Principal's Report

Dear Parents and Carers,

The weather is really starting to turn and it is a timely reminder to ensure your child is dressing appropriately for the weather and that all school uniform is clearly labelled. Named uniform usually makes it back to its owner! Our Lost Property Box is extremely full at the moment, so please ensure you check it out in the Admin Building if you are missing any items. At the end of term, any unclaimed items will be included in our Second Hand Uniform sale.

Mothers Day Classic

The Lucas PS Mother’s Day Classic was held in beautiful weather and was a wonderful celebration of the important role mothers and mother figures play in our lives. It was fantastic to see such strong support from our school community, with families enjoying the opportunity to walk together, share stories and conversations and then gather afterwards for a morning tea in the Learning Street. A special thank you to the working party for their organisation and effort in transforming the school grounds into a sea of pink for the event.

Staffing

This week we welcome a number of new staff members to Lucas PS. 

Janelle Deb joins us as an experienced teacher in the Year 2 team.

Gabby Williams also joins us as an experienced teacher in the Year 5/6 team.

Emma Tate joins the Year 1 team to take over from Mrs Johnston as she heads off on Family Leave in a couple of weeks.

A warm welcome to our new staff, we know they will be a wonderful addition to our teaching team.

Playground Update

Our playground will begin construction within the next few weeks. It will become very clear over the next week when the safety fencing is erected that our new playgroundis not far away. During the construction period, the area out the front of the school (Zone 1) will be out of bounds which includes all access to buildings from the south side of the Year 1 and 2 building. 

Bystander v Upstander 

At the last two assemblies, we have been discussing what it means to be a Bystander and what it means to be an Upstander. Our values as a school are geared toward students knowing the difference and working hard to be the best version of themselves and to assist others to do the same as well. We all should be aiming to be Upstanders!

To assist with our journey, the following table outlines the behaviours of an Upstander and a Bystander.

Attendance

After a very positive response to attendance in Term 1, our start to Term 2 has seen an increase in student lateness and also unexplained absences. 

Regular school attendance is essential for students to achieve their learning potential and to build positive social connections with peers and teachers. Frequent lateness can cause students to miss important instructions and disrupt the learning momentum of the class. Unexplained absences can also impact academic progress, wellbeing and the development of consistent routines and learning habits. Attending school every day and arriving on time helps students feel connected, confident and supported in their learning journey.

To assist, attendance notes are being sent to families who have unexplained absences and present late for class each week. 

Ride2School

We have been recently included in a pilot program run by the City of Ballarat and the Safe Cycling Network to promote safe and healthy habits through cycling to and from school.

The pilot program is made up of two parts:

1. A group of student leaders will work with special guests to conduct surveys and complete work on safe pathways to school. They will use specialised software to design posters which will be professionally published and distributed around the community

2. In Term 3, all year 5/6 students will participate in a Bike Ed program to work on bike skills, traffic rules and bike safety.

    

This is a very exciting opportunity, and we look forward to sharing the finished results.

Education Week

This week, Lucas Primary School proudly celebrated Education Week with the theme “Showcase Your School.” It was a wonderful opportunity to recognise and celebrate the incredible learning, programs, events and strong sense of community that make Lucas PS such a special place. 

Throughout the week, students, staff and families have had the chance to participate in a range of activities including Staff Appreciation Day, Principal for a Day, a future-focused student activity exploring what school may look like in 100 years, student learning showcases and shared lunches and an open parent session with Kim Barne. 

We have enjoyed celebrating the many successes and achievements of our school community together.

Education Support Workers Appreciation Day 

At this time of year, we take the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution of our Education Support team at Lucas Primary School. Our Education Support staff play a vital role in the daily operations and success of our school, supporting students, staff and families in a variety of ways. This dedicated team includes our Administration staff, Classroom Support staff, Lucas LEAP coordinators and Maintenance Crew, all of whom work behind the scenes and alongside our students to ensure our school is a welcoming, safe and supportive environment. We thank them for their ongoing commitment, care, professionalism and the positive difference they make in our school community every day.