Principal's Report
Pupil Free Day
This Friday, December 12th is a Pupil Free Day.
Children are not to attend school unless they are booked into OSHC.
End of Year
The end of the school year is fast approaching and all staff are working very hard getting everything finalised before the school year ends. The reports have been completed and will be sent home next week.
On Tuesday our Grade 6 students had transition day at their new secondary schools. It is always an exciting day for them as they have the opportunity to spend time at their new school and meet their teachers and other children. As always, the feedback from the children has been very positive. Our Grade 6 students are moving on to 15 different secondary schools in 2026. 44 of the children are going to Preston High, so for them the move won’t be as daunting as the will already know many of the Year 7 students.
Transition Day
On Tuesday the children spent the morning in their 2026 grade with their 2026 teacher. We have done this for many years, and it has proved to be very successful. It gives the teachers the opportunity to meet the children and for the children to meet their teacher and fellow classmates.
Our teachers spent an enormous amount of time compiling the 2026 grades. It’s a very complex task as many things need to be considered. We guarantee that every child is placed with one friend, and we need to ensure grades have a balanced mix of gender and ability. This year’s teachers have trialled different grade combinations throughout this term to ensure they have the mix right for all children. While the children are asked to list four friends that they would like to be with in 2026, they are not asked to put them in numerical order. Therefore they could be placed with any one of the four friends. Some children might have come home a bit upset because they are not in the same grade as their “best friend”, however it is an opportunity for them to build friendships with other children.
In 2026 our school structure will be:
5 Prep Grades 5 Grade 1s 4 Grade 2s 4 Grade 3s
4 Grade 4s 4 Grade 5s 4 Grade 6s
Staffing For 2026
2026 our teaching team will be:
Janet Paterson - Principal
Dale Adams - Assistant Principal
GRADE PREP
Christa Kosmatos, Lefi Doumtsis, Tara Murphy, Stav Velanis and Chevie Beasley
GRADE 1
Sarah Giles, Grace Battista, Hugh McKenzie, Vikki White, Maree DeLuca and Lizzy Nixon
GRADE 2
Bev Taylor, Jonathan Batsanis, Lauren Gervasi and Julia Mutis
GRADE 3
Sharee Dobson, Claudia Caputo, Renee Molinaro and Helen Marinos
GRADE 4
Jennifer Cora, Lucas Kilmartin, Alex Bennie, Jane Stepancic and Marnie Bardon
GRADE 5
Katia Aloia, Jeremy Murphy, Felicity Carden, Antonia Donis and Anita Ciccone
GRADE 6
Craig Smith, Sarina Marchant, Aislinn Farrow and Joanna Bright
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Kris Mihal and Lisa Hayes
ART
Mavra Kotsabouikis and Edwina Atkins
ITALIAN
Angela Perrone, Melinda Langley and Camilla Bell
DRAMA
Camilla Bell
PERFORMING ARTS
Samantha McCall
MUSIC
Jason Sofra
WELLBEING TEAM
Joe Greige, Samantha McCall, Jason Sofra, Edwina Atkins and Mavra Kotsabouikis
SUPPORT
Rachael Srblin
Curriculum Coordinators
Jeremy Murphy and Bev Taylor will be coordinating the Literacy and Numeracy curriculum throughout the school. Jeremy and Bev will also work with the year level teams to ensure there is a consistent approach to teaching and learning across all year levels.
Shared Grades
In 2026 we will have three shared grades that will have two teachers:
- Maree DeLuca and Lizzy Nixon will be grade sharing in Grade 1
- Jane Stepancic and Marnie Bardon will be grade sharing in Grade 4
- Antonia Donis and Anita Ciccone will be grade sharing in Grade 5
Leaving Us
We have four staff members who will not be returning in 2026:
Ursula Vanderzee is taking up a twelve-month position at Sherborne Primary school in Greensborough.
Aimee Caputo is moving to Bell Primary.
I wish them both all the very best in their endeavours and thank them for the outstanding contributions they have made at Preston Primary.
Mary Kalogianis has decided to take some time off and relax during 2026. Mary will be doing some CRT work during the year so she won’t be leaving us just yet.
- Gayle Dart has enjoyed her twelve months of leave this and has made the decision to resign her position and enter her retirement years. She has however expressed interest in doing some CRT work next year, so she won’t be fully lost to Preston.
Farewell Gayle Dart
After 24 years of dedicated service at Preston Primary I want to express, on behalf of our school community, our deepest gratitude for the remarkable impact Gayle has had on so many young lives. Her commitment, patience, and passion for teaching has shaped so many young minds and left many precious and lasting memories.
During her time at Preston Gayle has been a steady source of encouragement, wisdom, and kindness. She celebrated victories, nurtured confidence, and inspired curiosity in countless children who will carry her lessons with them for the rest of their lives.
The classroom she created wasn’t just a place to learn—it was a place to feel seen, supported, and valued. Her commitment to bring out the very best in every child was second to none.
Gayle’s colleagues, students, and families will remember her warm smile, calm guidance, and the joy and enthusiasm she brought to each school day. While we will miss her presence, we celebrate this milestone and wish her a retirement filled with relaxation, adventure, and everything that brings her happiness.
Thank you Gayle for giving so much of yourself to this school. Your legacy will continue in the many lives you’ve touched.
Assembly
Thank you to all of the parents who attended our whole school assembly on Monday morning. It was also nice to have the Prep and Grade 1 students join us at the Senior School. It was great to have the opportunity to hear our three choirs perform - they all did an outstanding job.
Thank you to our magnificent choir teachers Aimee C, Ursula V, Renee M, Stav V, Aislinn F, and Katia A.
Last week our Grade 2/3 choir went to the Preston Market to perform and they had a huge audience to watch them. The audience were very impressed with their performance.
School Council
On Monday night we had our final School Council meeting for the year. We discussed the OSHC program and agreed to make some minor changes to the Cancellation Policy.
This year we have a number of parents who have permanent bookings that they are continually cancelling. Unfortunately, this is preventing other families who could use the day from making a permanent booking. As of 2026 any family who cancel OSHC on the same day for 3 weeks will lose their permanent booking. This does not include days when a child is absent from school due to illness.
The staff at OSHC are currently doing the enrolments for 2026. ALL families need to submit a new form for 2026. If you do not submit your form you will not be guaranteed a position. Please submit your forms ASAP. First preference will be given to families where both parents are working or studying and single parents who are working or studying.
Garden
Yesterday our JSC and Environmental reps, along with Emma Biggs, planted some new pants in the front garden at the Senior School. Last term they ran a bake sale and the money raised was used to purchase the new plants. Emma spent time over the past few weeks preparing the area. The plants that they have planted are local indigenous plants.
We all look forward to watching them grow.
2026 Booklists
Recently we emailed a stationery list and recommend that parents purchase the items through WINC. Parents can however choose to purchase these items through any supplier.
If you do choose to order through WINC (or buy from your chosen supplier), once your child’s items arrive, we ask that you please store them securely and not let your child use them before the start of the 2026 school year. If you do not purchase the items through WINC please ensure that you purchase exercise books with the correct line size specified on your child’s booklist.
On the first day of the 2026 school year children will need to bring their stationery items to school with them. You can send all of the items and they will be stored in your child’s classroom.
The End of 2025 School Year
This will be our last fortnightly newsletter for the year. We will have a special edition next week to celebrate our Year 6 students.
I would like to thank all of our families for their ongoing support throughout the year. Without your support the children would not achieve all that they do.
I hope everyone who celebrates Christmas is able to share a lovely time with their family. I also wish everyone a safe and happy New Year!
Regards,
Janet Paterson,
Principal.
