From the Principal
Principal: Mathew Montebello
Dear families,
Welcome back! I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable holiday break. It’s hard to believe that we are already kicking off a brand new school year! We are thrilled to welcome both new and returning students, and I’m excited for the wonderful year of learning and growth that lies ahead.
We understand that the start of the school year can bring about a mix of excitement and nervousness, especially after such a long break. This is completely natural for our young learners, and we’re here to support them through it. It’s always wonderful to see how quickly students settle back into the school routine. The excitement of reconnecting with friends and meeting new teachers brings a sense of comfort and ease, and we are already seeing great moments of joy as our students jump back into their learning!
We know that all kids bounce back quickly, and we are so excited to celebrate and support our Willy Kids throughout 2026. Whether it’s academic achievements, new friendships, or personal growth, we look forward to every opportunity to cheer them on.
An Icon of Our School: Remembering Joanne (Jojo) Wilson
Some teachers leave a mark on the classroom. A rare few leave a mark on an entire school. Joanne “Jojo” Wilson was one of those rare few — truly one of the most iconic teachers in our school’s history. For decades, Jojo was a constant presence, a creative force, and a beating heart of our community. Generations of students passed through her care, many remembering not just what she taught, but how she made them feel: seen, valued, and inspired.
Jojo’s passion for teaching, particularly through the arts, was unmistakable. Her classroom was a place of colour, imagination and high expectations, where every child’s work mattered. This belief extended beyond her classroom walls — from the carefully curated artwork displayed proudly around the school, to the countless hours she spent ensuring every piece was framed, celebrated and honoured. Jojo understood that when children see their work valued, they begin to value themselves.
More than anything, Jojo embodied what it meant to be a teacher. She gave endlessly of her time, her creativity and her care. She supported colleagues quietly, championed students fiercely, and helped shape the culture and spirit of our school in ways that will be felt for generations. While Jojo is no longer with us, her legacy lives on — in the students she inspired, the spaces she transformed, and the community she helped build. We are profoundly grateful for her contribution, and we should all aspire to carry a little of Jojo’s passion, generosity and heart with us every day.
The school is currently working closely with Jojo’s family to ensure her memory lives on through a permanent reminder at the school. We will share further details with the community once this has been finalised.
Jo’s family would also like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the entire school community for the outpouring of support. The extraordinary attendance at her celebration of life was a true testament to the person Jojo was and the profound impact she had on so many lives.
Our 2026 Preps
A reminder that our 2026 preps will commence their Willy Kids journey on Monday 2nd Feb. All prep families are invited into our Bristol building for our annual cheers and tears. The Bristol building is located on the eastern side of the prep playground.
Important Items and Events:
Timetable
Please find attached this years Term 1 Specialist Timetable
Thursday 5th February - House Swimming Sports - Williamstown Life Saving Club
(Selected Grade 3/4 students and all 5/6 Students)
Next Thursday 5th Feb our grade 5/6 students and selected grade 3/ 4 students will head down to the Williamstown Life Saving Club for the school’s annual House Swimming Sports.
This event which is a long-standing tradition at the school sees students compete in their houses, Reid, Gem, Nelson and Ferguson. The event also doubles as the district swim team trials with the selected team heading down to Werribee to compete at the district swimming carnival.
Friday 6th Feb - First Assembly for the year.
Next Friday 6th Feb at 2:45 we will be holding our first assembly for 2026.
The assembly will be held outside under the shade sail, hosted by our 2026 senior JSC, and we encourage all members of our school community to attend.
Wednesday 11th February - Meet the teacher - (Students dismissed 12:30pm)
Compass bookings for these meetings will be open next week Monday 2nd Feb at 4pm. These meetings are an opportunity for parents/families to meet their child’s teacher and to pass on any information that they feel is important.
Please Note: Outside of feedback on how students have settled in, class teachers would have only had the students for two weeks so will have limited ability feedback academic achievement information.
Tuesday 17th February - School Photos
Tuesday 17th Feb we will be undertaking school photos. We are asking families to ensure that all students are wearing official school uniforms, which includes the official school uniform colours.
- No Grade 6 t-shirts or jumpers
- No sports t-shirts
- No alternative colour leggings/pants (Required school royal blue)
As photo day approaches, we just need to make families aware of important information regarding the use of photos taken.
All students presented to our photographers on photo day will be photographed, their images will appear in school photography packages which will be available to purchase by school families.
If you have any questions regarding the use of photos and images within photo packages, please contact the office prior to photo day.
2026 Volunteer Registration Information
Early next week, parent volunteer information will be distributed. Outlined in the information will be what are the requirements around being a parent volunteer. In accordance with Departments volunteer and OHS policies this is an annual requirement, which has to be completed each year.
Important Notes
A range of annual permission items will be communicated via Compass
- ICT User Agreement
- Local Excursion Note
Compass permissions have replaced the paper notes that were formerly used to increase collection efficiency and collection management.
School Council
The 2025 school council will meet for the final time on Tuesday 18th February.
Leading up to this meeting information will be distributed regarding vacant positions for the 2026 council. Information for parents interested in nominating for school council will be part of correspondence, which will be communicated in week 3 this term.
Mobile Phone Policy
Just a reminder to families of the Department and School’s mobile phone policy. This policy also covers smart watches, even when placed in school mode. Phones and watches are required to be handed to the teacher at the start of the day. These devices will then be safely secured away and handed back to students at the end of the school day.
Annual privacy reminder for our school community
Our school collects and uses student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy and the Schools’ Privacy Collection Notice.
Our Photographing, Filming and Recording Students Policy describes how we collect and use photographs, video and recordings of students.
The policy also explains when parent consent is required and how it can be provided and withdrawn.
We ask parents to also review the guidance we provide on how we use Google Workspace for Education safely at the school and what parents can do to further protect their child’s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns regarding your child using Google Workspace for Education, please contact the school. For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy —
https://www.vic.gov.au/schools-privacy-policy?Redirect=1
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/privacy-information-sharing/policy
This information is also available in ten community languages:
* Amharic, Arabic, Dari, Gujarati ,Mandarin, Somali, Sudanese, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese
Warm regards,
Mat Montebello