Leadership updates and reflections
An update from Julie:
It is hard to believe we are in our final week of term. It has been such a busy term with so many highlights and opportunities for our students to shine! The Big Idea of Power has been explored in so many different ways and the student engagement and learning has been amazing. This week has been particularly exciting as students prepare for their CBL challenges. Our Grade 5/6s are getting things ready for their market day and we can’t wait to see the creative products they have made for sale! Our Prep to 2s are busily preparing for their CBL Expo: Prep to Two, Pledge to Do! Expo and our Grade 3/4s are using their coding skills through Swift Playgrounds to complete their challenge. We hope parents and friends enjoy seeing what students have produced – I know the students will love sharing their learning with you!
Hooptime Fun
Congratulations to our Grade 3/4s and 5/6s who represented our school last week at Hooptime. We were very proud of the sportsmanship and teamwork that our students displayed and the positive way that they represented Wonga Park. A special thank you to our Grade 6 student leaders who did a great job coaching our Grade 3/4 teams and to Mr O for organising such a popular event for our students.
RU OK Day?
There were touches of yellow brightening our day last week as students acknowledged RU OK? Day – an important day in our wellbeing calendar. Our Prep-2 Student Voice Representatives did a wonderful job at this week’s assembly, sharing the key messages their classes have been exploring about how we can look out for one another. They spoke about the importance of listening, being inclusive, and showing care and kindness, reminding us that even small acts of kindness can make someone’s day a little brighter and help others feel valued, welcomed and supported.
Community Feedback Opportunity
A reminder that the Department of Education’s Parent and Carer Opinion Survey is still open with an opportunity for our families to provide much valued feedback to our school. Thank you to the 38 families who have completed the survey already, however that is just 14% of our 280 families. It would be great to have every voice in our school community represented! The Parent and Carer Opinion Survey will remain open online until Friday 18th September, so there is still time. Check your email for the survey link and information which was re-sent to all families today. Your voice is important to us and we thank you for taking a few moments to share that with us as partners in learning for your child/ren.
Happy Holidays!
As Term 3 comes to an end, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank our wonderful teachers, ES staff, families and students. The many opportunities our students have had to learn, grow and thrive this term have only been possible through the hard work, dedication and care of our whole school community. It is this shared commitment and sense of community that makes our school such a special place to learn and belong.
Wishing all of our families a safe, relaxing and enjoyable break. I hope there are plenty of opportunities to have fun, recharge and enjoy time with family and friends. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for a wonderful Term 4!
Warm regards
Julie
An update from Adele:
In this issue, information is shared about:
- School Policy Update: Attendance Policy
- Disability and Inclusion: How can I develop ongoing communication with my child's school?
- Cyber Safety information: AI & the Digital Generation (Staff PL)
- Child Safety Project: 2026 Webinar series (regular Wonga Weekly entry)
- eSafety Commissioner: Online Workshops (regular Wonga Weekly entry)
- End of Term 3
Wishing everyone a safe and restful Term 3 break
School Policy Update
Attendance Policy
Regular attendance at school plays an important role in supporting students’ learning, wellbeing, friendships and sense of connection to school. We have updated our policy to ensure students, staff and parents/carers have a shared understanding of the importance of attending school every day the school is open for instruction.
The policy outlines the practices and procedures we have in place to support, monitor and maintain student attendance, as well as how we record, monitor and follow up student absences.
To help families understand our updated Attendance Policy and what it means in practice, Liz Penny, our Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead (MHWL), provides further information on theWellbeing page of this newsletter. You can read the updated policy here.
Disability and Inclusion
How can I develop ongoing communication with my child's school?
Strong partnerships between families and schools can make a significant difference to a child’s experience at school. Open, ongoing communication helps families and teachers develop a shared understanding of a child’s strengths, needs and goals, and ensures we can work together to support them.
In this short video from AllPlay Learn, a parent shares practical strategies that have helped her build positive relationships with her child’s school. She discusses the value of sharing information about your child, preparing for changes and transitions, setting simple and manageable goals, developing shared language between home and school, and ensuring the student’s own voice is heard.
One particularly valuable message is that families and schools don’t need to have all the answers individually. By communicating openly, focusing on shared goals and keeping the child at the centre of conversations, we can work together to find approaches that best support each student.
I encourage you to watch this short video to learn more about ongoing communication.
Cyber Safety Project
AI & the Digital Generation
In our staff PL last week, our staff continued their professional learning with the Cyber Safety Project, exploring AI & The Digital Generation.
With artificial intelligence becoming an increasingly common part of young people’s lives, staff explored what AI is, how children and young people are using it, and some of the emerging risks, including deepfakes, misinformation and AI companion apps.
The session also focused on the safe, ethical and responsible use of AI in school settings and how we can build students’ AI literacy. Our aim is to help our students becomeAI Smart, able to think critically about AI-generated content, recognise potential risks and make safe and responsible choices when using this rapidly evolving technology.
Cyber Safety Project Online Workshops (regular Wonga Weekly entry)
eSafety Commission Online Workshops (regular Wonga Weekly entry)
The eSafety Commission provides free webinars that provide parents and carers with the knowledge, skills and tools to support their children to have safe, positive online experiences.
The schedule for 2026 can be accessed via this link .
Sign up for the eSafety Newsletter to receive the latest online safety news, resources, and advice.
Wishing Everyone a Wonderful Term Break
As we come to the end of Term 3, I would like to wish all of our students and families a safe, happy and restful break.
It has certainly been a busy and exciting term. From Book Week, House Athletics and Gymnastics, to Hoop Time and the Victorian State Schools Spectacular, just to name a few, our students have had so many wonderful opportunities to learn, participate, perform, compete and connect.
A sincere thank you to our families for your continued support throughout another very full term, and to our students for the enthusiasm, energy and positive spirit they bring to our school each day.
We hope everyone enjoys a well-earned break and has the opportunity to rest, recharge and spend time together. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for an exciting final term of 2026.
Warm Regards,
Adele Brice
Assistant Principal