Principal's report

Welcome Back to All Our EPS Families,

Dear Parents/Carers,

We are excited to begin another wonderful year of learning, opportunities, and partnerships. I hope you all enjoyed a safe and relaxing break.

I look forward to working with you all as we continue to strive towards our vision of providing a safe, supportive environment that upholds high expectations for our students’ academic progress, engagement with the community, and overall wellbeing.

Our year has started smoothly, thanks to the dedication of our amazing staff, who gave their time during the holidays to set up classrooms, prepare the grounds, and organise everything our students need for a successful return.

This year, we are proud to welcome 464 students across 21 classes—an increase from 433 students across 20 classes last year.

A special mention goes to our 2025 Preps, who experienced their very first day of school last week, and to all the new families who have joined the EPS community this year.

Thank you for being part of our school, and I look forward to another fantastic year ahead!

New staff

I would like to extend a warm welcome to the following staff members joining EPS this year:

Tess Mowat (Prep D)

Maddie Monsen (2A)

Emma Nixon (2B)

Jon Wood (3B)

Matt Gardiner (5A)

We are thrilled to welcome Liam Eddington as our new STEAM Specialist Teacher! Liam brings a passion for innovation and creativity, and we look forward to seeing the exciting learning experiences he will bring to our students.

A huge congratulations to Sarah Fletcher on her appointment as our new Literacy Leading Teacher. Sarah will be supporting teams in planning engaging and effective literacy programs across the school, and we know her expertise will make a significant impact.

We would also like to acknowledge and thank our 2025 Team Leaders for their dedication to guiding their teams: Martin Ray (Prep), Suzanne Pi (Year 1), Olivia Crowe (Year 2), Eliza Solly (Year 3), Brian Norris (Year 4), Amy Parsons (Year 5/6), and James Gowans (Specialist). Their leadership and commitment to our students and staff are truly appreciated!

Exciting News

A big congratulations to our PE teacher, Ben De Nardis, on his wedding to his partner, Te, at the end of last year in beautiful New Zealand! Wishing them a lifetime of happiness and love together.

Congratulations to our Performing Arts teacher, James Gowans, his partner Lara, and their firstborn Willa on the arrival of their newest family member, Ruby! Wishing them all joy and precious moments together as a family of four.

Tutor Learning Program

We are proud to continue our commitment to supporting student learning through the Tutor Learning Program in 2025, ensuring targeted intervention and extension opportunities in both literacy and numeracy. This program plays a vital role in helping students build confidence, close learning gaps, and achieve success.

Ebony Barber has been appointment as the Tutor Learning Program Leader! She will be working closely with Jac Curlis (Numeracy Leading Teacher) and Sarah Fletcher (Literacy Leading Teacher) to identify students who will benefit from tailored support.

Introducing this year’s dedicated team of tutors:

• Gemma Wall (2024 Prep teacher)
• Aoife Harrinton (2024 Year 5 teacher)
• Sharon Meeking (bringing 30+ years of experience at EPS)
• Natalie Bowerman (supporting Year 1 and Prep students in literacy)

With such a passionate and skilled team, we look forward to making a meaningful impact on student learning this year!

Principal Points

Principal Points are back for 2025! Each staff member has 5 points each week to award to any student not in their class for displaying leadership qualities. All points are tracked on a whole-school database and tallied throughout the year, with updates provided to students during my weekly assembly address. The student with the most points towards the end of the year will be awarded ‘Principal for a Day’.

Last year’s recipients, Delilah D and Gabrielle A, brought fantastic energy and creativity to their role, initiating a year-level dodgeball tournament, a staff vs. students soccer shootout, and a hot chip lunch for everyone. I’m looking forward to seeing what our 2025 Principal for a Day envisions when the time comes—if last year is anything to go by, we’re in for something special!

School Council

All government schools in Victoria have a School Council, a legally constituted body responsible for setting key directions within state-wide guidelines. By doing so, the School Council directly influences the quality of education provided to students. Parents and carers play a vital role on the council, offering valuable perspectives and skills that help shape the school’s future. Each year, approximately half of the School Council retires, allowing new members to get involved.

In the coming weeks, we will call for School Council nominations via Compass for the 2025–2027 EPS School Council. Membership is for a two-year term, with meetings held twice per term. Councillors also join one of the following subcommittees: Education, Buildings & Grounds, Finance, or Marketing.

If you’re interested in joining or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send an email to elsternwick.ps@education.vic.gov.au.

We look forward to welcoming new members who are keen to contribute to our school community!

Parent Payment Arrangements 2025 (School Fees)

Thank you to all families who have contributed or committed to supporting our school through Parent Payment Arrangements on Compass (formerly known as school fees). Your contributions play a vital role in enhancing learning opportunities for all students at EPS.

If you have not yet had a chance to do so, please visit Compass Course Confirmations/2025 School Fees to make a contribution online.

The School Council letter outlines how your contributions directly support your child and all students at EPS:Letter from School Council 2024.2025

If you have any questions or require a more flexible payment plan, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office at elsternwick.ps@education.vic.gov.au.

Your support is greatly appreciated!

Nude Food

At EPS, we encourage all students and staff to bring healthy, rubbish-free food to school. By doing so, we help keep our school grounds litter-free and reduce waste that could otherwise end up in our local canals, drains, and Port Phillip Bay.

I hope everyone has had a fantastic start to the year! It has been wonderful to see students so settled and engaged as they work together to develop their classroom learning communities for 2024.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out throughout the year—I look forward to working with you as your child continues to learn and grow at EPS.

Have a great weekend,

Michael