Assistant Principal's Address

WEEK 4 | TERM 3

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S AWARD

Ms Gavin

We would like to extend a very warm welcome to Ms Spira Antonopoulos, who has recently joined Deanside Primary School as our new Assistant Principal.

It has been wonderful to see our students welcoming Ms Antonopoulos so warmly, both out in the yard and within their classrooms. Over the coming weeks, Ms Antonopoulos will continue to spend time getting to know our students, staff and families as she settles into the Deanside community.

As part of her role, Ms Antonopoulos will meet weekly with our year-level teaching teams to support lesson planning, curriculum delivery and data analysis. This collaborative work will further strengthen teaching and learning across the school and ensure that we continue to provide the best possible outcomes for all students.

Positive Classroom Management Strategies (PCMS)

At Deanside Primary School, we are committed to creating safe, inclusive and engaging learning environments where every student can thrive. As part of this commitment, staff are implementing Positive Classroom Management Strategies (PCMS), an evidence-informed suite of practices developed by the Victorian Department of Education.

PCMS is founded on the belief that positive behaviour can be explicitly taught and reinforced through proactive classroom practices. These strategies support student learning, wellbeing and engagement by creating predictable classroom environments where expectations are clear and positive relationships are prioritised.

Throughout this term, our staff professional learning will focus on Placemats 3, 4 and 5, which centre on:

• using active supervision to support positive behaviour and engagement;
• providing positive acknowledgement and feedback to reinforce expected behaviours; and
• responding to inappropriate behaviour in a calm, consistent and supportive manner.

This work builds on the foundations already established across the school and underpins our instructional model, helping to create the conditions for high-quality teaching and learning across Deanside Primary School. By explicitly teaching, modelling and reinforcing positive behaviours, we can maximise learning time, strengthen relationships and support every child to succeed.

Families can learn more about Positive Classroom Management Strategies here: https://www.schools.vic.gov.au/pcms.

Supporting Online Safety at Home

As technology continues to play an important role in our children's lives, we encourage families to have regular conversations about online safety and respectful behaviour when using social media, messaging platforms and online games.

While we understand that it can be distressing when children experience social conflict in an online environment, it is important to note that the school's capacity to investigate and respond to incidents that occur outside of school hours and off school grounds is limited. Although we will always support students' wellbeing at school, matters that occur online outside of school hours are primarily the responsibility of families and, where necessary, external agencies.

Some helpful strategies include:

• keeping devices in shared family spaces where possible;
• having regular conversations about respectful online communication;
• encouraging children to speak with a trusted adult if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe online;
• setting clear expectations around screen time and online behaviour; and
• familiarising yourself with the apps and platforms your child uses.

Families can access advice, resources and reporting tools through the Australian Government's eSafety Commissioner: https://www.esafety.gov.au/.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support in ensuring that Deanside Primary School remains a safe, supportive and inclusive environment for all students.

Dog Therapy at Deanside Primary School

This term, Deanside Primary School students have been enjoying the wonderful benefits of our dog therapy program. Through small group sessions, students have been spending time with our special furry visitors, building connections, developing confidence, and supporting their emotional wellbeing.

The small group format provides students with a calm and supportive environment where they can interact with the therapy dogs at their own pace. Students have enjoyed opportunities to gently pat the dogs, talk with the handlers, practice caring behaviours, and experience the comfort and joy that comes from spending time with animals.

Dog therapy supports students in many ways, including promoting relaxation, reducing stress, encouraging positive social interactions, and helping students develop empathy and responsibility. These sessions provide a valuable opportunity for students to pause, connect, and enjoy a positive wellbeing experience during their school week.

It has been wonderful to see students’ smiles and excitement as they participate in each session. Students have demonstrated kindness, patience, and respect while learning how to interact safely and appropriately with their four-legged friends.

Our dog therapy small groups will continue throughout the remainder of the term, providing ongoing opportunities for students to benefit from these meaningful interactions.

A big thank you to our therapy dog team and handlers for sharing their time and bringing so much positivity to Deanside Primary School. We look forward to many more wagging tails and happy moments ahead! 🐾

Bianca Gavin

Racheal Zappia

Spira Antonopoulos