Principal's Report 

Dear parents and carers,

Principal Conference: The Principal Class team have spent the last few days at the Annual Victoria Principal Association (VPA) Conference. This was a great opportunity to hear from some inspirational leaders about their leadership journey, which then sparks some deep reflection and thought about my personal leadership style. Leading a school is a privilege because working with people involves leading with humanity, kindness and connection. Having people at the centre is what makes a leader great. We heard stories from a victim of the London bombings in 2005 and how it changed her and changed they way she interacts with every human being she encounters. We also heard from a guy who attempted an ultra-marathon, running across the Antarctic in 9 days. He spoke about how in his first attempt he only made it halfway but tried again and won the race. (not something I aspire to but in awe of his tenacity). 

Swimming: This week and last week our Year Preps and 1/2s had the opportunity to have swimming lessons each day. We had terrific feedback about the children’s behaviour and participation. I want to thank the staff who took the students each day, as there is a huge amount of responsibility as they supervise the children during the lesson. Thank you to the parents who came to watch and helped their child. The Year 3-6s will have an opportunity for swimming in Term 4.

Dogs Connect: Milo, our wellbeing dog, is developing his confidence to be in the school setting. Miss Andrea brings him to school when the students have gone home, to enable him to get used to the smells, the buildings and to meet the staff. He will start coming when students are present in small doses, until he is confident with the noise and busy-ness of the school. The Dogs Connect team have completed specific training around the role of Milo within our school community.

Prep 2027 Enrolments: If you, or somebody you know, has a child turning 5 before 30th April 2027 they are eligible to attend school in 2027. All children have a guaranteed place in their local school, and some schools, like ours, can accept enrolments outside their designated area. If you feel they are ready to start school next year and would like to find out more about what we have to offer, please call the office to join one of our small group tours. To help with organising staff and preparing for an effective transition program, enrolments should be received as soon as possible. Our Prep Transition Program begins early Term 4 and we would like to be able to offer this experience to all new preps and would love to see your child be part of this experience.

Special Requests for 2027 Class: Early in term 4 we begin to form new classes for the following year. This involves the children indicating 3-4 people they feel they work well with. We endeavour to ensure they are with at least one of those people. We can also put in parameters to separate children, if required, due to ongoing issues. If you have any requests, even if you have shared them before, to have your child away from another student for whatever reasons, please put it in writing by Friday 23rd October. You can do this by writing a note and giving to office or send an email to melton.west.ps@education.vic.gov.au Any requests received after this date CANNOT be considered, due to the flow-on effect that making changes after classes have been created. Please note, requests for specific teachers will not be considered, however if you have any concerns about this, please make an appointment to chat to me about this so that we can ensure your child is placed with the most appropriate teacher. 

La Trobe University Nexus Program: If you have ever thought about being a teacher, the La Trobe University Nexus Program may be for you. We currently have 2 staff members that are training to be teachers through this program. They asked me to put the following in the newsletter:

Become a teacher. Make a difference where it's needed most.

Passionate about helping young people succeed? La Trobe University's award-winning Nexus program lets you earn while you learn, gaining a teaching qualification while working in schools that need teachers most. With undergraduate and postgraduate pathways, Nexus combines practical experience, mentoring and support to help you build a rewarding career that creates lasting community impact.

Learn more: https://www.latrobe.edu.au/cmp/nexus

High Levels of Learning for All

Michelle Costa 

Principal