Principal Report

Welcome to Term Three!

Can you believe we’re already into our second semester? We’ve got a jam-packed term ahead, filled with sport, camps, self-defence, and many more exciting activities.

I hope many families were able to enjoy some quality downtime over the holidays. As we kick off a busy term, I’d like to take a moment to remind families to revisit our previous communication around illness and exclusion guidelines. We’re still seeing some colds going around, so please keep your child home if they’re unwell to help protect others.

We understand that some families may be concerned about their child missing out on an attendance award due to illness. Please rest assured that each semester, we allow a 5% buffer for illness—this equates to five days off before a student becomes ineligible for an award.

Late last term, we surveyed students and found that an overwhelming majority said attendance awards motivate them to come to school. Many also shared that they enjoy receiving awards because “they feel proud,” “they like being recognised,” or “it’s fun to be part of the celebration”. On the other hand, several students said that if they miss out on an award due to a family holiday, they understand and feel that the holiday is the reward itself.

With this in mind, we’ll continue offering attendance awards twice a year. Like all school awards, there are always variables, but at IPS we believe recognising good attendance is valuable because it builds routine, supports learning, and helps create a strong school community.

We’re looking forward to another great term ahead!

Professional Learning on Mondays

The staff at IPS are excited to be joining Bridgewater Primary School each Monday afternoon for specialised professional learning. This is a fantastic opportunity for our team to upskill, collaborate with colleagues, and bring new ideas and strategies back into our classrooms to support your children.

What this means for families is that our staff will not be available for after-school chats or meetings on Monday afternoons, as we will need to head straight to Bridgewater at the end of the day.

If something is urgent, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly on 0494 367 747, or alternatively, you can email your child’s teacher and they will respond as soon as possible.

We really appreciate your understanding and support, and we look forward to sharing the benefits of this learning with our students throughout the term.

SCHOOL CAMPS

We’re in the process of finalising the Term Three Melbourne Camp for our Year 3–6 students, and detailed information will be sent home next week. It’s shaping up to be a fun-filled adventure, with students getting the opportunity to explore what Melbourne has to offer—this year with a special focus on navigating public transport!

Due to rising costs of camps and transport, families will be responsible for getting their children to and from Bendigo Train Station. We appreciate your understanding and support in making this experience possible.

Meanwhile, as our Prep/1 students gear up to celebrate 100 days of school, Mrs Lawson is also busily preparing for our annual Prep/1/2 Sleepover. More information about this event will be sent home later this term.

Welcome Mr Cruse!

We are thrilled to welcome Mr Zac Cruse to our Inglewood Primary School team. Zac will be working in the Prep/1 classroom for the remainder of the year, and we’re very excited to have him on board.

Zac brings with him a passion for early years education, a warm and engaging manner, and a strong focus on building positive relationships with students. His experience and enthusiasm for hands-on, play-based learning will be a wonderful addition to the classroom, and we’re confident he will bring fresh ideas, energy, and a strong sense of fun to our school community.

We’re looking forward to the excitement, creativity, and care that Zac will bring to IPS. Please join us in making him feel welcome as he settles into his new role!