Assistant Principals' Report

RU OK? DAY

R U OK? Day encourages everyone—students, staff, families, and community members—to reach out and ask a friend, colleague, or loved one, “Are you OK?” It’s about creating a safe space for someone to share how they’re really feeling, and showing that you care.

You don’t need to be an expert to start the conversation. Listening with kindness, offering support, and staying connected can make a real difference.

Here are four easy steps to remember:

1. Ask – Start by asking, “Are you OK?”
2. Listen – Take time to hear their response without judgment.
3. Encourage Action – Suggest small steps they can take if they need help.

4. Check In – Follow up to show you care.

    

At Whittlesea Primary School, we will be marking the day with lots of yellow! Together, we can help build a culture where people feel safe speaking up and are supported in seeking help. Let’s all take a moment on R U OK? Day to look out for each other and remember: You don’t have to fix someone’s problems, you just need to listen.

For more resources and conversation tips, visit www.ruok.org.au 

Student-Led Conferences 

Compass bookings for Student Led Conferences on Wednesday 17th September are currently open. These conferences are an excellent opportunity for students to showcase their learning from Term 3 and celebrate their successes. Each conference will run for 15 minutes. To help teachers stay on schedule, we kindly ask families with siblings to allow at least 15 minutes between bookings. Our office team will review schedules and contact families if back-to-back bookings are made. This will be an adjusted school day (11:00 am - 7:00 pm), and students will only attend their conference with their parent(s) or caregiver (s). TheirCare will be operating on this day. Student conferences can be booked up until midday Tuesday, 16th September 2025, via your Compass app. 

We look forward to welcoming all families to this special event and celebrating the growth and achievements of our students.

PLEASE NOTE: The Church Car Park is unable to support a late opening on the night of our student-led conferences. Therefore, we ask that all families avoid parking in this space in the late afternoon, as it will be closed at 4:30 pm. We apologise for the inconvenience caused. 

The Importance of School Attendance

School attendance is one of the most essential factors in a child’s learning and overall success; every day at school matters. When students attend consistently, they are more likely to stay engaged in their learning, build strong friendships, and develop the routines and skills that set them up for future achievement. Even missing just one or two days each quickly adds up to weeks of lost learning over a year. This can make it harder for students to keep up with classwork, understand key concepts, and feel connected to their peers and teachers.

Families play a vital role in supporting attendance by helping children arrive at school on time, every day. Establishing morning routines, planning ahead for appointments, and prioritising school during term time all make a big difference.

Let’s work as a community to make “Every Day Count” for our students.

Please see the data below,  which shows that our overall attendance rate for the 2025 YTD is greater than that of 2024.