Principal's News

What a busy term we have enjoyed and it truly cannot happen without the support from our school community. We have enjoyed countless achievements in our classrooms, engagement in community events and activities and a host of celebratory moments at school camps, on sporting fields and around the school. Thank you for your support, for your most recent attendance at our Parent-Teacher Interviews on Wednesday, your support of our two Open Days and supporting fundraising events. We have collectively achieved a great deal over the first half of the year. 

Fundraising and Fun

Thank you to our Parents and Friends Club and Junior School Council who have led some wonderful fundraising outcomes for our school over recent weeks. Our Junior School Council organised a terrific ‘JSC Canteen’ on Tuesday, this was very popular with students, raising $776 to support the purchase of a new drinking fountain for our school. Our second Open Day of the year was well supported by a PFC BBQ and Cake Stall raising $977. 

Our PFC contributed to a celebratory acknowledgement of the Tanabata (Star Festival), this is traditionally celebrated in Japan by people writing wishes on small pieces of paper. Our students greatly enjoyed the opportunity to take part in this event and I thank the PFC for supporting our students to participate. 

Date for the Diary

The PFC are busy preparing and organising a CPS Performing Arts Festival to be held on Sunday 15th September, this will combine fundraising, performances and the arts in a showcase CPS festival with a 9 piece funk band brining a live music feel to the event. A DJ and Karaoke competition will encourage our school community to embrace their inner ‘Robbie Williams’. Further details will be shared via the PFC Sub-Heading in our newsletter and will be provided early next term but please lock away the 15th September (12-4:30pm) for a fun afternoon. 

School Improvement – Attitudes to School Survey

One of the most important factors in school improvement is the voice and agency of our students, their lived experiences of what schooling looks like at Caulfield Primary School greatly influences what we do and how we plan. Each year students from Year 4-12 in every Victorian Government school complete the annual Attitudes to School Survey, this provides an opportunity for students to canvas their thoughts on learning and their schooling. 

Importantly, we use this evaluative piece in our Annual Implementation Plan and School Strategic Plan to set targets for the year ahead. In 2024, we set targets aiming for improvements in: Social Engagement: 'sense of connectedness', Student Teacher Relations: 'teacher concern', Learner Characteristics and Disposition: 'motivation and interest', Emotional and Relational Engagement: 'emotional awareness and regulation', and 'student voice and agency'. As a great celebratory piece of work, every single factor received increased positive endorsement from 2023 to 2024 reflecting some terrific achievements and a great reflection of the culture and fabric of our school. 

Our 2024 Achievements in these key areas are shared as follows: 

• Social Engagement: Improve 'sense of connectedness' – 83% Positive Endorsement – 5% improvement
• Student Teacher Relations: Improve ' teacher concern' – 65% Positive Endorsement – 6% improvement
• Learner Characteristics and Disposition: Improve 'motivation and interest' - 80% Positive Endorsement – 6% improvement
• Emotional and Relational Engagement: Improve 'emotional awareness and regulation' - 77% Positive Endorsement – 2% improvement
• Improve the positive endorsement for 'student voice and agency' - 66% Positive Endorsement – 12% improvement

Tom Lahiff Cup: 

I had the pleasure of joining Miss Molloy and our Year 5/6 boys who competed in the Tom Lahiff Cup at North Port Oval on Thursday. It was a great standard of footy, with our boys playing 5 games against local schools, splitting the ledger at 2 wins and 2 losses, this took them into a Grand Final, winning this to finish 3rd overall on the day. A fantastic result. 

A big congratulations to Oscar W (5/6A) and Will L (5/6C) who co-captained the team so supportively throughout the day and to James S (5/6A) who was voted our Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the day. I was so proud of our whole team who played so well with one another, respected their opposition and took on feedback and support throughout the day. My thanks to Kate W (mother of Oscar - 56A) and Travis and Megumi (father and mother of Noah - 5/6A) who supported the team throughout the day. 

Grandparents and Special People: 

Thank you to our Grandparents and special people that attended our school throughout our Friday morning. It was great to see our classrooms full of special visitors with our choir having a special audience for their morning performance. Our PFC organised a very special morning tea, my sincere thanks for these efforts to celebrate and acknowledge a very special morning at our school.

Respect

Whilst the level of respect and care demonstrated towards our staff is something that I am really proud of, I would ask that the same level of respect, care and tolerance is exemplified in our interactions with one another. I would encourage us as parents to be mindful of how challenging parenting can be, the interactions that we have in the school grounds with other parents should be supportive and tolerant. At no point should a parent approach a child that is not their own without first seeking consent from the parent or guardian of that child. I would ask that we are mindful of this as we return for Term 3. 

Term 3 Staffing

I would like to express my gratitude to Ms Deng who has finalised her role with us in the Year ½ team, unfortunately Ms Deng is relocating meaning it is no longer practical to commute to our school. We have greatly appreciated her work throughout our first semester. The school is currently advertising for a teacher to join our Year ½ Team. Ms Deng will support this handover by completing a few additional days working alongside our new teacher to begin Term 3. 

A big congratulations to Mori sensei and her partner Teizo who are celebrating their wedding in Japan over the holiday break. Mori sensei will be on leave before returning on the 29th July. Congratulations and best wishes Mori sensei, we wish you all the best for your exciting day. 

I thank Morioka sensei for her leadership in our school, Morioka sensei is taking a short period of Long Service Leave to see family in Japan, she will rejoin us in Week 2 of Term 3. 

Holiday Maintenance

The school holiday break provides an opportunity for us to undertake some maintenance that is not practical to complete during the school term. These holidays we have committed to laying fresh carpet in our main building, laying this in our stairwell and corridor. We will look to continue with this work over the course of the next 12 months, replacing carpet in our classrooms. 

Principal Awards

It gives me great pleasure to see the wonderful work undertaken by our students in our first semester, I am really proud of the learning and growth that has occurred for every child in our school. The following students were recognised for their achievements with a Semester 1 Principal Award. Congratulations: 

Inspire – Middle Leadership:

I was recently asked by the Academy of Teaching and Leadership to facilitate professional learning for emerging leaders in our region. I am full of admiration for teachers that are looking to develop their craft and their leadership and working alongside emerging leaders is a great opportunity to support these ambitions. I acknowledge Mrs Watts who was accepted into this course and took on this learning opportunity. I have the pleasure of working alongside her and fellow teachers over coming weeks.   

Happy Holidays

On behalf of all the staff I would like to wish all students, families, and staff a wonderful holiday. It has been a really busy and productive term at CPS, and we look forward to this continuing in Term Three. 

Our school community are welcome to our facilities during the holiday break, it is great seeing children and families being active and playing outdoors. However, if you see anyone acting suspiciously or inappropriately around the school grounds, please contact the Caulfield Police Station (9524 9500 or 000). I am looking forward to spending some time with my own children and taking in some day trips in and around Melbourne, I am also hopeful of returning to school in Term 3 with Carlton sitting comfortably inside the top two on the AFL ladder. 

Whatever plans your family has over the coming weeks, please stay safe on the roads, enjoy that time together and I look forward to seeing our school community back together on the 15th July for the resumption of Term 3. Happy Holidays! 

My Thanks, 

Edward Strain

Principal