Principal Report

Welcome to our Week Four newsletter. Term Three is already well underway and it has been a pleasure since arriving back from the holiday break to see our students refreshed, enthusiastic and ready to learn. Across the school, students have embraced a wide range of learning opportunities with curiosity and confidence, while continuing to demonstrate our school values each day. Their positive attitudes, resilience and commitment to achieving their personal best, both inside and outside the classroom, have made for a fantastic start to the term.

The remainder of the term promises to be an exciting and busy time at Highvale Primary School, with many wonderful opportunities for students and families to become involved. We are looking forward to celebrating Science Week, where students will engage in hands-on investigations and explore the wonders of science, followed by Book Week, with this year's theme, Symphony of Stories, encouraging a love of reading and creativity. Our students are also eagerly preparing for Year 3-6 Athletics Day, where teamwork, participation and school spirit will be on full display. We can't wait to showcase the talents of our students in our whole-school production of Porridge, which is sure to be a highlight of the year. Families are warmly invited to join us for our annual Father's Day Breakfast, a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the special people in our students' lives. Our popular Run Club and Breakfast Club continue to thrive thanks to the commitment of our staff and volunteers, providing students with a healthy and positive start to the day. Finally, we look forward to seeing everyone dressed in their house colours for Sports Colours Dress-Up Day as we celebrate our favourite sports teams. We encourage all families to join us for these exciting events as we continue to build a vibrant and connected school community.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Kelly Soccio for stepping into the Acting Principal role while I was away on holidays overseas for the first two weeks of Term Three. I greatly appreciate her leadership, dedication and the care she showed in ensuring the school continued to run so smoothly. I am also grateful to our staff for their ongoing support and teamwork during my absence. I was incredibly lucky to visit and explore Greece, immersing myself in its rich history and culture, taking in the many incredible sights on offer. It was a fantastic opportunity to recharge and I have returned feeling refreshed (though quite cold) and excited for the busy and rewarding term ahead. It has been lovely to reconnect with our students, staff and families and I look forward to all that we will achieve together over the coming weeks.

Welcome to Highvale

This term we have had many new families begin their journey at HPS. Welcome to HPS to the following student: Sean S 2L. We are sure you will love being a part of the Highvale community. Please reach out if there is anything we can do to assist with your transition into our school.

​Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to the following students who will celebrate their special day throughout August: Hailey H PFY, Heidi H 3C, Anya J 3L, Jia Yang M 4G, Nayomie S 1GC, Shawn Y 2M, Kaleb G 4C, Surveen B 3L, Ayansh M PFY, Ryan C 4G, Kaitlyn W 6S, Roger Z 3A, Hirvya N 5M, Bob W 3L, Casey L 1GC, Isaac O 4C, Raven J 1GC, Vivaan D 4G, Elijah P 2M, Jasper L 4G, Liam F 4P, Amika N 2M, Krishaan N 5M, Wanying Y 3A, Eline W 4C, Saijan T 5M. We hope you all have a terrific birthday. 

Attendance

At Highvale Primary School we firmly believe that attending school every day plays a crucial role in shaping a child's educational journey. Regular attendance allows students to fully engage in classroom activities, discussions, and hands-on learning experiences. It provides them with the opportunity to grasp new concepts, ask questions and collaborate with their peers. Consistent attendance helps build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills, enabling children to excel academically. This term, we will be reinforcing the importance of attending school every day. 

Congratulations to the 375 students who have achieved 100% attendance in August so far. Some of these students include: Mia W PA, Shawn N PA, Angela N PFY, Ayansh M PFY, Noah L 1GC, Desindu K 1GC, Jovin D 1P, Avah B 1P, Shamika B 2M, Avaya A 2M, Minghao G 2L, Dinson K 2L, Phoenix J 3A, Boey N 3A, Dhaani S 3C, Oscar S 3C, Ava N 3L, Leila W 3L, Alex Z 4C, Adorna L 4C, Remi F 4G, Vimal A 4G, Yuvi M 4P, Elisha S 4P, Tevin R 5E, Youli Z 5E, Victoria Z 5S, Lily Y 5S, Shanaya S 5M, Oneli S 5M, E-Dayne T 6S, Siddh M 6S, Aaron P 6T, Michael P 6T, Michelle P 6D, Sam T 6D. 

Remember: It is not ok to be away!

HPS NAPLAN results

We were delighted to receive our school's 2026 NAPLAN results, which are extremely pleasing. These outstanding results are a reflection of the dedication and hard work of our students, the expertise and commitment of our teaching staff and the strong partnership we share with our families in supporting student learning. In many cases, our results are well above similar schools and other schools in our network. 

In both Year Three and Year Five Reading, 100% of our students achieved a score which placed them in the strong or exceeding category. In Year Three Writing, 98% of our students achieved a score which placed them in the strong or exceeding category. In Year Five Writing, 95% of our students achieved a score which placed them in the strong or exceeding category. In Year Three Numeracy, 96% of our students achieved a score which placed them in the strong or exceeding category. In Year Five Numeracy, 98% of our students achieved a score which placed them in the strong or exceeding category. These outstanding results also continued through Spelling and Grammar & Punctuation.     

While we are very proud of these achievements, we also recognise that NAPLAN is just one measure of student progress. At Highvale Primary School, we remain committed to providing a rich, inclusive and engaging learning environment where every child is encouraged to grow academically, socially and emotionally. We celebrate success in all its forms and are incredibly proud of the progress our students make each and every day. Thank you to our staff, students and families for their continued commitment to learning and for contributing to such a positive culture of high expectations and success at Highvale Primary School.

Newspaper articles

I was recently interviewed by journalist Natasha Bita for an article published in The Australian that highlighted Highvale Primary School's outstanding NAPLAN results. The article, titled "Old School Teaching Methods Paying Off with Startling Results," also featured an interview with the Principal of Como West Public School in Sydney. It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the exceptional work taking place at Highvale Primary School and to celebrate the dedication of our staff and students. The article recognised our exemplary NAPLAN results and included my reflections on the key factors that have contributed to this success, including our consistent whole-school approach to teaching, high expectations for all students, the use of explicit instruction and our strong commitment to evidence-based practice. While we are incredibly proud of these results, they reflect the collective efforts of our staff, students and families working together to support every child's learning and growth.

On the same day, Highvale Primary School was also recognised in The Age in an article by Alex Crowe, highlighting the growing national focus on evidence-based teaching practices. In the article, Federal Education Minister Jason Clare identified our school as a Victorian example of how mandating evidence-based teaching has led to outstanding student outcomes. It is a tremendous honour for our school to receive recognition at a national level and to have our commitment to high-quality, research-informed teaching acknowledged. This recognition reflects the dedication and professionalism of our staff, the hard work of our students, and the strong partnership we share with our families. We are incredibly proud of what our school community continues to achieve together.

Students Attitudes to School Survey

Last term our Year Four, Five and Six students responded to The Attitudes to School Survey. The AtoSS is an annual student survey that provides valuable feedback about students' experiences, wellbeing, engagement and connectedness at school, helping us to continually improve our teaching and learning environment. We have received our preliminary data and the results are exemplary.  Some of the most pleasing statements that were positively endorsed by our students include the following:

96% of the students surveyed said their teacher make the work they do interesting.

96% of the students surveyed said students at this school treat each other with respect.

99% of the students surveyed said their teacher asks questions to check that they understand.

99% of students surveyed said that they feel safe at school.     

98% of the students surveyed said that they are proud to be a student at this school.

I look forward to sharing the official data with our school community once it is released. 

Prep Enrolments 2027

We are currently accepting enrolment applications for Prep (foundation year) 2027 and have 35 students currently enrol although we are expecting many more. I am continuing to conduct school tours for prospective families where I can showcase the school’s programs, facilities and values. If you are aware of families who may be interested in joining the HPS school community, they are encouraged to contact the school office for further information. 

Fundraising Efforts

Our recent fundraising efforts have once again highlighted the incredible generosity and community spirit that make Highvale PS so special. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of our families for supporting the most recent events: Pyjama Day, Cadbury Chocolate Drive and Crazy Hair & Hat Day. I am delighted to share that our Pyjama Day and Cadbury Chocolate Drive generated an outstanding profit of just over $1,850, while our Crazy Hair & Hat Day raised an additional $170. These wonderful results would not have been possible without the support of our dedicated families. If you have not yet returned your money for the Cadbury Chocolate Drive, we kindly ask that you do so as soon as possible. Thank you for your ongoing generosity and commitment to our school community.

100 days of school – Prep students

Congratulations to our wonderful Prep students on reaching the milestone of 100 Days of School on Monday 27th July! This is a fantastic achievement and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate just how much our youngest learners have grown since starting school earlier this year. Over the past 100 days, our Prep students have developed new skills, formed friendships, built confidence and embraced every opportunity to learn. We are incredibly proud of their enthusiasm, resilience and the progress they have made. A big thank you to our Prep teachers and families for their ongoing support in helping our students have such a successful start to their school journey. We look forward to seeing all that they continue to achieve throughout the remainder of the year. Well done Preps!

Student Toilets

We are pleased to share that the replacement of our student toilets has been completed. The feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive, with many commenting on the improved facilities. This project is just one step in continuing to enhance our learning environment. We are currently sourcing quotes to replace the flooring in the toilet spaces and repainting the facilities. We look forward to sharing more updates with our community as these works progress. 

While we are very pleased with the upgraded facilities, I have been disappointed by the way a small number of students have treated them. We have had instances of soap being deliberately emptied from dispensers onto the floor and large amounts of toilet paper being used to clog sinks. At last week's assembly, I spoke with students about these behaviours and explained why they are unacceptable. We discussed the importance of respecting our shared spaces, taking pride in our school environment and recognising that damage and misuse of facilities impacts everyone in our community. We appreciate the support of families in reinforcing these expectations at home so that all students can enjoy clean, safe and well-maintained facilities.

Term Three Chess Tournaments

Our Chess Team performed extremely well at the Term Two Competition and we are preparing for our upcoming Term Three Competition which will be held on Wednesday 26th August at Brandon Park PS. Again, all students will participate in 7 games of chess throughout the day and there will be prizes awarded for participation, achievement and improvement categories. Good luck to all of the HPS students involved in the Term Three Competition.   

Fathers Day Breakfast – Friday 4th September

We warmly invite all dads and special father figures to join us for our Father’s Day Breakfast on Friday 4th September. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to share a special moment with the important people in their lives while enjoying some breakfast and spending time together as a school community. We look forward to welcoming our dads, grandfathers, carers and special guests for a morning of connection, conversation and celebration. More information on this event will be conveyed via Compass in coming weeks. 

Science Week 

Science Week will be celebrated at Highvale Primary School from Monday 17th August – Friday 21st August 2026, providing our students with an exciting opportunity to explore, investigate and discover the wonders of science. Throughout the week, students will participate in a range of engaging, hands-on learning experiences designed to spark curiosity, encourage critical thinking and foster a love of scientific inquiry. Science Week is always a highlight on our school calendar and we look forward to seeing our students embrace the opportunity to ask questions, solve problems and deepen their understanding of the world around them. We can't wait to celebrate the creativity, curiosity and enthusiasm of our young scientists!

Book Week: Symphony of Stories

Book Week will be celebrated at Highvale Primary School from Monday 24th August to Friday 28th August, with this year's inspiring theme: Book an Adventure: Symphony of Stories. Throughout the week, students will immerse themselves in the joy of reading through a range of engaging literacy activities that celebrate the power of books, storytelling and imagination. Book Week is a wonderful opportunity to foster a lifelong love of reading while exploring new characters, ideas and adventures. We look forward to celebrating with our annual Book Week Parade and seeing our students' creativity shine as they dress as their favourite book characters. More information about the week's activities and parade will be shared with families shortly.

Semester Two Student Snack Times

Across the school, clear and consistent routines are in place to support students’ wellbeing and learning throughout the day. Students have a structured eating period of 10–15 minutes prior to going outside for their breaks, with a daily fruit break occurring at approximately 10:00am. Students in Prep and Year One are provided with additional opportunities to eat throughout the day to support their needs. Students are able to choose to eat either their snack or lunch during first break, depending on their level of hunger and lunch box contents. Classroom teachers can assist students to make those decisions if required. All classrooms utilise visual timetables which include scheduled break and eating times to support predictability, structure and student understanding of the daily routine. One class per week is scheduled on ‘Caring for Country’ where they are responsible for any mess that is found in the school yard. As students do not eat outside, the class often reports that there is little to pick up, which is pleasing. We are extremely proud of our school grounds and how students care for country.

Semester Two Homework at Highvale

As we have just started a new Semester of learning, it is important to once again clarify our Homework Policy at HPS. At HPS, we believe that homework can play a valuable role in supporting student learning and helping students develop responsibility, organisation and independent study habits. Homework provides an opportunity for students to practise and consolidate skills learned in the classroom, while also encouraging a connection between school and home. Our homework policy outlines the expectations for homework across the school and aims to ensure that tasks are purposeful, manageable and appropriate for each year level. It also recognises the important role families play in supporting and encouraging positive learning habits at home.

A reminder that in 2026, homework at Highvale will be:

Prep - Readers - one take home reading book and a revision sheet with heart sounds & heart words in a scrap book. These change after every Little Learners stage. Students will receive a login for Reading Eggs and Mathletics (these are optional online programs for Prep students) 

Year One/ Two - Readers - one levelled reader (hard copy), online readers plus library books. 2 reading eggs tasks and 2 Mathletics tasks linked to the weekly concept. Spelling List linked to Little Learners. 

Year Three/ Four - 60 minutes of reading per week with a one or two sentence reflection. One comprehension activity off Reading Eggspress and 3 Mathletics tasks per week. Spelling sheet to be completed

Year Five/ Six - 80 minutes of reading per week with a one to two sentence reflection. One comprehension activity off Reading Eggspress and 4 Mathletics tasks per week. Spelling sheet to be completed

Homework at Highvale will be provided to students on a Monday and will be due back the following Monday. We have a school wide approach to homework and classroom teachers will be checking each week to ensure students have been completing the required tasks. If students do not complete their homework they will get a verbal reminder from their teacher. If students do not complete their homework for two weeks, teachers will make contact with parents so that they are aware. If there is a reason that your child cannot complete their homework tasks, please let your child's classroom teacher know.

Proposed Industrial Action – Wednesday 19th August

The next proposed date for Industrial Action is Wednesday 19 August. At this stage, we are awaiting further information and guidance from the Department of Education regarding the impact this may have on our school operations.

I will communicate further details with families as soon as more information becomes available. Please continue to regularly check Compass. Thank you for your understanding and support as we work through this process.

Whole School Production: Porridge

The countdown is on until our much-anticipated school production, Porridge, which will take place on Tuesday 1 September for one night only. Excitement is building across the school as students continue to rehearse, practise and prepare for their opportunity to shine on the big stage.

Production T-shirts are now available for purchase, and tickets are also on sale. For further information on these items, please refer to Compass. We encourage families to secure their tickets and get ready to celebrate the incredible effort, creativity and talent of our students.

A huge thank you goes to Gaz Dutlow and Anna Dowling for their outstanding leadership and commitment in bringing this production to life. Their dedication, organisation and passion have created an amazing opportunity for our students to develop confidence, teamwork and performance skills. We cannot wait to see our students take to the stage and showcase all of their hard work. It promises to be a wonderful celebration of the performing arts and the talents of our Highvale students.

Principal's Day – Friday 7 August

This Friday 7th August is Principal's Day. Principal’s Day provides a wonderful opportunity to reflect on what a privilege it is to lead such an incredible school community. I feel incredibly fortunate to be the Principal of Highvale Primary School. Every day, I have the opportunity to work alongside a dedicated and passionate team of teachers and Education Support staff who consistently go above and beyond to provide the very best learning opportunities for our students. Their commitment, care and professionalism are at the heart of everything we do. I am equally grateful to our wonderful students, who bring enthusiasm, curiosity and kindness to our school each day, making Highvale such a vibrant place to learn. I would also like to sincerely thank our families for the trust, encouragement and partnership they show in supporting their children's education. The strong relationships between home and school are one of our greatest strengths.

Highvale's success is built on a genuine team approach. Together, our staff, students and families create a positive, inclusive and supportive community where everyone is valued and encouraged to thrive. It is this shared commitment to working together that makes our school such a special place and I am truly grateful to be part of it.

Have a great week ahead HPS families,

Carly Epskamp

carly.epskamp@education.vic.gov.au