Principal's Report

It is hard to believe we are halfway through the term. Learning is well underway! We have just completed our first 5 week learning cycle for the year and are excited to celebrate learning cycles at each week 5 and week 10 assembly for the rest of the year. Following each week 5 and 10 assembly we are excited to connect you with your child’s learning by welcoming you into classrooms and give your child the opportunity to ‘show off’ their workbooks and class displays and celebrate their 5-week learning cycle with you. Classrooms will be open for 15 minutes from 3.20-3.35pm. 

The teachers are feeling well connected with families following our beginning of year parent/teacher partnership meetings. Thank you to all families who have taken the time to attend. If your teacher was absent, we will notify you with an alternative date and times. These meetings are optional and an opportunity to meet teacher and provide parent perspective on your child’s learning and wellbeing and any other important information. I invite all parents to complete the feedback survey to help evaluate your perspective on having this meeting. 

https://forms.gle/vFbyrpVvnWuKKBEFA

We have completed most website updates. The tab I would like to alert you to is Assessment. Under this Tab you will find an overview of how your children are assessed with descriptions about specific assessments we engage your children in, so that we can monitor their progress and evaluate their learning.  Please take some time to explore this tab. Learning – Assessment – What is assessment? And Assessment at WEPS. I have also provided the link below. 

https://www.weps.vic.edu.au/page/84/Assessment-at-WEPS

This plan has been created in response to your feedback during the annual parent forum and parent opinion feedback data 2024 under cognitive engagement. 

We are celebrating that you see how enthusiastic and positive our teachers are. We want to reach approx. 20% of parents who are unsure or feel we don’t fulfil this domain effectively. 

I would also like to make you aware of the Learning and Wellbeing tabs as part of the fortnightly updates. Please click on these tabs to read more about what is happening across the school for regular updates. Evelyn Baulch (Learning Leder) will report on Learning and Kerry McCarthy (Engagement and Mental Health Leader) and Nicole Farrelly (Diversity and Inclusion Leader) will report on Wellbeing. I hope you have had the opportunity to explore the School TV page. 

Last week we had our final school council meeting to finalise budgets and work for 2024. I would like to thank outgoing council members and warmly welcome new and returning council members. 

Thank you, Clinton Hill and Sam Pareira, for their time on school council. We have had the privilege of having Clinton and Sam on school council for the past 4 years (at least). They have made some profoundly positive contributions to council discussion and decisions as they have represented all parents in our community with a genuine interest in our school improvement journey. I would like to sincerely thank them for all their support, insights and time. 

Thank you to all parents who took the time to vote in the recent ballot. More nominations than positions is a good problem to have. Thank you to all parents who put themselves forward for a parent representative position. We have conducted a vote count and welcome Rachael James (parent member) and welcome back Billy Gardner,  Dave Long (parent members) and Phil Dennis (parent member – DET). Our school council AGM is on 25th March to elect office bearers for 2025. 

Shaun Lucas (Warrnambool City Council) is working with our school council on developing a plan for road safety improvements around our school area. The plan is due for submission in August with the hope that works will be approved following the submissions. The council have already identified some key areas for improvement but would like school community perspective. I will send out a map with information and a feedback survey to gather your feedback in the coming week via compass. Shaun will attend school council meetings to gather information and consider WEPS school community perspectives as part of the plan. 

Reminder: students are expected to be wearing their school uniform each day. We understand when items are lost or in the wash and still drying (although the weather shouldn’t impact too much at this time of year). 

I appreciate all parents who continue to follow our road/car park/crossing expectations. I remind you that the purpose of these expectations is student and community safety. 

Let’s keep working together in all aspects of learning, wellbeing and safety.