Principal's Report

Dear Skye Families, 

Our School, Our Community

A great school is more than a place we send our children. It is the heart of our local community. You feel it in the warmth of walking through the gates, in the pride of seeing your child in their Skye uniform, and in the way our grounds stay open out of school hours as a safe space for families to play, connect and kick a footy on the weekend. This spirit has given Skye a wonderful reputation across the local area.

Whether you are one of the 100+ parents who join us at assembly, a regular volunteer at our events, or a family who makes a voluntary financial contribution, you play a part in shaping our school. Every contribution, big or small, helps make Skye a place where every child belongs and thrives.

In the next fortnight, you will receive our Parent Contributions information, along with a letter from School Council outlining our voluntary arrangements for the year ahead. As always, Victorian government schools provide free instruction, and your child's access to the standard curriculum never depends on a financial contribution. The suggested parent contribution ($200) and the tax-deductible Building Fund option ($50) simply give families who are in a position to do so a way to enrich our programs, equipment and grounds beyond core Department funding.

Thank you to every family for being an active and proud part of our school community.

Eco Warriors: Nude Food Fridays

Our student Eco Warriors are leading a new sustainability initiative, and it is great to see their passion and student voice in action. Starting Friday 23rd October, we will be launching student-driven Nude Food Fridays to help reduce single-use plastic across our school.

You can support our Eco Warriors from home by:

• Packing lunch items in reusable containers or bento-style boxes
• Choosing fresh fruit and vegetables over pre-packaged snacks
• Using refillable water bottles and reusable yoghurt containers
• Avoiding single-use plastic or foil packaging where possible

The 'Sails' Waste Visual Challenge

From this Wednesday, classrooms will collect all single-use food packaging in dedicated bins. Each day, our Eco Warriors will move this waste to a central collection in The Sails area. This student-led experiment will give everyone a clear, hands-on look at our everyday rubbish, and show the difference we can make when we choose more sustainable options together.

Thank you to Graeme, Sarah, Inger and our dedicated Eco Warriors for taking the lead on keeping our school clean, green and sustainable.

Student Reports: What to Expect This Semester

The Department of Education has updated its reporting framework for all Victorian schools, with the aim of making reports clearer, more streamlined and consistent across the state. We have chosen to adopt the changes early so our community can become familiar with the new format ahead of the official 2027 rollout.

We know this will be an adjustment for families used to our previous, more extensive written reports. The new model moves away from lengthy subject-by-subject text and towards a cleaner, more visual snapshot. Your child's report will include three main sections:

• Personal Comment
• Values and Expected Behaviour Checklist
• Progression Point Summary for Learning Areas

Reports are only one part of how we communicate student achievement, and our teachers are always happy to talk through your child's progress or answer any questions you may have.

Shade Sails for the Junior Playground

If you have walked past our new junior Playground recently, you will know it has been a big hit with our students since it was installed earlier this year. It has been great to see so much energy and outdoor play in that space every day.

We are now getting ready to install new shade sails over the junior Playground. This will help our students keep playing safely and comfortably, and stay protected from harmful UV rays throughout the warmer months.

This project is a direct result of the work of our Parent Teacher and Friends (PTF) committee. Throughout the year, the PTF organises events, coordinates fundraisers and brings our community together to raise funds for projects that make a tangible difference for our students.

A big thank you to our PTF members and to every family who has supported their fundraising this year. It is wonderful to see that effort turned into practical improvements our students will enjoy every day.

Road Safety Forum: Thursday 29th October

School Council is leading a community forum on road safety around our school, and all families are warmly invited to attend. Ballarto Road outside Skye PS has long queues, single lanes, a blind hill crest and speeding traffic at pick-up. More than 550 students are at the school each day, and these pressures will increase in 2027 when our on-site kindergarten opens.

The forum is an opportunity to hear more about the concerns raised and to share your own. Ahead of the state election, School Council is encouraging families to contact the candidates standing in our area and ask them to commit to three things:

• Safety infrastructure on Ballarto Road, such as traffic lights, additional lanes and fixed speed enforcement
• A speed limit of 50 km/h outside school times and 30 km/h during school zone hours
• A public commitment to prioritise the safety of our students

Forum details

• When: Thursday 29th October, 2.30pm
• Where: The Gym, Skye Primary School

If you would like candidate contact details or a short script to help you get in touch, email School Council at RoadSafteySkyePS@gmail.com.

Respectful Relationships at Skye

Respectful Relationships is a core part of the Victorian Curriculum from Foundation to Year 12. It is not a stand-alone lesson. It is a whole-school approach to building a culture of respect, equality and positive behaviour, shaped by how staff model respect and how our students are supported to build healthy relationships.

In the classroom, teachers use the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships materials, developed by experts at the University of Melbourne and tailored to each year level. In primary school, the focus is on recognising and managing emotions, building confidence and resilience, solving problems without conflict, and understanding personal boundaries and when to ask a trusted adult for help.

The program grew out of the Royal Commission into Family Violence and takes a prevention approach, building positive attitudes and skills early, before problems emerge. It also supports our commitment to the Child Safe Standards. Respectful Relationships is separate from sexual health education.

Because it is a mandatory part of the curriculum and a whole-school approach, there is no opt-out option. If you do not want your child to take part, they will need to be collected from school before the lessons begin. Please speak with your child's teacher or me so we can arrange this. We are always happy to talk through any questions or concerns.

More information is available on the Victorian Government Respectful Relationships page.

Class Placement for 2027

Planning for next year is underway, and staff will be working carefully on class placements over the coming weeks. Students will have the opportunity to indicate some preferred classmates as part of the process.

If you have specific requests regarding your child's placement, please email me at timothy.bernau@education.vic.gov.au by Friday 6th November. Before submitting a request, please review our Skye PS Class Placement Policy to ensure it aligns with our approach.

Have a great fortnight!

Warm regards,

Tim