Welcome to the final newsletter of 2025!

There have been many new and exciting changes at MPRPS in 2025. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know our wonderful community, including staff, students, and parents.

One of the highlights of the year has been seeing Pleasant Day Out come together and witnessing the strong sense of community, collaboration and shared purpose it created. Together, we raised approximately $16,500, thanks to the incredible efforts of the Pleasant Day Out crew, generous donations, and the wonderful support of our broader community.

It has also been inspiring to watch our teachers embrace the new Victorian Teaching and Learning Model. Through professional learning and reflective practice, staff have deepened their understanding of cognitive load theory and the importance of explicit teaching. This growing focus on evidence-based practice has strengthened classroom instruction and supported consistent, high-quality learning experiences for our students.

It has been a year of growth, learning, and connection, and I look forward to building on this strong foundation as we continue to work together to support student success.

Awards and Recognition

Last week we acknowledged a number of Grade 6 students with awards. Some awards are part of the traditional Deakin Shield Awards and were presented by the Member for Deakin, Matt Gregg. Others are school awards and were presented by MPRPS Staff. The recipients were as follows:

Deakin Academic	Archer F
Moore Award (all rounder)	Madeleine T
Bert Sloane Youth Achievement Award (Rotary)	Amber S
Deakin Community	Sophie A
Deakin The Arts	Kitraa S
Sports Award	Taj F
Principal Recognition Award	Olivia C
Maria Vanderwerf English Award	Christian K

Step Up Day

On Monday, all students spent the day in their new classes, working with their new teachers and meeting their new classmates. They took part in a range of activities designed to help them settle in, become familiar with their classrooms, and build confidence. By the end of the day, students had begun forming new friendships and felt more comfortable in their new learning environment.

On Wednesday our Foundation classes also visited for their final session in the new classes too.

Our new 2026 teaching teams are:

Specialist team: Kate, Sam, Suzie, Steph and Eryn

Supporting the smooth running of our office and leading the school in both teaching and wellbeing are the following teams-

Admin: Meg, Lou and Jane

Creative Arts Therapist: Mel

Prinicpal class- Claudia and Amanda

Leading Teacher: Jonny

Learning Specialist: Gabriella

Student Reports

Student Reports for Semester 2, 2025 were available on the Compass Parent Portal on Wednesday 17th December 2025 at 3.30pm.

School Council

Our School Council held our final meeting for the year at the end of November.

We thank all of the members of the 2025 School Council: Jennifer, Teoh, George Ma, Jonathan Dimbleby, Jonathan Prescott, Kirsty Thomas, Martin Tofts, , Luke Neilson, Sandhya Menon, Amanda Nelson, Emily Glen and Jonathan Hobbs. We also thank Secretary Megha Malhotra. They will return for one more meeting in 2026, before we form the new School Council.

Deepest Sympathies

We would like to share some sad news with our community. Jane has been absent most of this term to care for her husband Geoffrey. Sadly Geoffrey passed away on December 14th. The MPRPS staff have wrapped their arms around Jane, and we look forward to her returning in the new year.

Goodbyes

Today we say goodbye to our amazing Grade 6 students. We are proud of how much you have grown and all that you have achieved. You will be missed, but we are excited to see you move on to the next chapter of your journey.

Carry with you the lessons, memories, and friendships from your time here. Believe in yourselves, work hard, and always aim high.

We wish you success and happiness in all that lies ahead. Farewell and best wishes, 2025 Grade 6!

Farewell to Tegan, Emily G, Emily W, Steph D, Brooke, Peng, Stefan and Jo S who have all moved onto new roles. Taking leave in 2026 are Kathy, Katrina, Yana and Tania. We look forward to hearing of your adevntures in other roles and other schools.

2026 Dates for Your Diary

We invite all parents and guardians to attend our 2026 Information Nights. The Senior Information Night will be held on 11th February at 6:00 pm, followed by the Junior Information Night on 12th February at 6:00 pm. These sessions will provide important information and an opportunity to learn more about the year ahead, ask questions, and meet staff.

Thank you to the community, leadership team, staff, and School Council for their support during my first year at MPRPS. I am truly grateful for the guidance, encouragement, and collaboration that made this year such a positive and rewarding experience.

Enjoy the holiday break. Stay safe. We look forward to seeing you on Thursday 29th for our Grade 1- 6 students and the Foundation starting on February 4th.

Claudia

JANUARY		TIME
29th Jan	Year 1-6 Start 2026 School Year	8:50am

FEBRAURY
4th Feb	1st Day of Foundation
11th Feb	Senior Information Night	6:00pm
12th Feb	Junior Information Night	6:00pm

Important Dates

IMPORTANT DATES - TERM 4

TERM 1 - 2026