Principal's Report

Welcome to Term 1, 2024! We've had a fantastic start to the term, with students settling in well to their new classes and getting to know their teachers and classmates. Our dedicated teachers have put in a lot of hard work to prepare and set up the classrooms, ensuring that each space is inviting and fosters a sense of belonging and inclusion.

A warm welcome goes out to all our Prep families and any new families joining the Donvale community. Our school is community-oriented, and we have no doubt that you will feel right at home in no time.

Here are some tips for parents for the first year of school

• Find out about what your child is learning at school. By doing this, you can support your child’s learning and find out how your child is adjusting to school.
• If your child is having difficulty at school, talk to their teacher. Your child can also say what they think might help them.
• Keep talking to your child about school. Ask them about their new experiences, what they like and what they find hard.
• If your child goes to care before or after school, find a way of sharing your child’s school progress with the staff.
• Share feedback about your child’s experience of starting school with the school and early childhood service.
• Organise time for your child and their new friends to play together outside of school.

We are always here to support you, and open communication is key to building a strong partnership with us. We encourage you to connect with your child's teacher using either See Saw (P-4) or Google Classroom (5/6). These platforms serve as a means to connect you with your child's teacher and facilitate year-level and classroom-based communication. For whole school communication, we utilise Compass, our dedicated platform. The office staff and I will primarily use Compass Newsfeeds to communicate with you, so please ensure that the Compass app is accessible on your digital devices.

On Monday, we had our start-of-year curriculum day, where our primary focus was defining the school culture at Donvale. The staff and I engaged in meaningful work in this area, which will be incorporated into our professional learning sessions throughout the year. Together, we identified five words that depict the culture at Donvale: Collaborative, Progressive, Supportive, Valued, and Engaging! We share a strong collective vision for the success of our fabulous school, and together, we will continue to work towards achieving it.

Kind regards, 

Larissa Vesdrevanis

Principal