Principal Report

Hello families,

I hope this message finds you well and managing to stay cozy during these final chilly weeks of winter. With spring just around the corner, many of us are looking forward to sunnier days ahead—and, of course, the excitement of (some of) our footy teams heading into finals! Since our last newsletter, we’ve enjoyed a busy and rewarding few weeks: wrapping up Science Week, participating in the National Day of Action Against Bullying with meaningful classroom activities, celebrating another excellent Book Week, and seeing some year levels head out on excursions. Looking ahead, we are excited about our upcoming Art Show, ‘All Kinds of Minds’ Week, and the ever-popular Footy Colours Day. Alongside these school events, our wonderful NL Parents Club continues to offer a fantastic lineup of activities (see below for all the details). Term 3 may be short, but it’s certainly packed with great moments!

Book Week Wrap-Up

Another fantastic Book Week was had last week and it truly delivered on excitement and creativity! The school came alive with energy as students and staff embraced the spirit of the event, donning imaginative costumes that celebrated a shared love of books and storytelling. The parade was a colourful and joyful occasion that brought the whole community together. Teachers enthusiastically joined the fun, with the entire staff dressing as beloved literary characters from Where’s Wally. It was wonderful to witness the thought and enthusiasm students poured into their costumes, and we extend our thanks to families for their support and participation—your presence made it all the more special.

All our students were also treated to engaging sessions with visiting authors throughout the week, who generously shared insights into their creative processes, where their ideas come from, and what inspires them to write. The Book Fair was another big hit, and we’d like to give a special thank you to the parents who kindly volunteered their time to help across morning and afternoon shifts. Your contribution made it all possible, and we are genuinely grateful. May our annual Book Week continue to be a highlight for many of our students and staff!

Fundraising for Our New Yard Areas

As mentioned in my last newsletter, we have officially launched fundraising efforts for our exciting new yard projects, with a display now up near the Compass Kiosk in the office area. Below, you’ll find the latest renderings, though please note the final design may vary slightly.

The first image shows the space between the Foundation Block and the Basketball Court—currently a designated ‘quiet area’ where no ball games or running are allowed. Our new playground here will continue to offer a calm, exploratory space with plenty to engage those seeking quieter activities.

The second image depicts the area between the Year 5/6 double portable and the Gym/Music Room. Here, we plan to create an inviting outdoor classroom that will serve senior students and those participating in Music lessons.

We believe these new spaces will provide much-needed green, peaceful environments for a variety of ages and interests. We’re hopeful our community will get behind our fundraising efforts to make these wonderful improvements a reality. Many thanks to everyone who supported previous projects (remember the excitement around the upgraded Senior Playground in 2023!). We look forward to your continued support at upcoming events, including our Twilight Fete.

Parent Opinion Survey 2025

A gentle reminder that our annual Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey is now open, and your feedback is invaluable. This survey, run by the Department of Education, helps us understand families’ views on school climate, student behaviour, and engagement, guiding improvements in our programs and support.

Last week, all families received an invitation to participate via Compass. For convenience, here’s a quick guide:

Click or copy-paste this link into your browser: https://research.orima.com/parent
Select our school: Newport Lakes Primary School
Enter the School PIN: 895479
Complete the survey and click ‘Submit’ at the end.

The survey remains open until Friday, 19 September 2025, and takes about 20 minutes to complete. If you need assistance, including a translated version of the survey, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office.

Your opinions truly matter and help shape our future priorities and programs. Thank you.

Planning for 2026

As we move deeper into the year, the leadership team is busy with planning for 2026—including class structures and staffing. To assist with this process, we kindly ask that any families who will not be returning next year notify the school as soon as possible.

Please email the office at newport.lakes.ps@education.vic.gov.au to inform us.

Please note, this is not necessary for Year 6 students transitioning to secondary school.

NL Parents' Club Keeping Busy!

Our amazing Parents' Club continues to work tirelessly behind the scenes, organising and supporting a wide range of activities throughout Term 3 and beyond. Their dedication helps create the vibrant community spirit we all cherish here at Newport Lakes. A huge thank you to this small but mighty group for everything they do! If you’re interested in joining this fantastic team, please reach out via their email.

2025 School Disco

Following last year’s popular after-school disco, the Parents' Club is excited to host another one tomorrow, August 29. We hope your tickets are secured and costumes ready for a fun-filled afternoon! Book your disco tickets - HERE

Bunnings Sausage Sizzle

Our volunteers will be at the local Bunnings in Altona North (Miller's Junction) this Sunday, August 31, cooking up a storm. Please drop by for a snag and a chat while you get your shopping done.

Father’s Day and Special Person’s Breakfast

Don’t forget our Father’s Day/Special Person’s Breakfast on Friday, 5 September. This event is a wonderful chance to celebrate the important men and special people in our lives—dads, uncles, grandfathers, father figures, and beyond. We hope to see many of you there! Order your Croissants - HERE

More details on all these events are available on the Parents' Club page in this newsletter.

Once again, we are truly grateful for the tireless efforts of our Parents' Club.

Sickness on the Rise

As the seasons change, our school Sick Bay has been kept busy with many students deteriorating quickly whilst at school. Unfortunately, some of these students have come to school with existing symptoms and they have gotten worse during the morning.

To assist in keeping the whole school community as healthy as possible, we ask parents and carers to keep children home if they are experiencing symptoms. This is to ensure that illness is not spread to their peers, teachers, and vulnerable members of our community. Similarly, if your child has been sick and has been home, please ensure that they are well enough to return, keeping in mind that a full day of learning and active play requires a lot of energy and patience. A child who becomes ill whilst at school will be cared for in the sick bay, and parents will be contacted when required. If we are unable to contact you, then the emergency contacts will be notified in order to take the child home. It is absolutely essential that parents keep the school informed about changes to home and emergency telephone numbers.

We do understand that if parents work full time, caring for your child at home for extended periods can be difficult and we appreciate the effort and flexibility it requires, and hope your employers do as well.

Some diseases require the child to be excluded from school; please refer to the attached Exclusion for Infectious Diseases or you can download the exclusion table at: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/infectious-diseases/school-exclusion-table#exclusion-periods-table

Thank you for your support in keeping our school community safe and healthy.

Have a wonderful fortnight, everyone!

Carly Bannon

Proud NLPS Principal