From the Principal

Dear families,

Just like that, we come to the end of Term 1—and what a term it has been.

A special congratulations to our Prep students on completing their very first term of school. It has been wonderful to see how much they have grown and developed in such a short time. One of the highlights has been their enthusiasm as they move around the school, always eager to greet staff with a friendly hello—an early sign of what it means to be a Willy Kid.

Hobsons Bay 5x7 Art Competition

We are incredibly proud to share that Williamstown Primary School has been awarded 1st place in the Hobsons Bay 5x7 Art Competition.

This is a fantastic achievement and a wonderful recognition of the creativity, effort and talent of our students. With entries from across the Hobsons Bay community, this result makes the accomplishment even more special.

Congratulations to all students who contributed to the artwork. Their collaboration, imagination and attention to detail were outstanding, and the final piece is something our entire school community can be proud of.

A special thank you to our Visual Arts teacher, Marcia, for her passion, guidance and ongoing commitment to fostering creativity in our students. Her work continues to inspire our Willy Kids to express themselves with confidence and pride.

Achievements like this highlight the importance of the Arts at Williamstown Primary School and reflect the vibrant, creative culture we continue to build together.

Digital Learning – Messaging and Group Chats

Recently, I worked with our Grade 5/6 students to build awareness around the use of messaging platforms, with a particular focus on group chats.

Group chats remain the most common digital challenge we encounter as a school. Importantly, the majority of these concerns occur outside of school hours, which reinforces the need for strong partnerships between home and school.

On this week’s Digital Learning page, Steven Puhar has provided valuable resources and guidance to support families in navigating this space.

As a school, we:

• Implement the Department of Education’s mobile phone policy (now legislated across all Victorian schools)
• Deliver digital safety workshops each term for students in Years 3–6
• Partner with eSmart to provide both student and parent education

We strongly encourage all families to engage with the information provided. Developing safe and responsible digital habits is a shared responsibility, and ongoing conversations at home are key.

JSC Cupcake Stall

Our annual JSC Cupcake Stall in support of the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal was a huge success, raising an outstanding $1,782.

Thank you to all the families who generously gave their time to bake and support this important cause.

Easter Hat Parade

What an Eggcellent Parade it was today. Thank you to all the families who came to support. It was a huge crowd, and a reminder of the level of support the school receives.

Easter Raffle

A big thank you to the parent volunteers who coordinated this year’s Easter hampers—over 60 hampers were created and won.

The raffle has raised an incredible $3,926.11, a fantastic effort from our community.

Holiday Break – Stay Safe

As we head into the break, we wish all our students, families and staff a safe and enjoyable holiday period.

Have a wonderful Easter, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back for Term 2.

Warm regards,

Mat Montebello