From the Principal Team

Welcome Back to Term 3

Welcome back to Term 3! We hope all our students, families and staff enjoyed a restful and enjoyable break and are feeling refreshed for the term ahead.

We look forward to another term filled with learning, new opportunities and wonderful experiences across our school community. As we settle back into routines, we look forward to seeing our students reconnect with friends, embrace new challenges and continue to grow as learners.

Pupil-Free Day

As communicated earlier in the year, Monday 2 November will be a pupil-free day, with staff participating in a combined Professional Practice Day. This provides families with the opportunity to enjoy a potential Melbourne Cup long weekend, while giving teachers dedicated time to analyse Semester 2 assessment data and complete student reporting.

TeamKids will offer care on the day, subject to sufficient demand.

Leaving Bell in 2026?

As we begin planning for 2027, predicted enrolments are an important part of determining our class structures and staffing profile for next year. Families who anticipate leaving Bell at the end of 2026 or during 2027 are kindly asked to contact the office as soon as possible to help inform this planning. We understand there are many reasons why families may move on and always appreciate early communication wherever possible.

Grade Combinations for 2027

Next month, staff will begin planning grade combinations for 2027, with Step Up sessions scheduled for later in the term. The process begins with grade teachers, specialist teachers and the leadership team reflecting on the dynamics within each grade this year. As part of this process, we also seek input from students and invite optional input from parents/carers to help inform class placements for next year.

Parent/carer input will be gathered through a Google Form, which will be shared in next week’s newsletter. In the coming weeks, students will also have the opportunity to share their friendship preferences, as in previous years.

We kindly ask that you do not contact your child’s current teacher or a member of the leadership team by email, or request a meeting about class placements at this stage. Please wait for the Google Form to share any information you feel may be helpful in supporting your child/ren’s needs for next year. This process ensures all families have a consistent opportunity to provide input and that class placements are considered thoughtfully, carefully and systematically.

Second Hand Uniform Shop- New Location

From Week 3, our Second-Hand Uniform Shop will now operate from our new shed as we continue working towards the grounds improvements and plans outlined in previous newsletters.

The shop’s opening hours will remain unchanged (Wednesday mornings and Fridays afternoons) , and we look forward to continuing to provide families with an affordable and sustainable option for school uniforms in its new location.

A big thank you to Carita and Ciannon for generously giving up their time over the school holidays to help with the move, and to Carita and Clancy for their ongoing work in operating the Second-Hand Uniform Shop. We are incredibly grateful for the time and support they each contribute to our school community!

Congratulations Mollie and Michael

A big congratulations to Mollie and Michael, who are looking forward to welcoming a little one to their family early next year! We are so excited for them as they prepare for this special new chapter.

Mollie will remain with us for the rest of this year and into the first part of next year before beginning her parental leave. We look forward to sharing in their excitement and wish them all the very best as they prepare for this wonderful adventure!

Emma Heywood

Principal