Principals' Message

Education Week - Open Day 

Wednesday 20 May

Education Week is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and showcase the amazing learning taking place across our school community. This year’s Education Week theme is “Showcase your school” and we are excited to invite families to our Open Day on Wednesday, 20 May.

Our classrooms and learning spaces will be open throughout the day, giving families the chance to see learning in action and experience the vibrant programs offered at our school.

Open Day Schedule:

9.00am – 10.00am     Classrooms open. Parents are welcome to visit their child’s classroom and take part in learning activities for the morning.

10.00am    School tour for prospective families.

3.45pm – 5.15pm       Classrooms and specialist rooms open for the afternoon. 

Literacy, numeracy and STEM learning will be showcased in classrooms, while specialist teachers will organise engaging activities in a variety of learning spaces.

4.00pm    School tour for prospective families.

At 4.15pm our school choirs and marimbas will be performing in the BER building. 

We look forward to welcoming our families into the school and celebrating the wonderful learning, creativity and opportunities that make our school such a special place.

Mothers' Day Stall and Coffee morning

Thank you to everyone who assisted with the Mothers' Day stall setup - from pricing and displaying, to selling - all your efforts were greatly appreciated.

Despite the drizzly weather the Mothers' Day Coffee morning was a success. Special thanks to Sarah Hodgson and Erin Cotsford for all their hard work behind the scenes to make the morning such a lovely one. 

Toilet Upgrade

As many of you are aware, our school was fortunate to secure a $500,000 grant last year to upgrade the junior toilet facilities.

At last week’s School Council meeting, I was pleased to present the schematic designs for the refurbishment. The project will include brand new toilet facilities, new urinals in the boys’ area, fully fitted change room space in each bathroom and a complete upgrade of all amenities. This will be a full renovation of the existing facilities.

The project will now move to the tender stage, with works anticipated to commence next term.

ES Day - 16th May  

Education Support staff play a vital role in the learning and wellbeing of all students, including those with additional needs. Whether they are working alongside students in classrooms, coordinating important programs, supporting wellbeing or helping keep our school running smoothly at the office or behind the scenes, their contribution is invaluable and deeply appreciated.

Donvale Primary School is extremely fortunate to have such caring, skilled, and committed staff supporting our students, families and teachers each and every day.

Thank you to all of our Education Support staff for the difference you make in our school community every day.

2027 Prep Enrolments 

Do you know of a family with a child ready to start Prep? Do they want to be part of a vibrant, inclusive, educational community? 

Enrolments for Prep 2027 are now open. We would love you to send them our way! 

Attendance

Last week, Donvale Primary School's Attendance Policy was shared with School Council. As is regularly communicated, each child's regular attendance at school is vital in their continued social, emotional and academic improvement. 

Donvale Primary School's annual goals for attendance are:

• Increase in overall attendance from 90% (in 2025) to 92% in 2026 - currently 92%.
• Increase in number of students attending school 95% or more of the time from 29% (in 2025) to 35% in 2026 - currently 51%.
• Decrease in the number of students attending less than 95% of the time from 34% (in 2025) to 25% in 2026 - currently 22%.

The school puts in place a range of proactive measures to support student attendance including:

• Morning check-ins with students to support peer-peer and student-teacher connections.
• Lunchtime clubs, including the Library and Wellbeing Hub, open to students to attend for ways to connect and always have activities to look forward to.
• Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Supports are in place across the school where behaviour expectations are explicitly taught and re-taught. These expectations were co-created with staff and students and are aligned to our school values of Gratitude, Respect, Responsibility, Compassion and Resilience.
• Regularly updating the school community on current attendance data.
• Classroom teachers and specialists regularly reviewing current attendance data for individual students to track progress.
• All of this sits on top of our teaching practices and classroom management practices which encourage stimulating learning environments where students are challenged and support to do their best and are offered a rich and varied curriculum to build knowledge and egnite their passions.

Of course, situations arise where absence will be allowed and necessary.

The Principal has the discretion to accept a reason given by a parent for a student’s absence. The Principal will generally excuse:

• medical and dental appointments, where out of hours appointments are not possible or appropriate

• bereavement or attendance at the funeral of a relative or friend of the student, including a student required to attend Sorry Business

• school refusal, if a plan is in place with the parent to address causes and support the student’sreturn to school

• cultural observance if the parent/carer notifies the school in advance

• family holidays where the parent notifies the school in advance.

Families are encouraged to book family holidays during school holiday periods where possible. Should families seek leave of longer than five school days, a written request should be sent for approval to Mrs Rassias.

If your child is having difficulty attending school, please reach out first to your child's classroom teacher and then to Mr Robertson or Mrs Rassias. We can meet together to work on strategies to improve attitudes to school and build routines which support daily attendance.

You can find the policy in full below and published on our website.