Principal's message

Hello Alvie families,

I would like to congratulate Michael, who was nominated by the school for the School Garden Champion award. This is wonderful recognition of the passion, commitment and care he brings to grounds and gardens at Alvie Primary School. Michael was in the top five finalists and we are incredibly proud of him.

Recently we have noticed an increase in students bringing food that requires heating or hot water to be added, such as noodles or soups. Staff are not allowed to heat food for students or add hot water. This is not safe, as there is a significant risk of burns and scalds when handling hot liquids and containers, and staff are not expected to take responsibility if a student is injured. It is also not an appropriate use of staff time during the busy school day. Families who would like their children to have a warm meal are encouraged to use a thermos. Please ensure that students have all the utensils they need for the food you provide. Students who forget their lunch will continue to be supported thanks to the generosity of the Colac Rotary Group.

We are also noticing some students arriving at school too early. Unless a parent or carer is onsite, students should not be dropped off before 8:30am. Yard duty and supervision begin at 8:30am. Students who arrive earlier may be asked to sit outside a classroom or the office until supervision begins. This is to ensure that all students are safe and supervised appropriately.

As I mentioned in my last newsletter, staff have been working on updating our Response to Behaviour Flowchart. You can see the updated version below.

At Alvie Primary School, our approach to behaviour is grounded in School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS). This means we focus on proactively teaching, recognising and practising expected behaviours with students, rather than relying on punitive consequences. Our aim is to ensure that students clearly understand what behaviour looks like in different settings and are supported to make positive choices.

SWPBS is an evidence-based framework supported by the Department of Education. Research shows that schools implementing SWPBS experience improved student engagement, stronger relationships, increased consistency across staff, and a calmer, safer learning environment. By explicitly teaching behaviours, acknowledging positive choices, and reteaching when needed, we build students’ skills and confidence to manage themselves successfully.

Our updated flowchart strengthens this consistency across the school and ensures that all students receive fair and supportive responses. It also helps us identify when additional guidance or intervention may be needed.

Our whole school step up day will be held on Tuesday 9 December, the same day as all government schools across the state. We are excited to welcome our new staff and students on this day. All students will attend school at the usual times and will come home with a flyer introducing their 2026 teacher along with a class list.

A reminder that we have our last Pupil Free Day on Friday 5th December, our staff will be busily working on Semester 2 reports which will be live for parents to access on 17th December.

Thank you for your support and partnership as we move toward the end of the year. Please continue to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. My door is always open.

Have a lovely weekend!

Lisa Peirce

Acting Principal

2025 Student Leaders