Welcome everyone to the 2025 school year! It has been so pleasing to see how well the students have settled into their new grades, reconnecting with their peers and getting to know their classroom teacher. We warmly welcomed our Foundation students and their families to their first school day here at Donvale Primary School on Thursday. All the children walked in with smiles on their faces, ready for the next step in their educational journey.

School Council Elections

School Council elections are fast approaching with Notice of Election coming up. With three nominated parent school council positions available this year it is important that any parents interested in nominating are clear about the role of School Councillor and key functions of School Council.

School councils have three main responsibilities:

Finance: overseeing the development of the school’s annual budget and ensuring proper records are kept of the school’s financial operation.
Strategic Planning: participating in the development and monitoring of the school strategic plan.
Policy Development and Review: developing, reviewing and updating policies that reflect a school’s values and support the school’s broad direction outlined in its strategic plan.

Other key functions of school councils include:

raising funds for school related purposes
maintaining school grounds and facilities
entering into contracts
reporting annually to the school community and the Department
creating interest in the school in the wider community
representing and taking the views of the community into account
regulating and facilitating after-hours use of school premises and grounds
operating a children’s service at the school

At Donvale PS we are fortunate in having a very proactive School Council who works supportively with the school’s leadership to provide the best possible education outcomes for our students. School Councils play a key role in all schools and the role of School Councillor can be a very rewarding experience. It’s a great way to get involved and have a real say in what your school is doing for its students. If you are considering standing for election, you can either nominate yourself or be nominated by someone who is eligible for the same category as you wish to stand for.

More information about the School Council and the roles and responsibilities that it involves, are available at the office.

Welcome Back BBQ - Thursday 13th Feb 2025

We’re excited to invite all families to our annual Welcome Back BBQ—a wonderful opportunity for both new and returning families to connect and celebrate the start of the school year.

📅 Date: Thursday 13th Feb

⏰Time: BBQ from 5:00 PM | Student Performances from 5:30 PM

📍Location: Tiger turf (Junior Side)

Our Parents’ and Friends Association has organised a simple yet delicious BBQ, with all proceeds supporting this year’s school fundraising efforts.

We look forward to an evening of great food, fantastic performances, and a chance to come together as a community.

Important Reminders:

Student Safety- Arriving Early

I wanted to kindly remind you that teachers and staff at Donvale are not on duty until 8:45am each morning. We have observed some students arriving at school as early as 8:15am without adult supervision. This poses a safety risk as they are not being supervised, and in some cases, we are not even aware that they are on site.

We offer an excellent before and after care program with Village OSCHC that operates from 7:00am to 6:00pm daily. Children are provided with food, can interact with others, and are actively supervised by qualified educators. Setting up an account is free of charge. Please find more details below.

How to Enrol and Book

Visit villageoshc.com.au and click Book Now. This takes you to the secure, government approved VillageOSHC booking platform LookedAfter. It's free to enrol and you can manage your bookings 24 hours a day!

Safe Driving Practices

I want to remind parents about safe driving practices when dropping off and picking up your child at school. Please enter the school grounds at a slow speed. You may need to wait to enter the drop off and pick up zone. Please note that the drop-off and pick-up zone is meant to flow so drive your car to the front of the queue and quickly drop your child off at the start of the day or wait for your child at pick up. We have teachers on duty to help expedite the process of locating your child and encouraging them to make their way towards you quickly. We then ask that you exit the queue carefully, being mindful of the cars behind. Please do not use the drop-off and pick-up area to park your vehicle. I appreciate your cooperation and support for the safety of our community. I thank the many parents who use the drop off and pick up zone as intended.

Donvale School Uniform

We understand that school holidays are a time of fun, with many students having a growth spurt, and thinking about the school uniform is the last thing on your mind. However we ask that parents support us in ensuring that students to wear their Donvale uniform correctly and with pride. Please familiarise yourself with the DPS Uniform Policy.

This term students are expected to wear their Summer academic uniform with a school approved sunsmart hat. We expect long hair to be tied back, any hair accessories worn to be in the school colours and extreme hair colours and/or hairstyles are not permitted. Students may wear one set of studs or sleepers and clear nail polish.

Finally, if your child has specific clothing requirements or you need support to purchase uniforms please contact the office.

New Year of Learning Website

Please find link below to A New Year of Learning Website provided by the Victorian Government packed with information and resources for parents and carers to help their children reach their potential for a new year of learning in 2025.

https://v6.education.vic.gov.au/ch/100821/bz3xq/3958/kuFg4xdw7vr5xES9h.2RcbuNg24SNxX8zbfHML_O-1.html

Larissa Vesdrevanis Michelle Rassias

Principal Assistant Principal

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