Welcome Back and Thank You

Welcome back to our students, staff, and community! It has been wonderful to see familiar faces and new friends reconnecting, sharing stories of holiday adventures, and settling into the new school year. Our students have transitioned beautifully, embracing learning with enthusiasm and curiosity.

On a personal note, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our school community and staff for the positivity, energy, and commitment they bring each day. Our students have quickly adapted to new learning environments and are building friendships across their cohorts. For those in newly formed multi-age groups, it’s inspiring to see fresh learning communities and connections emerging. I am incredibly proud to lead such a vibrant, child-focused community, and I am honoured to work alongside such dedicated staff, students, and families.

Staffing News

Our 2026 leadership and teaching structure is as follows:

Leadership Team:

Principal: Tania Sorbello

Assistant Principal: Joseph Dykes

Assistant Principal (0.5FTE): Nick England

Leading Teacher – Disability and Inclusion – Jake Mutimer

Learning Specialist – Curriculum Leader – Refi Balla

Wellbeing – Shared between leadership team

Teaching Teams

Prep: PBM – Bronte Murray | PMC – Maddi Check | PML – Molly Lowe
Year 1: 1SE – Sarah Easton | 1EJ – Evey Chen (0.6) / Jake Mutimer (0.4)
Year 2: 2AF – Amy Fleming | 2MW – Molly Witbooi | 2NB – Nick Barrett
Year 3/4: 3/4BA – Brad Arthur | 3/4BT – Briony Wiltshire (0.8) / Tanya Dolence (0.2) | 3/4CB – Charmaine Bamford | 3/4NB – Nathan Bieman | 3/4TA – Tom Barnett (0.8) / Alice Dawes (0.2)
Year 5: 5RL – Refi Balla (0.6) / Lucy Ballard (0.4) | 5TM – Tylah Marchbank
Year 6: 6AD – Adrian DeLandre | 6KF – Kathleen Feeny

Specialists

Visual Arts: Semester 1 – Brittany Wollerman / Semester 2 – Zoe Polycarpou
PE: Ben Williams
Music: Tanya Dolence
Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden: Lucy Ballard
LOTE: Dianna Bazzano
Student Learning Support: Alice Dawes
STEM and Auslan: Classroom Teacher

Communications

With some changes in staffing and leadership, we’ve created a communications diagram to guide you on who to contact for any queries. This is designed to provide a clear pathway for ideas, questions, or concerns.

Upcoming Events

Parent / Carer -Teacher Meet and Greet

Our Parent / Carer - Teacher Meet and Greet afternoon is scheduled to be held this Wednesday 4th February 2026 from 1:20pm – 6pm. These 10 minute appointments will be an opportunity for you to meet your child’s teacher and share any relevant and important information about their learning preferences. Appointments are still able to be made, so please head to Compass to book your time slot.

Students will finish at 12:45pm on this day so, if required, please contact TheirCare for supervision for the afternoon.

Adults Visiting the School

For the safety of the children, all adults visiting the school must enter via the main administration door, regardless of their destination. Between 9:15am and 3:15pm, all other gates remain locked. Visitors are asked to sign in at the front counter and provide a reason for their visit.

All visitors must also provide evidence of a current, fully processed Working With Children Check (WWCC). If you need to apply for a volunteer WWCC, you can do so here.

Other Important Reminders

Broad-brimmed hats: Please ensure your child has a hat to wear during Term 1 for recess, lunch, and outdoor lessons. Hats are available from the office for $15.
Medical plans: Send any updated or new medical plans to the office as soon as possible.
Compass access: Please check your Compass login and contact the front office if you need assistance.

Welcome to our 2026 Prep students and families!

What a fantastic start for our 2026 Preps! The children have quickly settled into routines, enthusiastically embracing their learning. So many little blue t-shirts zipping around the yard; making friends, playing together, and navigating this exciting new world!

We also warmly welcome new families joining our school community this year; make sure to say hello at drop-off or pick-up. Together, we continue to build a thriving, connected community.

Unity

I dreamed I stood in a studio

and watched two sculptors there,

The clay they used

was a young child’s mind

And they fashioned it with care.

One was a teacher

and the tools they used

were books, music and art,

The other, a family

with guiding hands

and a gentle, loving heart.

And when, at last

their work was done

they were proud of what they had wrought,

For the things they had worked

into the child

could never be sold or bought.

And each agreed they would have failed

if they had worked alone

For behind the family

stood the school,

And behind the teacher

stood the home.

Author Unknown

Until next time, go gently,

Tania

Yarra City Information