Christmas Concert Success!

Our annual Christmas Concert was an absolute highlight and did not disappoint. The turnout on Wednesday was incredible, and I am so grateful for our wonderful community. The overwhelming attendance from our school families reflects the deep commitment our families have to our school, our events, and the collective support in helping Park Ridge students thrive as learners.

As I mentioned on the night, I want to once again acknowledge the tremendous effort behind the scenes. A heartfelt thank you to our music teacher, Mr. Stewart, our dedicated classroom teachers, Education Support Staff, the PCA, and, of course, our amazing students. Each of you played a vital role in making the night such a success.

Finally, a special mention to our outstanding student leaders—Evie, Tiana, Jack, and Ricky—who were exceptional Masters of Ceremonies. Their leadership ensured the evening ran seamlessly, setting a high standard for our future 2025 student leaders. We are incredibly fortunate to have such inspiring role models in our school.

Ensuring Your Child’s Safety Walking To and From School

At Park Ridge PS, the safety of our students is a top priority. As more children walk to and from school, especially in this nicer weather, it’s important to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to navigate their journey safely. Here are some strategies to help your child stay safe and build road awareness:

Plan and Practice the Route

Choose the safest route with minimal road crossings and footpaths.
Practise walking the route with your child, pointing out hazards and safe crossing points.

Teach Road Safety Basics

Remind your child to always Stop, Look, Listen, and Think before crossing any road.
Use pedestrian and school crossings where possible.
Explain the importance of avoiding distractions like headphones or mobile phones when near traffic.

Buddy Up

Encourage your child to walk with a sibling, neighbour, or friend. Walking in groups is safer and more enjoyable.

Set Rules for Stranger Safety

Teach your child to stay on the designated route and never accept rides or talk to strangers.
Have a clear plan in place if your child feels unsafe, such as going to a trusted adult or calling you.

Model Safe Behaviour

Children learn by example. When walking with your child, model good road safety habits, such as crossing at lights and obeying traffic rules.

By practising these strategies and fostering awareness, we can work together to ensure your child has a safe and enjoyable journey to and from school.

2025 Transition Process

Next Thursday and the following Monday, students will begin their transition experiences at their new year level and meet their new class teacher for 2025. We all handle change in different ways; however, our students should cope extremely well with moving to the next year level. It is important for families to talk about the positives of entering a new year level. Provide an environment where your child believes that you know that they have the confidence and ability to thrive in 2025. Classes are currently being formed and are being finalised.

Being resilient is always a focus at our school. We can survive school without our best friends by our sides.

Staffing News

Over the past few weeks, we have been busy looking at our structures and programs to support our students and school operations in 2025. Part of these processes is the hiring of staff; this year is no different.

Firstly, Sharon Nyholm has accepted a position at Mazenod Secondary. Over the past two years, Sharon’s dedication and expertise in supporting our students through intervention programs have been truly invaluable. Her work with our former PSD students has been a cornerstone of their success. We are incredibly grateful for all Sharon has contributed and wish her every success in this next stage of her career.

Additionally, Jamie Logan will be finishing her official role with us at the end of this year. Jamie has brought so much positivity and warmth to our office team, creating a welcoming and uplifting environment. While we’ll miss having Jamie in her current role, we’re thrilled that she’ll be returning in Term 1 next year to complete her teaching placement with us.

Finally, Sonia Cross has accepted a full-time position at Mullum Primary School. For the past two years, Sonia has been a valued member of our ES team, working across both Park Ridge and Mullum. Her dedication and commitment have made a lasting impact on our school, and she will be deeply missed.

Please join me in thanking Sharon, Jamie and Sonia for their wonderful work with our students and we wish them all the very best in 2025.

Kinder to Foundation Transition Process

Our final Future Stars session was an outstanding success, marking a wonderful conclusion to this important transition program. It has been incredibly valuable to see all our 2025 Foundation students come together, building friendships, confidence, and a sense of familiarity with our school. These sessions have provided a strong foundation for their learning journey at Park Ridge, and it’s been heartwarming to witness their enthusiasm and growth.

We’ve received an abundance of positive feedback from parents, who have expressed their appreciation for the program and the opportunities it provides for their children to feel prepared and excited for their first year of school. This feedback reaffirms the importance of initiatives like Future Stars in fostering a smooth transition into school life.

Looking ahead, I have no doubt that this new cohort of Foundation students will be ready to hit the ground running in 2025. Their eagerness to learn, combined with the support of their families and our dedicated staff, sets the stage for a fantastic start to their educational journey. We can’t wait to welcome them officially next year!

Parent and carer School Saving Bonus

The Victorian Government is delivering the School Saving Bonus – a one-off $400 support for government school students from Prep to Year 12 in 2025.

From Tuesday 26 November 2024, you will receive an email from the Department of Education with your unique $400 School Saving Bonus code.

The School Saving Bonus will help families cover the cost of uniforms, textbooks, excursions, activities and more. The School Saving Bonus cannot be used for curriculum contributions through course confirmations on Compass. If you have multiple children enrolled in Victorian government schools for 2025, you will receive one School Saving Bonus code email per child.  These emails might arrive on different days. Please make sure to check your spam/junk email folder.

Parents and carers can use the School Saving Bonus code in store at school-nominated suppliers. Parents and carers can also choose to access the School Saving Bonus online system, where they can allocate part or all the $400 bonus to use at school nominated-online suppliers or for school activities.  To learn more about the School Saving Bonus, visit School Saving Bonus | vic.gov.au. A step-by-step user guide will be available on the webpage on 26 November.  

If you have not already received your School Saving Bonus code via email, please contact the Department of Education by emailing school.saving.bonus@education.vic.gov.au

Last Day of the 2024 School Year

The final day of the school year for students and staff is Friday 20 December, with students being dismissed at 1:15pm. Many families have indicated to classroom teachers and the office that their child’s final day will be earlier than Friday 20 December.

If your child will not be attending school at any time in the final week/s of the school year, please ensure you enter their absence into Compass as soon as possible so we can finalise our student attendance records for the school year.

2024 Final Assembly and Early Finishing Time for Final Day

Our final assembly for the 2024 school year will be held on the final day of school on Friday 20 December. Weather permitting, the assembly will be held at the podium area and will begin at approximately 12:50pm and conclude by 1:15pm. All students will be dismissed by their classroom teacher at the conclusion of assembly at 1:15pm.

TeamKids will be running an extended after school care program that will begin at 1:15pm. Information about TeamKid's program and contact information is available via our School Website.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Please feel free to pop in for a chat with either Carrie, Brendan or I, should you wish to discuss anything.

Our doors are always open!

Take care,

Mr. Dale Blythman

Important Dates

Term 1 - 2025