Principal's Report

SRC Leaders for 2025

We are getting closer to finalising our student leadership positions for 2025 with the selection of our Student Representative Council (SRC) in Grades 3-6. Our Grade Prep-2 SCR Leaders will be elected in Term 2.

Grade 3-6 SRC Leaders will receive their badges at assembly tomorrow at 2pm.

Congratulations to the following students who have been elected as SRC members for their class:

Upgraded Facilities

We have upgraded two of our play areas this year. Over the January holidays the softfall was removed from the junior playground and replaced with a combination of rubber and synthetic grass, while the basketball court was resurfaced last week.

Special thanks to Parent Club and Camp Australia for making this possible. Both groups contributed approximately $10,000 each to fund this project. I'd also like to thank our parent community for supporting our Parent Club fundraiser events. Without your support, a project like this is not possible.

School Council Summary

Our March AGM and School Council meeting was held recently. Many items were discussed and/or ratified, including:

School Council – New Members/Departing Members

The new School Council team was confirmed and Office Bearers were elected. Thanks and congratulations to the following:

President - Ronnie Lowe

Vice President - Sandy Hopfner

Treasurer - Phil Garner

Secretary - Natalie Todeschini

Bronte Spicer was thanked for her positive contribution to School Council over the last two years. 

Roles and Responsibilities: the function of School Council 

School Council members were provided with information that helped summarise their roles and responsibilities.

Annual Report 

The Annual Report was tabled for endorsement. This document needs to be submitted to the Department by the end of April as part of our accountability processes, prior to being released to the broader school community. 

Curriculum Days

A reminder was provided on the Curriculum Days for 2025 that were set and approved last year. 

Term 2 

Wednesday, 21st May – Berry Street Training (Day 3) 

Thursday 22nd May – Reporting and Assessment Day 

Term 4 

Wednesday, 15th October – Berry Street Training (Day 4) 

Friday 14th November – Reporting & Assessment Day

Enrolments

On census day (28/2) our confirmed enrolment was 427. Funding for 2025 has been based on this number.

Staffing News

Miss Maddy Vernon commenced her maternity leave on Wednesday, 5th March. We wish Maddy and her partner Ryan all the very best for impending birth of their first child. 

Mrs Penny Gamble will cover the Music role for the remainder of Term 1. Mrs Effie Hamilton is due to return from maternity leave at the beginning of Term 2, resuming in her Music Specialist role. 

Mr Chris McClellan is also due to return at the start of Term 2, following his recent surgery. Chris will take over from Miss Zoe Davies in the Grade 1/2 intervention role. Zoe will join the Prep Team in a Tier 2 Education Support intervention role.

NAPLAN

An update of the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) was provided. NAPLAN results are not expected to be made available to schools until Term 3.

Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) 

Nat Todeschini, Katie Moss and Brett Parkes recently attended the two-day MHiPS training facilitated by Melbourne University. The training program incorporated 4 learning modules: 

• Module 1 – Mental Health Literacy 

• Module 2 – Building Capacity 

• Module 3 – Supporting Need 

• Module 4 – Learning Communities 

With the training complete, we will now focus on further developing and finalising the Mental Health Wellbeing Leader role description, which will guide Nat’s work.

Easter Hat Parade, Easter Raffle and Tickets

Parent Club will once again run the Easter Egg Raffle in conjunction with the Easter Hat Parade tomorrow. This is a whole school event and parents, grandparents, friends, aunties, uncles etc. are most welcome to attend. All students will have the opportunity to share their Easter hat from 9am in The Hub, as part of our traditional Easter Hat Parade. 

We would love some last minute donations of Easter goodies to make up lots of great prizes. Donations can be left at the office. 

This event is always lots of fun and a great fundraiser for the school.

ANZAC Day - Lest We Forget

On Friday 25th of April, ANZAC Day will be commemorated. This year we will be holding our whole school ANZAC Day service on Thursday the 24th of April at 9.00am in the Hub. Parents, carers and families are welcome to attend. 

- Siobhan Garmey (ANZAC Day Coordinator)

SunSmart Policy - Term 2 

A reminder that we have implemented the Cancer Council SunSmart recommendation – hats are to be worn until the end of April. It is therefore mandatory that students wear an ‘approved’ SunSmart hat outside for play and sporting activities from the commencement of next term until the end of April.

Early School Finish - End of Term 1

Term 1 concludes on Friday, 4th April. Students will be dismissed at 2:15pm. An assembly is scheduled for 2:00pm on the Friday and students will be dismissed from The Hub area. 

Term 2 commences on Tuesday, 22nd April.

Repeat Notices

Statewide timeline to manage Prep enrolments for the 2026 school year

The statewide enrolment timeline provides Victorian government primary schools with clear timeframes for enrolling students who will commence Prep in the 2026 school year.

This will be the third time that schools will use a statewide timeline for enrolments into the Prep year. The timeline seeks to support schools and families by making the Prep enrolment process simpler, clearer and fairer.

The timeline includes key dates, activity descriptions and an overview of responsibilities to help schools to plan for their Prep enrolments. Key dates and activities for schools in the 2025–26 timeline include the following:

• Schools can receive enrolment applications from parents and carers from the start of Term 2, 2025. This follows the release of 2026 zones on the department’s Find my School website and the publication of Foundation enrolment information packs.
• Enrolment applications from parents and carers are to be submitted by Friday 25 July 2025.
• Schools notify parents and carers of the outcome of enrolment applications between Monday 28 July and Friday 8 August 2025.
• Written appeals from parents and carers are to be lodged with schools by Friday 22 August 2025.
• Schools notify parents and carers in writing of the outcome of appeals by Friday 5 September 2025.