Principal Report 

Dear Oatlands Families,

It has been a positive and purposeful start to the term, with a strong sense of routine, engagement, and connection evident across our school community. It is always pleasing to see students quickly settle back into their learning, reconnect with their peers, and embrace the opportunities that a new term provides.

We finished Term 1 on a high note with our PFA Easter Raffle and a special visit from the Easter Bunny, which brought plenty of excitement to our school. A sincere thank you to Sarah and our PFA for their work in organising this successful fundraiser and for their ongoing support of our school community.

The final two weeks of last term also saw the return of Active April. It was fantastic to see so many students and families getting involved, arriving early to participate and starting their day in such a positive and active way. Initiatives like this play an important role in promoting student wellbeing and connection. Thank you to our PE team, particularly Tim and Sarah, for coordinating this event so effectively.

Last week, we held a Crazy Hair fundraiser. There was a huge amount of creativity on display, with colour, wigs, unique hairstyles and some super crazy themes. Most students and staff got involved, creating a great vibe across the school.

This week, our students in Years 3–6 participated in our Cross Country Trials. It was terrific to see such high levels of participation, effort, and sportsmanship on display. We now look forward to supporting those students who will go on to represent Oatlands at the Edwin Flack District event. Once again, thank you to our PE team for their organisation of this important event.

We also recently held our annual ANZAC Day ceremony. This was a significant and respectful occasion, with our whole school coming together alongside members of our community. We were honoured to be joined by special guests from the RSL and Victoria Police, as well as representatives from our School Council and PFA. Our students demonstrated great respect throughout the ceremony, reflecting the importance of acknowledging and remembering those who have served our country. 

I would also like to acknowledge and congratulate our student leaders who played a significant role in conducting the ceremony. Shayla, Mia, Promit, Onalee, Alishba and Nivein led with confidence, respect and maturity, and represented our school with great pride. We thank them for the care and effort they put into ensuring the ceremony was such a meaningful occasion for our community.

Term 2 is a particularly important term within the school year. It is a time when learning programs are well established, expectations are clear, and students are able to make strong and sustained progress. It also provides many opportunities for students to challenge themselves, set goals, and continue to build their confidence as learners. We look forward to a productive and rewarding term ahead.

Kind regards,

Matthew Kenny