Principal's Message

Welcome back to Term 3!

Dear Families,

It has been wonderful to welcome everyone back for the start of Term 3. We hope you had a restful break and enjoyed some quality time with your children. The energy and excitement around the school this week have been fantastic, and we’re looking forward to another term of rich learning experiences and community connection.

👨‍🏫 Parent-Teacher Interviews – Thank You!

A huge thank you to all the families who attended our Parent-Teacher Interviews last Thursday. We had an incredible 90% attendance rate, which reflects the strong partnership we share in supporting your children’s learning and growth.

This year, we moved from student-led to teacher-led interviews, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Many parents shared that they appreciated the clarity, depth, and professionalism of the conversations, and felt reassured by the open and thoughtful discussions about their child’s progress. Thank you again to our staff for the time and care they put into preparing for these important meetings.

📚 Staff Professional Learning

On the pupil-free day Monday, our teachers engaged in a full day of deep professional learning focused on building excellence in instructional practice. We were fortunate to continue working with educational consultant Joe Ybarra, who is supporting our staff in embedding Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) across the school. This structured, evidence-based approach helps ensure all students are engaged, supported, and set up for success. It was a powerful day of learning and reflection, and we look forward to seeing these strategies further impact classroom practice.

At our school, we’re always striving to use evidence-based practices that support every student’s learning. You may have heard your child mention that we don’t always ask them to “put their hand up” to answer questions in class or that ‘the teacher never picks me to answer questions’. That’s because we often use a technique called “cold calling.”

What is cold calling?Cold calling means the teacher calls on students to answer questions, regardless of whether they’ve raised their hand. This is done in a supportive and respectful way, and students are never expected to know the answer perfectly. The goal is to encourage participation and make thinking visible and engage all children in the thinking process.

Why we use cold calling:

✅ Engagement: It keeps all students thinking and attentive, rather than just a few who raise their hands.
✅ Equity: It ensures everyone has a voice, not just the most confident students.
✅ Learning through thinking: Being called on encourages students to process the material more deeply.
✅ Safe risk-taking: When used consistently and positively, students become more comfortable sharing their thoughts, even when unsure.

We want every child to feel confident, valued, and challenged in the classroom. Cold calling helps us build a culture where all students are actively involved in learning—not just watching from the sidelines.

School Start Time and Supervision

As we settle into the term, we kindly remind families that the school day begins at 8:45am. Yard supervision commences at 8:30am, and we ask that children are not dropped off before this time, as staff are not available to provide supervision until then. Ensuring students are safe and supported from the moment they arrive is a priority, and your cooperation with these times helps us maintain a secure environment for all.

After-School Safety Reminder for Families

We would like to remind families of our after-school supervision to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our students.

All students and families are asked to leave the school grounds by 3:25pm each day. This allows staff to complete end-of-day duties, locking external gates and ensures our school grounds remain secure and orderly. Anyone still in the school after 3.25pm will need to exit via the front gate at reception.

Students who make their own way home are reminded that they must go directly home at dismissal time. Loitering on or near school premises after school can lead to unnecessary concerns for both staff and families.

Your support in reinforcing these expectations with your children is greatly appreciated. Together, we can maintain a safe and respectful environment for our entire school community.

Medication Reminder

For the safety and wellbeing of all students, we ask that 'over the counter' medications such as paracetamol or ibuprofen are not sent to school with your child. If your child requires medication during the school day, please contact the office to discuss appropriate arrangements in line with our school’s medication policy.

We know our children love coming to school, but if they are unwell, the best place for them to be is at home.

🎉 Extra-Curricular Events to Look Forward To

Term 3 is packed with exciting events that will bring fun, creativity, and community spirit to our school! Some key dates to note include:

Year 6 students, swimming lessons will commence in Week 3 (August 4), helping to build water confidence and safety skills. It’s going to be a vibrant and busy term full of learning and memorable moments
Free Dress Day on August 8, raising funds for the Year 6 Graduation—a great way for students to show their style while supporting a worthy cause.
Our Prep students will be celebrating their 100 Days of School on August 6, marking a joyful milestone in their learning journey.
On August 13, we’ll immerse ourselves in French culture for Bastille Day
Book Week celebrations on August 22
Families are also invited to join us for our popular STEM Night on August 26, where students will showcase their curiosity and innovation.

We also have many more learning opportunities, incursions, and community events planned for the weeks ahead—so stay tuned!

Warm regards,

Nadia Bettio