Nigel's Natter

Hi All, 

Golly, this term is cracking along. Week 4 this week and this is my first newsletter. Including this one, there are only 8 weeks of school left for the year. Be sure to check out the Dates for the Diary Page for the most up to date list of dates!

The leadership team and I have been busy evaluating our work from 2024 and planning for 2025. I'm excited about our next steps as a community and feel really confident that they will lead to yet another increase in our student's academic outcomes. 

It's been rewarding to reflect on what we have accomplished this year, and the IMPACT it has had on student participation, engagement and learning. 

We welcome the new Victorian Teaching and Learning Model, as it aligns really well with what we have been doing for the last few years.

Here's the high level overview of what we've been working on:

• A detailed and sequential curriculum that emphasises the importance of core literacy and numeracy skills. 
• The development of Units of Work that build student knowledge of the world around them. 
• Increasing participation rates in all classrooms so more students are thinking more of the time.
• Establishing whole school routines so students know what to expect in all classrooms, and we can all focus more of our attention of learning.    

WHAT'S NEXT?

In 2025, we will continue working on literacy - but with a strong focus on improving how we teach WRITING at our school. In addition, we will be working on sharing our work and expectations with our community. 

BREAKFAST CLUB - WE NEED YOUR HELP

We currently run breakfast club 2 days a week, and it's well used by our kids. I believe every kid should start the day with something decent for breakfast, and that's not the case for many. 

I'm keen to see our breakfast club run 5 mornings a week, with parent support. 

Breakfast club is open from 8:30 - 8:50. If you're happy to cook some toast, pour some milk or hand out fruit cups - PLEASE LET ME KNOW. We provide all the supplies and can get enough to run a 5 day program - but we need parents that are happy to help us out. 

Send me an email nigel.holloway@education.vic.gov.au and let me know if you're keen to be involved. You might be able to do a day every week, a day a fortnight, a day a month or just one day each term!  Every little bit helps. If you chat to a friend and want to help together, let me know! I'll make sure you're breakfast buddies. :) 

If you are here every morning, and are keen to play a more significant role in organising Breakfast Club, let me know! 

BUILDING WORKS UPDATE 

You may have seen some building works around the place. These works are continuing and you can see some of the improvements below. 

Much of the work being done is either under the floor, in the ground or on the roof, so hard to see a difference - HOWEVER, it means the building will be level and dry and we can get on with some internal works. 

Breakfast Club call for helpers. 

Work in progress - decking being fully rebuilt. 

UNIFORM

We are THRILLED to announce some exciting new additions to our school uniform, available at the uniform shop soon! The uniform shop will be stocked up the following new items:

• Navy puffer vest (in store mid January)
• Navy puffer jacket (in store mid January)
• House coloured team t-shirts (in store early December)
• House team hats (in store early December)
• Rugby jumper (photos coming soon, in store late January/early February).

These new pieces will offer even more comfort, sophisticated style, and school spirit for our students.

We also want to inform you that, moving forward, we will be phasing out the current navy school hat and stocking only the house hats. That said, you do not need to purchase a house hat if you do not wish too if your child already has a navy hat—both are still acceptable as part of the school uniform.

When can students wear their house t-shirts?

There will be plenty of opportunities! On regular school days, students will still be expected to wear their regular navy or yellow polo shirt.

However, on their Specialist Day, during School Sporting Events like Cross Country and Athletics day, any other House Themed Days and at End-of-Term Celebrations, students will be encouraged to wear their house team t-shirts.

To assist you, the uniform shop will be aware of which house the students are in.

Knowledge Units for This Term

You might have had your child/ren talking about what they are learning at school. I thought I'd share our Knowledge Units for this term. All year levels will complete two units of work that run for around 5 weeks each. You can see how some of the units build from year to year, extending and deepening knowledge. 

PREP

Our Five Senses (Biological Science)

Push & Pull (Physical Sciences) 

Year 1/2

Exploring Light & Sound (Physical Science)

Human Body Systems (Health & Biological Science) 

Year 3/4

Energy Transfer and Transformation (Physical Science)

Human Senses and Movement (Health & Biological Science)

Year 5/6

Unit Light & Matter (Physical Science) 

Human Hormones and Reproduction (Health & Biological Science)

$400 SCHOOL SAVING BONUS 

See the News from the Office Page for all the info we have at this stage. 

See you at the front gate. 

Nigel