Parents are reminded that the Staff Car parks at the front and rear of the school are not for parent parking. Parents with a valid disabled pass may use the designated space at the front of the school.

Principal Report

Wednesday 19th & Thursday 27th February

‘Meet and Greet’ Interviews

Parents of students from Year 1 - 6

3.40 – 5.40pm

Thursday 27th February

Foundation Information & Welcome BBQ

3.30p.m.

Student Leadership badge presentations - today

Our Student Leadership Badge Presentation were held today at a special whole school assembly. Ms Eden Foster (MP – Member for Mulgrave) was present to present the badges to our student leaders and talk to all students about leadership. Mr Chris O’Shea (School Council Vice-President) also addressed the assembly and took part in the presentation. We thank both Ms Foster and Mr O’Shea for their time to attend this very special assembly for our students and their families.

“Quality Beginnings Celebration Morning” TOMORROW Friday 14th February from 9am – 11.00am.

At ARPS we have a ‘whole school’ games morning to celebrate the positive start of the 2025 school year! On Friday 14th February, students will we will be running our ‘celebration day’ with the support of our House Captains and Vice-Captains. Parents are welcome to come and join us at school on the day (and young siblings). The celebration day allows opportunities for students to showcase their skills and values, through teamwork, leadership, games and activities.

REMINDER: Parent Teacher ‘Meet and Greet’ sessions

Bookings can now be made on Compass for Meet and Greet sessions with teachers later this month. Session times are:

Wednesday 19th Feb

3:40-5:40 (Year 1-6, excluding 5/6C with 5/6C first day of interviews on Monday 18th Feb due to extenuating circumstances)

Thursday 27th Feb

Year 1/2- 3:40-4:40

Year 3-6- 2:40-4:40

Link to Book: https://albanyrise-ps-vic.compass.education/

Foundation parents have the opportunity to attend a Welcome BBQ and information session from 3.30pm on Thursday 27th Feb

We do hope all families take the time to meet with teachers, share information about their children, and collaborate with our staff for the best possible outcomes for our students.

School Council – election update

At the close of nominations on Tuesday 11th February @ 4pm, two staff nominations and six parent nominations were received for School Council.

As we had two staff positions and four parent positions on School Council to fill, I wish to congratulate the following School Council members in the staff member category for 2024-2025:

Collette Wilkinson (School Employee)

Narelle Seremetis (School Employee)

As the number of parent nominations was greater than the number of positions, we will be proceeding to an election in the parent member category. The timeline is indicated below:

Election information and ballot papers will be sent home by Tuesday 18th February 2025 and must be returned to the ballot box by Tuesday 25th February 2025 by 4pm.

How to vote

Electronic or digital ballot papers cannot be used.
Parents/Carers will receive ballot papers together with two envelopes to each voter
Each voter must complete a ballot paper by placing a mark next to the name of each candidate standing for election for whom the voter wishes to vote, up to the number of vacant positions (no more then 4). To cast a vote, the voter must:

Deliver, or arrange delivery of, the completed ballot paper to the school between the hours of 8.00am and 4.00pm on any school day up to and including the day fixed for the closure of the ballot, and place the completed ballot paper in a blank envelope, and

place the blank envelope in another envelope with the voter’s name and address written on it and deliver the envelope to the person authorised to receive and register the votes at the office, or
place the completed ballot paper in a blank envelope in the ballot box provided at the office and admin staff will record the voter’s name and address in the register of voters;

OR

Post the vote by:

placing the completed ballot paper in a blank envelope; and
placing the blank envelope in a second envelope with the voter’s name and address printed on the back of this envelope; and
posting the envelope to the principal so as to reach the principal by 4.00pm on the day of the closure of the ballot. Anybody who wishes to use a postal vote should ensure that their vote is posted in time to reach the school by 4.00pm on the closing date of the ballot.

Note: no campaign literature in support of candidates or groups of candidates may be distributed or posted in the school. No school resources, whether human or material, may be used to support particular candidates or groups of candidates.

Information will be provided in the documentation sent home next week. Please contact the office if you have any questions on 9547 1146.

Professional Learning- Staff CPR and First Aid

All of our teaching and Education Support staff completed online and onsite professional learning on Wednesday afterschool to ensure every staff member has a solid knowledge of CPR and first aid actions in the event of an emergency. The trainers were very thorough, ensuring topics from anaphylaxis, asthma and blood noses, to broken limbs and head injuries was covered in the course. I am very grateful for the dedication of our staff who were very conscientious in completing all aspects of the training (including some staff currently on leave who came for a visit to the training also).

REPEAT REMINDER: NAPLAN commences Wednesday 12th March – Year 3 & 5

NAPLAN is a national literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year. It is the only national assessment all Australian students have the opportunity to undertake. As students progress through their school years, it’s important to check how well they are learning the essential skills of reading, writing and numeracy.

NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through the school curriculum and allows parents/carers to see how their child is progressing against national standards and over time.

Our 2025 NAPLAN assessments for students in Year 3 and 5 are scheduled for Term 1 this year. All of the assessments this year are occurring online, except for Year 3 Writing which was a handwritten assessment.

For students who may be absent on the day of the assessment, we are arranging ‘catch up’ tests during the testing period, so students should be able to take part in all assessments, despite short term absences or illness.

This is the schedule for NAPLAN at ARPS.

Wednesday	12th March	Year 3 & 5 NAPLAN – Writing.
Thursday	13th March	Year 3 & 5 NAPLAN – Reading.
Friday	14th March	Year 3 & 5 NAPLAN –Conventions of Language
Monday	17th March	Year 3 & 5 NAPLAN – Numeracy
Tuesday- Friday	18th -21st March	Year 3 and 5 Catch Up assessments

Parents or Carers who would like more information about NAPLAN can follow this link:

https://nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf

Shade Sail (Facilities) update:

Today new posts were installed in preparation for upgrades and repairs to our junior playground shade sails. The new sails will replace the current ‘stretched’ sails which were damaged in storms last year. We are very grateful to the work of Mrs Lyndelle Everitt (our Business Manager) who pursued the prolonged process to have the total costs of the sails covered by insurance and funding outside our school budget.

I am sure the new shade sails will look great, add sun protection and will last for years to come.

The project is planned to be completed before the end of Term 1.

Judy Drew

Principal

Student of the Week