Leadership updates and reflections

Update from Julie

A Heartfelt Thank You for an Incredible 130th Celebration & Art Show 

What an unforgettable milestone! Our 130th Celebration and Art Show was a true reflection of the spirit, heart, and togetherness that makes our community so special. The joy, laughter, and connection shared throughout the event reminded us all why Wonga Park is such a wonderful place to belong.

A huge thank you goes to everyone who made this event such a success - our dedicated staff, supportive families, past and present students, and all the community groups who came together to celebrate with us.

A special thank you to Lauren Goodwin for her inspiring leadership, tireless energy, and eye for every detail. Lauren’s enthusiasm and vision turned the 130th celebration into a truly memorable occasion that brought our community, past and present, together in joy and pride.

Congratulations to Kristy Salisbury for curating a breathtaking Art Show that celebrated the incredible creativity of our students. The beautiful displays reflected countless hours of care, imagination, and teamwork. Thank you also to Tim Phillips for bringing the art to life with exceptional lighting and sound, and to the many staff members and their partners, families and siblings, parents, and volunteers who helped make the vision possible.

From the bush dance and old-fashioned games, to the lemonade stand, plant stall, photo booth, caricature portraits, lucky dips, bake stall, side show alley, damper making and even the famous horse poo grid raffle - every moment was filled with fun and community spirit! We were delighted to be joined by local groups including the Wonga Park Scouts, Wonga Park Cricket Club, Burch Memorial Pre-School and Their Care - your presence helped make the night even more special.

A very special thank you to the passionate members of the Wonga Park HistoryGroup, who so generously gave their time and energy to create a truly wonderful display of historical photos and memorabilia. Your efforts brought to life the rich and colourful history of our local area, sparking memories and stories that connected our past with our present. The display drew in many past and present students and families, who were delighted to reminisce and share in the pride of our community’s heritage.  A special thank you to much-loved former Wonga Park student Margaret Fankhauser (néeUpton), who kindly cut our 130th birthday cake! Margaret’s family were among the original families in the area, and their strong connection to our school lives on through UptonHouse.

To our wonderful 130th Committee who worked tirelessly over many months to plan, source, make, wrap, create – you were all amazing and we thank you for helping make this wonderful event happen. To everyone who lent a hand, whether by setting up, packing down, baking, donating prizes or services, organising, or simply coming along to share in the fun, thank you! Your support and enthusiasm created an event that truly celebrated who we are as a community.

Here’s to 130 years of memories, and to many more wonderful celebrations ahead together!

World Teachers’ Day - Friday 31st October

This Friday, we say “Hats off to Australia’s teachers!”

World Teachers’ Day is a chance for all Australians to acknowledge and thank the incredible teachers who educate, inspire, and support students every day. At Wonga Park Primary, we celebrate the amazing dedication, creativity, and care our teachers bring to their classrooms and our school community every day! If

Warm regards

Julie

Update from Adele

Disability Inclusion

Student Support Group Meetings 

At our school, we value every student’s opportunity to thrive, academically, socially and emotionally. A key part of this commitment is the SSG process, families involved in termly SSGs will soon be receiving a communication from their chairperson regarding the scheduling of the SSG.

What is an SSG?

An SSG is a planned, collaborative meeting between the school, the student’s parents/carers (and the student, where appropriate) and relevant staff or external agencies. Its aim is to support the student’s learning, health, social and emotional wellbeing in a way that is holistic and personalised.

Who might lead the meeting

At our school the SSG meeting may be convened by one of several people, depending on the student’s circumstances:

• Assistant Principal - Adele Brice
• Wellbeing Leader - Terri Gioia
•  ‘Mar­rung’ Lead - Tim Phillips
• The class teacher (especially if the student’s needs are primarily classroom-based)

This flexibility allows us to ensure the most appropriate person leads the discussion for your child.

Frequency of meetings

For students funded under PSD or Disability Inclusion, the SSG must meet once per term. For other students with diverse learning needs, we may meet once per semester. You will receive communication indicating whether your child’s SSG is scheduled termly or semester-based.

How to prepare so the meeting is effective

1. Reflect ahead of time – Think about your child’s recent progress: what’s working well, what’s challenging, what you’ve noticed at home (e.g., organisation, confidence, friendships).
2. Bring questions and ideas – Consider:
   • What goals would you like your child to work towards?
   • What support strategies have helped? Which haven’t?
   • Are there external supports involved or services that might be helpful?
3. Encourage your child’s voice – If age-appropriate, invite your child to share how they feel about their learning, what they enjoy, what they find difficult, and what they’d like to focus on. 

What to expect during the meeting

• A friendly, welcoming environment where you, your child, and staff collaborate.
• Celebration of achievements: recognising what your child has done well is just as important as identifying next steps. 
• A review of where things are at now: strengths, challenges, progress.
• Discussion of goals for the upcoming term/semester: short-term and long-term.
• Agreement on strategies and adjustments: classroom supports, wellbeing check-ins, home-school communication, and external services if needed.
• Clear documentation of what was agreed, who is responsible, and when follow-up will happen.

After the meeting: the follow-through

• Keep a copy of the meeting minutes and the agreed plan.
• At home, check in with your child: “How are things going with our plan? Are things getting easier, or do we need to tweak something?”
• Stay in contact with the school: if something isn’t quite working, or new things emerge, speak early.
• At the next SSG, your contributions will help shape the review: what changed? What new goals? What’s next?

Why this matters

SSG meetings ensure a team approach to support your child. They bring together home, school, and any relevant services to make sure support is consistent and targeted. SSGs are meaningful and strength-based actions that directly support your child’s growth.

We look forward to working closely with you in the upcoming SSG process. If you have any questions ahead of the meeting, please feel free to contact your child’s class teacher or the chairperson for your child’s SSG.

Online Safety

eSafety – Office of the eSafety Commissioner 

Social media age restrictions webinars

From 10 December 2025, certain social media platforms won’t be allowed to let Australian children under 16 create or keep an account.

Join our information sessions for parents and carers; educators and youth-serving professionals to understand the changes, their purpose and implications.

Parents and carers

The 30-minute webinar will help parents and carers understand the upcoming changes to social media access for children under 16.

Join our information session to:

• understand the purpose of the new age restrictions and how they aim to protect young Australians
• understand which platforms will require users to be 16+ and what platforms they can still access
• get tips and resources to support your child’s online safety and wellbeing through the transition.

 Parents and carers will gain:

• a clear understanding of the new rules and their implications
• confidence in guiding their child through these changes
• access to trusted resources to support safe and positive online engagement.

Friday 14 November, 1:00pm (AEDT) REGISTER NOW

Wednesday 19 November, 7:00pm (AEDT) REGISTER NOW

Tuesday 2 December, 7:00pm (AEDT) REGISTER NOW

Monday 8 December, 3:30pm (AEDT) REGISTER NOW

Monday 15 December, 1:00pm(AEDT) REGISTER NOW

Thursday 20 November, 12:30pm (AEDT) REGISTER NOW

Term 4 eSafety Commissioner online workshops

The eSafety Commissioner provides free webinars to parents and carers with the knowledge, skills, and tools to support their children to have safe, positive online experiences. Remaining Term 4 webinars are listed below:

1.Supporting healthy tech use as your child transitions into secondary school

This 45-minute webinar explores the social pressures, peer influences, and technological challenges young people face as they transition into secondary school. It also offers practical strategies for navigating online friendships and connections to help minimise negative experiences. It's suitable for parents and carers of children in upper primary school (ages 11 to 12) and Year 7. Learn more about this webinar.

18 November, 12:30 pm

2. Social media age restrictions explained – a guide for parents and carers

From 10 December 2025, certain social media platforms won’t be allowed to let Australian children under 16 create or keep an account. Join our 30-minute information session to understand the changes. Learn more about this webinar.

20 November, 12:30 pm

Sign up for the eSafety Newsletter to receive the latest online safety news, resources, and advice.

Warm Regards,

Adele