Acting Principal's  Report

Welcome to our last newsletter of Term Two. We have had a fabulous term full of special events such as Year Six Camp, Mothers Day events, Cross Country, Public Speaking Competition, Interschool Sport, The Fathering Project Event, Incursions and lots, lots more! As always a huge thank you to all of our teachers for their dedication, care and commitment to the school and the students in their care. You do a wonderful job and make DPS a great place to be.

Welcome to DPS

In the past fortnight, we had three new students start at DPS. Welcome Arta in Prep W, Taim in 3J and Aisha in 4S. We are sure you will love being members of our DPS community and warmly welcome you to our school. 

Attendance

As you know, at Doncaster Primary School we firmly believe that attending school every day plays a crucial role in shaping a child's educational journey. Regular attendance allows students to fully engage in classroom activities, discussions, and hands-on learning experiences. It provides them with the opportunity to grasp new concepts, ask questions, and collaborate with their peers. Consistent attendance helps build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills, enabling children to excel academically. 

Today I will reflect on our June attendance at DPS. There are 208 students who have attended school every day in June. Congratulations to the DPS students who have been at school every day in October, you are superstars! A few of these students include: Ivy Z – PP, Dylan C - 1L, Wali - 2F, Scarlett - 3J, Aneesa - 4K, Samson - 5E and Olivia C - 6S. Well done everyone!

Public Speaking Competition

Our Public Speaking Competition this year was a huge success. Congratulations to the Class and Year Level winners, this is a huge achievement and something to be very proud of. The winners are as follows:

Prep – Cleo S Prep M

Year One – Seraphina N 1M

Year Two – Harper 2S

Year Three – Clara L 3P 

Year Four – Giselle C 4S

Year Five

5C:Anna C and Reehan H

5E: Rey A and Roxana R

5F: Parth C, Chloe Y and Alex O

5K: Max C and Ivy Z

Year Six

6C: Elijah W and Stephanie Z

6J: Vivaan A and Siddak S

6M: Desmond  L and Jayden L

6S: Edward X and Janelle L  

Last week we had all of the Year Five and Year Six winners present their speech at a Speech Night. It was a hugely successful evening and a great way for the students to gain even more experience in public speaking. Elijah and Stephanie will represent DPS at the Rotary Public Speaking Competition on Wednesday 31st July. We wish Elijah and Stephanie all the best for the evening and hope they show off their skills.

Thank you to Miss Powell for organising this across the school, it is something I look forward to each and every year.

Student Led Conferences

On Tuesday we hosted Student Led Conferences at DPS. All of the students presented with confidence and skill and seemed really proud of the work they’ve completed in Semester One. We encourage all parents to access their child’s Student Progress Report from Compass, which is now available. This is a good indication of how your child is going at school and allows you to read about their strengths and weaknesses.   

Online Activity over the holidays

In today’s digital age, screens have become an integral part of children’s lives, used for education, entertainment, and social interaction. While technology offers many benefits, excessive screen time can harm a child’s physical health, mental well-being, and overall development. With the holidays fast approaching, I write this in the hope that we can all maintain a healthy balance between online and offline activities. Here are some useful tips: 

1. Set Clear Screen Time Limits

2. Prioritize Educational Content

3. Designate Screen-Free Zones and Times

4. Model Healthy Screen Time Habits

5. Encourage Outdoor and Physical Activities

6. Utilize Parental Control Tools

7. Create a Screen Time Schedule

8. Encourage Hobbies and Interests

9. Engage in Screen Time Together

10. Regularly Review and Adjust

Striking the right balance between technology use and other activities is vital for students physical and mental well-being. By implementing the strategies above and maintaining open communication with your child about responsible screen time usage, you can help them develop healthy habits that will benefit them throughout their lives. Remember, it’s not about eliminating screens entirely but fostering a healthy relationship with technology.

The Fathering Project

Last Thursday evening Corey Bakes from the Doncaster Football Club presented an amazing speech to all of the Dad’s, Father figures and mentors as part of our Term Two Fathering Project event. Everyone seemed to enjoy the evening, get some great tips from Corey and enjoy the Krispy Kreme donuts. A special mention to Mrs Coumaros for organising the evening, thank you Kathey.   

Staff Vs Students

As I write this newsletter I look forward to Thursday afternoon at 2:15pm when we play our Staff vs Students basketball match. I know it’s something that is being talked about in the Staffroom at recess and lunchtime, so I’m sure the Year Six students are getting together and planning and strategizing too. Thank you to the Wellbeing Team (Mr Johnson, Ms Quinonero, Miss El-Bay, Miss White and Miss Kots) for organising this for our school community, it is a very popular event at the end of each term!  

Dress in Blue Day

On Friday, we will be celebrating our SWPBS blue award that Stephen Christofakakis presented to us at our Virtual Assembly a fortnight ago. This was to recognise the work DPS has done in the SWPBS space across the year. Over the next few years we aim to climb the SWPBS ladder and achieve bronze, silver and then finally gold status. Keep up the great work DPS students, you are doing a fabulous job! 

Farewell DPS

I have thoroughly enjoyed being the Acting Principal of DPS this term in Mr Hills absence. Mr Hill has had a lovely time away and is set to return for Term Three. So it is with sadness that I announce that I will be moving to Highvale Primary School as the Acting Principal for Term Three. I will miss the  DPS community and all of the staff and students. I have had a fantastic 7.5 years here and will treasure the memories I’ve made as a Level Two teacher, a Literacy Leader, an Assistant Principal and more recently as an Acting Principal. Thank you for all of the support and well wishes across my journey, I will miss you all.   

From all of us at DPS, we hope you have a wonderful 2 week holiday break. Stay safe, warm, dry and have fun. Students will need to return to school for Term Three on Monday 15th July.

Carly Epskamp

Acting Principal