Principal Report
Bom dia everyone!
Welcome back to the final term of the 2026 school year. I hope you all got to spend some quality time with your child/ren over the school holiday break. I absolutely loved my time in Portugal, but it is always nice to come home, stop living out of a suitcase, get back into routine, and have the opportunity to reflect on just how lucky we are to live in this part of the world. Besides the inconsistent weather, Melbourne/Victoria has so much to offer its inhabitants - the natural environment (wild and mild coastlines, state/national parks, forested areas, urban parkland, and golden plains), cultural pursuits, including world class sport, and amazing food and beverage options. It may not be quite as cheap as southern Europe, but then again, I did pay €2.34 per litre (AUD $3.75) to fill up my hire car, so it’s not always cheaper over there! I will miss their delicious bread, olive oil, butter and cheese, not to mention a pastel de nata (Portuguese tart) or two for breakfast.
Speaking of weather, please remember that hats are expected to be worn in the yard every day throughout Term 4 and through to April 30, as directed by the Department’s Sun Protection Policy. I can vouch just how much stronger Victorian UV is than other parts of the world, even if the temperature stays mild! If your child has misplaced their hat, please purchase a new one from the office for $15 ASAP and have them write their name on it, to greatly increase the chance it will be returned if lost again!
Term 4 is the longest of the year at eleven weeks, and also a rather busy one! Our first ever Colour Run is tomorrow, 16th October, and we start the Foundation and Year 2 intensive swimming program next week. I’ll write about other important Term 4 school events in the next newsletter. If you have not yet gotten tickets to the Year 5 and 6 production on Thursday 29th October, the evening performance has now sold out. However there are still plenty remaining for the matinee, so please get onto that quickly!
Planning for 2027
The leadership team is now working on planning for 2027, including class structures and staff recruitment. To assist us with this planning, we kindly ask any families who will not be returning next year to notify the school as soon as possible, if you have not done so already. Please email the office at newport.lakes.ps@education.vic.gov.au to inform us of your child's final day at NLPS, the name of their new school, and a forwarding address if applicable. Please note this is not necessary for Year 6 students transitioning to secondary school.
Class Formations for 2027
Class formation can be a complex process, carefully planned by our leadership team and staff throughout Term 4. When creating classes and allocating students, teachers consider a balance of factors including gender balance, academic ability, behaviour, and the needs of students with disabilities or diagnoses.
Teachers work collaboratively to allocate students to 2027 classes. They are well placed to know who your child works well with and which friendship dynamics should be considered. Additionally, each year, we ask every student to complete a ‘Learning Buddies’ list, where they record five friends they work well with and would like to be in class with in 2027. We guarantee that students will have at least one, if not more, of these peers in their 2027 class. Please talk with your child/ren about who they might include on their Learning Buddies list in the coming weeks.
If you have a strong preference for your child to be separated from a particular peer in 2027, please contact me via Compass or the school’s email (newport.lakes.ps@education.vic.gov.au) before the end of Tuesday 3rd November. Please note that we cannot accept requests from parents for specific teachers or friendship pairings.
Parent Opinion Survey
Thank you to everyone who completed the online Department of Education-backed survey. Although this was only the second time the survey was open to all families, just 15% responded, down from 24% last year. Even though it may not be the most valid of data, we will spend time reflecting on the results (which were more positive for 13 of the 15 measured factors and maintained for the remaining two) over the coming weeks with our school council subcommittee and regional office staff.
I could make assumptions about why we had a 15% response rate, but I am curious to hear from you as to why you think it was relatively low - please email me via the school address or catch up with me in the yard to share your theories!
Thanks again to those who took the time to share their views - your opinion is very important to us.
NLPS School Council Update
A reminder that we have two more meetings for the year, both held here on-site at NLPS from 6:30pm on Monday 26th October, and Monday 23rd November. Everyone is welcome to attend these School Council meetings or join one of our three subcommittee meetings (Policy, Finance, Facilities). Please email the school to find out the times of these roving subcommittee meetings.
Curriculum Day (Report Writing) - Melbourne Cup Eve, Monday 2nd November
Please be advised that we have one remaining Curriculum Day, dedicated to student reporting, on Monday 2nd November. This is a pupil-free day, with students either staying home or attending Out of School Hours Care (TeamKids). TeamKids will operate on Monday 2nd November - please contact them directly to arrange care at https://www.teamkids.com.au/
Please also note that Tuesday 3rd November is a public holiday (Melbourne Cup), and there will be no school or TeamKids care on that day.
I’m looking forward to a great Term 4 and hope you are too!
Have a wonderful fortnight.
Carly Bannon
Principal
Meet Anett, our additional First Aid Officer
We would like to welcome Anett to NLPS as a part time First Aid officer on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Anett also works at a kindergarten and has lots of experience working with children. She is an avid gardener and loves getting out in nature with her kids and puppy dogs. Originally from Hungary, she enjoys volunteering with the local Hungarian community whenever she can, helping celebrate traditional Hungarian festivals and special occasions.
Thunderstorm asthma - be prepared this pollen season
Grass pollen season in Victoria usually runs from October to December. During this time, asthma and hay fever symptoms can get worse. There is also an increased risk of thunderstorm asthma.
Ten years ago, Melbourne experienced the largest thunderstorm asthma event in the world. Thunderstorm asthma can be sudden and serious. It can be life-threatening, especially if a person’s asthma or hay fever is not well controlled.
Newport Lakes PS has measures to keep our school community safe. Many of our staff are trained in asthma first aid. We will monitor VicEmergency for thunderstorm asthma warnings. When needed, we will keep students indoors if the weather forecast shows a higher risk.
Managing asthma and allergies matters. During this pollen season, there are some things you can do to protect yourself and your family:
- If your child has ever had asthma, talk to your doctor about your Asthma Action Plan and to make sure symptoms are well controlled.
- If your child has hay fever, talk to your pharmacist or doctor about a hay fever plan and check if you need an asthma reliever puffer.
- If your child has a cough or wheeze with hay fever, talk to your doctor to make sure they don’t also have asthma.
- Take asthma medication as directed by your doctor, as good control of symptoms can prevent thunderstorm asthma.
- Follow the VicEmergency website or app. Where possible, avoid being outside during thunderstorms – especially during the winds that come before the storm. Go inside and close your doors and windows. If you have your air conditioning on, turn it to ‘recirculate’.
Know asthma first aid. If you are not sure if someone is having an asthma attack, you can still use a blue asthma reliever puffer.
Find out more
For more information, speak to your doctor. You can also speak with an asthma educator on 1800 ASTHMA (1800 278 462). This is a free service from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday.