Principal's Report

 Principal Report    

Congratulations Skylar!

Congratulations to Skylar, who came second in her age at Division Cross Country!  Now, its on to Region.  We wish you the very best of luck!!

CERES incursion

Yesterday was the design day in our incursions with CERES, where a group of interested students will be learning about sustainability, and working to develop a section of our grounds outside the library with some planting.  We look forward to seeing the finished product!! 

Interschool Sport – Winter Gala Day #2

Well done to our Year 5&6 students for their good sportsmanship and friendship displayed at the Gala Day last Friday. One of our soccer teams made it into the finals, finishing with a draw.  Well done to all students!

Camp Australia bookings

Sometimes, plans can change – with very little notice! If you have booked your child into Camp Australia and no longer need that booking, please be sure to call them and CANCEL on 0402 350 478 to let them know as soon as possible.  Thank you!

Student Free Days for the remainder of Term 2

Monday 8th June is a public holiday and therefore students are not required at school. Friday 26th June is also a Curriculum Day, and therefore student free.  The last day of Term 2 will be Thursday 25th June, where students will finish the day at the normal time of 3.30pm.

Bicycles, Scooters and Helmets at school

At ARPS, we believe in the enjoyment and healthy exercise that students experience when riding or scooting to school each day. Students can place their bikes or scooters in the Bike Shed (off Zita Street) and it will be locked up safely until the end of the school day. From 3.30-3.45pm, students are not permitted to ride their bikes in the grounds, due to the many parents and young siblings (including toddlers) who are on the grounds at that time. 

From 3.45pm, any student who is still at school, with adult supervision, can ride their bike until the gates are locked, provided they are wearing a helmet.

Students must not be riding on the grounds, or to and from school, without a helmet. 

In Victoria, it is mandatory for all bicycle riders and passengers to wear an approved Australian Standards bicycle helmet. This includes riders and passengers on bicycles, electric scooters, and human-powered scooters. The helmet must be securely fitted and fastened. 

You can read more about Victorian Transport rules for helmet wearing here: https://transport.vic.gov.au/road-rules-and-safety/bicycles/bicycle-helmets

AtoSS- Year 4-6

Every Year, students from Year 4-6 take part in the Student Attitude to School Survey (AtoSS).

The AtoSS is a voluntary student survey offered by the Department of Education every year to help schools and the department understand students' experiences of school. The survey will ask students in Year 4-6 about their thoughts and feelings about their school, their learning, relationships with other students, resilience, bullying, health and wellbeing, physical activity, and life in general. 

This year, the survey is being conducted at ARPS from 01st June – 12th June. A separate notice with additional information was sent to parents of students in Year 4-6 via Compass last week.

Data from the survey is shared and discussed with staff and students, including our Student Voice Team, who provide feedback to me on their perceptions of school, our culture and day to day events occurring at ARPS. This helps school leadership and staff focus on areas that students see as opportunities for improvement, and to celebrate all the great wellbeing and learning opportunities we have at our school.

Springvale Winter Fest

Springvale Winter Fest is a winter-themed carnival and multicultural food festival with live entertainment, amusement rides, multiple market and community stalls and lots of activities for the whole family to enjoy.

The event will take place on Sunday 21 June 2026, 11am-6pm at Buckingham Avenue, Springvale. For more information: Springvale Winter Fest | Greater Dandenong Council

Protecting against mosquito-borne diseases 

Some areas in regional northern Victoria are experiencing a longer mosquito season this year due to recent flooding. While the overall risk is currently low, some mosquitoes may be carrying diseases that make people sick.  

The best protection against mosquito-borne illness is to avoid mosquito bites. The free Japanese encephalitis vaccine is also available free for more Victorians.  

Japanese encephalitis virus is spread to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes. It can cause a rare but potentially serious infection of the brain. 

The free Japanese encephalitis vaccine is available for: 

• people aged 2 months or older who live or work in eligible high-risk local government areas in Victoria  
• until Friday 31 July 2026, people who plan to visit high-risk areas in Victoria or interstate for outdoor recreation such as hiking, camping, caravaning or boating.  

For more information: 

• refer to the Department of Health’s Japanese encephalitis webpage for a list of high-risk areas 
• speak to your GP or immunisation provider to check if your family is eligible for a free vaccine ahead of any planned travel during the coming months. 

How to help prevent mosquito bites 

To help protect against mosquito bites, families can:  

• cover up as much as possible with long, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing   
• apply insect repellent that contains picaridin or DEET on exposed skin when outdoors  
• limit outdoor activity if lots of mosquitoes are active 
• clean up and remove containers and items around the home that may hold water where mosquitoes may breed. 

Families with any health concerns should see their doctor or phone Nurse-on-Call: 1300 606 024 (available 24 hours).

Semester Two Student Reports 

We will be providing student achievement reports for Semester 1 this year as usual.

The reports will be distributed in the last week of Term 2.

The reports will continue to provide important details about student learning attainment, but full descriptive comments may not be included as a result of industrial action taken earlier this term by the Australian Education Union.

We will of course be pleased to discuss with you your child’s progress at our next parent-teacher interviews scheduled for the beginning of Term 3 or, as always, you can arrange a meeting with your child’s teacher.

Glasses for Kids Program 

 At the beginning of Term 3, we are pleased to have the Glasses for Kids program onsite at our school.  This program provides free eyes checks during school hours and if needed, free glasses as well. Optometrists will be onsite on Monday & Tuesday 3rd & 4th August.  Forms will be coming home mid term 2 if you would like to take advantage of this great opportunity. 

Tours 

We have hit the ground running, with several tours for families already completed this year.  If you know of any interested families, our group tours run most Mondays at 9.30am.  Please call the office for more information. 

Playgroup has arrived at Albany Rise! 

The Albany Rise Primary School Playgroup is officially in in session!  After the morning drop-off, if you have children aged 0-5years (who are not already at school), you are welcome to come to the Function Room,  where we will have a variety of toys and activities set up for the children to play, and parents/grandparents are welcome to have a cuppa and a chat. Families from outside our school community are also welcome. Gold coin donation if you can.  Huge thanks to Ann Dunford, who has kindly offered to facilitate our playgroup on Monday mornings 9.15 -10.30am during school terms. 

Outside of School: sport or other activity - Achievement of the Week 

We know how important physical activity and sport is for our students and to our school community, which is why we privilege time at school for PE and sport. We also know that we have some very talented students who participate in sports and activities outside of school.

  We would love to celebrate their achievements! If your child has received an award or progressed to the next level of their activity outside of school (be it sporting or otherwise) , please let us know and we would love to celebrate their achievements in our newsletter. Please contact Mr Mottershead with information and a photo, or email through to our school office on Albany.rise.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Birthday Free Dress 

We know that every single day at school is important for learning and connection. Of course, we want to celebrate with our students when they have a birthday! Late last year, we introduced the practice of students coming to school in free dress on their birthday.  This seems to be working very well and will be continuing this year. Students are looking forward to being at school on their birthday, and also, it is easy to spot who has a birthday to make sure they have a great day!  

Thank you!

Jane Capon