From Mr Ridgway

Welcome Back

Welcome back for Term 3. I hope that whether you stayed close to home, travelled domestically or even internationally, everyone had an enjoyable and safe break. My wife Rosanne and I were fortunate enough to spend time in Central Australia exploring Uluru and Kata-Tjuta National Park, Watarrka National Park (Kings Canyon) and the Tjorita (West McDonnell Ranges) National Park. Everywhere we went and everything we saw truly exceeded our expectations. There are certainly some special places and landscapes in our Red Centre. Ten days of blue skies and warm weather were also greatly appreciated. 

We now turn our attention to Term 3, which is set to be another wonderful term of engaging learning and fun-filled activities. 

Semester 1 Reports

A reminder that the Semester 1 Reports were uploaded to Sentral on Friday 4 July. I again apologise for the delay in these being made available. If you are having issues accessing Sentral, please advise our school admin team. We are already in the process of adjusting our timeline for Semester 2, to ensure reports are provided to parents in a more timely manner.

Please also be reminded that although we have only two formal opportunities for parents/carers to meet with the teachers, we do operate a whole-school open-door policy. In the best interest of each of their students, our teachers welcome ongoing conversations with parents/carers. They are highly approachable and responsive. 

Term 3 Assemblies

As shared in Term 2, we are trialling a change in how we run our school assemblies. Currently, our whole-school assemblies are held outdoors, which often leaves us at the mercy of unpredictable weather, be it too wet or too hot. Additionally, we do not currently have an indoor space large enough to accommodate the entire school comfortably.

To address these challenges and better meet the needs of our students, we will be moving to separate assemblies for Foundation–Year 2 and Years 3–6, held weekly in the school hall at 3:00pm each Friday, alternating between the two groups.

This change allows us to:

• Provide a more age-appropriate experience for all students.
• Shorten the duration of assemblies for our younger students, making it easier for them to stay engaged.
• Continue celebrating student achievements in a more focused and meaningful way.

We will continue to include all the usual highlights such as:

• CEPS Kids are Friendly Kids certificates
• Values Tickets
• Student presentations and performances

As always, families will be notified if their child is receiving a certificate or presenting at an assembly. I appreciate your understanding and support as we trial this adjustment to better support our students’ wellbeing and engagement. 

During non-assembly weeks, students will continue with their regular classroom learning program. 

Please see the Term 3 Assembly Schedule below.

Buildings and Grounds - Holiday Works

Over the holidays, our school has been a busy place, with several contractors on-site. Below is a summary of the works that have been undertaken.

1. Tree Remediation: We have completed the remediation of high and medium-risk trees on our school grounds to ensure the safety of all students and staff.

    

2. Gutter and Downpipe Cleaning: All school gutters and downpipes have undergone a thorough cleaning to maintain effective drainage and reduce or prevent any issues during the colder and wetter Winter months.

    

3. Classroom Painting: The painting of classrooms in the main building has continued to progress, providing rooms with a much-needed coat of paint. Plans for continued classroom painting works are in place for later this year.

    

4. Amphitheatre Remediation: Works on the remediation of the amphitheatre have commenced, but there is no completion date at this stage.

    

5. Minor OHS Rectification: Various minor Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) rectification works have been completed to maintain our commitment to a safe school environment.

    

6. Cleaning: Our cleaning provider has conducted a comprehensive deep clean of the entire school premises, including hard floor scrubbing and buffing, and steam cleaning.

These efforts are part of our ongoing commitment to providing a safe, clean, and presentable learning environment for all our students. I appreciate your support as we continue to improve the safety and aesthetics of our school facilities.

School Tree Day 2025

Schools Tree Day is a great opportunity to inspire and educate future generations on the many benefits of trees and connection with nature. Today, some of our students went outside and planted 50 new trees and shrubs in our existing garden beds. Thank you to Mrs Kerr for organising this!

School Uniforms - PSW Price Rise

Please be advised that Primary School Wear (PSW) will be increasing its prices by 2.5% from 1 October 2025. PSW have advised that a pricing adjustment is necessary due to ongoing challenges such as increased labour costs and unfavourable exchange rates. Over the past two years, the PSW has held prices steady to support families during a time of rising living costs.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Robert