Welcome to the 2026 School Year

It has been wonderful to see how well our students have settled into their new grades—reconnecting with friends, forming new friendships, and getting to know their classroom teachers.

On Wednesday, we also warmly welcomed our Foundation students and their families. It was a joy to see the children arrive with big smiles, ready for the next step in their educational journey. After spending time in the classrooms and capturing some special first-day photos, parents were invited to our “Tea, Tears and Tissues” morning tea. A heartfelt thank you to Erin Cotsford from the PA for organising thoughtful gift pouches for parents, complete with a poem, teabag, heart, and tissue—such a lovely touch.

Lunch and Eating Time Changes

As mentioned in last year’s newsletter, this year we have moved to five one-hour learning sessions per day, replacing the previous six 50-minute sessions.

Morning music will continue to play at 8:55am to signal students to line up, with staff welcoming them into classrooms, ready for the day’s learning to start promptly at 9am. Students will have a scheduled brain break during the morning (around 10am), which includes exercise and a healthy snack (fruit, vegetables, or dairy).

Students will play outside before eating, with music played at the end of playtimes to remind them to have a drink and visit the toilet. Eating at the end of playtime allows students to sit in a structured space and eat without the distraction of the bell signalling outdoor play.

Many students are finishing everything in their lunchboxes. While students adjust to these changes, we suggest including some additional healthy snacks if needed.

Get to Know You Interviews

At Donvale Primary School, we place great importance on building strong, positive relationships between teachers and students. These relationships are central to student wellbeing and effective teaching and learning. Families play an equally important role by sharing insights into their child’s individual needs.

To support this, we offer optional Get to Know You Meetings at the beginning of each year. These meetings provide an opportunity for families to share relevant information that helps us better support students academically and socially. Classroom teachers will share a Google Form prior to the meeting to help guide these conversations. Each grade will have their own form, so please complete the correct one for your child.

Dates and times for the GTKY interviews are

Wednesday 18th Feb 3:45pm - 4:45pm
Tuesday 24th Feb 3:45pm - 4:45pm
Wednesday 25th Feb 3:45pm - 5:45pm

More information about meeting dates and booking procedures will be shared shortly.

STOMP and Welcome Back BBQ

We are excited to invite all families to our annual Welcome Back BBQ—a fantastic opportunity for new and returning families to connect and celebrate the start of the school year. During the day students will be participating in a STOMP incursion, where they will learn a dance, which will be performed at the Welcome Back BBQ

📅 Date: Thursday 19th February

⏰Time: BBQ from 5:00pm | Student performances from 5:30pm

📍Location: Tiger Turf (Junior Side)

Our Parents’ and Friends Association has organised a simple and delicious BBQ, with all proceeds supporting school fundraising initiatives. We look forward to a relaxed evening of food, performances, and community connection.

SunSmart

A gentle reminder that all students are required to wear their school hat this term. As a SunSmart school, we take sun safety very seriously. This includes:

Wearing the approved broad-brimmed Donvale Primary School hat when outdoors
Students without a hat being restricted to designated shaded areas
Encouraging students to come to school wearing broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen (SPF 30+) and to reapply during the day

School Ramps

After many months of waiting, we are pleased to share that all school ramps are now open and fully operational. Families entering the school from Elata Street are strongly encouraged to use the ramp near the junior playground, as this provides a safer access point than crossing the driveway.

NAPLAN – Years 3 and 5

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9. The tests assess reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy. As the only national assessment undertaken by all Australian students, NAPLAN provides families with information about student progress against national standards over time.

NAPLAN is just one aspect of assessment and reporting and does not replace the ongoing assessments teachers use to inform teaching and learning.

NAPLAN dates at Donvale Primary School are:

Wednesday 11th March – Writing
Thursday 12th March – Reading
Friday 13th March – Conventions of Language
Monday 16th March – Numeracy

*** 17th March - 20th March are Catch up days if students are absent on a day/s of testing

You can support your child by reassuring them that NAPLAN is just one part of their school program and that all they need to do is try their best. Classroom teachers will provide opportunities for students to become familiar with the test format and complete practice activities. Further information will be shared with families of students in Years 3 and 5 shortly.

Donvale Democracy

We are proud and excited to be starting our Donvale Democracy in 2026. Students this week are voting for their Student Voice Leaders who will be in their roles for Semester One. Students Voice Leaders will lead class meetings to highlight celebrations within the grade, gain feedback from their peers about what is working well at school and what they would like to improve.

The SVLs will then meet regularly with Mr Robertson and the SVL team to talk about what they are hearing from the Student Voice and identify improvements to make our wonderful school even better.

When Student Voice Leaders identify a change that they would like to implement, they will write a "bill" to persuade others to agree with their cause. Each semester, the students in 5/6 (the "House of Representatives") will meet as "Parliament" and hear the ideas. Successful bills will pass through to the "Senate" (comprised of our School and House Captains).

If our school leaders agree with the proposal, they will sign it off and send it to the "Governor General" and "Principal" to solidify into "law." This is one key response our school is making to improve Student Voice and Agency at Donvale Primary School.

Important Reminders

Student Safety – Arriving Early

A reminder that teachers and staff are not on yard duty until 8:45am. We have noticed some students arriving as early as 8:15am without supervision, which raises safety concerns.

We are fortunate to offer a high-quality before and after school care program through Village OSHC, operating from 7:00am to 6:00pm daily. Children are supervised by qualified educators, provided with food, and given opportunities to interact with others. Enrolment is free. To enrol or book, visit villageoshc.com.au and click Book Now. This will take you to the secure, government-approved LookedAfter platform, where bookings can be managed 24/7.

Attendance

Regular attendance at school is vital for social and emotional development as well as continued academic improvement. Of course, we all get sick and some absences are unavoidable, but please ensure you do your best to have your child at school each day. Create routines with your child for getting dressed in the morning and packing school bags. Where possible, please schedule family holidays during school holiday times. The Department of Education highlights that the attendance goal for each child is 95% (or 10 missed days per year). A missed day each fortnight equates to 4 lost weeks of learning each year. Should you have any concerns about your child's attendance please reach out to Mrs Rassias, Mr Roberston or your child's classroom teacher.

Safe Driving Practices

We kindly remind families to drive safely when dropping off and picking up children. Please enter school grounds slowly and be prepared to wait briefly to access the drop-off and pick-up zone.

The zone is designed to keep moving—please drive to the front of the queue, drop your child off promptly in the morning, or wait for them in the afternoon. Teachers on duty assist students to move quickly and safely to their cars. We ask that families speak do not park in the drop-off and pick-up area.

Thank you to the many families who already use this system as intended and for supporting the safety of our community.

Donvale School Uniform

We understand that school holidays are a time of growth and fun, and uniforms may not always be top of mind. However, we ask for your support in ensuring students wear their Donvale Primary School uniform correctly and with pride. Please take the time to familiarise yourself with the new updated DPS Uniform Policy.

This term students are expected to wear their Summer academic uniform with a school approved sunsmart hat. We expect long hair to be tied back, any hair accessories worn to be in the school colours and extreme hair colours and/or hairstyles are not permitted. Students may wear one set of studs or sleepers and clear nail polish.

Finally, if your child has specific clothing requirements or you need support to purchase uniforms please contact the office.

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