Across Oliver's Desk  

Dear Parents,

It has been a busy start to the term, but I really loved our Mother’s Day morning tea last week and I really hope that all our mums were spoilt last Sunday. 

PREP MOTHERS DAY MORNING TEA

For the second time we ran a Mother’s Day morning tea for our Prep mums. The mums were welcomed by a few of our more outgoing Preps. The mums did some activities with their children and then had a lovely morning tea. This was highly successful and we will run it again next year. A big thanks to the mums that helped organise the morning particularly Ally (who apparently got up at 4:30am to start baking) and the Prep teachers. 

 ENROLLING FOR PREP 2027

I’m doing lots of tours at the moment. Even though the cut-off date for enrolments isn’t until the end of July, we do like our parents to enrol as early as possible. This is solely because we want as much time as possible to determine how many grades in each year level and class sizes. 

Our Prep information evening is scheduled for Wednesday 20th May, this night is really for prospective parents or new Prep Woori parents for 2027.

ROLLING UNION ACTION – Ban on report comments 

As I said in my last newsletter the AEU has some rolling work bans and planned strike action ahead for this term. There was a media leak last week that said the government was putting an offer on the table. However, that has not yet come to fruition. Therefore, bans do remain in place. The ban that will affect our school the most is that half year reports will have no report comments from the teacher. Parents will still receive a report with a mark showing students progress/capability, but will not have any comments.  Any parents that are worried about their child’s progress can email their teacher to set up a meeting. 

I do feel sorry for our Preps that won’t have any comments on their first ever report. I do hope that the government and the unions can come to an agreement soon.

ANZAC service for grade six students

Last week our grade six students represented our school at a service at the Upper Yarra RSL. I was congratulated by a number of dignitaries for the wonderful way Tiah Bower and Dixi Schaak-Taylor spoke. They did a speech on Yarra Valley families that lost sons during WW1. They were amazing but so was the service which is basically run by the students. I would like to thank the Upper Yarra RSL for putting on this service every year.

JUMPER TIME

As the weather starts to cool, I am amazed at just how many of our students arrive in the mornings without a jumper on. It really gets cold in the valley in the morning and I feel for them. If your child has lost a jumper, please look in lost property. It is overflowing! 

Have a great weekend and remember to escape to the wonderful world of a book. I’ve gone back to a Judy Nunn book again! I have only just started this one. I have high hopes it will be amazing like so many of her books. 

See you around the school

Oliver Thockloth

Principal