Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

New OSHC Provider

As recently announced, next year ASPS will have a new Out of School Hours Care provider with TheirCare providing OSHC support to our families.

An online parent information session will be held on Tuesday 13th January at 7pm.

The first day of operations will be the first day of term one. Therefore, anyone requiring vacation care can access any of their satellite services, the closest being Glenferrie PS, Malvern PS, Malvern Central PS or Toorak PS.

Please refer to the Xuno alert for further information or contact TheirCare directly on 1300 072 410.

Best wishes

While the end of the year is a time to celebrate all that has been achieved, it is often a sad time in schools when we say farewell to staff members who have worked alongside us.

This year we farewell Kate Sheils, Stephen Everett, Amy Shen, Feifei Huang, Hope Farnbach, and Bessie Caldwell-Garcia. I thank each of them for their contribution to ASPS working with our students to provide positive learning experiences and educational opportunities. We wish them well in all their future endeavours.

A particular shout out of thanks to Kate Nancarrow, our Acting Principal who stepped into the role temporarily this year.

Kate did a wonderful job leading the school from term three and I appreciate her commitment to ASPS over this time. We wish her well as she steps into a new principal role next year.

We also have staff members who will be taking leave next year. Ella Tregaskis, Minna Kellock, Serena Yang and Judy Mundy will be having a time of renewal, or study next year. We hope that they find much enjoyment in their different pursuits.

For those families who are moving on to different schools next year, we thank you for your time and contributions to ASPS. We hope that you and your children look back with much fondness and pleasure of your time with us at Auburn South Primary School. We wish you and your children our best wishes and much success as they continue their educational journey.

2026 Student Timetable

After examination of the current timetable structure, taking into consideration workforce needs and the need to meet the Victorian Government Schools Agreement,

and with input and consultation with staff we have agreed to return to two breaks during the school day. The first will be from 10:40am – 11:10am and then lunch eating 12:50pm – 1:00pm followed by play from 1:00pm – 1:50pm.

To ensure that students have a range of activities and places to enjoy during lunch play, the library will be open on selected days and there will be the addition of lunchtime clubs. This will be communicated to students and parents next year once the clubs and library days are finalised.

Student Mobile Phones

A reminder that the Department of Education has in place a mobile phone ban that requires students who bring mobiles phones to school to have them switched off and securely put away during school hours.

The department requires all schools to ensure this ban is in place and enforced.

The ban applies equally to all government schools right across the state.

This helps ensure that school is a learning environment free from unnecessary distractions and disruptions.

By ensuring mobile phones are kept away at recess and lunch times, students can interact with each other face-to-face, without the distractions and social pressures that mobile phones can cause.

From the start of next year, students who bring a mobile phone to school will be required to drop it off at the main office/reception desk in the morning where it will be signed in and locked away for the day. Students can then collect their phone from the office at the end of the day.

I ask for the support of all our families and students in continuing to support the implementation of this policy in our school.

Graduation and Awards

A big congratulations to our year six students for their graduation ceremony this week. Students stepped out of their comfort zone to share some of their highlights and memories in a short speech in front of their friends, parents and special guests. They spoke confidently, eloquently and proudly of their time at ASPS. We know that they will make the transition to secondary school successfully, building upon the strong foundations from their time at Auburn South PS. As part of the evening, Lucy Delbosc and Khalissa Kittikhoun were awarded the Alison Harcourt award, and Fiona Ryu received the Elizabeth Fraser award. Congratulations to these students, and all our year sixes!

Thank you to all the parents who supported graduation and those parents on the organising committee for making the event possible and look amazing!

Thank you also to our year six teachers, Kathryn Arnold, Juliette Castelino, Stephen Everett and Reyna Dudhwala for their work in preparing our students and the event.

Thank You

Thank you to Alicia Smith for organising our wonderful ASPS Art Show. Showcasing the work of every student across the school, the show demonstrated a range of visual art projects that students have been working on, with a variety of materials, techniques and styles on display. We hope that everyone enjoyed seeing our students’ work on display.

I also thank Alicia for organising and coordinating the ASPS 2025 yearbook and tea towels. The yearbook is a wonderful keepsake and record of the year that has been. Our community is very fortunate to have a yearbook as it is something that not all schools invest in. Thank you to Alicia and all the staff for contributing to make the yearbook so special.

If you missed out on buying the yearbook or tea towels, we have re-opened sales until Friday 30 January 2026:

Christmas Concert

Thanks to all the parents and family members who could attend our Christmas Concert on Wednesday. It was a fabulous event with students getting into the spirit of Christmas and showcasing their singing talents. Thank you to Patricia Stanton and Stuart Jones for making the show possible, their work behind the scenes over many weeks, ensured that it went without a hitch and sounded amazing.

Thank you also to our Jemma and Lucy our student MCs and for Leila who accompanied our singers with her piano prowess. A wonderful time was had by all.

Parents’ Association/Canteen/School Council

Auburn South Primary School is blessed with many parents who contribute their time, skills and expertise to enhance and grow student and family experiences. I would like to thank all our parents who have volunteered across the year.

I also thank the members of our Parents’ Association and School Council.

Thanks to our outgoing PA President, Sam Patil for her contributions and support in organising and running many wonderful events, and our current School Council President, Phoebe Demiris for leading School Council.

I would also like to thank Necole Reska and her team at the canteen for their work in running such a wonderful school canteen and providing sustenance for our students.

From the staff at ASPS, we wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas. We trust that you will have a relaxing and well-deserved break with family and friends. We look forward to a fresh start for the beginning of 2026 with students returning to school on Thursday 29th January 2026.

Best wishes,

Travis

Graduation

Staff Farewells

As we come to the end of the year, we also pause to acknowledge a few valued staff members who are heading off on leave, or are moving on to new schools. We thank them for the care, commitment and contribution they’ve made to our school community and invite you to read their farewell messages below.

Serena Yang

ASPS has brought me so much joy, laughter, and fun over the past three years. I have truly worked alongside some of the best people and shared each day learning with our beautiful children, who truly make this school a special place. I am incredibly grateful for these experiences and looking forward to returning in the future.

Ella Tregaskis

Leaving ASPS is incredibly bittersweet. This school has been more than a workplace; it has felt like home and provided opportunities to grow, learn and build strong friendships.

Thank you to the staff, students and families who have supported and inspired me during my time here. Starting my teaching career at Auburn South has shaped me both personally and professionally, and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

As I relocate to the Cayman Islands to begin a new adventure teaching at an international school, I take everything I have learned at ASPS with me.

Thank you for the care, kindness and sense of belonging that make this school so special. I will miss it.

To my wonderful students over the past six years, thank you for the laughs, the learning and the memories. You should all be so proud of yourselves, just as I am proud of you. This isn’t goodbye; it’s a see you later. Keep being kind, curious and brave.

Minna Kellock

We thank Minna, who has completed her graduate year at Auburn South Primary School, teaching 5A in 2024 and 2C this year, and will be taking a year’s leave in 2026. Minna has shown great care, professionalism and dedication to her students, and has been a valued member of our teaching team. We look forward to hopefully seeing her pop back in at ASPS as a substitute from time to time, and wish her all the very best for the year ahead.

Judy Mundy

All the best to our librarian Judy, who is taking long service leave for the 2026 school year. Judy will be greatly missed and we wish her all the best for a year of fun and relaxation!

Stephen Everett

While it has only been a year at ASPS, it has been packed full of learning and excitement, and it has been a privilege to support the graduating class of 2025. I am incredibly grateful to the students, staff, and wider community for welcoming me with open arms and making my time here so enjoyable. It will be sad to leave, but I will take many fond memories with me. Looking ahead to 2026, I will be taking my experience from Auburn South Primary School to Carey Baptist Grammar School, which will be an exciting new chapter. Thank you for the memories, and I wish everyone a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable break.

Amy Shen

After 11 years at this school, saying farewell is incredibly bittersweet. This has been more than just a place of work for me; it has been a community where I have formed lasting relationships.

I will deeply miss the students I have had the privilege of teaching. Watching them develop into confident, capable young people has been one of the greatest joys of my time here. I am so grateful for the trust families placed in me and for the opportunity to work alongside them in supporting their children’s journeys.

While it was a difficult decision to make and even more challenging step to say goodbye, I am excited for the next chapter as my family and I move to Brisbane to be closer to extended family. Thank you to the students, staff, and families for the warmth, support, and sense of belonging over the years. This school will always hold a very special place in my heart.

Kate Sheils

It is with great sadness that I say farewell to Auburn South Primary School. The past 18 months have been an adventure and I would like to thank all the incredible staff, students and parents for welcoming me and journeying with me during my season here. I have loved getting to know the community and I will cherish the wonderful memories I have made with very special people. As I move on, I look forward to taking some time to travel the world and to spend precious moments with my granddaughters before stepping into my next chapter. Thank you Auburn South Primary!

Feifei Huang

We sincerely thank Feifei for her commitment to teaching Mandarin over the past two years. Her dedication to her students and contribution to our teaching team has been greatly appreciated. We wish her every success in the year ahead.

Hope Farnbach

This year I say farewell to all my friends here at Auburn South. I have enjoyed my time here a lot and wish to thank everyone I've met. Thank you to all the staff who have provided much guidance and thank you to all the students who have given me such fond memories. I'm sure everyone I have met here will continue to grow and become the most amazing people they can be.

Bessie Caldwell-Garcia

I want to say a massive thank you to everyone at ASPS for welcoming me into your school community these last 2.5 years. I have finished my teaching studies, and I am moving to a new school to be a teacher. To the teachers, I would not be the teacher I am today if it were not for the beautiful teachers at ASPS who have guided me and helped me learn lo561.30+109.25

ts before officially becoming a teacher. To my beautiful ES team, you have been my rock, I would not be where I am today without you! To the thoughtful and kind parents of ASPS thank you for your kindness and compassion (which you have passed on to your lovely children). I would like to say thank you to the amazing students at ASPS who have shown me what's it's like to have a love for learning in such a joyful way. I wish you all the best, may you continue to grow and learn lots in your bright futures. May our paths cross again .

Kate Nancarrow

I would like to extend a huge thank you to our parent community, students and staff for the incredibly warm welcome I received during my time at the school. I arrived knowing absolutely no one, armed only with a smile, a diary and a vague idea of where the staffroom was, but I was immediately made to feel supported, included and very well looked after.

My time here was so positive that it clearly clouded my judgement in the best possible way, as it inspired me to apply for a principal role, which I will be taking up at a nearby school. Spending time in such a kind, hardworking and good-humoured community will do that to you!

I will truly miss the students, families and staff, the laughter, the teamwork and the everyday moments that make a school feel like a second home. Thank you for your generosity, patience and kindness, and for making my time here so enjoyable and memorable. I leave with great appreciation… and a very high standard to live up to!

Centennial Garden Brick Project

SAKG Program

Help with our Chooks - please!