Principal's August Report
We at Aitken Hill Primary School recognise the rich Aboriginal heritage within our community and acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung, which includes the existing family members of the Gunung-Willam-Balluk clan, as the Traditional Custodians of this land. We embrace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander living cultures as a vital part of Australia’s identity and recognise, celebrate and pay respect to Elders past, present and future.
ONLINE SAFETY
In our ever changing world, it is important to be aware of our young people's online interactions.
Commonsense media is a website that helps parents and educators navigate the content of online apps, movies, books, tv shows, games, podcasts and youtube. The site recommends age appropriate media for children and also gives ratings and information about what you will and won't find in the app etc. This is especially helpful given the vast array of content children can access and will helps parents and carers feel more comfortable about what we allow children to use.
HOUSE SPIRIT
Our House Leaders are hard at work to organise and run House Spirit week this term for our students, which will be held on Friday 13th September.
Our House Spirit will be working with our student leaders throughout the year to create authentic events and activities for our students and school community.
Thank you to our House Captains! We look forward to our continued work together throughout the year.
NEW BUILDING
Work on our new building continues and is on schedule to finish at the beginning of October 2024.
Below you will find a link to some of the architects drawings of the building.
The building consists of 8 classrooms, 2 STEM rooms and a large library which can also be used as a meeting space for teachers and for parent sessions. The building also has a number of meeting spaces for staff to access.
This building is part of the Department of Education's new school expansion project.
NEW PLAY AREAS
Our new play areas opened at the start of term and our students have enjoyed using the new spaces.
This project was funded by the Department of Education's Inclusive Schools Fund.
TERM 3 PARKING
Next term, we will have no access to the path and gate from Aitken Hill Community Centre, Kindergarten next door. The Community Centre is receiving a new 2-room modular kindergarten building. These rooms will create space for up to an extra 99 kindergarten places for local children. The work on this area is due to begin on the school holidays next week.
We are working closely with Hume City Council and the Victorian Schools Building Authority to put in a new gate and path closer to the playground and basketball/soccer courts.
For Term 3, families will need to use the gate from the Softball car park off Rhyolite drive or our 2 gates on Elevation Boulevard.
Families who use before and after school care will need to use the gate on Elevation Boulevard closest to our Prep - 2 playground for pick up and drop off.
TRAFFIC
I would like to ask parents/carers to be extra careful when driving during school arrival and departure times around our school. Please be mindful of pedestrians and bike riders, especially during these busy times.
Unfortunately, we have witnessed many unsafe practices during the morning and afternoon each day.
At the Community Centre we have witnessed:
- Illegal parking at the Community Centre next door
- Cars stopping in the middle of the carpark to drop off children
- Parking in the disabled car park without a permit
- Stopping outside the front of the Community centre which is a no standing point
- Children are running across the carpark whilst parents are trying to enter and exit the car park
On Elevation Boulevard we have witnessed:
- Parents entering the staff car park
- Parents dropping children off in the drive way
- Parents letting children out at the crossing and other spots on the road rather than the car park
- Children getting out of moving cars
We have reported these unsafe practices to the police and local council who will be coming to monitor and issue fines as necessary.
We appreciate your cooperation with this matter.
I will be on Long Service Leave for the last 2 weeks of this term, Kathryn Adams will be Acting Principal.
Kind Regards,
Pete Hansen