Principals' Weekly Update

Easter Bonnet Parade

What a wonderful event our Easter Bonnet Parade was! A huge thank you to our PFA SRC team – Clover, Inya, Romy, Harriet, Hridaan and Gabe – for their outstanding organisation and leadership. We would also like to acknowledge the G.O.D.S, led by Seb and Fia, who were supported with the judging of the bonnets. The purpose of the event was to bring our school community together while raising funds for a very special cause: a tribute bench seat to be installed in memory of Edward Millear, who attended APS from Prep to Year 6.

It was a touching moment for us all as Spencer (Eddy’s dad) shared heartfelt reflections on Eddy’s time at APS and what the school meant to him. Our young leaders should be incredibly proud of their efforts in creating such a meaningful and inclusive event. 

Together, they raised close to $1200. Our goal is to raise another $1000, which will also cover installation costs. By paying for the event on COMPASS or making a donation via the STRIPE link, https://donate.stripe.com/fZu00j22l6edcIWfD60x20g, you will be contributing to something that promotes community and brings people together - past, present, and future students alike.

The winners of the Easter Bonnet were:

Family Conferences

Our Family Conferences were held on Monday, and it was very pleasing to see so many families embrace this valuable opportunity to partner with the school in supporting their child’s learning journey.

We had an outstanding 80% of families participate on the day, with several others arranging meetings at alternative times. This strong level of engagement reflects the importance our community places on working together to achieve the best outcomes for our students.

We look forward to running these conferences again in Term 3.

School Expectations and Accountability

Consistency is key to helping children feel safe, supported, and confident in their school environment. At APS, we focus on three core expectations:

• Be Respectful – I look after my environment
• Be Responsible – I am responsible for managing my emotions and actions
• Be Safe – I keep my body and objects to myself

When children are supported to reflect on moments where they may not have met an expectation, it becomes a valuable learning 

opportunity. At the same time, it is important that accountability remains, and that consequences are applied when appropriate. This balance helps our students grow, learn from their experiences, and make positive choices moving forward.

Final Assembly

Our last assembly for Term 1 will be held on Tuesday 31 March. This assembly will be hosted by our school leaders, and the Jellis Craig Awards will be presented to one nominated child from each class.

Students are selected for these awards based on how they demonstrate our school values: Respect, Responsibility, Relationships, Reflection, and Resilience. These values guide our learning and behaviour, and the awards recognise students who consistently show these qualities in their everyday actions.

We understand that every child is unique and special, and an important part of our role is to nurture each student’s sense of self-worth. While not every child will receive an award on this occasion, it’s important to remember that recognition can take many forms.

Feeling disappointed is a normal and valid emotion, and we encourage families to support their children by focusing on their individual strengths - their “superpowers.” Celebrating these qualities helps build confidence, resilience, and a positive mindset for continued growth.

Rochelle Cukier  

Principal

Rochelle.Cukier@education.vic.gov.au 

Connie Apostolos 

Assistant Principal

Connie.Apostolos@education.vic.gov.au