Principal's Report

Term 1 Reflection

As Term 1 comes to a close, it is the perfect time to look back at some of the great experiences and achievements of our students both in and out of the classroom. 

The term kicked off with our Swimming Carnival, where students gave their best in the pool, cheered each other on, and displayed outstanding school spirit. Achieving just the right balance between competitive swimming in the pool and loads of fun on the waterslides, our carnival had something for everyone. 

We then took some time to catch up and welcome the new school year at our Meet the Teacher BBQ. ACPS is at its best when we have our whole community together and this provided a great opportunity to meet new people and strengthen connections between home and school. We also launched The Resilience Project component of our THRIVE program at this event and discussed how we will be supporting our special young people to be the best versions of themselves with Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy (GEM +EL). It has been a highlight of my Term watching our classes engage in their TRP sessions each Wednesday and observing our little GEM Ninjas grow the positive culture at ACPS. 

In preparation for Seussical The Musucal Jnr, Mrs Bailey's Performing Arts class turned into a Circus with students engaging in a circus skills incursion and embracing the challenge of circus skills, developing coordination, resilience, and a willingness to try something new. I am looking forward to seeing these skills on display next Term during the Seussical Production. We also participated in Run Warrandyte to support our local sporting clubs that provide our young people with the opportunity to play local community sport. 

I had the pleasure of taking our School Captains into the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre to participate in the National Young Leaders Day. These great young leaders stepped up with enthusiasm across the day and made the most of all it had to offer. Hearing from prominent leaders and learning from the stories of their leadership journey. 

We put the skills of our Grade 4 students to the test with The Great Bike Ride. Following a Term of Bike Education and learning about bike handling and safety we headed down along the river with a bike ride to the park. I was lucky enough to join the students, teachers and parents on the Bike Ride and was so proud to see our students out in the community riding so well. It was a brilliant sight seeing a 40 student strong peloton rolling along the path and such a lovely way to spend the morning. Thank you to our Bike Ed team and also a big thank you to all of our Curricular club leaders that provided our students with incredible sessions across Term 1.

Inside the classroom, students across all year levels have been working hard on their English and Mathematics skills. Our Prep to Grade 2 students have been immersed in foundational reading skills, developing confidence in decoding, fluency, and comprehension through engaging texts and structured phonics activities. In Grades 3 and 4, students explored persuasive writing, crafting impactful voice over advertisements and compelling written pieces that showcased their ability to persuade and influence an audience. Meanwhile, our Grade 5 and 6 students have been honing their finer reading comprehension skills, delving deeper into texts to analyse themes, make inferences, and strengthen their critical thinking abilities. Across the school, students have been deepening their understanding of mathematical concepts, tackling problem-solving tasks, and developing their number fluency.

A fitting way to wrap up the term was our Harmony Day and Colour Run activities today. Harmony Day provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to celebrate diversity, inclusivity, and respect within our school community. Through engaging activities and discussions, students deepened their understanding of different cultures and the importance of kindness and acceptance. The festivities continued with our annual Colour Run, filling the school with energy, laughter, and bright bursts of colour. Students ran, danced, and cheered their way through the course, creating a fitting celebration to culminate another great Term at ACPS. I look forward to sharing photos as they become available. 

Warrandyte Festival 

What an incredible weekend at the Warrandyte Festival! ACPS was proudly represented in the parade, festival stall, and on the main stage, thanks to the amazing efforts of our students, families, and staff. Our Giant Tree Person float was a standout in the parade, symbolising our students' connection to the environment. A huge thank you to Mrs Clarke, our parent helpers and students for bringing Tree Man to life, and to all the families and students who walked with us. The ACPS Kebab Stall was a great success, and we truly appreciate the volunteers who gave their time to run it. The stall takes a lot of volunteers to run and your support helped showcase our school spirit to the community whilst also raising funds for the continual improvement of our physical environment. A special shoutout to our talented Seussical The Musical Jnr performers, who shone on the main stage with confidence and enthusiasm. We are incredibly grateful to Mrs Bailey, Gavin and the full Seussical Jnr Team that support our kids and develop their skills to enable them to perform the way they do.  You made us all proud! Thank you to everyone who helped make the Warrandyte Festival such a memorable event for ACPS!

Looking Ahead

With so much energy and enthusiasm already in Term 1, we are excited for the learning and experiences still to come. We have the following community events coming up and would love your support and participation. 

29th April - Cross Country 

30th April - Family and Open Morning

9th May - Mother's Day Stall and Breakfast

20th May - Silent Disco

26th - 28th May - Grade 3/4 Camp 

13 - 15 June - Seussical The Musical Jnr Production 

16th June - Curriculum Day 

Mother's Day Stall - Volunteers Required

If you are able to help out on Friday 9th May, please contact Jaime Noye on 0414 609 700 

Thank you to our staff, students, and families for your ongoing support in making ACPS such a wonderful place to learn and grow

Have a wonderful Easter. 

Daniel Webber

Principal