Principal's Desk
The Power of Our Volunteers
At Park Ridge Primary School, our volunteers are the heartbeat of so much that happens beyond the classroom. From helping out on excursions and incursions to supporting reading groups, our volunteers give their time generously and it does not go unnoticed.
One group in particular deserves a special mention this newsletter: our Parents and Carers Association, the PCA. Behind almost every fundraiser, stall, and special event at our school, you will find our PCA quietly and tirelessly coordinating a team of volunteers to make it happen. The PCA special lunches, the Mother's Day and Father's Day stalls, the Easter Raffle, the Second-hand Uniform stall, these events do not run themselves. They rely on parents and carers giving up their time, again and again, term after term.
Where the money goes
What makes this effort even more worthwhile is what we do with the funds raised. As a school, we are committed to spending fundraising money in the year it is raised. Working closely with School Council, we carefully plan and identify the areas where government funding simply does not stretch far enough, and we use fundraising dollars to fill those gaps.
Over recent years, this approach has delivered real, visible improvements for our students. Thanks to the efforts of our volunteers and the events coordinated by our PCA, we have been able to air condition the gym, replace tables and chairs for students right across the school, paint over 80 per cent of our classrooms, and more recently, complete a significant amount of work in our gym. Even smaller events, like last weekend's Bunnings BBQ, all add up and contribute to a bigger picture of better facilities for our students and community.
This year, our focus turns to upgrading facilities in the Art room and the Science room, projects that will directly benefit the way our students learn and create.
We need you
None of this is possible without volunteers, and this is where we need your help. Our PCA has a big calendar of events coming up, and more hands make all the difference. We are looking for volunteers for the upcoming Election Day BBQ, our Christmas Concert, and the Term 3 and Term 4 PCA special lunches, just to name a few.
You do not need to commit to every event or give hours of your week. Even an hour here or there helps enormously and is genuinely appreciated. If you have ever thought about getting involved but were not sure how, now is a great time to put your hand up.
Please keep an eye out for volunteer sign up information through Compass, or reach out to our PCA directly if you would like to get involved parkridgepca@gmail.com. Every hour given helps us build a better school for our children, and we thank each and every volunteer who has contributed, and continues to contribute, to making Park Ridge Primary School such a wonderful place to learn.
Thank You for Taking Part in Our Communication Survey
A big thank you to all the families who took the time to complete our communication survey last week. We know how busy life gets, so we really appreciate you stopping to share your thoughts with us.
Your feedback matters. We will be using the information gathered to drive a stronger level of consistency in how we communicate with our school community, and to strike the right balance between not enough and too much. Getting this right means you get the information you need, when you need it, without being overloaded. We will keep you updated as we work through the results and put changes into action.
Looking Forward to Multi Age Day and Book Week
We cannot wait for tomorrow. Our multi age day is always a highlight, giving students the chance to work and play alongside peers from different year levels, and this year our teams have put together some wonderful activities to make the most of it.
Add Book Week dress up into the mix and it is set to be a fantastic day all round. We are looking forward to seeing all the creative costumes and joining in the fun ourselves.
And of course, the Book Week Parade on Tuesday morning is one not to miss, weather permitting. We hope to see as many families there as possible, cheering on our students as they show off their costumes.
Please feel free to pop in for a chat with either Carrie, Brendan or I, should you wish to discuss anything.
Our doors are always open!
Take care,
Mr. Dale Blythman