Leadership updates and reflections

The last few weeks have been extremely busy with the Grade 4 Phillip Island Camp, Book Week, Matilda Jnr. rehearsals and our Father's and Special People Breakfast!  What has been evident is how engaged and excited our students have been about their learning through all of these exciting experiences.  We are so appreciative of our great teachers and ES staff and the support we receive from our families who together make these opportunities for our students possible. 

Matilda Jnr - Almost Showtime!

Congratulations to our talented students and dedicated staff for the amazing work they’ve put into bringing Matilda Jnr. to life. It’s been wonderful to see the joy, enthusiasm and teamwork that have gone into every part of the production - from rehearsals to set design and everything in between.

With both performance nights nearly sold out, there's a real buzz around the school, and it's shaping up to be a memorable experience for everyone involved.

A big thank you to everyone who has supported the production. We can’t wait for you to see it - we hope you enjoy the show! We know you're going to be amazed!

Fathers and Special Friends Breakfast

Thank you to our dads and special friends who came along to share special time with their child/children at the Fathers and Special Friends Breakfast.  It was lovely to see the happy faces of everyone as they made paper planes, played outdoor games, had a photo taken at the photo booth, shared breakfast, made a framed picture and spent time together in the classroom.  Wishing all of our dads and special friends a happy and fun-filled day next Sunday! We hope you love the present made with love in the artroom. 

School Review

We’ve now completed the first two days of our School Review, with the review panel actively engaged in observing classroom learning, speaking with students, staff, and parents, and reflecting on our progress over the past four years. It’s been a valuable opportunity to celebrate our achievements and consider how we’ve tracked against the goals set out in our School Strategic Plan.

Tomorrow marks the final day of the review, where the panel and school leadership team will work together to shape the next chapter - identifying the key Goals, Targets, and Improvement Strategies that will guide us over the next four years.

A special thank you to all the parents who contributed by completing the Parent Survey or attending the forums - your input is an important part of the process.

Once complete, the final review report, prepared by our reviewer Lorraine Kennedy, will be shared with staff, School Council, and the broader school community.

Department Of Education Parent/Carer/Guardian Opinion Survey

Each year parents in all Government Schools are invited to complete the Department of Education survey.  We have distributed a personalised link to all families in our school and would love to receive your feedback. The survey is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, and student engagement.

Your opinions are important to us and will contribute to identifying strengths and areas for improvement. The department will also use the results from the survey for research purposes and to improve outcomes for students across the State.

The survey is conducted online and only takes 20 minutes to complete. It can be completed on any internet enabled device (desktop computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone) and is compatible with most browsers. The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey will be open online until Friday 19 September 2025. Thank you in advance for your support with the survey.

Have a great week

Julie

An update from Adele

Disability and Inclusion

The Department's Disability Inclusion initiative creates environments where all students, particularly those with disabilities, can participate fully in learning and school activities. Key strategies often include training for teachers and staff, providing specialised support and resources, and developing policies and systems to meet diverse student needs. The information below explains:

-the initiative and what it means for our school and your child

-funding available for our school and how we plan to use it

-the Disability Inclusion Profile and what happens in the meeting, who is involved and what you need to know

Online Safety

 eSafety – Office of the eSafety Commissioner 

The eSafety Commissioner publishes great online safety support information for parents. This week, we'll share information they have published about regarding: 

Screen Time for your child - 7 tips

There is a lot of conflicting advice and emerging research around screen time. But, the

right amount of screen time can depend on a range of factors like your child’s age and

maturity, the kind of content they are consuming, their learning needs and your family

routine. It can be easy to focus only on the clock and how long your child is spending in

front of the screen, but the quality and nature of what they are doing online, and your

involvement are just as important.

Term 3 eSafety Commissioner online workshops

The eSafety Commissioner provides free webinars provide parents and carers with the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe, positive online experiences. Term 3 webinars are listed below:

Upcoming workshops include;

11th September 2025 at 1.00pm: Understanding AI Companions: What parents and carers need to know

AI chatbots and companions that act like friends or partners are becoming more common – but they can be risky to children and young people. This 45-minute webinar explores what AI companions are, the risks to look out for and how to talk to your child about them. It’s suitable for parents and carers of upper primary and high school students. Learn more about this webinar.

2nd September 2025 at 12.30pm: Understanding and using parental controls to help protect your child online

Parental controls can be a useful addition to the strategies you use to help protect your child online. This 45-minute webinar covers the types of controls available, and how to use them alongside other online safety measures. It’s suitable for parents and carers of primary and high school students. Learn more about this webinar. 

Sign up for the eSafety Newsletter to receive the latest online safety news, resources, and advice.