Principal's Report

Dear HPS Community,

It has been another productive week of teaching and learning at HPS, with extra curricula opportunities presenting for our Foundation and Year 1 students who got to enjoy excursion days to the Melbourne Zoo and the Melbourne Museum.

Thank you to the staff and parent helpers who ensured the days ran smoothly and provided valuable learning for our children.

After two weeks without our usual Monday morning assembly, I am looking forward to seeing our whole community together on Monday from 9.10am to celebrate various certificates and showcasing learning! 

Resilience

As one of our important school values, Resilience is often talked about and demonstrated by students in an individually, personalised way relating to approaching learning with a growth mindset or persisting when things get hard or are not going well and for utilising strategies to help cope when things go wrong or knowing where to go for help and how to ask for it.

Resilience is often thought of as "bouncing back" from difficult situations, but it is much more than that. It is about learning to cope with challenges, stay positive in tough circumstances, and develop the mental strength needed to keep going, even when things don't go as planned. Resilient children are able to manage stress, stay focused on their goals, and recover from setbacks with greater ease.

In the classroom, resilience helps students tackle difficult subjects, deal with peer relationships, and navigate the ups and downs of school life. Outside of school, resilient children are better equipped to handle the pressures of adolescence and adulthood, from managing personal setbacks to facing future challenges with a sense of confidence and determination.

Research shows that resilient students tend to perform better academically, have higher self-esteem, and are less likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. They learn that failure isn't a reflection of their abilities but an opportunity to learn and grow.

As parents and caregivers, you play a critical role in fostering resilience in your child. Here are some strategies that can help:

Model Resilience: Children learn by example. When they see you navigate challenges with a positive attitude and a problem-solving mindset, they learn how to approach difficulties in their own lives. Show them how you deal with setbacks and teach them that mistakes are part of the learning process.

Encourage Problem-Solving: Instead of immediately offering solutions when your child faces a problem, encourage them to think through possible solutions themselves. Ask guiding questions like, "What do you think we should do?" or "How can we tackle this together?" This helps build their critical thinking and decision-making skills.

Foster a Growth Mindset: Praise effort, not just results. Encourage your child to view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles to avoid. Emphasise that their abilities can improve with hard work, perseverance, and practice.

Support Emotional Regulation: Help your child understand and express their emotions in healthy ways. Whether it’s through talking, journaling, or physical activity, learning to process and manage emotions is a key part of resilience.

Teach Self-Compassion: Resilient children are kind to themselves when things go wrong. Encourage your child to be gentle with themselves during tough times. Remind them that everyone makes mistakes and that it's okay to not have everything figured out right away.

Celebrate Small Wins: Building resilience is a process, and small victories along the way deserve recognition. Celebrate your child’s efforts, whether they’ve completed a challenging homework assignment, navigated a tricky social situation, or simply persevered through a tough day.

At HPS, we are committed to helping students develop resilience. Our teachers are trained to create a supportive learning environment where mistakes are seen as a natural part of growth, and students are encouraged to take risks and learn from challenges. We also offer various resources and programs designed to teach students coping strategies, emotional regulation, and perseverance.

Resilience is not an innate trait; it's something that can be nurtured through experience, support, and encouragement. By working together—home and school—we can equip our children with the tools they need to face life's challenges head-on and emerge stronger and more confident.

Thank you for your continued partnership in raising resilient, confident, and compassionate students. Together, we are helping our children not just succeed academically, but thrive in all areas of their lives.

Student Semester Reports

Teachers are currently busy preparing the Semester Two Student Reports.

Schools report student achievement to parents against the achievement standards set out in the Victorian Curriculum F–10, including an indication of student progress against the age-related expected level of achievement and in relation to what has been taught in a particular semester or year and to individual learning targets. 

In reporting student learning progress to parents, teachers and schools should clearly identify the areas of strength and areas for improvement for each individual student.

Reports will be shared with families via Compass on Wednesday, 18th December.

End of Year Community Gathering

We have locked in Thursday 5th December on the calendar as our all inclusive HPS celebration night! Classes are busy learning words and warming up their vocalises to perform either a Christmas carol or a selected song of celebration.

Our harmonious HPS Choir, led by Bron and Brett and ably assisted by Stef, are also going to perform on the evening. All the singing and mingling that will be on offer is sure to get you in the festive spirit.

Staff and students have been getting creative to nominate a catchy name for our event.

Some shortlisted suggestions are;

*HPS Tunes & Treats

*A Not-So-Silent Night 

*HPS Jingle and Mingle

*Summer Celebration of Joy

*Summer Nights and Christmas lights

Students will vote in class next week before a final name is decided upon.

Our wonderful Community Engagement team are finalising other details for the evening but we welcome and encourage everyone to come along on the evening and join together as a whole community to enjoy student performances and a casual evening of mingling with others. We can't wait to see everyone there!

Regional Hooptime Basketball Competition - News from Mr Ethan Griffiths...

L-R: Miles HB, Patrick HB, Levi C, Harry K, Henry F, Teddy E, Archer M, Marley T

Well Done to the grade 3/4 boys’ basketball team that competed in the Regional Hoop Time competition last Friday. It was big day and the energy these boys put out for every game was exceptional. On the way to the State Qualifying final, the boys played 4 games, drawing 1, winning 2 and losing 1. They finished 2nd in their pool and had to face Banyule in the final. This was a rematch of the final played at District Hooptime last term. It was another close game against Banyule and the lead went back and forth. With 2 minutes to go Banyule got back in front by 4 points and the HPS boys couldn’t close the deficit. Although the boys didn’t make it to State, they should be extremely proud of what they accomplished. 

Thank you to Chris Chan for coaching in both rounds of the competition. 

L-R: Remy B, Daisy P, Maya E, Annika N, Darcy B, Ava W, Coco T, Olivia W

Congratulations to the grade 3/4 girls’ basketball time who went another competition unbeaten and qualified for the State Hooptime Finals on Monday 2nd December. The girls were fantastic all day and when the games got tight, they found another gear. The final was their hardest game as things weren’t going to plan and they found themselves behind going into half time. The first time this had happened in both competitions. They pulled together at half time and got going in the second half to ensure they got the win. Good Luck for finals girls. Thank you to Toby Barker for coaching and to Drew Norgate for scoring. 

Scholarships to Support Students

Scholarships are available for students who complete Grade 4 to Year 11 in 2024, and for students enrolled in Year 12 in 2024 who plan to do tertiary studies in 2025.

Student scholarships

The Department of Education administers a number of scholarships available to eligible students who are enrolled in Grade 4 to Year 12 in 2024.

Applicants for these scholarships will be evaluated on their:

• participation in school activities
• community involvement
• academic achievement.

Scholarships are either one-off payments or cover the duration of the student’s course or annual study.

Many of these scholarships have specific eligibility criteria, so please refer to individual applications for more information. Applications are now open, and close on Saturday 1 February 2025. For information on how to apply, refer to Student scholarships.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend and a great week ahead!

Naomi Ivers

Principal

Heidelberg Primary School