Principal Report

Welcome to Week Eight of Term Four. I hope everyone has enjoyed a positive and productive week. As we approach the end of the school year, we are delighted to share a number of upcoming events that celebrate our outstanding students and bring our community together. Our Year Six Graduation will be a special opportunity to recognise the achievements of our senior students and acknowledge their leadership and efforts throughout this year and all of the years at Highvale. We also look forward to our whole-school Fun Day, where students can enjoy a variety of engaging activities and celebrate their hard work in a positive and relaxed environment. Our annual Christmas Carols evening promises to be another highlight, bringing families together to enjoy festive performances and strengthen our sense of community. In addition, our transition sessions for students moving into new year levels will commence shortly and will support a smooth and confident start to 2026. We look forward to sharing these meaningful experiences with families and celebrating the end of another wonderful year at our school.

A reminder that our school year concludes on Friday 19th December at 1:30pm. Please continue to check Compass and our school newsletters regularly for up-to-date information and details about these upcoming events.

Birthdays 

Happy Birthday to the following students who will celebrate their special day throughout November:  Lily Y 4U, Andrea W 4A, Austen H 3J, Meera S 4A, Parinaaz K 5X, Minghao G 1D, Nimthula (Tevin) R 4A, Adriana Yue Zi C 5S, Adrian Yu Zi C 5X, Aarna D 6S, Kian D 4A, Zoe L 2S, Avni S 2S, Irene L 6D, Victoria Z 4U, Lingxiao W 5S, Ansh P 5X, Aleina N 5X, Indiana O 1D,  Anjali C 3CBB, Sidarrth G 4U, Meera T 3CBB, Chloe C  5X, Kezia C 2S, Ivin P 2S, Vimal A 3J, Andrea L 3CBB, Faith C 5X, Jasper R 6D, Sukhin D 2J and Lionell X 2J. We hope you all have a terrific birthday.

Attendance

At Highvale Primary School we firmly believe that attending school every day plays a crucial role in shaping a child's educational journey. Regular attendance allows students to fully engage in classroom activities, discussions, and hands-on learning experiences. It provides them with the opportunity to grasp new concepts, ask questions, and collaborate with their peers. Consistent attendance helps build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills, enabling children to excel academically. This term, we will be reinforcing the importance of attending school every day. 

Congratulations to the 218 students who have achieved 100% attendance so far in November. Some of these students include: Ace H Prep B, Adam J Prep B, Fiora J Prep FY, Anaaya M Prep FY, Kanisha N 1S, Lily M 1S, Amika N 1D, Indi O 1D, Kenneth L 2S, Adyant S 2S, Cici S 2M, Phillips L 2M, Hua L 2J, Sander H 2J, Diana H 3CBB, Neymi O 3CBB, Shawn F 4A, Steven H 4A, Artus G 4U, Sara L 4U, Joshua L 5S, Chloe L 5S, Mikayla L 5X, James V 5X, Brandon U 6S, Ruth Y 6S, Jonathan V 6D and Nour N 6D. 

Here are some attendance figures for 2025 so far:

Remember: it is not ok to be away!

Opportunity to provide parent feedback

Last week, I shared a Compass Feed inviting parents to contribute to a Stop–Start–Keep survey, and offer feedback on what is working well and what could be improved as we continue striving to enhance our wonderful school. I would like to highlight some of the feedback received and provide further context or clarification around the decisions and circumstances that inform our current practices.

“When my child’s teacher is sick, I’d much prefer a substitute teacher than my child being placed in another year level class.”

Unfortunately, we are in a current teacher shortage and casual relief teachers are very hard to find. Sometimes there are no CRT’s to replace our HPS teachers, but we do our best to fill gaps in our workforce using teachers that our students are familiar with.   

“Keep: 2 week dance program, positive and negative chronicles, homework, positive behaviour rewards.”

We are pleased to confirm that all of these things will stay and be a focus for 2026!

“… including the full stationery list as a compulsory purchase is a waste of money and an unwelcome move. This is a terrible waste of resources and money! 

We totally agree, which is why the system changed in 2025 and families no longer purchase their own stationary. We do a bulk order as a school and ensure we are not ordering items that we still have leftover from the previous year. This information is all contained in our Parent Payment 2026 post on Compass.   

"Is it possible to have a short list about what my kid is learning each term so that we can do some practice at home?"

This is provided at the start of every term to all parents of all year levels and is something we will continue to do in 2026. 

“I don’t feel like the ‘it’s not ok to be away’ slogan in the weekly newsletter sends the right message to parents. I also don’t like that a sample of children who have attended 100% are named. 

Of course, if students are unwell they should stay home, recover and rest. We don’t want students spreading germs at school. The message I write in the newsletter is targeting the families/students who are chronically absent. To be considered chronically absent, the Department of Education defines this as having 20 or more days off for the year. At Highvale, unfortunately we already have over 60 students who fall into this category and the list is growing. Attendance is a shared priority and is important for the following reasons:

• Regular attendance is essential to support every child’s learning and wellbeing. Absences from school may pose a potential risk to a child’s safety.
• An effective whole school approach to improving attendance requires commitment from every member of the school community.
• School leadership is essential to setting high expectations for attendance.

Research shows that school communities that focus on continuous improvement within a tiered system of support experience the most significant improvement in student attendance.

“Annual event like HPS theatrical performance of StarWarts in 2024, should be encouraged to build up the confidence of HPS students.” 

I agree that the Star Warts performance in 2024 was a spectacle and something that should be celebrated. We do a huge production like this every 2nd year and on the opposite year we offer the students in Years Three-Six a Camping Program. These are both really memorable events and something our students look forward to each and every year.  We are excited that 2026 will be a Production year. More information on the Production will be posted to Compass early in 2026.   

“My child doesn’t feel comfortable to use the toilets, he said they’re a bit dirty and that he holds it till he gets home.” 

We have been investigating the opportunity to refurbish our toilets and are currently gaining the quotes necessary to proceed with the works. The money for such a project will predominantly come from the Building Fund, which means parent contributions in 2026 will be vital.

“While I appreciate the educational value that activities and events can offer, it has felt recently that there are quite a few events requiring additional payments from families. With the current economic climate, these costs can quickly add up and become a financial burden.”

I agree that we need to be mindful of the economic climate and space out events across the year. We have created a whole school events calendar for 2026 and we have begun to space out excursions/ activities across the year. We have also signed up to participate in some free incursions so that our students can experience different things without a price tag attached. Parents can also contact the office if they are experiencing difficulty paying for events and we can provide solutions privately.  

“Should be very organized at the driveway, a lot of times have no teacher there or a few teachers are not actually managing the traffic. It’s a dangerous spot where kids jumping between the cars.”

In 2026, we will be having two staff members timetabled to the turning circle during drop off and pick up times. We will also put some general rules and regulations of using the turning circle on Compass and in the School newsletter for families to read. This way everyone is receiving the same message and has a deep understanding of how the turning circle works. There should be no students actually stepping onto the road, they should hop straight from the curb into the car. Parents also should NOT be getting out of their car.

“Can camp be closer to the summer months?”

As you know, we have a biannual camp for students in Years Three, Four, Five and Six. Unfortunately, camps are often booked out years ahead. We have already secured September dates for our 2027 Year Three - Four Camp. We will consider the idea of a Summer Camp moving forward.

“More caring about the well being of kids and try to think of other ways/consequences of why they might be behaving not as expected”

With the introduction of our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support Framework, we have a consistent approach to dealing with behaviours. We have seen a decrease in negative behaviour since the implementation of this program and look forward to embedding this further in 2026. We have employed a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader, who will be accessing a series of professional learning in 2026 and beyond. In addition to this, next year we will continue to have our suite of Allied Health Professionals, which includes a psychologist, speech therapist, occupational therapist and counsellor. We feel these professionals will continue to be heavily accessed by our students and highly beneficial for the students and families of HPS.

“Way too many movie days / fun days/ buddy days/ sport days/ incursions. Some incursions seems pointless. Are the kids actually studying / achieving grades during teaching hours?”

At Highvale, we are proud to offer a well rounded curriculum where academic learning is just as important as social and emotional learning. We are catering for all students abilities and interests and that is why we organise events such as Sports Days, Art Shows, Musical Performances and many others. Buddies Day is often led by our Year Six students and allows them to develop their public speaking and leadership skills in a safe environment supported by a classroom teacher. Some students shine in these extra curricular events and it’s important that everyone’s efforts are highlighted and showcased. Our students are very talented and they deserve to be recognised.   

That is all the feedback I will share in this week’s newsletter. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all 59 of the parents that provided feedback in our Stop, Start, Keep document. Your feedback is appreciated and there are some things that we can definitely work towards improving in 2026. If you have not provided feedback and would still like to, please click on the link on Compass, it’s still open. 

Exciting upcoming community events

Year 6 Graduation Evening: Wednesday 3rd of December 5:00pm- 8:00pm

We’re excited to celebrate our Year 6 students as they complete their primary school journey. It’s a time to reflect on their growth and achievements over the past seven years. We look forward to celebrating this special milestone with all Year Six students and families. 

Transition Mornings: Thursday 4th December and Tuesday 9th December

On Thursday 4th December from 9:00-11:00 students will move into their new year level. They will NOT be in their official 2026 classes, however, they will be in mixed groups. On Tuesday 9th December from 9:00am – 11:00am, students will meet their new classmates and their new teacher for 2026.

Thank you Morning Tea: Friday 5th of December 9:00am-10:00am

We’d like to invite parents who have helped in our classrooms, joined excursions, assisted at events or contributed through the HPCG or School Council to a morning tea. This is our way of showing heartfelt appreciation for all the support you’ve given to our school across 2025. 

Whole School Assembly: Friday 5th of December 2:45pm – 3:15pm

In this assembly, we will announce our 4 School Captains for 2026.

Class Parties & Kris Kringle: Monday 8th December  

On Monday 8th December, all classes will celebrate a wonderful year together and have a Class Party. More information about class parties will come shortly from classroom teachers. Students that are participating in the Kris Kringle will exchange gifts at the class party.  

Fun Day: Wednesday 10th of December

On Wednesday 10th December all year levels will participate in a whole school Fun Day! 

Students will step away from regular classes to enjoy a full day dedicated to fun, collaboration, and community spirit. It’s a wonderful opportunity to recognise and celebrate the positive behaviour and efforts of our students throughout the year. Our students have earned this, well done HPS!

Christmas Carols: Thursday 11th of December 4:30pm-6:00pm

Our students have been rehearsing and are almost ready to bring you an evening full of music, joy, and holiday cheer. Bring your friends, family, picnic rug and best singing voice — so you can sing along and soak up the festive spirit. Food will be available to purchase on the evening, using cash ONLY. This includes a sausage sizzle, soft drink, chocolates and icy poles. More information will be provided on Compass closer to the event. 

Whole school Assembly: Friday 12th of December 9:00am – 9:30am 

In this assembly, we will announce the following student leadership positions: 2 x House Captains for each house, 2 x Performing Arts Captains, 2 x Art Captains, 2 x STEAM Captains, 2 x ICT Captains and 2 x Wellbeing Captains. 

Christmas Raffle

We are currently seeking parent contributions to create hampers for our end of year Christmas Raffle. We have set up boxes in the office and each year level is collecting donations of a different theme. All donated items need to be brand new. Please contribute to the themed hamper assigned to your child's year level. 

Prep - Christmas

Year One - Picnic

Year Two - Baking/ Cooking

Year Three - Games/ Toys

Year Four - Sport

Year Five - Garden

Year Six - Art/ Craft

For example, if I had a child in Year Five, I would choose something to contribute to the Year Five Garden Hamper. It might be a pair of gardening gloves, tools, plant food or an indoor plant. A reminder that all items need to be brand new and 2nd hand contributions will not be accepted. If you have a business and would like to donate to our Christmas Raffle, please contact the school office, we'd love to hear from you! We'd like all donations to be dropped off at the front office before Friday the 5th of December if possible.  If you are not in a position to donate/ contribute we completely understand.

Raffle tickets will go on sale shortly and all information will be conveyed to families via Compass. 

Enrolments for 2026

If you are planning to move house or will be leaving Highvale Primary School at the end of this year, we kindly request that you inform our office staff. This information is essential for us to accurately forecast student numbers and effectively plan the grade structures for the upcoming year. If your child is currently in Grades Prep to 5 and will not be attending Highvale in 2026, please notify the school office in writing at your earliest convenience.

Plans for 2026

As I mentioned in our last newsletter, we are very excited that our 2026 projected number of enrolled students has risen to an expected 385. As a result, we have increased to 18 classes across the school and have recruited some wonderful new teachers. Joining the HPS team in 2026 will be Harinder Costopoulos, Candice Pace, Jacinta Tsantlogianis, Chanya Amarasinghe, Melody Li, Windya Arambawela, Theodore Politis, Rene Abrahams, Emily Stokes, Melissa Liu, Dylan Thompson and Abbey Robertson. We will also welcome back Emily Gherardi, who joined the team late in 2025, Sophie Stokes who is currently an ES staff member and Soleda Graham who will return from maternity leave.

We have a number of staff who are leaving us at the end of 2025 and moving onto new ventures. Congratulations to the following staff who have secured positions at neighbouring schools: 

Mark Usai – Brandon Park PS

Lilly Ji – Glendal PS

Adrian Cresswell – The Knox School

Aleesa Altube – Weeden Heights PS

Yolanda Nell - Hillcrest Christian College

Rachael Fleming – Monash Children’s Hospital School

We wish to also mention that Michelle Cheong, Nick Dempsey and Chloe Bellotti will be taking a year away from Highvale to further develop their professional skillsets. This opportunity will allow them to pursue advanced training and bring new expertise back to our school community. We look forward to welcoming them back in 2027 and benefiting from the fresh insights they will bring.

Financial Contributions 

I sincerely thank all parents and carers who have supported our school this year through financial contributions. Your generous contributions play a vital role in helping us enhance and enrich the educational experiences that we offer our students. These contributions have enabled us to provide additional resources and opportunities beyond the standard curriculum. This year we used financial contributions in many ways, however, some of these include:  

• Painting our student line up areas and breeze ways
• Landscaping and installing a new sensory garden (Karinya)
• Purchasing 150 brand new laptops for classroom use
• Purchasing new books for classroom libraries

If you are yet to make contributions and would like to, please see Compass or come and visit us at the school office. You are helping to make Highvale a very special place for our students to learn and grow. 

Celebrating Student Achievements

Congratulations to three of our students: Aradhya T 5X, Anvita S 6S and Anish K 6S on their outstanding achievement in the area of Performing Arts. Recently, they performed a one-hour stage drama as part of an Abhyudaya Academy Production featuring over 20 young artists. In this production, they demonstrated dedication to their craft, exceptional performing skills, stage presence and immense confidence. Well done Aradhya, Anvita and Anish, we are very proud of you!

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS 

Kids Help - kidshelpline.com.au phone 1800 55 1800 

Parent Line - betterhealth.vic.gov.au phone 13 22 89 

Headspace - headspace.org.au phone 1800 650 890 

eSafety Commissioner - esafety.gov.au - Advice for parents and carers to help children have safe experiences online 

Have a great week ahead HPS families,

Carly Epskamp

Principal

carly.epskamp@education.vic.gov.au