Principal's News

Final Word

What a massive year at our school! Full of so many incredible achievements and accomplishments and collective efforts by our students, our staff and our families. As we sign off on the 2024 school year, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the support that we have enjoyed over the course of the year. 

Students 

Thank you to our wonderful students, whether they have joined us for the first time this year, moved a year further in their primary schooling or have just finished their final day of Year 6, we are collectively incredibly proud of what they achieve each and every day. We are often taken aback by their curiosity, their creativity, their kindness and their optimism. They are a great reflection of our school and our school community. I have appreciated seeing them grow, develop and shine over the course of the school year. Congratulations on all that you have achieved this year! 

Families

My sincere thanks to our families for their support of our school and our staff over the course of the year. Your voluntary contributions to the many events and activities, your support of our classrooms and our bilingual learning. Your willingness to pitch in and help. For so many of you as working parents, juggling the commitments at home and work whilst also giving up a little bit of time of help in the school never goes unnoticed. Thank you for contributing to our school community and for helping us achieve so much over the course of the year. To our families that are moving on from the school, I acknowledge your support and wish you all the very best for your journey ahead. 

Staff

I am privy to so much positive feedback and recognition provided to me about our staff, it leaves me very much aware of the esteem that you hold them in and the due recognition that they should receive for the work that they lead in our classrooms and around our school. I acknowledge our teachers (Klein sensei, Mrs Curlewis, Mrs Watts, Kato sensei, Miss Harper, Miho sensei, Okano sensei, Mrs Lowy, Miss Campbell, Miss Guzman, Aya sensei, Miss Pyrcz and Miss McCann), our education support team (Tomomi, Payal, Noa, Miki, Lauren, Caroline, Azka, Asako), our administration team (Therese and Jess) and leadership team (Morita sensei, Onda sensei, Miss Ryan, Murray sensei, Kurata sensei, Kurokawa sensei, Mrs Newman, Miss Molloy) and our assistant principal (Morioka sensei). Thank you for acknowledging and supporting their work throughout this year. 

Student Leaders

My sincere thanks and acknowledgements to our 2024 Student Leaders who have left a significant positive legacy around our school, led by our School Captains and Vice Captains, (Lucy, Harrison, Kiku and Oscar), our leadership team of Mia, Willa, Taku, Lewis, Nanami, Masa, Caitlin, Anatasia, Hoang, Ren G, Ren W-G and Alice have contributed to a strong sense of student agency and voice throughout our school. 

Congratulations to our 2025 Student Leaders, we look forward to working with our newest leadership team in 2025. My particular thanks to Kurokawa sensei who coordinated a very detailed and extensive election process and to our Year 5/6 team for their leadership to support and develop our 2025 Year 5/6 leaders throughout this year. 

Congratulations to our 2025 Student Leaders:

• School Captains: Alice Halliwell, Lewis Clynk 
• School Vice-Captain: Eloise Macky, Vivien McCosh 
• Student Voice Captain: Masa Asano
• Student Voice Vice Captain: Ada Want
• Student Safety Captain:  Noah Ion
• Student Safety Vice Captain: Naoki Bate
• Ao Captain: James Shanahan
• Ao Vice Captain: Alex Black
• Kiiro Captain: Jasper Partouche
• Kiiro Vice Captain: Hudson Slaney
• Aka Captain: Declan Francis Cairns
• Aka Vice Captain: Meina Webb
• Midori Captain: Lenny Ota
• Midori Vice Captain: Anna Wilson 

Semester 2 Principal Awards

Congratulations to our Semester 2 Principal Award recipients, the culmination of a semester of growth, achievements and a recognition of what is achieved both in and out of the classrooms. I have enjoyed writing these awards and taking an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our students in Semester 2, congratulations! 

Working Bee – Thank You! 

Thank you to our families who supported our working bee yesterday afternoon, despite the heat we were able to empty all of our classrooms and prepare for some maintenance work with carpet refurbishments and painting to occur over the holidays. 

I will look to send out a schoolstream invitation to help once again in January to return the furniture to our classrooms to assist with the start of the 2025 school year. In anticipation, I would be greatly appreciative of any support to help on the day. 

Maintenance Update

This week, the school was informed of the appointment of Harnest Constructions working alongside Pro-Ark Architects to manage a Planned Maintenance Program upgrade managed by the Victorian School Building Authority. I plan to meet with Harnest Constructions over January to establish a site start-up meeting and begin the scope of work identified in the school maintenance plan. 

2025 School Year

The 2025 School Year begins for all students on the 29th January, we look forward to seeing everyone back with us on this date. 

• Term 1: 29th January – 4th April 
• Term 2: 22nd April – 4th July
• Term 3: 21st July – 19th September
• Term 4: 6th October – 19th December

For one final time this year, thank you for your significant contributions to our school over the course of the year, I have greatly enjoyed sharing with you our achievements, your support of your children and our staff. I wish you all the very best over the holiday period, enjoy the family time, some downtime and an opportunity to be with loved ones, family and friends. 

I look forward to reconnecting with of you in the new year. 

My Thanks, 

Edward Strain 

Principal