And just like that... we’ve reached the end of Term 1!

As the final minutes quickly count down (and my deadline to get this in), we've been keeping busy with many different happenings over the past fortnight. From Student Voice & Action and Harmony Day to School Council, our NRCH Health Partnerships project, the Buildings & Grounds Working Bee, Ride2School Day and a couple of bike maintenance checks.

As usual, there has been far more going on than one newsletter can sensibly hold.

In many ways, this has been an exceptionally smooth start to the year across all of our learning areas. Routines and expectations are well established, classrooms are focused, and there is a strong foundation in place to build on in Term 2.

Student Voice and Action Team

This week, Amanda and I met with our new Student Voice and Action Team (SVAT) for 2026. We had plenty on the agenda and began thinking through some of our priority actions for the year ahead. One of the first areas for attention was the upcoming Walkathon, which is booked for 1 May. Students were enthusiastic about the opportunity to be involved and to help lead some special inclusions on the day.

Next term, this team will also play an important role in giving and gathering feedback about students’ experiences at RWPS, as well as contributing directly to aspects of our upcoming school review. Building authentic student voice into the life of the school matters, and it is exciting to see this group already beginning to think seriously about the role they can play.

Harmony Day

Last Friday, we celebrated Harmony Day with a cross-age activity. Our classes came together to create loom bands using orange to reflect both Harmony Day and RWPS. It was a simple but meaningful activity, and a chance to recognise and celebrate the diversity of backgrounds, cultures and experiences that come together in our school community.

At RWPS, this is not something we need to celebrate for one day of the year, it's visible in the life of our school every day, but the activity (and the time together) simply gave us the opportunity to stop, acknowledge it, and celebrate it together. Thank you Kathryn for organising the activity and making it happen.

School Council Update

Last week, we held the first meeting of our new School Council. The first meeting of any new council is always a balance between induction, current business, and ensuring our new members have enough information to pick up where the previous members left off.

At this meeting, Council elected the following office bearers and sub-committee convenors for 2026:

President: Hamish McClean
Vice President: Cam Hamilton
Treasurer: Johnathon Docker

Sub-committee convenors include:

Fundraising and Community Engagement: Cam Hamilton and Tim McCluskey
Buildings and Grounds: Marika Ruzyla
Finance: Johnathan Docker
OSHC Sub-Committee (Interim): Hamish McClean

This year, one of the important pieces of work for Council will be overseeing the tender process for our Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) agreement. We thank all Council members for their willingness to contribute to the governance of the school and to the many conversations that sit behind the scenes of school life.

We currently have a vacancy on School Council in a community member position. This is a role that Council can fill based on an identified area of need, or to help ensure more balanced representation across our community. One area Council is keen to strengthen is representation from families in the English stream.

If this is something you may be interested in, or if you know someone who may be a bit shy, but would be a good fit for the role, please speak with Amanda or myself. No prior experience is needed, just an interest in supporting the school and helping ensure representation from our parent group in our School Council.

Gala Day

Last week, our Year 5/6 students represented RWPS at the Summer Gala Day.

Students took part across a number of sports, including tennis, newcombe, softball and basketball, and there were some very exciting results across several teams.

More impressively though, the feedback about our students focused on their positive team spirit, their support for one another, and the way they conducted themselves throughout the day.

That matters. While we won't say no to winning, the way students represent pride in our school, the way they treat others, and the way they respond as teammates says far more about who they are. I was very impressed, and once again it was a reminder of the character of the young people in our school.

Thank you to the staff who supported students on the day (often coaching in sports beyond their sporting prowess) and to all students who participated so positively.

Vere Street Upgrades

The works on the Vere Street upgrade are progressing well. The disruption to access from the rear gate of the school is something not particularly thrilling in the moment, but the longer-term outcome will bring clear benefits to the experience of accessing that part of the school.

An update can be found in the Community Notices section of the newsletter.

Partnership with North Richmond Community Health

We have recently undertaken an important partnership with North Richmond Community Health (NRCH) to supplement and extend on the work of our school nursing program.

On Monday and Tuesday this week, teams were on site screening approximately 25 students across the Prep - Year 2 area for vision and hearing. A key purpose of this partnership is not simply to identify any concerns, but to help close the loop between assessment outcomes and the follow-up support that is often left to families to navigate on their own.

This work is about reducing barriers to health care, strengthening access to services and support, and making sure our students are in the best possible position to access learning at school.

A big thank you to Rachel for the groundwork involved in getting this project off the ground. It has taken almost a full year of planning and coordination behind the scenes, and with the next stages of support already being put in place for some students, it is clear that the work is already having a positive impact.

Policy Consultation

In alignment with our policy review schedule and in preparation for our school review later in the year, we are continuing to review a number of school policies throughout 2026.

Policies that are currently open for comment can be found on our website, as well as through the new Policies tab in the newsletter. Families are welcome to provide feedback on any policy currently open for consultation via our online feedback form here: Policy Consultation Feedback Form

It is worth remembering that school policies in Victorian state schools are usually adapted from statewide Department of Education templates (to ensure a level of consistency across our system) and adjusted to reflect the specific contexts of each school.

It has been a busy term, but one marked by consistency, settled routines and a sense that we are well placed for the learning ahead. This does not happen by accident, but comes from the steady work of staff, the support of families, and students who increasingly understand what it means to strive for personal success. Enjoy a well-earned breather over the next fortnight.

Until next term,

Trevor.

Learning Legends

Our RWPS kids who belong boldly, strive fiercely and bounce back stronger.