Principal's Message

Wawa, Wominjika. 

Here at Old Orchard Primary School, we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land we visit each day, the Wurrunguri and Woiwurrung people of the Kulin nation. We acknowledge and respect the elders and leaders past and present and the elders and leaders of all of the cultures and nationalities that are part of the Old Orchard Primary School community. We express our gratitude towards the orchards that were kept in place by the peoples on this land before us. We thank the traditional owners for sharing this beautiful land that we all love, and for keeping the land, sky, waterways and animals all in great condition for thousands of years, not only for themselves but for all the generations to come.

Semester 2 Reports 

All families should now have received the 2025 Semester 2 students reports via the Sentral Parent Portal. Please read these alongside the SeeSaw comments and work samples from throughout the year. We are proud of the progress that our students have made and look forward to their continued strong growth in 2026.

2026 Classes

Earlier this week our students visited their 2026 classes and, in most instances, met their 2026 teachers. As I have mentioned previously, compiling classes that perfectly meet the needs of every single student is an incredibly complex and virtually impossible task. Please rest assured that the teachers and school leadership (particularly Jen & Clare) devote many, many hours to creating well balanced classes that take into account multiple factors and considerations and I thank them for their tireless work. Experience has shown that even when children feel disappointed that things ‘haven’t fallen their way’, they very quickly adapt and adjust when the new school year commences.

Thanks

Our Old Orchard community is an incredibly special one and I am extremely proud to lead such a wonderful group of students, staff, parents & carers and extended community. As Principal, I never take for granted how fortunate I am to be part of the Old Orchard community. 

To our Old Orchard staff, thank-you for all that you do for our students, the care, guidance and support that you provide every single day. Thank-you also for the amazing support that you provide to me, to your honesty and willingness to share your ideas and to question decisions when you see a better way. The nature of my role means that I work very closely with Jen, Clare, Fiona, Sheree, Lisa and Pip; they are a spectacular team who bring so much to our students and the school community. I simply could not imagine working with a better team who are always focussed on doing what is best for our students and who consistently make me a better leader and person.

To our school community, thank-you as always for your wonderful support; I love the connections and relationships that we have developed and appreciate that we can have open and honest conversations about how to best support your children and that these discussions are respectful, civilised and professional.

My very best wishes to all members of the Old Orchard community for a safe, happy and joyful festive season, however you choose to celebrate. The events of the past week have again underlined that irrespective of our own beliefs, the world will be a much better place when kindness, compassion, understanding and inclusiveness underpin our interactions with others.

Take care and stay safe - we look forward to seeing you all again in 2026.

Warmest regards

Duncan