Principal's Item 

Dear parents, carers and friends of EEPS,

I hope everyone had an enjoyable long weekend. Our Year 5 campers were certainly recovering, whilst out Year 6s were looking forward with anticipation to their camp that started yesterday! I look forward to visiting camp this afternoon to see all the excitement at camp.

International Women’s Day - Sunday

Sunday was International Women’s Day, as you may be aware. As a school we strive to not only provide wonderful opportunities to all girls, but also actively seek out opportunities where girls and females are traditionally underrepresented. As a Department, that has a higher percentage of female staff than males, with no pay disparity, and solid merit and equity processes, I would like to hope that the opportunities for women are stronger than other workplaces or industries. 

Support for the School - Thank You

From time to time, new residents to the area post questions about neighbourhood schools on local social media channels. Seeking community input through these mediums can be tricky because it is hard to convey the nuances of any school. Thank you to the EEPS parents who are always positive and supportive about our great school on social media. 

A Reminder for Parents

Whilst students are trusting and we live in a kind and reasonably safe community, the school has been approached by a concerned citizen. It was reported that there was a mentally unstable member of the public actively walking around the main Eltham streets near the shops. Please just remind your children that they need to be alert if they are walking with their friends and to politely move away from people or places if they feel unsafe. 

NAPLAN

The 2026 NAPLAN testing has commenced and is spread over this week and next. Whilst this is an important measure of student progress across the ‘system’, and does provide relevant achievement data, we know that this is only one measure. Children, and their learning and wellbeing, are so much more than a NAPLAN result. Having said this, we always aim to set the children up for success. The teachers, especially the Year 3s, have ensured that the children are familiar with the structure and style of the testing because it is true that there is a skill in completing multiple-choice style questions as well as having the required content knowledge.

Assessment and Reporting

NAPLAN is one form of assessment. Here is an explanation about our approach from Mrs Egan, Assistant Principal - Instructional Practice & Strategy:

At EEPS, assessment is an ongoing process that helps us understand each student’s progress and guide their learning. Formative assessment includes observations, student discussions, work samples, and quick checks for understanding using mini whiteboards or questioning. Teachers use formative assessment daily to inform their teaching decisions and provide students with timely feedback on their next steps.

We assess student learning against the Victorian Curriculum Achievement Standards, which outline what students are expected to know and do at each year level. Evidence of learning is collected over time through a variety of tasks, including written and digital tests, rich tasks, work samples, observations and extended projects. To ensure consistency and accuracy, teachers collaborate in moderation sessions within teams and across the school.

Reporting to families occurs four times a year—through parent-teacher conferences in Terms 1 and 3 and formal written reports in Terms 2 and 4. These conversations and reports provide insights into each child’s achievements, progress and areas for growth, fostering a strong partnership between school and home to support each child’s learning journey.

Parking in Neighbours’ Driveways

We were approached last week by a friendly neighbour on Grove Street with concerns around parents parking on their driveway for morning drop offs. Whilst neighbours know there can be a few challenges living next to a large school, they still need to be able to safely and efficiently enter and exit their own houses, as all parents would understand. I would ask that everyone is respectful of our neighbours. 

The Eltham police have also let the school know that they have been increasing their patrols and having conversations with parents around the law and parking safety.

Safety-e-scooters

Recently we were asked about riding e-scooters to and from school. Please see attached the following important guide from the Victorian Police. In summary, it is illegal for anyone under 16 years of age to ride an e-scooter.

Annual Report and New School Council

The first meeting of the new, 2026 EEPS School Council will be held next Tuesday 17th March. The 2025 Annual Report will be presented, and the community is welcome to attend. The published copy is also available on our website once the Department has run its Quality Assurance processes.

Movie Night - Zootopia 2

We are very excited about the forthcoming movie night on Friday 27th March. Please organise your tickets through Compass and let the office know if you are available to help or can donate any items to the very worthwhile raffle fundraiser.

A couple of reminders:

- Friday 20th March- School Cross Country (Year 3-6), 

- Friday 20th March - National Ride to School Day 

- Wednesday 25th March - JSC gold coin fundraiser with a ‘This is me’ theme

- Thursday 26th March - School Photo Day

- Friday 27th March - Grandparents’ Day (Preps) and Movie Night

- Monday 30th March - Variation to School Hours Day - student free day other than to attend the 3 Way Conferences. OSHC available for families who need it on this day.

The term is flying by. Have a great week of Learning and Growing Together

Kind regards

Warren Lloyd

Principal