Principal Report

Welcome to Term 4

We have such a busy and exciting learning program planned for our students over the coming term, with many engaging extra curricula activities, leadership opportunities and rigorous academic tasks for students to demonstrate their skills and progress.

It was very pleasing to see all students quickly step back into their classroom learning routines after the holiday break. It was wonderful too, connecting with staff after an extremely busy term 3 and discussing curriculum and fine-tuning areas across the school, to continue to improve our curriculum programs at ARPS. Planning for 2025 is already underway, with Professional Learning and staffing a key focus of Term 1 2025.

A highlight for this term, as always, will be the Year Six Graduation. This is a very memorable event for all involved. We would like to thank the parents and staff that are working behind the scenes to ensure this event is one to remember.

We also have a number excursions and incursions, including our 8 day Swimming program during the last weeks of Term 4. More information will be available on Compass soon

Thunderstorm asthma – be prepared this pollen season

Grass pollen season, which typically runs from October to December each year in Victoria, brings an increase in asthma and hay fever symptoms. It also increases the risk of thunderstorm asthma. For people with asthma or hay fever, especially those who experience wheezing or coughing with their hay fever, thunderstorm asthma can be sudden, serious and even life threatening.

Albany Rise Primary School will implement a range of measures to keep our school community safe as the risk of thunderstorm asthma increases.

Many of our staff are trained in asthma first aid, and we will monitor the VicEmergency app to receive thunderstorm warnings, and, where appropriate, keep students indoors when weather forecasts identify greater risk.

During the season, there are some things you can do to prepare and protect yourself and your family:

If your child has ever had asthma, talk to your doctor about what you can do to help protect them from the risk of thunderstorm asthma this pollen season, including updating your asthma action plan. Taking an asthma preventer properly and regularly is key to preventing asthma, including thunderstorm asthma.
If your child has hay fever, see your pharmacist or doctor for a hay fever treatment plan and check if you should have an asthma reliever puffer. These are available from a pharmacy without a prescription.
If your child has hay fever and experiences wheezing and coughing, it is important to make sure they don’t also have asthma. Speak to your doctor about an asthma action plan.
Where possible, avoid being outside during thunderstorms from October to December, especially during the wind gusts that come before the storm. Go inside and close your doors and windows. If you have your air conditioning on, turn it to ‘recirculate’.

Protect yourself this pollen season – managing asthma and allergies matters.

Find out more

For more information, speak to your doctor. You can also visit the Better Health Channel website.

Building works

We are pleased to announce that 4 classrooms have had new split systems (heating & air conditioning) installed during the recent school holidays. These will provide cooling and warmth to the students and staff in these buildings for many years.

Additionally, building works on the toilet upgrade, roofing, eaves were completed during the holidays, along with some concreting to secure fencing and tidy the entrance to our Building B toilet block. The hall floor was also polished during the break.

We have also been successful is acquiring a grant for asphalt upgrades to our outdoor play spaces. The upgrade will remove trip hazards and replace large sections of cracked asphalt. This project is due to start later this year, and will see upgrades to all the highlighted areas on the map below:

We will be losing at least one large pin oak tree due to the impact of the tree on plumbing and asphalt areas currently occurring on the asphalt area. Any tree removed will be replaced by 2 more, in appropriate areas.

We currently have a quote for upgrades to our playgrounds (mainly year 5/6) and shade sails over these areas (mainly F-Year 4). We are seeking options to fund these upgrades, due to the significant costs involved.

Parent Opinion Survey Results

We would like to thank the 44 parents who took time to complete the annual Parent Opinion Survey. We received the results late last term, and we are very happy with the feedback. Please note that we always welcome and embrace feedback from community members as all the staff at Albany Rise Primary School are committed to making this the best possible school for all our students.

PARENT / CAREGIVER / GUARDIAN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT	% Positive responses
I feel this school values parent/caregiver/guardians’ contributions	84%
Parent / Caregiver / Guardian participation and involvement	82%
This school gives me opportunities to participate in my child’s education	84%
School communication	88%
I am able to get the information I need through the regular school communication channels	88%
I feel comfortable about approaching the school with any concerns I might have	93%
The school takes parents/ caregivers/guardians’ concerns seriously	82%
There is effective two-way communication between the teachers and parent/caregiver/guardians at this school	77%

SCHOOL ETHOS AND ENVIRONMENT	% Positive responses
Overall, I am satisfied with the education my child receives from this school	80%
The school has clean and well-maintained facilities and grounds	77%
The school always aims to improve the quality of education it provides	79%
I feel confident that this school provides a good standard of education for my child	84%

STUDENT COGNITIVE ENGAGEMENT	% Positive responses
High expectations for success	86%
Teachers at this school expect my child to do their best	80%
The school celebrates student achievements in all areas	93%
The teachers are very good at making learning engaging	84%
This school provides diverse programs for my child’s interests and abilities	79%
The academic standards at this school provide adequate challenge for my child	80%
Stimulating Learning Environment	81%
Teachers are enthusiastic and positive about teaching	89%
My child can explore their own interests when it is related to their class work	84%

STUDENT DEVELOPMENT	% Positive responses
This school provides opportunities for my child to make decisions and solve problems	84%
This school provides opportunities for my child to develop a sense of responsibility	86%
Confidence and resiliency skills	84%
This school provides my child with opportunities to build their confidence	84%
This school encourages my child to persist when learning is difficult	84%

STUDENT SAFETY	% Positive responses
My child feels safe at school	88%
Promoting positive behaviour	88%
This school has a consistent approach to promoting positive student behaviour	88%
Teachers at this school model positive behaviour	89%
Respect for diversity	93%
The school respects and values my family’s beliefs and wishes	86%
This school communicates the importance of respecting all cultural beliefs and practices	98%
This school treats my child with respect	95%
Student Wellbeing and Support	83%
This school cares about my child’s safety	91%
This school cares about my child’s wellbeing	91%
I understand who at the school I can speak to about my child’s safety and wellbeing	89%
I am aware that the school can connect my family to services that can help me support my child	75%

CONNECTION AND PROGRESSION	% Positive responses
School connectedness	90%
My child feels accepted by other students at school	82%
My child enjoys the learning they do at school	91%
This school gives my child opportunities to participate in school activities	98%
Positive transitions	84%
My child has been supported this year to adjust to their new year level	91%

Teacher communication after hours

ARPS staff are committed to helping our students whenever needed. Staff understand the importance of prompt communication and responses to parent questions or concerns. However, our staff also have their own personal commitments and families to manage outside school hours, many of our staff are employed on a part-time basis at the school, and often staff are engaged in professional learning and meetings before and afterschool.

Parents/Carers at ARPS are generally very considerate of the time pressures on our staff. We all appreciate parent/carer understanding when messages are not immediately responded to, especially outside school hours. Parents/Carers can expect staff to return messages within 48 hours (work days). If an issue is urgent, a call to the office one the day of the concern can often be followed up more quickly with available staff. The positive home/school communication efforts from all members of our community continue to support the thriving school environment and ongoing student learning at ARPS.

REMINDER IMPORTANT REMINDER NO HAT NO PLAY & HATSLOTTO

Parents please remind students that every single student MUST have a hat. Please be sure to ask children to bring their hat every day. SunSmart style is a must (NO CAPS), school uniform Hats are to be used.

Students with no hat cannot be playing outside. These students will be instructed to remain under the blue shade sail near the blue wooden seats (end of building B)- close to toilets and drinking taps. Students with food (for any reason- eg. icypole) can also be seated on these seats to finish their icypole. Students must not be walking around the yard without a hat or with food (food is to be eaten before entering the yard during eating time in the classroom).

Birthday Treats

As we have a number of students with allergies (some severe) at school, and medical conditions (including diabetes) we cannot allow students to bring special treats to school for birthdays to share with classmates without parent knowledge during the school day. Parents who are eager to have their child celebrate their birthday with their child’s class, can provide a small treat, which will be handed out by the class teacher at the end of the school day, so that parents can confirm if their child is allowed to have the food or treat provided when the child is collected from school at the end of the day.

PLEASE help us keep everyone happy, healthy and safe by only providing birthday treats (if desired) that can be handed out at the end of the school day. Special lunches or treats bought in during the school day can lead to extra diligence and follow up for staff to ensure the individual health and dietary needs of all children are accommodated. This can result in an unnecessary extra piece of work for our staff. Thanks everyone for your support and understanding on this front.

Children in Cars & Carpark Safety

As the weather gets warmer, it is very important that no young children (including younger siblings) are left alone in cars during drop off or pick up times. Any reports of this to school staff will result in the appropriate mandatory reporting process to child protection.

Parents are reminded that the Staff Car parks at the front and rear of the school are not for parent parking. Parents with a valid disabled pass may use the designated space at the front of the school.

Additionally, the use of the staff car park at the front of the school is only open to parents using Before school Care, when it is well before 8.30am. Once staff commence entering the carpark, (usually around 8.20am) parents should not be entering the Staff carpark, but can park in the street to walk students to Before School Care. Parents are not allowed in the staff carpark before 5pm after school to access the After School Care program.

Any drivers whose behaviour in the car park is considered dangerous will be notified, and their details will be forwarded to the Incident Support and Operations Centre with the Department of Education. CCTV cameras operate in the Staff Car park.

The staff carpark at the rear of the school (Zita Street) is not to be used by parents at any time. Many of our Education Support staff use this car park, some of whom arrive at close to 9.00am. Having parents and students in the car park at this time creates unnecessary risks.

Thank you everyone for your cooperation and understanding.

Parent Contributions 2025

By the end of November, we will inform the school community of the Parent Payments for 2025. The Department of Education has asked schools to itemise the payments. The cost for Parent Payments is discussed and approved at our Finance and School Council meetings prior to being announced to the school community.

Judith Drew

Principal

Food Bank Support