Acting Principal's Report

Hello DPW Community,

Last week, Mr Fielding and I attended the two-day Government Schools Principal Conference. This is always a great opportunity for leaders in Victorian schools to share ideas and hear from both local and international guest speakers who highlight current education research and teaching and learning practices. Topics for this year’s conference were themed around the evolving role of schools and implementing strong system-wide evidence-informed practice. We participated in thought provoking sessions around cognitive load for students and staff, focussing on maintaining a clear direction and the use of AI in schools. The two days were summed up by Dr Simon Breakspear, an expert in educational systems across the world, who explained that our Victorian education system is in the process of moving from great to excellent.

Attending this conference meant that we missed our years 3-6 athletics day. We did receive a few updates throughout the day and were very happy to hear how well it all went! It was amazing to hear about the number of families that came along to support and cheer. Congratulations to Ms Davies for once again delivering an excellent opportunity for our students to get outside and participate. Thank you to all the staff who also contributed to the success of the day! And of course, to all the students who participated, giving their personal best to each event – well done! So proud of you all!

It was then great that I was able to be present for the Foundation-2 athletics on Monday.  Despite the cold, windy weather the students had a blast, participating in hurdles, relays, egg & spoon races, parachute games, bouncing races and skipping. Thankfully we managed to get halfway through the activities before the rain came. It was great to see many families there, rugged up, cheering on the children. Thank you to the staff and year 6 students who ran the activities, and to Ms Davies for organising another big day.

 A few date reminders:

• Kings Birthday public holiday Monday 8th June (no school)
• Celebration of Learning will be held on Friday 19th June
• Reporting to Families Day on Tuesday 23rd June (bookings now open)

Drop-off and Pick-up Safety

The parking area at the front of the main gate on Quinn St is a timed drop-off and pick-up zone. This means that during certain times in the morning and afternoon, you cannot park your car there and leave it unattended. If you do, you may be fined by council. These restrictions are in place to support traffic flow and, most importantly, to ensure students can safely get out of, and into, their family car.

If you enjoy walking your child/ren into school in the morning or coming in to meet them at the end of the day, then please park your car further along the street or in the Adeline Court area.

The other thing to remember is to not park over our neighbours’ driveways. Our neighbours require access to their driveway at all times.

We ask all families to please:

• Follow all council parking and road regulations
• Avoid parking in the restricted zone and across driveways
• Be mindful of pedestrians, particularly students crossing roads and entering or exiting our school

The safety and wellbeing of our students is always our highest priority. Your support in helping keep our surrounding streets safe for everyone is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and cooperation.

Uniform

With the change in the weather, this a reminder that our warmer uniform items are expected to be worn by students. That is a navy or gold long sleeve polo and a navy jacket or windcheater. These items are available from our uniform supplier Academy Uniforms on Robinsons Road. We expect students to be wearing navy long pants/trackpants as well. At this time of the year, hats are not compulsory, however, as it can be quite cold, a beanie is recommended to help keep warm when outside.

Fundraising Committee

On behalf of School Council, I’d like to put out a call for volunteers to join our newly formed fund‑raising committee. If you are interested in being part of this group, please contact the office to register your name. To volunteer, you will need a Working With Children Check. If you take part in any fund‑raising activities during school hours, you will also be required to complete the school’s Volunteer Induction session.

We truly appreciate any time and support our families give to the school. If you’re keen to help out, this is a wonderful way to get involved and make a positive impact.

Enrolments for Foundation 2027 are now open. 

For any families wishing to get to know our school a little before making the decision to enrol, we have one last date for a tour this term:

Wednesday 10th June – 12pm

Should you wish to attend this school tour, please contact the office on 9363 3519, to reserve a place.

Kindest Regards,

Deanne Scott

Acting Principal