A Message from Vassie 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land, the Wurundjeri, Woi Wurrung and Boonwurrung/Boonurung Peoples of the Kulin Nation and pay our respect to their Elders, past, present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within our school community. 

Welcome to Week 10 of Term 4. It is hard to believe that we've reached the final fortnightly newsletter of the 2024 school year!

THANK YOU

Congratulations to all Wembley PS community members on a wonderful year of learning. We wish you a relaxing, safe and enjoyable summer break and we look forward to welcoming you for the 2025 school year. Merry Christmas to all in the Wembley PS community and thank you again. 

This is our final newsletter for the 2024 school year and it is a special one. You may wish to settle in with a cuppa whilst reading through the information and acknowledgements. 

End of School Year - Friday 20 December - Assembly 12:45 and Dismissal 1:30pm 

The 2024 school year concludes on Friday 20 December at 1.30pm. 

Our farewell assembly will commence at 12:50-1:30pm.

We will farewell our year 6 students in their final Wembley Primary School assembly and they will also perform their graduation dance as a group, for the very last time.

Semester Two Reports

Students semester two reports will be shared on the Sentral portal on Wednesday 18 December. We hope that parents enjoy celebrating the learning growth and achievement of their children throughout the 2024 school year. 

Assembly - Friday 13 December - 9:00am-9:30am

Our 2024 year 6 leaders will be presented with certificates honouring their leadership, commitment and impact on Friday 13 December. SLAA's and Values awards will also be presented at this time. 

Parent Helper Afternoon Tea - Wednesday 18 December 2:00-3:00pm - Staffroom

We will hosting a parent helper afternoon tea to thank ALL parents that have assisted this year in many and varied ways on Wednesday 18 December from 2:00-3:00pm in the staffroom. A RSVP is not necessary! We look forward to celebrating our invaluable parent community for your contribution to Wembley Primary School. 

Start Date for 2025

Our staff will return to school on Tuesday 28 January as they focus on classroom preparation and collaborative curriculum planning for two days. 

• Our students in Years 1 to 6 will commence school on Thursday 30 January, 2025. 

• Preps will commence school on Monday 3 February 2025. 

2025 School Dates

Please lock the following dates for next year into your diary for next year.

Term 1: 28 January to 4 April

Term 2: 22 April to 4 July

Term 3: 21 July to 19 September 

Term 4: 6 October to 19 December

2025 Pupil Free Days - Curriculum Days

See below for the 2025 Pupil Free Days approved by the School Council, to inform your 2025 planning.

• Term 1: Tuesday 28 January

• Term 1: Wednesday 29 January

• Term 1: Wednesday 26 February

• Term 3: Friday 8 August

• Term 4: Monday 3 November 

THANK YOU

As we approach the finish line of the 2024 school year, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for what has been an extraordinary year. We are incredibly proud of ALL community members and our collective tremendous efforts in supporting one another throughout the year:

To our students, the word proud doesn’t seem to cut it! We applaud you and thank you for your focus, efforts and responsibility in your learning. We have no doubt that you have learnt life lessons that will continue to serve you and inspire your identity and education for years to come. Everything we have done, big and small, is for you, the centrepiece of our school-our students! Reach for the stars!

To our parents, thank you for your partnership this year once again. We are in this together and your assistance and support is priceless. We cannot underestimate the impact you have on our students, your child/ren, and our school, as a whole. Your contribution to our school in your support, time and heart, is invaluable and assists in strengthening our wonderful Wembley culture. 

To our School Councillors we thank you in abundance for your support in school governance across Education and Policy, Finance, and Buildings and Grounds. All students, staff members and parent benefit enormously from your leadership and contribution.  The Capital Works Building Project has been a significant buildings and grounds improvement and I thank the School Councillors for their ongoing support. 

We thank the WPA volunteers for their support and contribution across the 2024 school year in bringing people together, inspiring a sense of fun amongst our students and also in strengthening our community spirit. We thank Linh Krygger for leading the WPA as President this year. 

To our ES staff in the classroom, your focus on supporting our students has been inspiring. The learning and wellbeing support that you provide is truly appreciated by students, parents and teachers. Your tireless dedication in ensuring that all students feel comfortable and confident in the classroom and yard, is inspiring. You are very appreciated. 

To our ES staff in the office, your dedication to the little and big people of Wembley is much appreciated. The way you offer support, encouragement and compassion in answering the phones, greeting families at the gates and doors, caring for children, staff and parents, processing payments, providing devices, supporting ICT infrastructure, and basically in ensuring that the engine room of Wembley PS runs smoothly is an invaluable asset to the Wembley PS community. 

To our teachers, how do we begin to thank you for your awe-inspiring efforts, engaging lessons, and in nurturing the special relationships that you have built which has taken our students from strength to strength. You inspired compassion, empathy and understanding and you have supported our students to thrive as learners and as people. You are the true heroes of education and your impact on our students will endure forevermore. 

To the leaders - thank you for your courageous leadership in focusing on the wellbeing and learning of all Wembley Primary School community members. For every decision, meeting, phone call, email, presentation, letter, card, lesson, timetable, newsletter, smile… we thank you. 

We understand that the strong culture that exists at Wembley Primary School does not occur by accident, instead by a collective sense of moral purpose and collective efficacy. Our Wembley PS team has certainly demonstrated the power of the Wembley values and have worked tirelessly to give students opportunities and choices in learning, and in life. We well and truly live our mission of empowering all students to learn at high levels, to become successful, independent, lifelong learners. 

We are proud of our community members and look forward to welcoming you back in 2025 for a great year of learning. 

Wishing all Wembley families a safe and restful break as you gather around the Christmas tree reflecting on your blessings. 

Acting Principal Term 1 & 2 - Katie McClue

As families would be aware, I have decided that I will be taking long service leave for terms one and two of the 2025 school year. I have shared this information in the newsletter and sent a sentral notification to share the outcome of the Acting Principal process. 

By way of background, my family and I were planning to travel overseas for an extended holiday during term three and into term four of this year, however given the ongoing building project delays and Wembley PS work commitments, my family decided to put this trip on hold, and now plan to travel in early 2025.

As many will understand, these decisions are never made lightly, and I hope that our community members will respect and understand the importance of prioritising family, as well as professional commitments.

When there is a Principal vacancy of two weeks or less, the current principal can appoint an internal staff member, however for anything longer than two weeks the process must be facilitated by Department of Education leaders.

As such, an Acting Principal role was advertised across the South West Victorian Region. Department of Education SEILs (Senior Education Improvement Leaders) formed a panel to fill the Acting Principal vacancy and I have today been informed of the outcome.

I am pleased to share that Katie McClue (Senior Assistant Principal) has been appointed as the Acting Principal of Wembley Primary school for terms one and two, 2025.

Katie has served the Wembley Primary School community for over a decade, and has worked as a teacher, facilitator (team leader), Learning Specialist and now Assistant Principal. Katie is a remarkable and well-respected instructional leader at Wembley PS, and across the region. Katie has contributed significantly to the school improvement journey at Wembley PS, leading and implementing many learning and wellbeing initiatives, and she is well placed to step into the Acting Principal role, and to continue to support our Wembley Primary School community. Katie is also a parent herself to her gorgeous son Banjo, and this brings a special vantage point, and appreciation as an educator.

I'm sure you'll join me in congratulating Katie on this meritorious appointment!

A great outcome for Katie, and a great outcome for Wembley Primary School.

I ask that you inform your child/ren that I will be going on a holiday with Paul, Elle and Rose, for the first half of next year, and that Katie will be the Acting Principal during this time.

I will miss Wembley Primary School during my leave, however I am comforted by the fact that I leave our wonderful school in Katie's capable hands, together with the support of our wider leadership, teaching and education support staff team.

Year 6 Farewell

We will be proudly celebrating our year 6 students end to their primary schooling at their graduation at the Yarraville Club on Tuesday 17 December. We congratulate the students families and their teachers for their support and guidance of these students. 

It has been fantastic celebrating the year sixes with teachers versus student games, memoirs, year 6 films, and graduation rehearsals. 

Please see my Principal's message to the class of 2024, at the conclusion of my newsletter. 

2025 School Workforce Plan and Class Formation Update 

Our 2024 workforce plan is now complete. See below for the class composition with 28 classes: 

• 5 x Prep classes
• 4 x Year 1 classes
• 4 x Year 2 classes
• 3 x Year 3 classes
• 1 x Year 3/4 class
• 3 x Year 4 classes
• 3 x Year 5 classes
• 1 x Year 5/6 class
• 3 x Year 6 classes

We would like to note that we have chosen to two composite classes at Wembley Primary School in 2025. Our consultative committee and School Council was consulted regarding our class structure. They are often necessitated based on student numbers in cohorts and have been used as a mechanism to keep class sizes lower. Every class regardless of being a straight or composite class, has focused learning at students point of need. Each teacher ensures that learning is differentiated. Learning is focused on a continuum and in, for example, a year 3 class, there may be students operating at a year 2, 3, 4 5 or 6 level and teachers differentiate the learning accordingly to student learning goals. 

All classes, composite and straight are built with the same guidelines balancing gender, learning needs, social/emotional needs, parent requests, and friendship requests. 

In our composite classes, we have Tom Szanyi teaching the 3/4 and Kelly Laidlaw teaching the 5/6. Both are experienced teachers who have also lead teams, and will collaborate with both year levels to ensure an advantage for students. 

We know that 2025 will be a successful year for all students. 

Step Up Days and Transition for 2025 Classes

On Tuesday 10 December we held our first Step Up day for students in Year Prep-5. They spent time with their 2025 class and teacher in preparation for 2025. New students and teachers were in attendance!

Farewell to students and families moving on from Wembley PS

We would like to bid some families a fond farewell who are moving on from Wembley PS. As we’ve said in conversation, whilst you may be moving on in purchasing homes elsewhere or deciding upon a sea/tree change, you haven't lost anything but rather are taking with you lifelong friendships and learning growth, that will stay with you in the treasure trove of life for many years to come. 

Update on Staffing for 2025

As we approach the end of the school year, we are farewelling some staff members, and welcoming others to the Wembley family. It is always bittersweet to see staff move on or take leave, and we wish our staff all the best in their future endeavours and thank them for their contribution to Wembley Primary School. We will be holding our own staff special farewell event next week to thank these staff members for their contribution and impact on Wembley PS. 

2025 Staffing List

We are proud to share our 2025 staffing list with you. 

We are enthusiastically planning for 2025, and have finalised our 2025 staffing list. 

We thank the parents that shared requests with us. Whilst we have read and taken all preferences into consideration when we built classes, we remind parents that not all requests can be met. We thank you for your understanding and remind you that as classes have now been developed, we wont be taking any further requests. 

FAREWELL MANDY - ENJOY RETIREMENT

Mandy Pilkington, our beloved business manager has made the difficult decision to retire after 27 years at Wembley Primary School! On behalf of the school community, we thank Mandy for her significant contribution to Wembley Primary School as ES staff member in the classroom, receptionist, office manager and most recently business manager for the last decade. It is quite impossible to capture the impact that Mandy has had on Wembley Primary School, given the strong ongoing financial management of the school, supporting staff HR, policy, workforce planning, budgets, finance subcommittee, secretary of School Council, leading the office team, and being a great support to our staff and leadership team, not in the least to myself both personally and professionally. 

Mandy we thank you for your heart, professionalism, impact and legacy that will endure. We wish you all the very best as you enjoy time with your family and friends, travelling, running and continuing to enjoy life. We will be holding a staff morning tea to farewell Mandy, and will thank her at the final School Council meeting, on behalf of the school community. If parents or students would like to thank Mandy, or share a card or gesture, please feel free to hand it to the office. 

We would like to congratulate our current staff members who have sought positions and promotions in other schools, and/or are taking leave for 2025. We have shared the news about each staff member in our weekly Monday morning briefings and all of whom we will acknowledge in our final PLC meeting where we will bid them a fond farewell…It’s so long, farewell, but not goodbye!

• Avery Francis-Avery will be taking leave without pay to move back to Canada for the 2025 year. 
• Georgia Phillips-Georgia will return to the first few weeks of Term One, 2025, and will then take maternity leave to welcome her baby girl. Georgia will return to Wembley PS in Term Four, and will share the DI LT role with Zarah for Term Four. Georgia will then continue in the substantive DI LT role from 2026. 
• Joshua Bramham-who was successful in picking up a teaching position at St Albans Secondary College. 
• Kim Cleghorn-who will be taking leave in Term One, and will return in Term Two.
• Laura Gardiner-will be taking maternity leave to welcome her second child. Laura will return for a few weeks in term one. 
• Naomi Sapurmas-who has picked up a position at Western Autistic School in Laverton which is closer to home, and an opportunity to learn in a specialist school setting. 
• Nathan Welsh-who will be taking leave without pay, as he has been successful in his application as Executive Assistant to the Director of Conduct and Integrity Branch at the Department of Education.
• Vanessa Hancock-who will be taking leave without pay to study in 2025. 
• Vassie Vatsilas-D'Arcangelo-I will be taking long service leave for Terms One and Two, and Katie McClue (Assistant Principal) has been appointed as Acting Principal. 

Welcome back to:

• Brad Morin-who is returning to us from North Melbourne Primary School. 
• Gina Tan-who is returning from maternity and family leave.  

Congratulations to:

• Zarah Moloney in being appointed to the Acting Disability Inclusion Leading Teacher 0.6 for the 2025 school year. Zarah will be taking Intervention 0.4. Zarah will be shadowing Georgia Phillips in DI for the remainder of the year, and supporting the executive leadership team for the remainder of the year, as Phoebe Moore is Acting AP at Burnside PS. As such, RTI will conclude for the year as of this week. 
• Simon Zammit in being appointed to the Mental Health and Wellbeing role 0.6 for the 2025 school year. Simon will be in a classroom 0.4.We would like to welcome the staff members new to the Wembley PS family, whom we will introduce when they attend the handover PLC meeting later this term. You will see their names in the workforce plan. Welcome to you!  

Welcome and congratulations to:

• Dale Heterick- comes to us from Kew Primary School, and lives locally. 
• Jacqui Anderson- comes to us from a teaching role in New Zealand and is moving into a property locally. 
• Jordan Nelson- comes to us from Manor Lakes College, and lives locally.
• Kate Townsend- comes to us from Epping Views Primary School, and is working part time since returning from family leave. Katie is an occupational Therapist as well as teacher. 

F=facilitator 

2025 School Map

See below for the school map to identify where your child/rens new classroom is situated.

2025 STUDENT NUMBERS

It's that time of year when the leadership team are working through 2025 planning, class structures and recruitment processes. We would appreciate parents notifying the school if your child/ren will not be returning to Wembley Primary School in 2025, as soon as possible.

Please contact the school office on 9314 7054, or alternatively on wembley.ps@education.vic.gov.au to inform us if your child/ren will not be returning to Wembley PS.

WPA Events

Please note the SPECIAL WPA end of year events - sausage sizzle, zooper dooper day, Christmas raffle and Christmas gift guide. Thank you to Linh and the WPA for organising therse events!

WHOOPING COUGH

We write it inform you that we have had seven cases of whooping cough reported. The children have not attended school, and will return to school following the incubation period and/or once they are feeling well. We wish these students all the best in their recovery. 

Please see the below information from the Department of Education, and the Department of Health:

Whooping cough is a serious and very contagious respiratory infection. It should be diagnosed by a doctor and treated immediately to lessen the risk of a serious illness and stop the spread to others.

The health and safety of our school community is paramount, and we aim to protect all of us at [Primary School] and ensure that students can return to school as soon as they are well. Please monitor your child for symptoms of whooping cough.

Symptoms of whooping cough include a blocked or runny nose, tiredness, mild fever and severe bouts of coughing, which are often followed by a 'whooping' sound on breathing.

If you child becomes unwell, please see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.

Students diagnosed with whooping cough must not attend school

To reduce the spread of infection and protect others within the school community, students who are diagnosed with whooping cough must not attend our school for 21 days after their cough was first present, or until they have taken a full course of antibiotics prescribed by a doctor (usually a 5-day course). This exclusion is required by the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019 - School exclusion table for primary schools and children's services.

If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, please contact the school to let us know.

Contacts of students diagnosed with whooping cough

To further reduce the spread of infection to your child and the school community, the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019 require that some students who were in the same classroom as a student diagnosed with whooping cough should not attend school.

Your child should not attend school for 14 days after they were last exposed to a person diagnosed with whooping cough, or until they have 5 days of a course of antibiotic treatment if they are:

• aged less than 7 years; and
• not fully vaccinated with 3 doses of whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine.
• This 14-day exclusion timeframe includes weekends.
• The school will contact you directly if this applies to your family.

I understand that this will be a significant inconvenience for you and your child. I hope we can work together to protect the whole school community by following the recommended advice.

Unwell students

As is our usual procedure, we will contact parents/carers to collect their child if they become unwell at school.

If your child develops a cough or you are concerned about their health, please see a doctor. Please keep your child at home while they are unwell. We encourage all students to practice good hand hygiene, cover their cough and dispose of tissues in a bin.

More information

For more information about whooping cough, see: Whooping cough - Better Health Channel.

Vaccination is the most important preventive measure against whooping cough as it reduces the risk of infection and severe illness. It is recommended to stay up to date with immunisations, including booster doses. If you are unsure about your child's vaccination status for whooping cough, please discuss with an immunisation provider, such as your doctor.

We thank our community for working in partnership with us to prioritise the health and wellbeing of our community. 

School Saving Bonus

Parent and carer School Saving Bonus code distribution . 

The Victorian Government is delivering the School Saving Bonus – a one-off $400 support for government school students from Prep to Year 12 in 2025.

From Tuesday 26 November 2024, you will receive an email from the Department of Education with your unique $400 School Saving Bonus code.

The School Saving Bonus will help families cover the cost of uniforms, textbooks, excursions, activities and more.

If you have multiple children enrolled in Victorian government schools for 2025, you will receive one School Saving Bonus code email per child. These emails might arrive on different days. Please make sure to check your spam/junk email folder.

Parents and carers can use the School Saving Bonus code in store at school-nominated suppliers. Parents and carers can also choose to access the School Saving Bonus online system, where they can allocate part or all the $400 bonus to use at school nominated-online suppliers or for school activities.  To learn more about the School Saving Bonus, visit School Saving Bonus | vic.gov.au (www.vic.gov.au). A step-by-step user guide will be available on the webpage on 26 November.  

If you have not received your School Saving Bonus code via email by Friday 29 November, please contact the Department of Education by emailing school.saving.bonus@education.vic.gov.au 

Capital Building Works Update

The second stage of the building works are underway with the landscape design coming to fruition. Stage 1B of the landscape design including reinstatement of the athletics track, garden beds, vegetation, brick pavers, a fence, and synthetic turf for extended play spaces are happening-see below. This is due to be completed by December 20, 2024. As such, one of the classrooms on the ground floor will be used as a site office for term four, and will not be accessible or visible internally from students.

The concrete has been poured. 

The brick pavers have arrived in the next fortnight and will be installed in January. Thank you to the families that purchased a brick. 

The year 6 students chose leaves to imprint as botanical stencils into an area of concrete. As the year 6 students wont be able to enjoy the full benefit of the new building project landscape design as it due to be completed on the final day of the 2024 school year, they were invited to choose a leaf to imprint into a passage of concrete. The project will be completed on January 23, 2025!

Minister Melissa Horne visited Wembley PS and toured the building and was most impressed!

I am hoping to return for the ministerial opening prior to heading away-Date TBC in either late January or early February.

Student acknowledgements

2025 Year 6 Captains

Congratulations to our 2025 Year 6 Captains. We are immensely proud of all students who applied for these roles. 

We thank the parents and family members who attended the assembly on Friday. 

BASKETBALL CHAMPS

We also congratulate our girls basketball team who came second out of 246 teams in the state finals! AN AMAZING EFFORT AND OUTCOME. History in the making. Thank you to KK for coaching these superstars, and to the parents for attending and supporting on the day. 

Principal's message to Year 6 Students 

Dear the class of 2024,

The time has come to bid you farewell from Wembley Primary School, however please be assured that this isn’t goodbye, but farewell. You will always be honorary members of Wembley Primary School, and who knows you may return as a teacher, education support staff member or even a future Principal, one day.

You should be proud of your growth and development, as people and as learners, throughout your primary years of schooling. It’s quite a significantly, formative time. As I look back throughout your years at Wembley Primary school, I see many engaging classroom experiences, camps, excursions, sporting achievements, remote and flexible learning, friendships made, lessons learnt, leadership roles fulfilled, concerts, art shows, inclusive milestones, sustainability improvements, a brand new school building three year in the making, and great learning opportunities that have provided a strong launching pad for you, as young people.

I remember many of you walking through the school gates for the very first time; some of you on the hips of your parents, as you attended school as toddlers, as your older siblings began their primary schooling journey; others as older siblings, as you supported your sisters and/or brothers on their first day of prep. It has also been wonderful seeing students join us along the way, and form part of the cohort, making friendships, with many of whom sure to last a lifetime.

Please remember that as life presents it challenges, that your mind and heart is a superpower.

Be kind, be brave, be curious, be courageous, be vulnerable, be resilient, be YOU.

My advice to you it to take a moment to take it all in…the nostalgia as you walk into the school gates for the last time as a student at Wembley Primary School, the classroom vibe as you chit chat to your friends, the special sentiments written on your Wembley PS polo shirts and yearbooks, the wise words shared by your teachers as they share their pride and well wishes with you, the gleaming eyes of your parents as they cuddle you on your final day of year six, and on that first morning of year seven.

Take the extra time to cuddle your family members that little bit tighter, as both yourselves and your parents will need it.

Whilst your parents will be brave, they will be carrying you in their hearts, whilst letting you fly as you move into another level on independence. While parents may not be beside you every step of the way, they will most definitely be behind you to catch you if you fall. No doubt there will be falls along the way. Use these experiences to grow, develop and flourish and never be too embarrassed to ask for help. Remember that our Wembley PS values of respect, inclusion, empathy and resilience will continue to serve you well, as you embark on the next stage of your life and learn lessons along the way.

By leaving primary school you haven't lost anything, and nothing has come to an end, just a natural progression on the journey of life. All your friendships and memories are yours, and yours to cherish. You'll just keep adding to your collection over your years at secondary school and beyond.

Congratulations and all the very best for a wonderful journey through life.

One thing is for sure, you are destined for greatness, and you will always have the Wembley PS village to support you.

I ask and invite you to visit us regularly! The door and Wembley PS will always be open to you.

Go proudly and go well.

Vassie Vatsilas-D’Arcangelo