Message from Principal Sarah

Appreciations

As we head towards the end of the school year, we would like to extend our gratitude to all our families for their support this year. 2024 has been our first full year of learning across both campuses. We have worked hard to create a new normal for NMPS over the year and we want to acknowledge that the work we have achieved this year is a team effort – thank you to all our students, our staff and our families for making this happen. 

2025 Staffing - Farewell and Welcome to NMPS

As always at the end of a school year, we have an opportunity to welcome new members to our team and say farewell to some of our current staff.

In 2025 we welcome the following teaching staff: Lilly Stevens, Ferhan Dogan, Bill Portelli, Jack Yorke, Lina McAlinden, Jina Oh, Harriet McKay, Harrison Arnold, Simone McGennisken and Samuel Howard. We also welcome back Rachel Dowe, Sarah Connors, Risa Hammel, Lizzie Wright, Carmel McNally, Josie Chan and Matilda Bailey.

The following staff are taking leave for the 2025 school year: Hilary Guymer, Karen Li, Brad Morin and Joe Grabin. We wish these staff all the best for the 2025 school year and look forward to welcoming them back to NMPS in 2026.

We say farewell to Jonathan Mercer, Richard Smith, Isaac Willet, Kristine Chen, Kristen Re, Toby Kruisheer, Wayne Gibcus and Nyssa Levings who are leaving NMPS to pursue other opportunities. We thank these staff members for their contribution to NMPS and wish them all the very best in their future endeavours.

You can find the 2025 Staffing Profile on the next page of this newsletter.

2025 Class Placements

Yesterday most students had the opportunity to meet their 2025 teacher and class during our whole school transition day. 

As shared in the previous newsletter, the placement of students each year is a task that our staff takes very seriously, with the learning and wellbeing of each individual student considered. Classes have been formed by teachers, our wellbeing team and school leaders. Due to the many variables and delicate balance of each class, we consider the 2025 class placements as final. 

We have a high level of confidence in our leadership and teaching teams to make decisions based on the best outcomes for all of our students and trust our students will settle well into their new classes in 2025. We ask families to support the informed decisions of our staff and ensure all conversations with their children regarding their 2025 class placement are positive and encouraging.

New Department of Education webpage to help families and students prepare for a new school year 

A new school year is an exciting time for students and families, but it can be a big step – particularly for those starting Prep or moving to secondary school.

The Department of Education has published a webpage with resources and information to help you prepare for the new school year.

During the school holidays, please consider reading through the resources, which include:

• tips to help transition between kinder and Prep and primary to secondary school 

• what to expect at school

• help with school costs and fees

• health and wellbeing guidance to support children’s mental health.

Please refer to the New year of learning webpage.

Curriculum Updates

In 2025, NMPS will be transitioning to implementation of the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 across most subjects. The Victorian Curriculum 2.0 gives our students the best opportunity to thrive in a world of increasing change and rapid technological advancement. 

The overarching structure of the Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0 has not changed from Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 1.0. The learning areas, capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities remain the same. This recognises the continuing importance of a discipline-based approach to learning, where learning areas are regarded as both enduring and dynamic, supported by clearly articulated capabilities and cross-curriculum perspectives.

For more information on the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 please refer to this website.

2025 Specialist Subjects

We are excited to share with families that we have secured two Auslan teachers for 2025. This means Auslan will run as a specialist subject in 2025. Other specialist subjects running in 2025 will be Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Physical Education and Science. 

Year 6 Farewell

On Thursday 19th December we will farewell our Year 6 students in their final school celebration - the Year 6 Farewell. Please refer to information sent out via Compass for further details around the farewell.

While leaving primary school may cause mixed emotions in some students, we are confident that over the seven years (or in some cases less) at North Melbourne Primary School, students have developed independence, resilience, and an enthusiasm for learning which will hold them in good stead to transition into secondary school.

Congratulations and all the very best to our 2024 Year 6 students.

Last day of Term 4 – 1:30pm Dismissal

As shared previously, the school hours for both the Molesworth Street Campus and Errol Street Campus will be 9am – 1:30pm on Friday 20th December. School gates will open at both campuses at 8:45am. 

 We look forward to coming together as a whole school for our end of year assembly at our Errol Street Campus, in which all students will be dismissed from the Errol Street Campus at 1:30pm.

We welcome families to this assembly beginning at 1pm on Friday 20th December.

School Updates

We apologise to families who were waiting on sibling photographs this year. Unfortunately, we were not able to accommodate these in 2024 due to the number of students who would be required to cross campuses during the day. 

We say goodbye to University High School at the end of the school year as they will be moving to a new location. We thank the teachers and staff who have worked with us this year and wish the Year 9 students all the best at their new location in 2025. 

Starting this week, and over the holiday break, there will be several different trades working across both campuses. Works will include regular maintenance tasks as well as upgrades to areas around the school across both campuses, including landscaping works. Please be aware that some of these works may impact the start of the school year, however we will ensure student safety is a priority if this is the case.

2025 School Return Date

Our students in Year 1 to Year 6 will commence school on Wednesday 28th January 2025 and we will welcome our Prep students to school on Thursday 30th January 2025.

We would like to wish everyone a relaxing, safe, and enjoyable summer holiday. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the 2025 school year. 

Once again, I send my thanks to everyone for their efforts throughout yet another extraordinary year!