EHPS Contact

Principal's Report

Dear EHPS Community,

 

As we quickly approach the end of this school year it is a great time to reflect of the many outstanding things that the children have experienced this year. Through the constant hard work of the children, guided by the expertise of our staff, the school has achieved outstanding results both in the academic program, specialist subjects and in the many co-curricular programs such as sport, chess, Science Talent Search, Sayembara Lisan and Australian Mathematics Competition. Our total school program is enriched by the many incursions and excursion that enrich and engage the children in their learning. I am sure that 2025 will again be another outstanding year for the children of Essex Heights and for all our community.

Staffing Update

As I announced published earlier this week, I am taking Long Service Leave for all of Term 1 next year. The Department of Education has appointed Elisha Cotterell as Acting Principal in my absence. Mrs Cotterell is an experienced educator with a strong commitment to Essex Heights. I am confident that she will provide the leadership required to continue the success of our students and staff. I look forward to returning from leave at the start of Term 2.

  • In addition, Natalie Zaibak, one of our Assistant Principals (2 days/week), is also taking leave for all of Term 1.
  • As a result of these changes, Felicity O’Flynn will now become a full time Assistant Principal.
  • Also, Renée Dare will be an acting Assistant Principal for Term 1 while still maintaining her role as a Literacy Specialist. For Term 1, Isabella Boyd will be the classroom teacher for 6D. Ms Dare will still have close contact with the Year 6 team.
  • In addition, Kelvin Tang will be in an acting Assistant Principal role, for one day per week, for Term 1, while still maintaining his Numeracy Specialist role. Andrew Russell will share the classroom teacher role with Mr Tang.

Our school is very fortunate to have so many excellent staff members that can step up to fill these roles.

 

We are also sad to announce that Maurice Duband has decided to retire from teaching Piano at Essex Heights at the end of this year. We are grateful for his direction of our piano program for the past 17 years. In that time, he has taught over 260 students. Each of his students has received individual care and attention to the development of a masterful technique, musical interpretation, and consistently excellent exam results. 

On behalf of our whole community, I would like to thank Maurice for everything he has done in the instrumental music program and the years of devotion to our students. I hope that he has many happy memories from his teaching and I’m sure you will join me in wishing him well in all future endeavours.

 

I am pleased to inform you that Sasha Hartdobler will be returning to Essex Heights and joining along with Joyce as our Piano/Keyboard teachers in 2025.

School Values

Our school values are the cornerstone of our school culture and the expectations both in and out of the classroom. Throughout this year the leadership team has been reviewing our school values to ensure that they are clearly understood and relatable for the children. Members of the leadership team have had discussions with children, staff and School Council. 

At last night’s School Council meeting the following refinement to our school values was endorsed. From 2025 our five School Values will be:

  • Kindness
  • Respect 
  • Resilience 
  • Curiosity 
  • Inclusiveness.

I believe this refinement of our values encompasses both academic and social expectations that will continue to develop our children into outstanding young citizens.

Graduation 2024

Our Year 6 students are looking forward to their final week at Essex Heights. They are experiencing mixed emotions leading up to their special days. The Year 6 team and the Graduation Committee are fine tuning all the final details leading up to Graduation next Tuesday. The children will have a very special day, beginning with their luncheon and later the Graduation Ceremony beginning at 6pm which will be followed by their disco.

I would like to acknowledge the excellent work of the Graduation Committee and the tireless contribution of the Year 6 staff. We are all looking forward to a memorable event for our Year 6 Class of 2024.

School Assembly

In the last week of school for this term and school year, there will not be an Assembly on Monday 16 December. 

Our final assembly will be held on Friday 20 December in the Stadium. This will be an opportunity to formally farewell our Graduating Class of 2024, staff and students that are leaving EHPS, as well as announcing the new School Captains. The final Assembly will start at 12.15pm.

School Saving Bonus

The School Saving Bonus is providing one-off support of $400 for families of Victorian government school students to help with 2025 school costs. Information about the SSB has been provided to the EHPS community throughout the rollout.

The Department of Education commenced the distribution of SSB emails to parents and carers, to provide a unique code to use for the $400 credit, on Tuesday 26 November. However there has been a delay for some families receiving their bonus code email. The Department are working to resolve the issues delivering outstanding emails, and have re-sent the code to impacted email addresses. Parents and carers who had not received their code email are encouraged to re-check their email accounts, including junk or spam folders. If you have still not received your code email by early next week, as advised in the ‘SSB system guide for parents and carers’ document (link provided in your Compass News Feed and the previous issue of Contact), parents and carers should email school.saving.bonus@education.vic.gov.au for assistance.

Congratulations Isaiah & Nathanael

Congratulations to Isaiah L and Nathanael L for passing their practical and knowledge test for their grading in Judo. Both have been awarded the White-Yellow belt. Well done to you both!

Transition & Preparation for 2025

Students have participated in a variety of transition sessions over the last few weeks in preparation for the 2025 school year, including our Walk Up session on Tuesday. 

Two orientation sessions, and participation in our Walk Up on Tuesday, have been conducted with 13 new students joining EHPS in 2025. 

As our planning and preparation for the 2025 school year is finalised, it is essential that we know if children are leaving EHPS. As has been requested in recent issues of Contact, if your child is leaving EHPS and not returning in 2025, it is essential that you advise me in writing as soon as possible to the school email address (essex.heights.ps@education.vic.gov.au) with the following details: 

  • Child’s name and 2024 class 
  • Date of last day at EHPS (e.g. last day of Term 4 and 2024 school year is Friday 20 December) 
  • Name of the school your child is enrolled at 
  • Commencement date at new school (e.g. Term 1 & 2025 school year commence on 28 January) 
  • The reason for leaving EHPS  
  • New contact details, e.g. address, phone number, email

 

Please make sure we know if your child will be finishing school before the end of this term and school year – Friday 20 December – so that we can plan for any final assessments and end of year planning/activities for your child. Please also remember that it is a requirement of the Department of Education student attendance guidelines that parents/carers must request my permission to be absent during school term for:

  • Family holiday.
  • Cultural observance.
  • Bereavement (such as a death of a family member, attendance at a funeral and/or related mourning activities).
  • Leisure or social activities.
  • School refusal.
  • Other – special event or participation in elite sporting event/training.

If your child will be absent from school for any of the above reasons, including finishing school before the end of Term 4, please write an email to the EHPS email address – essex.heights.ps@education.vic.gov.au – for my attention with the details of your child’s absence that is explained by one of the above categories and requesting permission to be absent. On receipt of my reply, enter an attendance note in Compass for period of absence under the relevant category, and email the classroom teacher. 

Semester 2 reports

Your child’s Semester 2 2024 report will be published next week. A message will be published on Compass when you can access the report.

Please take the time to review your child's achievements for the year, and any recommendations for the next steps in their growth.

Families are reminded to download a copy of your child’s report in the parent portal on Compass to an external source so that you have access to your child’s report after you leave EHPS; your access to the parent portal closes when your child leaves the school. This is especially important for our Year 6 students and those students not returning to EHPS next year.

End of term and school year reminder

EHPS families are reminded that Term 4 and the 2024 school year concludes next Friday, 20 December, and students will be dismissed early at 1.30pm. The Office will close at 2.30pm.

Farewell

We farewell Ella K (PZ) and Jad K (5R) and wish them and their family well on their move interstate. I hope you will always have fond memories of your time at Essex Heights.

 

 

 

Looking forward to seeing you around the school. 

Kindest regards,

George Perini

Principal