Principal's Message
Dear Parents/Carers
END OF YEAR SUMMARY
Last week was a time of celebration. A time where we came together to recognise the accomplishments and successes of our outstanding students.
As we presented several well-deserved awards to our remarkable winners, I want to express my heartfelt congratulations to each of you.
Your dedication and hard work have not gone unnoticed, and your achievements are a testament to your resilience and commitment.
However, let’s not forget that every student in this school has the potential for greatness. Throughout the school year, we have witnessed incredible academic and personal growth from each and every student.
At Warrnambool Primary School, we are privileged to witness the diverse talents and capabilities of our students, and we celebrate the uniqueness that each individual brings to our community.
I would like to extend my gratitude to our student leadership group, led by Quinn Hussey, Frankie Brown, Willow Jolly and Calvin Traill. Your leadership has been exemplary, and you have set a positive example for your peers.
A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated School Council, under the guidance of Georgina Logan. Your strong leadership has been instrumental in shaping the success of our school. As we look towards 2025, we anticipate new opportunities with optimism, confident in the capable hands that guide us.
To our Parents Association, thank you for your hard work and dedication to Warrnambool Primary School. Your contributions in time and funds have made a significant impact, allowing us to run various programs that enrich the educational experience of our students.
To the parents who support our school through voluntary work, assistance with programs, and nurturing your children, we express our sincere gratitude. Your involvement is invaluable, and we appreciate the partnership between home and school that contributes to the overall success of our students.
We have had the pleasure of experiencing incredible excursions and programs this year, from Kangaroobie and Roses Gap to Sovereign Hill, from Port Fairy to Melbourne, and the unforgettable Cottage by the Sea. To the parents who supported these endeavours, thank you for making these enriching experiences possible for our students.
A special acknowledgment goes to our dedicated staff. Your commitment to the students at Warrnambool Primary School is evident in the special bond that exists between staff and students—an enviable connection that sets our school apart.
In closing, thank you all for being an integral part of the Warrnambool Primary School community. As we celebrate the accomplishments of today, let us look forward to the endless possibilities that the future holds.
OPENING BASKETBALL/ NETBALL COURTS
It is with great joy and immense gratitude that today we officially opened the fantastic new basketball and netball courts at Warrnambool Primary School.
These courts are a remarkable addition to our school community, and we are thrilled to celebrate this achievement together.
First and foremost, we would like to extend our deepest thanks to the organisations who made this project possible through their incredibly generous donations of considerable funds.
Without their support, this project would not have come to fruition. We are profoundly grateful to:
The Midfield Group, with special mention to Sharnie McKenna,
The A.L Lane Foundation,
The A.R Trigg Foundation,
The Archie and Hilda Graham Foundation,
The Ern Hartley Foundation,
The Gall Family Foundation,
All of which were administered at Taits Legal, and the board of trustees of each foundation. We thank them immensely.
The Gwen and Edna Jones Foundation,
The Ray and Joyce Uebergang Foundation,
The William and Lindsay Brodie Foundation,
All of which were administered at McLaren Hunt Financial Group, and the board of trustees of each foundation. We thank them immensely.
Their generosity has made a lasting impact on our students, staff, and the entire community.
We are so thankful for their commitment to supporting education and providing our students with a state-of-the-art facility for sport and recreation.
A special thanks also goes to the School Council Buildings and Grounds Sub Committee.
Their tireless efforts in coordinating engineers, drafts people, construction managers, and subcontractors were crucial in making this project a reality.
We are particularly grateful to Clinton Brown and Greg Gent for their persistence, encouragement, and dedication to this long and often drawn-out process.
Their hard work ensured that we could stand here today, ready to enjoy these courts for many years to come.
While the courts have been open for several weeks now, today is the official day we celebrate and recognise this wonderful achievement.
These courts represent more than just a place to play – they symbolise the collective effort, dedication, and generosity of so many people who made this possible.
On behalf of the entire Warrnambool Primary School community, thank you again to everyone involved.
We look forward to seeing the students, families, and local community members making the most of these incredible facilities.
YEAR 6 GRADUATION
Congratulations to our Year 6 students on the completion of their Primary Schooling years. Mr Williams, Mrs Cunningham and Mr Lewis ensured that the Graduation was a very special event for the Year 6 students and their families.
We wish every student exiting our school all the very best at secondary school.
We are confident that they are well prepared for the excitement and challenges which lay ahead.
Each student has had a pleasing year of growth but there were several awards presented and the following are the worthy recipients:
Year 6 Outstanding Academic Achievements
6A - Willow Jolly, Calvin Traill, and Angel Ngawaka
6B - Leopold Forynski, Theo Darmanin, and Matthew Stagoll
6C - Quinn Hussey, Ella Sharpe, and Raymond Parnell
Harold Stephenson Awards
Asha Taylor- Wright, and Quinn Hussey
Principal’s Endeavour Awards
Frankie Brown and Seth Berugodarachichi
Cottage by the Sea Scholarships
Henry Porter, Isaac Hay, Harley Causby, Will Meredith, and Zac McRae
Central Rotary Club of Warrnambool Citizenship Awards
Calvin Traill and Raymond Parnell
East Warrnambool Rotary
Harper Rudman and Matthew Stagoll
Year 6 Academic Endeavour Awards
6A - Aurora Walmsley, Pratik Pathak
6B - Chey Nelson, Mia Newell
6C - Aleira Jarvis, Alyra Brown
Warrnambool Primary School Resilience Awards
Alison Alexander and Ashlee Pimblett
Japanese Encouragement Awards
Frankie Brown, Asha Taylor-Wright, Raymond Parnell, Jack Bryant
Visual Arts Awards
Quinn Hussey, Calvin Traill, Frankie Brown, Willow Jolly, Chey Nelson, Charlotte Rogers DeBono, Asha Taylor-Wright, Ashlee Pimblett
PE Awards
Starla Lilley, Nico Savage, Calvin Traill, Lenny Spicer, Asha Taylor-Wright, Tilly Wilson, Tom Gent, Quinn Hussey, Hugo Phillpot, Millie Jeppesen,
Ethan Hammersley, Alison Alexander, Aleira Jarvis, Alyra Brown, Harper Rudman, Lexi Harrison, Aurora Walmsley, Oscar Moody, Leopold Forynski & Alex Butler.
Science Encouragement Awards
Mia Newell and Seth Berugodaarachchi
State Schools Victoria Sport & Academic Award
Quinn Hussey
Aspiring Indigenous Graduates
Chey Nelson and Charlotte Rogers-DeBono
Aspiring EAL Graduate
Seth Berugodaarachchi
2024 JSC Year 6 Emerging Leader
Rubi Thornbury
Brauer College Scholarship
Leopold Forynski & Jack Bryant
Warrnambool College Scholarship
Matthew Stagoll
School of Jammin Music Award
Violet Fletcher, Willow Jolly, Ella Sharpe, Katelin Du Toit, Frankie Brown, Hugo Phillpot, Theo Darmanin, Jack Bryant & Calvin Traill
FINAL ASSEMBLY
At our final assembly on Friday we announced the leadership groups for 2025 and awards for those students moving into Year 6.
Junior School Council Ambassadors
Eli Pollard, Bella Leonard, Natasha Starick, Robert Cleverley
Year 5 Tozer Academic Scholarships
Reyansh Pawar & Eli Pollard
2025 Community Team Leaders are:
Kobe Lamb, Marlie Downes, Amelia Stutchbury-Cremming, Tyler Els, Shylo Clarke
2025 Sports Team Leaders are:
Rikki McDonald, Emily Jephcott, Ryleigh John, Samuel Turner, Zac Traill, Eli Doukas, Paige Serra, Shayla Murphy, Amaya Townsend, Alexandra Cameron, Tom Farley, Reyansh Pawar, Billy Kent.
2025 Wellbeing Team Leaders
Cheelle- May Eccles, Maya Billington, Matilda Stuart, Lexi Cooper, Nimrat Sandhu, Lorna Conheady, Amber Homburg, Nate Taverna-Jones
2025 STEAM Leadership Team
Montana Dertilis, Sandin Hewage, Nevaeh Green, Libby Leslie-Thom, Aiden Lugton, Natalia Lopez, Dayna Buckley, Alex McRae
2025 Library Team Leaders
Eldrick Mlambo, Scarlett Knowles, Kasey Dalton, Brodie Duncan, Makayla Norval, Riley Cowell, Pippa Herbertson, Zakary Vincent
2025 Administration Leadership Team
Sienna Rye, Ruby Ryan, Sophie Wallace, Naia Nicholson
2025 Koori Team Leaders
Lyric Elliott, Kaley Grayson, Layla Herbertson, Preston Miller
2025 Mulitcultural Leadership Team
Zhiyang Chen, Kairui Jin, Nicole Chivovo
The Kelly Shield
Aqua was the winning house
BANNERS
Regional Swimming - Bella Leonard, Sam Turner, Hugo Phillpot, Asha Taylor-Wright
Regional Tennis - Nico Savage
Regional Cross Country - Eli Doukas, Calvin Traill
Regional Track and Field - Tom Gent, Quinn Hussey, Amaya Townsend, Calvin Traill, Sam Turner
State Track and Field - Quinn Hussey
Specialist Subjects - Rising Stars
Science- Ms Hann
Elexya Brown, Frankie Sepe, Angus McKinnon, Lyla Kairl, Rubin Rosalski
PE - Mrs Owen
Alexa Mills, River Chatfield, Chance Sparrow, Sylvie Van Rooy, Helena Forynska, Maisy Murphy, Chaise Richards, Chloe Campling
Languages Japanese - Mrs Webster
Hayden Speed, Hayden Keane, Imogen McKenzie
Art - Mrs Dixon
Charlie Grey, Alex Jeppesen, Edward Pollard, Olivia Rye, Merryn Cleverley, Annamarie Fourie, Wenze Xie, Eli Pollard, Ebony Fourie, Wenyi Xie, Freya Yen
STAFFING
FAREWELL
The following staff have departed or will depart in 2024.
John Papadopoulos has been with our school for 24 years and has endeared himself to our entire school community. He leaves a legacy of engaging Japanese Sports Days, amusing Japanese plays, soulful tunes from his trusted companion, his guitar, Lucy and of course, our Japanese oasis, the Japanese Zen Garden. Jenny Elz has also concluded her affiliation with our school. Jenny has been a parent, science teacher and more recently, our Maths Enrichment teacher. Jenny has stretched the mathematical thinking of many of our students and her support for our students and staff will be greatly missed. We also bid farewell to staff members Patrick Kluver (and Sunny), who is taking leave to travel in 2025 and David Tomkins and Bebe Ryan, who are pursuing new opportunities. Louise Grace and Brian Keillor-Reed have entered retirement after supporting our most vulnerable students for many years. Ross McRae is continuing his role as an ES staff member in the secondary arena. We thank all of our departing staff for their outstanding contributions and wish them all the very best in their future endeavours.
WELCOME
We are delighted to welcome Ella Haugh, Charlotte Johns and Samantha Webster to our teaching team for 2025 and to celebrate the return of April-Lee Sandri. Their enthusiasm and expertise will undoubtedly enrich our school community.
The contribution to Warrnambool Primary from these people has been outstanding. Some may return to our school as staff members but we hope that we see all of them in the future.
MERRY CHRISTMAS/HAPPY HOLIDAYS
I sincerely wish that everyone has a great Christmas and holiday break. We look forward to 2025 with much optimism and enthusiasm.
Peter Lee
Principal