A Message from Vassie 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land, the Wurundjeri, Woi Wurrung and Boonwurrung/Boonurung Peoples of the Kulin Nation and pay our respect to their Elders, past, present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within our school community. 

Term 4: Weeks 1 & 2

We have had an enormously productive and successful opening to our final term of 2024. Whilst the big news has been the move into our new building, it is by no means the only thing to celebrate. Overall, all of our students from Prep - Year 6 have been quick to settle back into learning routines and there has been an air of positivity and calm around the school. 

Year 4 Camp

On Monday of Week 2 our Year 4 students headed off on camp at Ferngully Lodge, in Healesville.  We thank our Year 4 teachers, parent helpers and Adriana Jankulovski, who attended as a member of leadership, for organising the experience and enabling it to happen. 

The camp is very much focused on outdoor activities and team building experiences. Across the two days our students participated in a series of activities, including: 

• High Ropes Course
• Low Ropes Course
• Archery 
• Zipline 
• Giant Swing
• Team Building Initiatives
• Commando Course 

Swimming

Lower down the school, our Year 1 and Year 2 cohort commenced their 5-day swimming program this week at Bayfit Leisure Centre. Our Prep students will undertake their swimming program slightly later in the term, starting in Week 5.  A special mention to our PE teacher, Gus, who has worked hard to secure the programs for our students and manage much of the associated organisation. 

2025 Transition

Parents will have received a Sentral notification this week regarding an aspect of our 2025 transition - namely, the 'Circle of 5' process. In preparation for determining our 2025 classes, we will be asking students to name 5 students that they have positive relationships with and would like to be in a class with next year. We facilitate this process within class, and all classroom teachers take a consistent approach in helping students define and recognise the meaning of  a "positive relationship". We reference the idea of a 'circle' of friends, rather than a list, to try to minimise the concept of an ordered and ranked list; in the past we have found that students can have a tendency to discount any student who is not in the top 2 positions. 

Alongside this student driven process, we also invite parents to share any critical information relating to their child's placement in 2025. Should parents have further information around your child's learning needs, that your child's teacher is not aware of, please put this in writing for consideration by Friday 25 October. 

Please email any information to the school email account, wembley.ps@education.vic.gov.au and address to the 'Principal class team'. Please state your child's name and year level for 2025. Your email will be acknowledged as received and the information that you provide will be taken into consideration.

Whilst these preparations are underway, we have also begun our transition processes for our 2025 Prep students. Weeks 1 and 2 has seen us invite small groups of our 2025 Prep students onsite, in order to observe and consider grade placements, but also to support them in becoming familiar with our school environment. Thank you to Mel Irons (Prep-Year 2 Assistant Principal) Phoebe Moore (Prep - Year 2 Learning Specialist) and Hannah Tabart (Prep Facilitator and Classroom Teacher) for their meticulous planning and organisation of this transition process. 

Year 6 Headspace Incursion 

In an almost circular ending, Kelly Edwards, our departing school counsellor, organised an incursion from Headspace for our Year 6 students.  The incursion centred around preparation for their transition to High School and provided opportunity to work through some of the following concepts: Things that they can control, can't control, things they are looking forward to, team work and problem solving.

Capital Works Update 

As most within our community are aware, we received our Certificate of Occupancy for our new building on the final Friday of Term 3, and whilst we were able to officially move in and operate from the building on that day, it really feels that Term 4 marked a true sense of us having 'moved in'. Much of Week 1 was spent reinforcing new procedures and routines for our students and troubleshooting unforeseen, but minor issues. A daily opportunity for all to practise and demonstrate their resilience and initiative!

We have welcomed community members on site, daily, for tours of the new building and these will continue for the remainder of Week 2. If you are interested, please congregate in the front 'courtyard' outside of the Admin Office, entering via the gate at the corner of Wembley Avenue and Hawkhurst Street. 

• 9:30am - Monday, Wednesday and Friday
• 3:00pm - Tuesday and Thursday

External site works continue and this week has seen the final bricks of our old building demolished and the start of them levelling what will become play space for our students. Completion of our external works is due in the final weeks of Term 4.  

Vassie - Long Service Leave - Monday 7 to Friday 18 October

A reminder that Vassie is currently on Long Service Leave. She is away on an extended holiday with her family and will return in Week 3. Katie McClue has taken on the role of Acting Principal for the duration of Vassie's leave, and is well supported by the remainder of the extended leadership team. 

Farewell Kelly Edwards

Last term, we congratulated Kelly Edwards who has accepted the role as Social Learning Facilitator at Mackillop Education Special School. Kelly had her final day with us at Wembley on Monday. 

We wish miss Kelly as counsellor, Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader and Marrung Champion. We thank her for her contribution to Wembley Primary School and Acknowledge that for Kelly that this was a very difficult decision. 

We have advertised for the role of counsellor and hope to appoint someone in either term four or from the beginning of the 2025 school year. We will keep you updated as we move through this process. 

Other Reminders: 

• JSC Loud Shirt Day - Friday 18 October
• WPA Bake Sale - Lunchtime, Friday 18 October