Welcome to the start of another exciting school year! I hope you all had a wonderful summer break and are ready for a fantastic year of learning, growth, and community at Aberfeldie Primary School. For those new to the school, my name is Erin McNamara and I am the Acting Principal at Aberfeldie. I will be out in the yard both mornings and afternoons so please come and say hello.

Centenary Celebrations:

This year is particularly special as we celebrate our 100th Anniversary—a milestone that reflects a century of excellence in public education. We have some fantastic events planned throughout the year to mark this occasion so please see our Centenary page in this newsletter.

Welcome new students, families and staff:

A warm welcome to our new students and families who have joined us in 2025, especially our new Foundation students who are beginning their school journey. To welcome our new community members, we invite you to have a coffee with us on the first day of school - details below!

We are also pleased to welcome new staff members to our team, who bring fresh energy and expertise to our learning community- please see our 2025 staff page. Over the break, Elyse Dickeson, one of our Year 3/4 teachers accepted a position outside of the Department, facilitating Disability Inclusion. This is a fantastic opportunity for Elyse, who has decided to take a one-year leave from Aberfeldie Primary School. We thank her for her contributions and wish her all the best in her new role. Due to our strong reputation, we had no difficulty in attracting high quality educators over the break. We are pleased to welcome Cemaliye Bagdadi (Gem) and Louise Atkinson as the co-teachers of 3/4B. Both Gem (Monday to Thursday) and Louise (Friday) are highly experienced educators with a wealth of knowledge and skills.

Welcome Splash:

This year, we have partnered with Splash Paediatric Therapy and welcome Emma Lawrence (Paediatric Speech Pathologist) and Liv O'Connor (Paediatric Occupational Therapist) to our team. Emma and Liv will be at Aberfeldie on alternating Mondays, working closely with the wellbeing team and class teachers to support the wellbeing and learning of students.

School Upgrades:

Over the holidays, Synergy Painting Group, along with a number of trades, spent three weeks repairing, plastering and painting the 3/4 classrooms, hallways and meeting room. The space is now looking clean, fresh and ready for learning to flourish.

The 5/6 space will be receiving new bag storage, maximising the space in the busy hallways and two new Gaga Pits, a result of the student Messathon fundraiser, are booked in to be installed.

Learning to Learn (Week 1-2)

Over the first two weeks of school, all classrooms participate in our 'Learning to Learn' Program. ‘Learning to Learn’ is a start of year program designed to establish a positive learning environment and set the scene for the year ahead. This period is considered the ‘golden time’ for establishing routines, teaching expectations and creating norms that will become student habits over time.

By the end of learning to learn, your child will have:

Built productive peer relationships through a range of lessons and activities
Developed an initial relationship with the classroom teacher/s
Been explicitly taught the classroom routines and expectations
Been explicitly taught skills and values that benefit student wellbeing and achievement such as effort, belonging, inclusion, collaboration, emotional regulation and respect.

This newsletter is designed to inform you on everything you 'need to know' at Aberfeldie.

Wishing everyone a fantastic start to the year!

Warm regards,

Erin McNamara

Acting Principal

Walking School Bus