Principal's Address

WEEK 8 | TERM 2

Dear Deanside Families,

What a busy time of year it is! As we move through the final weeks of Term 2, we have lots to share with you — from exciting upcoming events to a few important school-wide reminders. Thank you as always for your continued partnership in your child's education.

Important Notice: New Student Collection Process — Term 3

From the beginning of Term 3, we will be introducing a new identification requirement for collecting students from the front office.

Our school has grown significantly in recent years, bringing with it increases in both enrolments and staff. As more team members take on the responsibility of releasing students from the office, it is essential that we have a consistent, reliable process in place — one that ensures every child is handed over only to the correct adult or authorised older sibling. This new process directly supports our Child Safe Policy and our commitment to the safety and wellbeing of every student in our care.

From Term 3, identification is mandatory for all student collections from the office. Office staff will not be able to release a student without valid ID being presented.

What Is Required….

When collecting a student from the office, the person collecting must present one of the following forms of photo identification:

• Current driver’s licence (physical card or digital licence on a smartphone) 
• Passport
• Immicard
• Proof of age card
• Australian Student ID card 
• Security licence
• Defence force identity card
• Australian government issued photo ID card

Action Required: Check Your Emergency Contacts….

As part of this new process, we ask all families to review and update their emergency contact details to ensure they accurately reflect who is authorised to collect their child. If your contacts are out of date, please contact the office before the end of Term 2 to have them updated.

When an Emergency Contact Is Unavailable

If someone not listed on your emergency contacts needs to collect your child — for example, in an unexpected situation — the following process must be followed:

●          A parent or carer must send an email to the school office in advance, providing the full name of the adult being sent to collect the child.

●          On arrival at the office, that adult must present valid photo ID, which will be cross-referenced against the details provided in the email.

●          Please ensure the adult collecting your child is aware they will be asked for ID before coming to the school. If ID cannot be produced, the school will not be able to release the student.

We recognise that any new process takes time to embed, and we appreciate your patience during this period of adjustment. However, as student safety is our highest priority, this requirement will be enforced from the first day of Term 3. We thank you sincerely for your understanding and cooperation.

Road Safety

From this week onwards, Melton City Council officers and Local Police will have an increased presence in the area. Drivers who fail to comply with road safety requirements may be issued with fines or infringements.

Online Safety & Wellbeing

More often than not, students speak about their experiences at home while using devices and accessing online platforms. It is concerning how many students are engaging in online chats and platforms that are not being monitored by parents or carers.

While schools educate students about staying safe online, we cannot be responsible for what children access, download or engage with outside of school hours. Parents and carers play a vital role in supervising their child's online activity, including who they are communicating with, what platforms they are using, and the content they are viewing.

Although Australia has implemented stronger restrictions on the use of certain platforms, parental oversight remains essential.  Some ways you can support your child's online safety at home include:

• Talk regularly with your child about what they are doing online and who they are communicating with.
• Encourage open conversations about anything they see or experience online that makes them feel uncomfortable.
• Review the privacy and safety settings on apps, games and devices, and ensure age-appropriate content filters are in place.
• Be mindful of screen time, particularly in the evenings before bed, as excessive use can impact sleep quality and overall wellbeing.

Working together, families and schools can help ensure that our children develop safe, responsible and healthy habits when engaging in the online world.  For more information, parents are encouraged to browse - https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents 

Does your child(ren) use the bus service?

If your child is a regular commuter on the bus service, I encourage all parents and carers to take the time to reinforce the following expectations with their children. These expectations include, but are not limited to:

• Remaining seated while the bus is moving.
• Keeping hands, feet and belongings to yourself.
• Looking out for others, particularly when students are getting on or off the bus, and ensuring they have all of their belongings. You would be surprised how many students accidentally leave bags behind.
• Supporting other students with knowing which stop they need to get on or off at, as some students have fallen asleep and missed their stop.
• Using an appropriate travelling voice at all times.
• Speaking respectfully to others and using language that reflects our school values.
• Following the directions of the bus driver and any supervising adults. This includes using good manners by greeting the driver when boarding and thanking them when leaving the bus.
• Demonstrating safe and responsible behaviour at all times while travelling to and from school.

Whilst this bus service is not operated by Deanside Primary School, we want all students travelling on the service to represent our school with pride and demonstrate our values in the wider community. Unfortunately, there have been reports of inappropriate behaviour from the bus service provider, students and parents.

I am currently seeking further advice regarding what role the school can play in supporting the continuation of this service, as the ongoing complaints relating to matters beyond the school's control place the future of the service at risk. We value this service and recognise the importance it has for many families.

Should you have concerns or complaints about the operation of the bus service itself, these should be directed to the bus company so they can be addressed through the appropriate channels. Christian Bus Services - 1800 660 530.

Thank you for your support in reinforcing these expectations and helping to ensure that all students travel safely and respectfully to and from school.

School Uniform

Our school has a clear policy that make-up is not permitted to be worn at school. This applies to all students regardless of year level and includes:

•          Cosmetics such as foundation, concealer, mascara, eyeliner or eyeshadow

•          Lip gloss, lipstick, or tinted lip balm

•          False lashes, brow products, or any other cosmetic products

We know that children enjoy expressing themselves, but we also value preserving the simplicity of childhood for as long as possible. For this reason, we ask families to support our expectations around uniform and appearance standards while students are at primary school.  Our uniform policy, including appearance guidelines, is designed to promote equity, minimise social pressures related to appearance, and ensure that our focus remains on learning. We appreciate your support in helping students meet these expectations before arriving at school each day. (Uniform Policy - https://deansideps.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/55-Uniform-Policy.pdf )

Recruitment news

I am pleased to announce that Amandeep Kaur and Barjinder Kaur will be joining our team as Teacher Aides from the beginning of Term 3.

Kiri Collier has concluded her time with our school. On behalf of the school community, I would like to thank Kiri for her dedication and contribution and wish her all the very best for the future in education.

2027 Prep Enrolments

Prep applications of interest for 2027 are now open, and we are already experiencing strong interest from prospective families.

School tours will be conducted throughout Terms 2 and 3 for interested families. Bookings are essential and can be made via the school office on 8080 5444.

Our school values remain central to everything we do. We encourage all members of our community to continue demonstrating Respect, Responsibility, Excellence and Care in all interactions and learning experiences.

Kind regards,

Stuart Telford

Principal