From the Principal
2026 Government Schools Principal Conference
Mr Ben Heys and I will be attending the Victorian Government Schools Principals Conference on Thursday 28th and Friday 29th May at the Melbourne Convention Centre.
The theme this year is Leading Together for Excellence and Equity.
This is an excellent opportunity for Victorian government school principals and assistant principals to:
- hear from renowned thought leaders in education
- discover new ways of thinking about leadership excellence
- learn from and reflect with one another.
Staffing News
From the start of Term Three and for the remainder of the year, our Visual Art Teacher, Sharyn Newstead, will be on long service leave. We wish Sharyn all the best and look forward to seeing her in 2027.
Visual Art classes will be taught by Arabella Paine.
We welcome Arabella to the Camelot Rise Primary School community.
Camp Australia News
We have been informed that our Out of School Hours Care Leader, Kar Mun, will be leaving her position at Camelot Rise on Friday 5th June.
Kar Mun advised the school that she has the opportunity to work with her husband and, sadly, will not be continuing to work for Camp Australia at Camelot Rise Primary School.
We will be working closely with Camp Australia as they go through the process of appointing another highly skilled Coordinator at Camelot Rise Primary School.
We wish Kar Mun all the best in her future endeavours and thank her for her time at our school.
Industrial Action Update
Following the in‑principle agreement reached between the Department of Education and the Australian Education Union (AEU), all industrial action related to negotiations for the new Victorian Government Schools Agreement (VGSA) has now been suspended. This includes the planned stop‑work action previously scheduled for Wednesday 10th June.
As outlined in our previous newsletter communication, industrial action had included a ban on written comments being included in Semester 1 student reports for teachers who are members of the AEU. While this ban has now been lifted, the Department of Education has advised that it may be difficult for some schools to resume full written comments within the existing reporting timeline.
In line with Department advice, and to ensure reports are distributed to families within our planned schedule, reports for classes where teachers are members of the AEU will proceed in the format previously advised. This means reports will include progression points for achievement, effort, and behaviour, but will not include written comments.
We appreciate the understanding and ongoing support of our school community throughout this period.
National Simultaneous Storytime – Wednesday 27th May, 12pm
Our school is excited to once again participate in National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) 2026, a nationwide literacy event coordinated annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA).
National Simultaneous Storytime promotes the value of reading and literacy while connecting children across Australia through the shared enjoyment of a picture book. This year’s featured story is Luna Roo, a wonderful picture book that celebrates imagination, belonging, and storytelling.
The live National Simultaneous Storytime event will take place on Wednesday 27th May at 12pm, with schools and libraries around the country joining together to read the story at the same time.
We look forward to celebrating this fantastic literacy initiative and continuing to foster a love of reading across our school community. Thank you to Mrs Giannopoulos for coordinating this event.
Inspiration in Education – EDUtech Conference, June 3rd–4th
A number of principal colleagues and I will be attending the EDUtech Conference in Sydney on June 3rd and 4th. This is Australia’s largest and most comprehensive conference and exhibition dedicated to shaping the future of learning and teaching across K–12, Higher Education, and VET sectors.
Over two impactful days, EDUtech brings together the entire education ecosystem—including principals, CIOs, curriculum leaders, teachers, facilities managers, and technology partners—to share best practice, explore emerging innovations, and forge strategic collaborations that drive educational improvement.
The conference program features an outstanding lineup of global education visionaries, including Andy Hargreaves, Rose Luckin, Jason Reynolds, Sarah McKay, and Jason Lodge. It focuses on the most critical themes influencing modern education:
- AI in the classroom and the ethics of generative technology
- Leadership capabilities and institutional strategy
- Digital infrastructure (LMS/SIS) and IT modernisation
- Effective pedagogy, inclusion, and measurable student outcomes
- Sustainable facilities and innovative learning space design
Attending EDUtech 2026 will provide direct access to cutting‑edge insights and strategies shaping the global education landscape. Participation will enable my colleagues and me to:
- deepen our understanding of the future of teaching and learning, especially the intersection of technology, pedagogy, and student engagement
- engage with national and international thought leaders to explore successful models of digital and pedagogical transformation
- build professional networks across sectors, strengthening collaboration between our school, partner schools, and the wider education network
We are very much looking forward to this learning experience.
Matthew Coney and Ben Heys