Principal's Message

Grandparents Day Greatness!

 How fortunate we were last Thursday to have our very special nans, pops, grandmas, and other special persons attend our Grandparents’ Day Extravaganza.  A big thank you to all of our valued visitors who put in the effort to attend, some travelling considerably to take part. For another year our classrooms were packed!  Laughter, smiles, hugs and so many proud little faces, showing off their classroom and school.  What a fantastic extended school community! 

 Our grandparents enjoyed a morning tea, activities in classrooms and some terrific concert items in the GP room.  Great job to our students and their teachers for being magnificent hosts!

 Parent/Teacher chats welcomed in mornings 

 Just a reminder that teachers are in classrooms and prepared for brief chats with parents between 8:50 – 8:55am and 3:30 and 3:35pm daily.  Whilst I recognise this is just a 5 minute window at each end of the day, it is an additional 50 mins per week that our teachers are committing to strengthening communication with parents.  If you would like to discuss something a little more meaty please remember to call/email and book an individual time.  Parents are welcome to enter the BER building from 8:50am.

Our May School Council Meeting

Last Monday evening our school councillors attended an online meeting to discuss:

• Financial reports and budgeting

• Initial NAPLAN cohort level results

• Playground Upgrades

• Maintenance priorities and planned upgrades

Our next meeting will be on Monday 23rd June and will be held at onsite at school.  We still have some vacancies on school council for 2025 if any parents or community members would like to self-nominate. 

Photo trail 

A big thank you to all the parent and family helpers who came along to assist with the photo trail on Friday 9th May.  I know our teachers and students felt very supported by your presence and the day was named a big success.  Another great event organised by Mr D, Sports Coordinator. 

Student Attendance Data Tracking

At Launching Place Primary School, we know that every day counts when it comes to student learning and engagement. I’m pleased to share some exciting improvements in our school attendance data for 2025, which show that our shared efforts are paying off.

Strong Improvement in Attendance Bands

Comparing data across the year, we can see a clear positive shift in the number of students attending more regularly:

• The number of students attending 95–100% of the time has grown significantly from 33 in 2024 to 52 as of May 2025.

• There has also been an increase in the 90–95% attendance band, rising from 25 in March 2025 to 36 students in May.

• Importantly, the number of students in the lowest attendance band (below 70%) has dropped from 8 in 2024 to just 2 students in May 2025.

This progress reflects our collective commitment – staff, students and families – to making school attendance a priority. A huge thank you to all families who have worked in partnership with us to build stronger routines and ensure that students are at school and ready to learn.

Why Attendance Matters

Missing just one day every two weeks adds up to four weeks of lost learning in a year. That’s why we focus on ensuring students maintain attendance above 90% wherever possible. Every single day matters for academic success, friendships, wellbeing, and participation.

Next Steps

We’ll continue working closely with families to support attendance improvements, especially where there are barriers to regular attendance. If your child is finding it hard to attend school, please reach out to your child’s teacher or a member of our leadership team – we’re here to help.

Let’s keep this momentum going and aim even higher for the rest of 2025!

Keep an eye out for Student Semester Reports and Parent Teacher Interviews

Please be aware that our teaching staff are currently completing student assessment and reporting in preparation for the reports to be sent out to you all electronically via Compass and in paper copies within student portfolios on Tuesday 24th June. 

Please also note that Parent Teacher Interviews will run on the afternoon/evening of Thursday 26th June.  A notification will be sent out on Compass shortly to allow parents to sign up for their preferred time.

Building Leadership & Conflict Resolution: Peer Mediation Workshop for Grade 4 and 5

We’re excited to share that our Grade 4 and 5 students will be participating in a Peer Mediation Workshop here at school on Monday 2nd June from 9:00am to 3:00pm.

This engaging full-day workshop is provided by Stride at no cost to families, and equips students with valuable skills to help resolve low-level playground issues through empathy, active listening, and effective problem-solving.

Students will be introduced to the 6 Steps of Mediation, and learn how to work in pairs to support their peers during recess and lunchtime. Importantly, they are also taught when and how to refer more serious issues to staff, ensuring safety and responsibility remain with adults.

Following the workshop, students will have the opportunity to volunteer as Peer Mediators, contributing to a safe and inclusive school environment. This program supports student voice, agency, and leadership, while also building confidence, communication skills, and a strong sense of teamwork.

We’re proud to offer initiatives like this that contribute to a positive school culture and help our students become compassionate and capable leaders of the future.

Courage to Care: Empowering Our Year 5 & 6 Students to Be Upstanders

We are thrilled to announce that on Monday, 16th June, our Year 5 and 6 students will participate in a powerful incursion delivered by Courage to Care Victoria. This engaging program is designed to inspire students to become Upstanders—individuals who actively stand up against prejudice, racism, bullying, and discrimination in their communities.

The Courage to Care Upstander Program is an evidence-based initiative that uses real-life stories, including testimonies from Holocaust survivors, to highlight the profound impact individuals can have when they choose to act with courage and compassion. Through interactive discussions and activities, students will explore the consequences of bystander behaviour and learn practical strategies to intervene positively in challenging situations .

This incursion aligns with our school's commitment to fostering a respectful and inclusive environment. It supports key areas of the Victorian and Australian curricula, including:

• Ethical Capabilities: Encouraging students to consider the moral implications of their actions.

• Critical and Creative Thinking: Developing the ability to analyse situations and think of constructive solutions.

• Intercultural Capabilities: Promoting understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures and perspectives.

• Personal and Social Capabilities: Building skills for effective communication, empathy, and collaboration.

We believe that this experience will not only enhance our students' understanding of history but also empower them to make positive choices in their daily lives. By learning about the importance of standing up for others, our students can contribute to a more compassionate and just society. 

Prep Enrolments for 2026 are now OPEN online 

We have been pleased to see the number of families who have already been online and indicated their intention to enrol their child at Launch PS in 2026.  We can't wait to welcome you to our school!

Enrolments can now be entered on the VicStudents portal: https://students.educationapps.vic.gov.au/s

Here is a run down of the Prep Enrolment timeline for your information: 

Virtual Tour

See you around our place,

Laura Caddy

Principal