Principal Report
Acknowledgment of Country
Newport Lakes Primary School acknowledges the Yalukit-Willam people of the Boon Wurrung in the Kulin nation as the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waterways of the school. We pay our respect to the Elders, past and present; and to our First Nations students and their families here today. We gather to share our knowledge, teaching and understanding, and pay our respect to the knowledge embedded within the Aboriginal custodianship of Country as the oldest continuing culture in the world.
Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.
Welcome to Week Seven of Term Three!
With just three weeks remaining of this term, you can already catch the faint scent of sweet Spring in the air. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our community for their continued support, and to our hard-working staff who continue to make NLPS the best school it can be! Please read to find out about some of the exciting things that have occurred over the last fortnight.
The last few weeks at NLPS have been filled with excitement as we participated in Bullying, No Way! Book Week, Book Fair and Parent Club activities. What an exciting and engaging time for our staff and students.
Book Week Celebration
Book Week has come and gone and what a highlight it proved to be once again! The air was filled with excitement as students and staff dressed in their imaginative costumes, showcasing their love for reading and their appreciation for the magical worlds that authors have crafted. The parade was an incredible visual spectacle and a wonderful way for the community to connect. Teachers joined in on the fun, dressing up as iconic literary figures to demonstrate their passion for reading. It was great to see the effort and enthusiasm that students showed towards their favourite books and we are grateful to our families for their incredible efforts and attendance at the parade. Your support is always appreciated.
Our author visits captivated the students with presentations on their writing process, idea generation, and sources of inspiration, while eagerly responding to the numerous questions from our enthusiastic readers! The highlight for me was witnessing the joy on the children's faces as they eagerly listened to the talented authors sharing their stories, along with the vibrant costumes that added to the lively atmosphere.
The Book Fair was also greatly received by the students, and I would like to acknowledge and thank the many parents that volunteered to cover the morning and afternoon shifts. Without your generous support and donation of your time, we would not be able to host such amazing events. A big THANK YOU from the whole school community.
Thank You for Your Valuable Feedback on the OSHC Program (QB)
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who took the time to respond to our recent survey regarding the OSHC program (QB) at our school. The response rate was quite high, and we have gathered valuable data on the services provided by QB, including Before Care, After Care, and Vacation Care.
Your feedback is crucial in helping us understand our school needs and expectations better. The insights from the survey have been carefully analysed by the School Council OSHC Subcommittee and will play a significant role in enhancing the current program. We will also be sharing these results with QB to ensure that the improvements align with our expectations and assist with future planning of the OSHC program at NLPS.
The findings and proposed actions based on your feedback will be discussed further at the upcoming September School Council meeting on Monday 9th September via Webex at 6.30 PM. If any parents are interested in attending this meeting, please contact the school office on 9391 8942.
Fair Work Act Amendment - Right to Disconnect
You may be aware of a recent amendment to the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Act 2023, specifically related to the Right to Disconnect. This amendment, effective from Monday, 26 August 2024, has important implications for all employees within our school community.
The amendment clarifies that all employees have the right to refuse contact from their employer or a third party (such as a student or a parent) outside of their normal working hours, unless such refusal is deemed unreasonable. This means that employees are not required to monitor, read, or respond to any communication that occurs outside their normal working hours.
The Department of Education is currently finalising further guidance specific to schools, which will be available soon. From here, our Policy Sub committee will be working on creating a Communications Policy to be shared with our School Council and the broader community, outlining the amendment. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we implement these changes in line with the new legislation.
Father’s Day and Special Person’s BBQ
A reminder of our Father’s Day/Special Person’s BBQ picnic scheduled on the afternoon of Friday, 30 August in our school yard from 3.15pm. We would love to see you at this fun event, engaging and connecting with others in our community and celebrating the wonderful role models in our lives - dads, fathers, uncles, grandfathers, father figures and special people. Once again, we are grateful for the tireless work of our Parents' Club.
Happy Fathers Day/Father Figures' Day
We would like to extend a very happy Fathers' Day to all our fathers and father figures for this Sunday. Father's Day is an important occasion to express gratitude and love for our fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, and other role models in our lives. It's a time to reflect on the influence that father figures have on their children's lives and to show them how much they are valued and cherished. We wish you a wonderful day for Sunday and always.
Bunnings Sausage Sizzle - Parent Club
I wanted to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone involved in organising and running the Bunnings Sausage Sizzle. Your hard work and dedication made the event a huge success, and the funds raised will make a significant impact on our programs. We truly appreciate the time and effort each of you put in, whether you were on the grill, handling sales, or helping behind the scenes, your contributions did not go unnoticed. Thank you once again for your continued support and for making NLPS such a fantastic place for our children.
The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence
We believe every student deserves to feel safe and respected. Our participation in the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence helped us to make a powerful statement against bullying and to show our commitment to a positive and inclusive school environment. With the help of our School Council, we developed our Bullying Policy. This policy establishes a positive school culture and fosters inclusivity to ensure diversity is celebrated, and every student feels valued. Please help us at home by telling your child's teacher if they feel like they are being targeted by others and by using the term "bullying" appropriately, rather than just for isolated incidents of annoyance or disrespect.
Footy Colours Day - Coming Soon
A fun and bright way to end the term and celebrate the AFL footy finals, is with the traditional (Footy) Colours Day, scheduled for Tuesday 17 September. Students are invited to come along on this day in the colours of their favourite team (footy, netball, soccer, basketball, etc.) or even their favourite characters – whatever colours make your child feel happy.
2025 Foundation Enrolments
Confirmation of enrolment letters for Foundation 2025 were sent to families earlier in the term. Families who have not yet completed enrolment forms for their younger child/ren who are due to commence school in 2025 are asked to please complete enrolment forms as soon as possible. Enrolment forms are available on the school website, front office or are attached below.
We are looking forward to welcoming our new students and their families to our school community during our transition program in Term 4. Further details regarding the program will be sent out in the coming weeks.
Planning for 2025
It's that time of year when the leadership team begins working through 2025 planning, class structures and recruitment processes. As we continue the planning process for 2025, we would appreciate families notifying the school as soon as possible if your child/ren in years Foundation to Year 5 will not be returning to our school in 2025.
Please email the school office - here. Please include your child's final day at NLPS and the name of the school they will be attending in 2025.
Reminder Curriculum Day - Friday 13th September
We would like to remind you that our curriculum day is set for Friday 13th September, and falls the day after our School Production night.
Our School Council has given prior approval for this day. A professional development session with an emphasis on inclusive education training will be attended by all staff members. Our educators will benefit greatly from this training as it will help them hone their abilities and strategies for creating a more welcoming and inclusive learning environment for all children. Consequently, students will not attend school on this day. Please get in touch with Quantin Binnah, our OSHC provider, if you need care for your child/ren.
Parent, Guardian and Caregiver Opinion Survey (PGCOS) has been extended
The Parent, Guardian and Caregiver Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education that is conducted amongst a random sample of parents, across all government schools. If you received and invitation to participate and have not yet completed the survey, the closing date has now been extended until Friday 20th September.
Early Finish - End of Term Three 2:15pm Friday 20th September
A reminder that we finish the end of Term Three at 2:15pm so please make appropriate pick up arrangements, including utilising after school care through Quantin Binnah if necessary.
May we all have a fantastic last three weeks of term.
Taxia Katsouranis
Acting Principal
School Saving Bonus 2025
In Term 4, 2024, families with a child enrolled in a government school from Foundation to Year 12 in 2025 will receive the one-off $400 School Saving Bonus.
The $400 School Saving Bonus provides families with support for education-related costs, such as school activities and/or school uniforms and textbooks.
The School Saving Bonus is not available for full-fee international students, home schooled students, TAFE students and students attending kindergarten in 2025.
Actions for parents and carers
Before 18 October 2024, the Department of Education is asking parents and carers to:
- Complete enrolment: If your child, or children are changing government school for Term 1 2025, or starting Prep or Year 7 in 2025. For more information, read about Enrolling in School.
- Check your contact information: Ensure your email address and phone number is up to date with us. You can check this information by contacting us directly.
We need to ensure your contact information is up to date as the Department of Education will email you twice:
- in October, to verify your email address
- in November, with your $400 School Saving Bonus.
Please check your junk mail regularly to make sure you do not miss an important email.
To learn more about the School Saving Bonus, download the School Saving Bonus Information sheet for government school parents and carers or visit vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus.