welcome to come by and observe the works; however, for everyone’s safety, please remain well clear of all machinery and work areas. 

The basketball hoops must not be used until the school advises that the works are complete and they are safe for use.

We can’t wait for our students to enjoy the new hoops when they return in Term 4!

Trivia Night

On Saturday 12 September, a number of our brave and enthusiastic parents joined us for our Trivia Night at Mitcham Bowls Club. Everyone embraced the spirit of the evening, dressing as their favourite characters. We had everything from 101 Dalmatians, to Harry Potter, Aladdin and Jasmine, Fred and Wilma Flintstone and the Men in Black!

Throughout the evening, parents put their knowledge to the test with plenty of trivia, tried their luck with a coin toss to win a bottle of something special, enjoyed a little karaoke, and had the opportunity to bid for some unique Donvale experiences – Principal for a Day, Teacher for a Day and Specialist Teacher for a Day. Congratulations to our successful bidders, parents of Pia, Harvey & Emily, and Leon & Isla. We look forward to seeing how they enjoy their day in charge!

A very special thank you must go to Amelia Davatzis for the enormous amount of work she put into bringing the evening together. From booking the venue and host, to organising prizes and coordinating all the little details, Amelia’s efforts were truly appreciated. A special mention also goes to her wonderful support crew, Leah and Anna, who helped decorate the venue and create such a fun and memorable atmosphere.

Thank you also to all the families and businesses who generously donated prizes, and to everyone who came along and supported the evening.  We raised $2263!  Events like these are a wonderful reminder of the strong sense of community we have at Donvale Primary School.

Second Hand Uniform Shop Glow-up

Our Second-Hand Uniform Shop has had a glow-up! A very special thank you to Sasha Boon for her handiwork in installing new rails to hang and display our uniforms. The new setup has created more space and makes it much easier to find what we need. 

If you have any school uniforms at home that are no longer being worn, we would love to give them a new home. Please ensure items are washed and in good condition before sending them to the school office. Donating uniforms is a wonderful way to support other families in our community while also giving clothing a second life.

We are also still seeking donations of coat hangers and paper bags to help keep our shop organised.

Our next Second-Hand Uniform Sale will be held on Friday 9 October from 3.00pm - the first Friday back in Term 4.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support this valuable community initiative.

Hats!

While we are on the topic of hats, please ensure that your child has their school hat ready for Term 4. Thank you to all of the families who have already organised this and ensured their child has had a hat at school for the month of September. As we enter the warmer, and sunnier, Term 4 it will be even more important that students wear their hats when outside. Students who do not have hats, or do not bring them out to play, will need to move to undercover areas.

Please remember to label your child’s hat clearly with their name to help prevent it from being misplaced or mixed up with another student’s hat.

Attendance

September Update

Congratulations to 1A for having the highest attendance for the month of September.

Term 3 Reflection

Congratulations to the Year 1s, especially 1A, for having the best attendance for Term 3!