Principal's Report

'Hot' start to the Year! 

We have had a very 'summery' start to the year, with many days of temperatures.  Whilst this is enjoyable if we were down at the beach or swimming, the hotter weather conditions can challenge some of our students about concentration and fatigue. In terms of counter-acting this, we remind students that it is essential that they bring along their Sun Smart Hats and Water Bottles. Our new hydration stations can be used as drink taps and refill stations. We have also been showing movies in the Senior Library, which has been greatly enjoyed, as it is very cool and air-conditioned.

Learning e-News

Next week, we will be launching the WPS Learning e-News. This will be published for each classroom and our Specialists Team. This is a wonderful way for us to celebrate the learning that takes place around the school.  This is also a very personal way that we can share a link with you that will only go to the families of your class. We are updating all of our publishing permissions so our current lists are acute and up to date. I want to thank the teachers putting these together and, of course, all our students who are the 'stars' of this publication. The 'link' will be sent via Compass and updated regularly with photos that we want to share. More details will be shared next week.  

Attendance Matters

Attendance has always been very important; however, particularly after a Remote and Flexible Learning period, the Department of Education monitors schools and their attendance data closely. As a leadership team, we can access a portal with 'live' graphs showing how our data is tracking compared to similar schools and the state.  We understand that sometimes students are not able to attend school. However, the number of days students miss school can soon impact their learning.  If your child is away, we ask that this be 'explained' on Compass, as we want to reduce the number of 'unexplained' absences. The graph below shows our current attendance data.  We want to see more students with higher percentages in 'aqua' and less of the below 70% black.

School Review - 'Parent Voice'

The Department of Education and Training (DET) conducts a 4-Yearly School Review to help Victorian schools improve and ensure all schools provide students with the best possible education.  The review examines the school’s progress over the past four years, identifies strengths, and highlights areas for further development. It involves input from teachers, students, parents, and independent reviewers to create a new School Strategic Plan that sets goals for the next four years.  A 'parent voice' survey is an essential part of this process to inform the Pre-Review Self Evaluation (PRSE). This process ensures that schools remain accountable, continuously improve, and focus on student learning and wellbeing.

This is an optional survey. However, we do ask that if you want to have a say, please complete this, as it is very short and quick to complete. This is an opportunity for WPS to gather feedback from parents about the school's strengths over the past 4 years and any areas for further improvement and development (during this time).

This week, as part of our weekly staff forum, our staff completed a similar process for this Pre-Review Self Evaluation (PRSE).  During this time, the PRSE was explained to staff, and they were asked to reflect on their experiences at the school during the last 4 years or since arriving against the 'domains of the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes' (FISO) 2.0. As a leadership team, we will analyse these data sets, which will help inform the final evaluation before the 'official' review commences. It is important to note that 'student voice' will also be a part of this PRSE so that we will conduct student focus groups later in Term 1. This will also continue to support us in building on our strengths and address what areas need growth and improvement.

International Students

Since the start of the school year, we have enjoyed hosting two international students. These students joined 34B and 5A and are part of a program that allows students to gain experiences at other schools worldwide. Although their stay was very short, we enjoyed their friendship and the stories they shared about their schooling experiences. Today, we say goodbye to Shouci (Terrence) and Yuci (Teresa). You are always welcome back at Whittlesea Primary School. 

Cubbies

Lastly, I have a few more images of now fully 'refreshed' cubby houses to share. Thanks again to the Whittlesea Lions Club for donating their time to repair and rebuild these and to Kristian, our Facilities Manager, for completing their final coats of paint. I am sure you agree; they are now safer, and look fantastic, and will continue to be enjoyed by students for many years to come.