Welcome back to Term 3!

We’re excited to see smiling faces return, refreshed and ready for another chapter of learning. With only 9 weeks this term, it promises to be a fast-paced and focused time of growth, exploration and connection. We’ll be making every moment count as we dive into rich classroom experiences and introduce some exciting new whole-school initiatives designed to enhance our community and learning environment. From the classroom to the playground, we’re looking forward to making every moment count and supporting each child as they reach for their personal best.

Turning Circle Safety Reminder

Ensuring the safety of all students during drop-off and pick-up is our top priority. Families are reminded that students may be dropped off from 8:45am, when teachers are on duty.

Please follow these Turning Circle rules:

• No overtaking at any time

• Drive all the way down to the orange bollard before stopping

• Children may only enter and exit the car within the yellow safety strip along the curb.

• Children must enter and exit via the left-hand passenger doors for their safety.

• Parents are NOT to get out of their car in the turning circle. Staff are on duty to assist students getting in or out of the car.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school community safe!

Lunchtime Clubs

This term, we’re thrilled to offer a variety of playtime clubs that tap into the wonderful range of interests across our student community. With something for everyone, these clubs provide engaging opportunities for students to explore new passions, make friends, and enjoy their break times in meaningful ways. Thank you to the students across the school who provided feedback on the types of clubs that they would be interested in participating in.

On Mondays, students can wind down in Mindful Monday in the Library—an oasis of calm where they can read or colour in peacefully.

For our budding vocalists, we’re running two choirs: Junior Choir for Years 1–2 in the Art Room, and Senior Choir for Years 3–6 in the Performing Arts Room.

Tuesdays bring out our creative side with Craft Club in the Art Room, perfect for anyone who loves to design, draw and get crafty.

Wednesdays are a digital adventure with Minecraft Club in the STEAM Room, exclusively for Years 5–6 students who are passionate about coding and all things tech.

And on Thursdays, our green thumbs can get stuck into nature at the Gardening Club, held in the Sanctuary—a tranquil space for those who love to dig, plant, and care for our beautiful school garden.

Launching Wellbeing Wednesday & SWPBS!

On Wednesday, our school came together for a special assembly to celebrate the launch of Wellbeing Wednesday, a new initiative aimed at placing student wellbeing at the heart of our weekly routine. Each Wednesday during Session 5 (2:30–3:30pm), students across all year levels will participate in activities designed to build relationships, strengthen communication, and promote emotional awareness.

Each session includes relationship-building games and circle time, where students are encouraged to use their voice, share experiences, and engage in meaningful discussions on topics that matter most to them. The core learning component of Wellbeing Wednesday will alternate weekly between Respectful Relationships lessons and lessons based on our brand-new behaviour program—School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS).

SWPBS is a whole-school framework that promotes positive behaviour through explicit teaching, consistent expectations, and collective rewards. At the centre of our program are three key expectations:

🌟 Be Safe

🌟 Be Respectful

🌟 Be Your Best

These behaviours are outlined in our SWPBS Matrix, which defines what they look like in different areas of school life. By clearly teaching and reinforcing these values, SWPBS helps foster a safe, respectful, and high-achieving environment where all students thrive.

A highlight of this program is the whole-school shared reward. As students demonstrate positive behaviours from the matrix, they earn punches on their three expectation cards—one for each behaviour. These cards will be displayed in classrooms and proudly filled as students are recognised. When a card reaches 10 punches, it is exchanged at the office for a star, which gets added to our school-wide rewards jar. Once the jar is filled, the whole school earns a special celebration—chosen by the students themselves!

The launch was a massive success, with students already brimming with fantastic ideas for their first shared reward—from pyjama days and colour runs to movie afternoons and extended playtime! Many have already begun collecting hole punches, showing their commitment to building a positive school culture.

We look forward to seeing our community grow stronger each Wednesday and can’t wait to celebrate all the stars that shine along the way!

We can’t wait to see students dive into these experiences and discover new joys this term! Enjoy the rest of your week.

Here’s to a vibrant Term 3 filled with curiosity, collaboration, and plenty of memorable moments!

Kelly Soccio

Assistant Principal

kelly.soccio@education.vic.gov.au

Events & Special Lunches

Highvale Primary Community Group

Small Ideas membership - Fundraiser

Join the HPCG or the helpers register