Assistant Principal's

Message

________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Families,

As I return to my Assistant Principal role, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all staff who supported the school during my time as Acting Principal while Nicole was on leave. A special acknowledgement goes to Melanie Davis, who did a fabulous job stepping into the Acting Assistant Principal role during this period. I am grateful for the professionalism, flexibility and teamwork demonstrated by our staff in ensuring continuity for our students, families and broader school community.

Breakfast Club – We Need Your Help!

Our Breakfast Club has become a valued part of the SMPPS community, providing students with an opportunity to begin their school day with a nutritious breakfast, positive social connections and a welcoming environment.

We are still seeking volunteers to take over the coordination of this important program for 2027. With the end of the school year approaching, time is running short to ensure a smooth handover and the continuation of Breakfast Club next year.

The good news is that the coordination can be divided into two separate roles, making the commitment more manageable for those who may be interested in helping.

Role 1: Volunteer Coordination

This role involves:

• Maintaining the volunteer roster, including welcoming new volunteers and updating the schedule as required.
• Ensuring volunteer shifts are covered.
• Coordinating the purchase or supply of supplementary items not provided by Foodbank, such as butter, jam, dishwashing liquid and gloves.
• Liaising with Marco, our Business Manager, regarding reimbursement for any approved purchases.
• Communicating with me when additional support from our Wellbeing Subcommittee or wider community may be required.

Role 2: Foodbank Ordering and Deliveries

This role involves:

• Placing regular Foodbank orders to ensure supplies are available for Breakfast Club.
• Coordinating deliveries between Monday and Thursday to allow for timely unpacking and appropriate storage of food.
• Ensuring someone is available to unpack and safely store deliveries to prevent issues with pests.
• Communicating with me when additional support or resources are required.

Both roles are predominantly organisational and would make a meaningful contribution to the ongoing success of Breakfast Club.

If you have some time to contribute, even if you are only interested in one component, we would love to hear from you. Maintaining this program is a shared community effort, and with the right support, we hope to see Breakfast Club continue to thrive in 2027.

Prep Transition – Welcoming Our 2027 Students

Next month, we begin welcoming our newest members of the SMPPS community through our 2027 Prep Transition Program.

Starting school is a significant milestone for children and their families. Our transition program is intentionally designed to build familiarity, confidence and a sense of belonging, while providing parents and carers with important information to support a positive start to school.

We have three transition sessions scheduled:

1. Tuesday, 24 November: 10.00–11.00am
2. Tuesday, 1 December: 10.00–11.00am
3. Tuesday, 8 December (Statewide Transition Day): 10.00–11.00am

For each session, our 2027 Prep students and their parents/carers will meet me at the front gate at 9.50am, before heading upstairs to sign in and settle the children into their transition activities.

Once students are settled, parents and carers will be invited to the staffroom for an information session facilitated by members of our leadership team and school community.

Each session will explore different aspects of school life, including student wellbeing, teaching and learning, outside school hours care, and the systems we use to communicate and connect with families at SMPPS.

We strongly encourage all families to attend each of the three sessions, as the information shared will be different each week. These sessions are also a wonderful opportunity for families to meet one another and begin building connections within our school community.

Our Second-Hand Uniform Stall will also be operating at the conclusion of the final two transition sessions, remaining open until 11.25am. This is a great opportunity to purchase some affordable uniform items in preparation for 2027.

Looking Ahead

We are off to a great start in Term 4, and I look forward to another busy and rewarding term as we continue supporting our students in their learning, wellbeing and engagement.

Here's to more sunshine as we head towards the end of the school year!

Sam Smrekar Thompson

Acting Principal