From the Principal

Parkdale Celebrating 100 Years 1924-2024

Next year marks 100 years for Parkdale Primary.  Parkdale Primary School was opened on February 2nd, 1924.

We will have special events for current students and school tours for past students to help us celebrate Parkdale's 100th birthday! 

Most of the activities will occur during Term 1 and Term 2.  Some activities and events include:

• The PPA is organising a keepsake Centenary Parkdale Primary School Cookbook. Each family will be invited to submit a family recipe (one per family).  Information regarding the cookbook was sent out last week via Compass and a hard copy note was sent home with the youngest child. Please submit your recipes by Wednesday 20th December.  The cookbook instructions are attached to this newsletter. 
• We will host a Parkdale Centenary open morning for past students – Save the Date: Friday 22nd March 2024. We hope to see many past students, families, and staff at our centenary open morning.
• Dress up day, a special morning birthday celebration for current students, a commemorative 1oo year badge will also be available to purchase. 

Stay tuned for further updates on the 100th birthday celebrations at Parkdale Primary School.  

Please Note: The time capsule is not due to be opened until 2035 as part of the Victorian Bicentennial 

Transition Day – Tuesday 12th December 

The transition into a new year level involves adjusting to several changes including the physical environment, learning experiences, rules and routines and relationships with a new group of students and teachers. Whilst it can be a time of great excitement, it is not uncommon for children to also be a little nervous.

Tuesday 12th we will have a whole school transition day.  This day will allow the students to become familiar with the physical environment they will be in for in 2024 and learn about what will be involved as well as participate in a variety of activities.

The Grade 6 students attend their Secondary Colleges for 2024 on Tuesday 12th December, students go straight to their respective Secondary Colleges. 

Foundation 2023 Portfolio Presentations 

The Foundation 2023 students will share their portfolios with their parents on Wednesday 13th December.  This is a special afternoon for both parents and students to share highlights from the year. 

Grade 6 Graduation 

It is an exciting time for the Grade 6 students who are busy finalising their memory books and preparing for their graduation evening next Thursday 14th December. 

Graduation is both a time for reflection and celebration. The memory books have allowed them to look back at past and current friends, teachers and all the school activities they have experienced over their seven years at Primary School.  We wish them all the very best at secondary school next year.

Congratulations to the Grade 5 students on their leadership speeches and positions for next year. 

School structure and staffing for 2024

Staff are finalising end of year reports and making a start on transition processes for 2024.  We have finalised the Grade structure for next year:

Foundation - 5 grades

Grade 1 - 3 grades 

Grade 2 - 4 grades

Grade 3 -  4 grades

Grade 4 - 4 grades

Grade 5 - 4 grades

Grade 6 - 5 grades  

Specialist classes will remain the same – Physical Education, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Japanese and Wellbeing/Digital Technologies. 

We have finalised our staffing for 2024.

Foundation: Lucy Newman, Julia Howell, Maddy Williams, Andy Bentley, Demi Woodlock

Grade 1: Steph Strong, Jo Pyke, Mandy Went

Grade 2: Lauren Tipping, Bec Crute, Taylor Glew, Nicola Watson

Grade 3: Mel Johnson, Brianna Beglau, Ryan Hubbard, Sally Murphy

Grade 4: Michelle Pieters, Gareth Snow, Perri Davies, Darcy Brown

Grade 5: Sam Opie, Liam Grimwade, Dillon Hendricks, Tara Bickham

Grade 6: Brent Rafferty, Michelle Byrne, Casey Blacklaw, Nathan James, Audrey Ulrich

Specialists: Physical Education: Cliff Anderson, Visual Arts: Michelle Richard, Wellbeing: Jarrod Sing, Performing Arts: Leah Willis, Japanese: Michelle Mackenzie/Mami Sherwood

Intervention, Teacher Aides, extra support: Rachael Hibbins, Lisa Flynn (TLI), Trish McCarthy, Michelle Green, Faye Harris, Elise Zajac

Office Staff – Helen Teasdale (Business Manager), Jane Hulley (Administration) and Helen Bradnam (First Aid)

​Principal: Leanne Bradney, Assistant Principals: Tracy Richards and Jarrod Bainbridge

We welcome our new staff members Demi Woodlock, Nicola Watson and Elise Zajac.

We welcome back part time staff members who will be supporting specialists’ classes – Tess Arnold, Maddie Holland, Ash Muir, Tobi Cunnigham (T2), Megan Rosenbrock (T3), Sophie Durnan (T3)

Jackie Sell will be taking leave in 2024.

Bree Jamison has taken up a position at St Louis Primary School.  Bree started at PPS in 2009, Bree has been a Grade 2, 3, 4 classroom teacher and the Performing Arts teacher.  The junior students have thoroughly enjoyed music with Bree and thank her for all her work with the Christmas and school concerts. 

We have three staff members retiring at the end of the year. Nerida McKenzie, Kerrie Barker and Kath Rodwell. 

Nerida secured her first teaching position at Murrabit P S on the Murray River in 1985. In 1994 Nerida became a staff member at Parkdale PS.  Nerida has enjoyed a long career teaching at many schools and across all year levels as well as taking on many leadership roles. One of Nerida’s highlights of her career was attending excursions and school camps because they are the perfect places to get to know the kids in a different way. 

Kath started at Chelsea PS in 1997 as a teacher aide taking on a variety of roles and in 2005 started at Parkdale. The best thing about her job is that she got to help set goals for the students she worked with and celebrate their successes when they achieved them. To Kath this was the most rewarding part of being a teacher aide. 

Kerrie started as a kinder teacher at Elonera kinder in 1996.  In 1998 Kerrie started 2 mornings a week at Parkdale PS. For several years Kerrie worked between kinder and as a teacher aide at Parkdale, before returning to PPS fulltime, as this was where her heart belonged. Kerrie has loved working with the children and staff over the years and has thoroughly enjoyed her career.

Nerida, Bree, Kerrie and Kath have been a part of Parkdale Primary School for many years.  We thank all of you for your contribution to education and wish them all the very best in the next chapter of their lives and the future. 

Thank you, Parkdale Community

Parkdale PS has so many parents who assist in the school throughout the year. Thank you to all the parents who have assisted in the classrooms, on excursions, camps, garden club, uniform, special days, fundraisers, and social events. Thank you to the members of School Council for supporting the school in its efforts to provide the best environment for the children at PPS. Thank you to the PPA, for your tireless efforts in fundraising and organising school and social events.  

We will be hosting a parent thank you morning next Friday 15th December.  Information was sent out via Compass last week.

Last Day of Term 4 – Wednesday 20th December 

The final assembly will begin at 1:00pm and students will be dismissed at 1:30pm. 

We will farewell our Grade 6 students who will be dismissed from the basketball court. All other students in Foundation to Grade 5 will be dismissed from their classrooms. 

First Day of Term 1 - Tuesday 30th January

Children will go straight to their classrooms on the first day back next year.  A map will be given to your child next week with the location of their 2024 classroom. 

As this is our final newsletter for 2023, we would like to take this opportunity to wish our school community a very happy festive season, enjoy those school holidays and we look forward to seeing all the students on the first day of Term 1, well rested and excited to start the new school year.

Leanne Bradney

Principal