Dear Parents,

It has been lovely to see all of our children and staff settling into the 2025 school year. Children are well into their new learning for the year. All stage Newsletters have been posted on the Sentral parent portal early this week to inform parents of what their children will be learning in each key learning area and key dates for the term.

The Leadership Induction Ceremony for our 2025 Leadership Team occurred on Tuesday. It was a beautiful assembly where all our children witnessed our new Captains and Vice Captains making their pledges. We thank all of our parents and friends for the assembly and presenting and pinning the badges on their child. Thank you for coming along and making this occasion special.

Our 2025 Leadership Team consists of:

                   School Captains – Billie Lindsay and Cruz Fischbeck

                   School Vice Captains – Evie Lovegrove and Jonty Rue

                   Evans House Captains – Charlotte Hollier and Alex Sverdloff

                   Evans House Vice Captains – Isla Barnes and Dushant Jaganthan

                   Chifley House Captains –  Zuha Haseen and Hunter Weal

                   Chifley House Vice Captains –  Keitlynn Thew and Corey Morgan

                   Macquarie House Captains – Charlotte Morris and Archer Kolkman

                   Macquarie House Vice Captains – Destiny Sutton and Joseph O’Brien

                   Hargraves House Captains – Joselyn Robb and Harvey Glasgow

                   Hargraves House Vice Captains – Heidi Lyle and Griff Driscoll

I am pleased to inform you that our School structure will remain in class moving forward. The classes and whole school staffing for 2025 are:

KD – Mrs Danielle McClements

KM – Mrs Mikayla McPhee

1/2M – Mrs Kathy Murphy

1/2G - Mrs Jodie Goninan

1/2W – Ms Nicola Webster

1/2I - Mrs Judy Issa

1/2S – Mrs Tammy Simmons

3/4F - Mrs Kylee Francis 

3/4T – Mr Jeremy Thackray

3/4GW – Mrs Carly Guihot/Mrs Jodie Weekes

4/5W - Mrs Natasha Woolfe

5/6B – Ms Leah Barber

5/6D – Mr Jay Datt

5/6C – Mrs Lorelle Calder

5/6L – Ms Sarita Lloyd

K-2H – Ms Sam Hall

K-6R – Ms Nicola Reedy

3-6B - Mrs Kate Burns

3-6J – Mr Scott Jablonskis 

3-6R - Ms Kate Reilly

Principal – Mrs Kate White

Deputy Principal - Mrs Sharon Cafe

Assistant Principal Curriculum and Instruction - Mrs Angie Lee

Library – Mrs Julie George

Learning and Support Teacher – Ms Fernanda Puebla, Mrs Carly Guihot and Mrs Amanda Ivory

Release from Face to Face – Ms Amanda Nelson, Mrs Amanda Ivory, Mrs Joanne Curran and Ms Lisa Roberts

School Counsellor –  Ms Anthea Bourne (Wednesday and Thursday) and Ms Emily Austin (Friday)

Hearing Team – Mrs Susannah Lane, Mrs Belinda Crook, Mrs Shell Hanrahan and Mr Craig Nelson

Home School Liaison Officer – Mr Mathew Cambey

Assistant Principal Learning  – Mrs Yvonne Theiss

Assistant Principal Complex Support – Mrs Michelle Whiley

School Admin Manager – Ms Denise Noble

School Admin - Mrs Liz Dowler

School Admin – Mrs Cathy Glasson

School Admin - Mrs Alana Datt

School Learning Support Officer – Mrs Karen Mitchell

School Learning Support Officer – Mrs Jackie Fowler

School Learning Support Officer – Mrs Rebecca Dive

School Learning Support Officer – Mrs Dianna Mooney

School Learning Support Officer – Mrs Sarah White

School Learning Support Officer – Mrs Shelley Chaffey

School Learning Support Officer – Mrs Samantha Culham

School Learning Support Officer – Ms Ella Tilburg

School Learning Support Officer – Ms Keira Ivory

School Learning Support Officer – Ms Abby Palay

School Learning Support Officer – Ms Olivia Casey

School Learning Support Officer – Ms Bonny Campio

School Learning Support Officer – Mr Brody Taylor

School Learning Support Officer – Mrs Lyn Holt

School Chaplain - Mr Graeme Summerson

General Assistant –  Mr Jim Milne

Attendance - We have had a really great start to 2025 and it is wonderful to see the children engaged in the classrooms.  Every morning, classes commence their day with a 'Welcome Circle', which promotes connectedness and sets the day's expectations and overview. If children are late to school, they miss precious learning time, and we often see children worried that they don't know what they are doing when arriving after 9 am. We ask all parents to please ensure your child is at school by 9 am so they can have the best start to the new learning day possible.

Our School Photos will be taken on Thursday 20th February. We will be using Advanced School Photography. Envelopes for school photos have been sent home with instructions on how to pay for photos before the day online. Alternatively, money can be sent to the photographers on the day of the photos, but please note, no change can be given, so exact money will need to be placed in the envelopes.

Parent/Teacher Interviews have been organised for Thursday 27th February for the Support Unit classes and Tuesday 4th March - Thursday 6th March for all other classes. These meetings will allow parents to meet teachers, talk about what is to be taught this year and how your child has settled into the 2025 school year, plans for the school year, class expectations and parent expectations. Interviews will be able to be booked on the Sentral Parent portal soon.

The timetable for Parent/Teacher Interviews in week 4 and 6 is as follows:

                  Thursday 27th February – K-2H, K-6R, 3-6J, 3-6R and 3-6B

                  Tuesday 4th March – 5/6D, 5/6C, 5/6B and 5/6L

                  Wednesday 5th March– KD, KM, 1/2M, 1/2G, 1/2W, 1/2S and 1/2I

                  Thursday 6th March – 3/4F, 3/4T, 3/4GW and 4/5W

EXTRA CURRICULAR -  Parents will have received emails via Sentral and noticed Facebook posts and dedicated parts of the Newsletter advertising upcoming extracurricular activities (such as Recorder, Dance, Choir, Multicultural Public Speaking and sporting team and representative sports trials). We are doing this in response to requests for parents to be kept informed of when things are occurring so you can encourage your child to attend, trial and participate. If at any time you require additional information and clarification, or would like to know when something is occurring on the calendar, please contact the office.

BAND - Band lessons have commenced for 2025. It is not to late to enrol your child in the band program for the year. Band lessons are taught by teachers from the Mitchell Conservatorium, will be 30 minutes in duration and occur each week. The school has many instruments we can loan children so they can participate in the band program and to assist in reducing the cost. If any parent is interested in having their child taught an instrument and having lessons, please contact Mrs Ivory at school.

SCHOOL LIBRARY – Our School Library is open Break 1, 11.30-12.00, every day and Break 2, 1.30-2.00, every Tuesday and Wednesday. Children are able to attend the Library and read books, draw and play board games.

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH CLUB – Breakfast club operates 5 days a week from 8.30-9.00. Lunch Club also operates from 1.15-1.30 5 days a week. At breakfast club, children can get toast, fruit and at times cereal. At lunch time we alternate what is offered. Items available are generally toast, sandwiches, cheese toasties and spaghetti toasties. We are always happy to receive donations of bread, fruit, spreads (vegemite and jam), tins of spaghetti, cheese slices and margarine. 

General Reminders:-

Food Allergies - We do have several children at our school who have peanut allergies and have severe reactions if exposed to this food. Parents are asked to be mindful of this when packing recess and lunch and are encouraged not to send products which contain nuts in them to school. 

• All items of clothing and personal belongings should be clearly marked with your child’s name.
• All children require a broad brimmed hat each day as our school has a “No Hat, No Play” policy.
• All gates around our school are kept closed during the day. This is a to ensure our children and staff are able to learn and play in a safe and happy environment. When parents and friends come to the school during the day, please come to the gate in George street and press the buzzer. The office staff will then open the gate. Please ensure you QR code in (QR code on the gate area). All parents and visitors should present to the front office on arrival.  This is a Legal and Workplace Safety requirement and is followed for the safety and security of all children and staff.
• We continue to encourage parents to make appointments to come and talk about your child’s progress, problems that may arise, ideas etc. It is reminded that the education of your child is a team effort with teachers and parents being the main stakeholders. It takes a village to raise a child! With this in mind, it is an important reminder that parent/teacher relationships always need to be cohesive and supportive and one of mutual respect. I am sure we will all continue to work with one another in a positive and productive manner.
• All notes are sent out through the Sentral Parent portal. Permission and payments for activities occurs through the portal as well. If at any time you need support with the Sentral Parent portal, please contact the school.

If any parent has any concerns regarding any aspect of school life, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kate White

Principal