Principal's Message 

To all the wonderful students, staff and parents of Yarra Road Primary School – THANK YOU!

Thank you for having me as your Principal for Term 2. Thank you for making me feel so very welcome by smiling and saying hello at every chance. Thank you for forgiving me when I forgot your name. Thank you for being so eager to do whatever it takes for our students. Thank you for being such a connected and supportive school community to step into. 

As an outsider stepping into Yarra Road as my third school for the year this term, you should know that this school has something very special about it. Students who are confident in their classrooms, who engage with their learning, with an eagerness to absorb information. Staff who show such compassion and ambition for their students and each other, always striving to do their best work each day. Parents who connect with the school by being present, involved and engaged with their children’s learning. Beyond all this, there is an unquantifiable sparkle that radiates throughout the school. This is rare, I assure you! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. 

Next term, the wonderful Ken Darby will be back as Principal, and I am heading off to Box Hill North Primary School as Acting Principal to get to know a whole new school community. BHNPS have quite a task ahead of them, to live up to Yarra Road. I will take the YRPS sparkle with me and sprinkle it into my new school community. I wish you all the very best!

Before school supervision

A reminder to all parents that staff yard duty and supervision of students begins at 8.45am each morning. If students need to be dropped off earlier than 8.45am, they either need to be supervised by parents/carers, or signed into TheirCare. 

End of Term 2

As Term 2 wraps up, please encourage children (or pop by yourselves) to check lost property before the end of term. There are a lot of jumpers in there, which must be being missed on these chilly mornings. 

Please join us for our last whole school Assembly on Monday morning at 9:10am. 

I wish you all a safe and warm school holidays!

School Council President

Hard to believe that we are almost at the midway point of 2024!!

I would like to take the opportunity to update you all on some school council related matters as we prepare for a short break before a busy second half of the year.

Acting Principal

Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Anna Johnstone for her amazing effort for this term coming into our school community and providing a very high level of leadership and support to our kids, the staff and all in all, our Yarra Road family.  We have been incredibly lucky to have had someone of Anna’s calibre join us for the term.  It is also important to acknowledge that Anna’s ability to integrate into our school was aided by many staff, in particular the often unseen work by our Assistant Principal Meriden James.  As we welcome Ken back in Term 3, refreshed and raring to go no doubt, we farewell Anna with our thanks and best wishes for what comes next.

100 Years of Yarra Road Primary School

You may have seen a recent social media post in relation to the 100 year anniversary of Yarra Road Primary School.   We are looking for any interested persons to participate in the organising committee.

We hope to have a number of people from our broader school community involved in this committee who will primarily work through the ideas and propose the events which will take place during 2025 to celebrate this milestone.

Once the event/s are set, we will be seeking assistance from the school community to help arrange and run the events, so there will be plenty of opportunity for everyone to get involved.

If you are interested in becoming part of the organising committee, please email 100Years@yarrardps.vic.edu.au 

2025 Enrolments

Just to remind you that your recommendation to others about Yarra Road is a very powerful support for building enrolments.  2025 prep enrolment process has commenced is upon us, please take the opportunity to spread the great work of our school to your network.

The second half of the year includes our key fund-raising activities and I know the PA are working hard to create fun and engaging events.  In a time when the cost of living is placing pressure on many families, any small contribution is greatly appreciated.  Please support these events when you can.

Enjoy the upcoming school holidays and once again, feel free to contact me if you have any questions or issues to raise relevant to school council and the role it plays in the governance of the school – best contact is via email markkenn@bigpond.net.au

Mark Kennedy

School Council President

Crazy Socks and Beanie Day 

On Monday 24th June, students may wear a beanie and/or crazy socks with their school uniform.

This is a student initiative so please bring a gold coin donation which will go towards the Year 6 Graduation.

2025 Prep Enrolment for Siblings

Enrolments are open for Prep 2025. If your child will be starting at Yarra Road Primary School next year could you please submit your online application as soon as possible. 

This first step of submitting an online application is required in order for you to finalise your enrolment.

The enrolment process for 2025 is different from previous years. Please click below to help guide you through this  process.

2024 Trivia Night

PA - Feed Our School Initiative

The Parents Association are requesting expressions of interest for a fundraising initiative by Farmers Pick. 

Please read the information below and click on the button to express your interest.

Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant for Yarra Road Primary School

We are excited to announce that Yarra Road Primary School has received a $1000 Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant for our Indigenous Garden project titled ‘Yarra Yarra’ Indigenous Garden. 

This project will commence in Term 3 and is designed to enhance an existing outdoor learning space and develop a garden showcasing edible Indigenous plants. The area that we will be designing is in the sanctuary. This project will be tied in with a ‘Planting Day’ and we hope to have as many students involved as possible to create a space that all students can appreciate, learn and enjoy.

A big thank you to Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants for supporting our project.

Jodie Ross

Literacy

On Monday 19th August we will have our whole school book character dress-up day. Students come to school dressed as their favourite book character. Check out your dress-up boxes - you are bound to have a suitable costume. Check out Pinterest or Google Images for ideas. This will kick off our Book Week celebrations when teachers share their favourite books and students read books from various genres.

The Victorian Premiers Reading Challenge will finish at the beginning of September. This is an initiative that promotes the importance of reading for children and students from early childhood to Year 10 while encouraging families to be more involved with supporting reading at home. Students from Prep - Yr 2 need to have shared/read 30 books (20 of them challenge) and Years 3 - 6 Need to have read 15 books, 10 of them being Challenge books.