Principal's Report

Principal’s Report Wk 4, Tm 4, 2024

The Reality of School Traffic

In the wake of a recent tragic incident during a routine school pick-up in Melbourne, we feel compelled to address the vital importance of safety around our school traffic. This heartbreaking event serves as a powerful reminder of how quickly situations can change, and how essential it is to prioritise the safety of our children.

Every day, our school is filled with children excitedly running to greet their parents, but with that joy comes the responsibility to keep them safe. Traffic around schools can be unpredictable, and we must remain vigilant to prevent accidents.

Squashing Bad Habits In Our Community

We are urging parents to think about the habits that are not conducive to keeping our children safe.

Are You…

1. Dropping your child off and picking your child up between cars?
2. Dropping your child off and picking your child up in driveways?
3. Dropping your child off and picking your child up in the middle of the street?
4. Looking at your phone when dropping or picking up your child?
5. Calling your child across the street instead of using the crossing?

Talking to Your Child About Safety

We encourage you to have conversations with your child about the importance of traffic safety. Here are some topics to discuss:

• Crossing the Street: Teach your child to use crosswalks, look both ways, and make eye contact with drivers before crossing.
• Staying Visible: If your child walks or bikes to school, ensure they wear bright or reflective clothing, especially in low-light conditions.
• Avoiding Distractions: Remind them to stay alert and avoid using electronic devices while walking or biking near traffic.

Key Safety Reminders

1. Use Designated Areas: Always drop off and pick up your child in designated zones. These areas are designed to ensure safe access and minimise traffic hazards.
2. Stay Alert: Distractions can lead to dangerous situations. Keep your focus on the road and be prepared to stop for children who may unexpectedly cross your path.
3. Model Safe Behavior: Show your child the importance of safety by practising it yourself. Always buckle up, follow speed limits, and obey all traffic signs.
4. Educate Your Children: Talk to your children about being aware of their surroundings. Remind them to look both ways before crossing and to stay close to you during busy pick-up times.

A Community Commitment

This tragic event highlights the need for us all to come together as a community. Let’s make a commitment to keep our children safe by being more aware and attentive during school traffic times.

Encourage your little ones to hold your hand when navigating busy areas and to stay close to you. It’s a simple gesture that can make a significant difference.

As we reflect on this heartbreaking situation, let’s honour the memory of those affected by ensuring that our school community remains a safe environment for all children.  Let’s continue to support one another and prioritize the well-being of our children during drop-off and pick-up times.

World Teachers Day

On Friday 25th October, with the generosity extended by PFA and the kind words shared by students, teachers celebrated World Teachers Day with a well deserved, special morning tea.  The teachers at LPS are hard working, dedicated and committed to providing a rich learning environment each and every day.

Why ‘Hats Off to Teachers’?  The term ‘hats off’ has a long history of being used to show respect, admiration and offer congratulations. It can be traced back to medieval times when knights would remove their helmets to show respect. 

Where has Mrs Corcoran been visiting?

The students and staff are very excited to see who the lucky classes the Principal will be visiting each week, announced at the weekly assembly.

Week 3, the question posed was “If you could have any animal as a pet, what would you choose?”  The answers ranged from multitudes of dogs of all shapes and sizes to imaginative animals from mythology, books and movies.  Data was represented in Padlets, Powerpoint and Posters (that is a lot of Ps :).  The most creative response was from a young student in 1b, who wanted an Alacorn which is a unicorn hybrid from the show “My Little Pony” which has wings and can fly, unlike regular unicorns.

Sun Protection is everyone’s responsibility 

We are so fortunate to live in a country with glorious sunshine.  With such, it reminds us of the crucial need to take care of our skin.  Skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers.  Students are in school when daily ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels are at their peak, meaning schools are uniquely placed to educate about sun protection behaviour, minimise UVR exposure and ultimately reduce a student's lifetime risk of skin cancer. 

LPS is an accredited Sun Smart School.  In order to receive SunSmart status and recognition, we must:  

• have a written sun protection policy meeting minimum standards relating to sun-protective behaviours, environment and curriculum
• reschedule/minimise outdoor activities in direct sun during peak UV periods of the year
• teach, model and reinforce positive sun protection behaviour
• agree to complete regular policy reviews with the relevant state or territory Cancer Council to ensure their policy meets current guidelines and recommendations

We all have a role to play in leading by example.  On a daily basis, we can encourage our children to slip on a long sleeve top, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat, seek shelter and slide on sunglasses.