Principal's Message

Dear Parents/Carers,

WELCOME BACK

Welcome back! We hope you all had a restful and enjoyable two-week holiday. It’s wonderful to see our school community come together again, refreshed and ready for an exciting term ahead.

It has been wonderful to see the students return to school this week. The students enjoy catching up with their friends and teachers.

A Busy and Exciting Term Ahead!

This term is shaping up to be one of the busiest – and most exciting – of the year!

We have a wonderful variety of activities and events planned, including:

• Swimming programs for all classes – a fantastic opportunity to build water safety skills and confidence in the pool.
• Year 4 Camp – a highlight for our Year 4 students as they experience adventure, independence, and team-building in a supportive environment.
• The always-popular Colour Run, filled with fun, energy, and plenty of colour – a day not to be missed!
• And to finish the term on a festive note, we’re all looking forward to our Christmas Extravaganza, a joyful celebration of the year with music, performances, and plenty of cheer.

With so much happening, please keep an eye on upcoming communications from the school and your child’s classroom teacher to stay up to date with permission notes, dates, and any additional details.

It’s going to be a memorable term, and we’re so excited to share it with our amazing students and families! 

YOUNG PORTRAIT PRIZE - WARRNAMBOOL ART GALLERY

The Warrnambool Art Gallery is showing the Young Portrait Prize which celebrates and fosters the creativity and originality of young artists and provides young people the platform to showcase their artwork and special people in their lives. 

If you havent already done so please go to the gallery and have a look at all the wonderful pieces of artwork each of our students have created. The display is on until Sunday 19th October.

DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, and across Australia, communities are “lighting it red” to shine a light on the one in ten Australians with dyslexia. The Code Read Dyslexia Network leads this initiative each year, encouraging schools, landmarks and organisations to turn red in support of awareness, understanding and early intervention.

As a Dyslexia-Friendly School, we are proud to join this national campaign. You’ll notice our new Light It Red signs displayed on the front fence throughout October, a visible reminder of our commitment to inclusive, evidence-based literacy education.

Our endorsement by the state’s Dyslexia Support and Advocacy Group recognises the strength of our school’s programs, and to date, we are the only school in Warrnambool to be acknowledged in this space. High expectations, and science-of-learning approach to teaching reading and spelling. Through programs such as UFLI phonics and spelling, our explicit spelling programs, structured literacy sequences, and knowledge-rich curriculum units, every student receives the systematic, high-quality instruction they deserve.

Here at Warrnambool Primary School, we are also honoured that educators from across the region regularly visit to observe our classrooms and learn from our teachers’ practice. This professional collaboration reflects the reputation our staff have built for excellence, innovation and commitment to student success.

Together, by lighting it red, we celebrate the progress already made, and continue to advocate for every single learner to be seen, supported and empowered.

RESILIENCE, RIGHTS AND RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS PROGRAM

This term students will develop more understanding that different forms of violence are harmful, and that different forms of violence can be gendered. They learn about safe and unsafe behaviours, consent and their rights to bodily autonomy.  Students develop self-care, peer support, peer referral and help-seeking skills that they can use in response to situations involving gender-based violence within family, peer, school, community or online relationships.

Evidence states that children in the early years of school are often seen as being too young to understand or to have experienced gender discrimination or gender violence.  However, young children can and do experience gender discrimination and violence and they need the language and strategies to challenge these experiences and protect themselves.  Self-care and help seeking strategies empower children to assert their rights over their own bodies and to gain the support they need if someone is breaching their rights.  While people are often worried that knowledge of things ‘wrong’ in the world may tarnish children’s innocence, it is essential they are aware that their body belongs to them and they have the right to say no and get help.  School-based prevention programs have been found to be effective in increasing student knowledge and protective behaviours.  These programs aim to build children’s comfort level in disclosing inappropriate sexual advances or exposure to violence. 

HATS, SUNSCREEN AND WATER BOTTLES

As the warmer weather approaches, we want to ensure that all our students stay healthy, comfortable, and safe throughout the school day. With sunny days becoming more frequent, it’s important that children come prepared to enjoy their time outside while being protected from the sun.

Please remember to send your child to school with:

• A filled drink bottle: Staying hydrated is essential, especially during outdoor activities and playtime.
• A hat: Hats help shield our students from direct sunlight and reduce the risk of sunburn.
• Sunscreen: Applying sunscreen before coming to school can protect sensitive skin from harmful UV rays.

Our staff will continue to encourage safe sun practices, but your support at home in preparing your child with these essentials is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for helping us keep our school community healthy and safe this season. If you have any questions or need assistance with sun safety resources, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office.

YEAR 4 ROSES GAP CAMP

Our Year 4 Camp is fast approaching! The excitement is building as we prepare for three days of adventure and fun from Monday 20th October to Wednesday 22nd October at Roses Gap Camp. We hope everyone is looking forward to this fantastic experience!

As the camp draws nearer, we want to remind parents, carers and students to ensure you are organised and prepared for the trip. Please refer to the packing list that was sent home to help guide your preparations. It's important to have everything you need for a smooth and enjoyable camp. Please ensure everything that comes on camp is labelled.

If you've misplaced the packing list or need another one, please see your teacher as soon as possible. A further update about camp will be sent via Compass next week.

We can't wait to make some unforgettable memories together at camp! 

Govember is Coming! Let’s Get Moving!

As November approaches, we’re gearing up for Govember – our school-wide fitness challenge designed to get students and staff up and moving throughout the month!

Govember is all about promoting health, wellbeing, and fun through daily physical activity. Whether it’s walking, running, skipping, or riding – every movement counts!

Our goal is to get everyone active, build healthy habits, and show how even small bursts of exercise can make a big difference to our energy, focus, and overall wellbeing.

Classes will take part in daily fitness activities, and we’ll be tracking our progress together as a school. Families are also encouraged to get involved at home – maybe a weekend walk  or a bike ride around the park!

Let’s make Govember a fun and active month for all – stay tuned for updates and ways to get involved!

CURRICULUM CONTRIBUTIONS

A friendly reminder that voluntary curriculum contributions for 2025 are now due. While these payments are optional, any contributions made by families greatly assist the school in covering the cost of materials used in the classroom, Art, LOTE, PE and STEM programs.

If you have not yet paid the contributions and would like to, these can be made via Compass or in person at the school office.  

We sincerely appreciate the support of families who choose to contribute—it makes a real difference to the resources and learning experiences we can provide for our students.

Thank you for your ongoing support. 

Have a great weekend.

Danielle Toone

Acting Principal