Leadership updates and reflections
An update from Julie
Nadine's Garden
Last week, three beautiful red gum seats were installed in Nadine’s Garden, creating a welcoming space for students and parents to sit, connect, and enjoy this special space.
We are so grateful to Dave from Treasure Our Trees for the incredible love, care and craftsmanship he put into making these stunning seats.
Dave's Facebook Post captures beautifully what it meant to him to make this special project a reality for us -
'Sometimes in life it's the simple things that make our hearts sing. A few months back we were asked to support a beautiful memorial garden project at Wonga Park primary school. We have been blessed to be invited to create lots of wonderful projects over the years, but this one felt very different right from the beginning. It was an emotional experience listening to the story about the passing of Wonga Park Primary's much loved Mrs Gilbee (Nadine) last year.
Having lost a brother and father to cancer, I could relate immediately to how devastated the family, children, teachers, staff and community would be. After learning a little more about Nadines family's First Nations connection we just knew that there were only 3 seats for this project "in fact it had to be the best 3 seats that we ever made". Boonwurrung, Erub & Yorta Yorta artist Uncle Steve Parker from @millowldreaming_and I made these seats earlier this year.
Uncle Steve is such a good soul and talented artist. So when I first drove the seats into school for the 130th anniversary last week, we all got very emotional. I'm not afraid to shed a tear or two for beautiful projects like this one and it certainly reminded me of our personal heartache. We always knew how special these seats were and couldn’t be happier than to know that they now will play a meaningful role in the healing. We hope that this memorial garden will make Nadine's family and the wider school community very proud'.
A heartfelt thank you to Dave, Uncle Steve, the Gilbee family, and our wonderfully supportive school community for helping us create this special place in memory of our much-loved Nadine. Nadine’s Garden will continue to be a space where her warmth, kindness, and love for her students and our community are always remembered.
Supporting Successful Transitions
Transitioning from preschool through primary school and on to secondary school can be both exciting and a little daunting. With the right scaffolds and supports, this journey can be a positive experience - one that builds confidence, independence, and a sense of belonging.
This week, our Grade 1–5 students will spend time with their current classroom teachers exploring the spaces they will move into next year. These visits help students feel more comfortable and confident about the changes ahead.
Behind the scenes, teachers are beginning the thoughtful process of creating class groups for the coming school year. As part of this, students have worked with their teacher to nominate five peers who help them feel happy, safe, and ready to learn. These friends are those who help them feel happy, safe and able to learn effectively. They are peers who encourage positive choices and help strengthen learning opportunities.
When forming classes, teachers ensure that every student is placed with at least one of their nominated peers. They also consider a range of academic, social, and wellbeing factors to create balanced, supportive, and cohesive learning communities for the year ahead.
Roadworks Update
A big thank you to our families for your continued understanding and patience as we all adjust to the detours and changes to traffic flow caused by the current roadworks.
The project managers have been in regular contact with the school and have been receptive to our concerns and suggestions, which is helping to improve access and safety.
For families travelling from Yarra Glen, Coldstream, or the northern end of Chirnside Park via Paynes Road, we have a limited number of access passes available from the office. If you would like some sent home with your child, please let Lesley or Kerry know, or feel free to collect them directly from the office.
Update from Adele
🌟 Understanding Disability Inclusion
The Disability Inclusion initiative is transforming how Victorian government schools support students with disability and diverse learning needs. It helps teachers build inclusive practices, provides extra school funding, and introduces the Disability Inclusion Profile — a strengths-based tool that helps schools understand each student’s abilities, interests, and supports needed for learning success. This short video explains how the profile works, what happens in a profile meeting, and the important role that parents and carers play. You’ll see how families, teachers, and facilitators work together to focus on what each child does well and how to best support their goals at school. Watch the video to learn how Disability Inclusion helps every child participate, grow, and thrive at school.
Online Safety - Workshop - Thursday 13th November 6.00pm
We are excited to offer a special workshop — Together in Tech: Apple Tools for Families.
Apologies for the short notice, but we wanted to seize the opportunity to bring this free session to our community. The workshop will be held next Thursday, 13 November, from 6.00–7.30pm in the BER, The session will be run by the Cyber Safety Project, who you may know from their engaging Cyber Safety sessions.
Please see the attached PDF for full details. To help us with planning, we ask that you complete the survey if you are able to attend — students are welcome.
During the session, the Cyber Safety Team will cover:
- Online risks
- Device setup
- App safety
- Family sharing
- Screen time
- Starting the chat
We look forward to seeing you there!
eSafety – Office of the eSafety Commissioner
Social media age restrictions webinars (this post will continue in all Wonga Weeklies for the remainder of 2025)
From 10 December 2025, certain social media platforms won’t be allowed to let Australian children under 16 create or keep an account.
Join our information sessions for parents and carers; educators and youth-serving professionals to understand the changes, their purpose and implications.
Parents and carers
The 30-minute webinar will help parents and carers understand the upcoming changes to social media access for children under 16.
Join our information session to:
- understand the purpose of the new age restrictions and how they aim to protect young Australians
- understand which platforms will require users to be 16+ and what platforms they can still access
- get tips and resources to support your child’s online safety and wellbeing through the transition.
Parents and carers will gain:
- a clear understanding of the new rules and their implications
- confidence in guiding their child through these changes
- access to trusted resources to support safe and positive online engagement.
Friday 14 November, 1:00pm (AEDT) REGISTER NOW
Wednesday 19 November, 7:00pm (AEDT) REGISTER NOW
Tuesday 2 December, 7:00pm (AEDT) REGISTER NOW
Monday 8 December, 3:30pm (AEDT) REGISTER NOW
Monday 15 December, 1:00pm(AEDT) REGISTER NOW
Thursday 20 November, 12:30pm (AEDT) REGISTER NOW
Term 4 eSafety Commissioner online workshops
The eSafety Commissioner provides free webinars to parents and carers with the knowledge, skills, and tools to support their children to have safe, positive online experiences. Remaining Term 4 webinars are listed below:
1.Supporting healthy tech use as your child transitions into secondary school
This 45-minute webinar explores the social pressures, peer influences, and technological challenges young people face as they transition into secondary school. It also offers practical strategies for navigating online friendships and connections to help minimise negative experiences. It's suitable for parents and carers of children in upper primary school (ages 11 to 12) and Year 7. Learn more about this webinar.
18 November, 12:30 pm
2. Social media age restrictions explained – a guide for parents and carers
From 10 December 2025, certain social media platforms won’t be allowed to let Australian children under 16 create or keep an account. Join our 30-minute information session to understand the changes. Learn more about this webinar.
20 November, 12:30 pm
Sign up for the eSafety Newsletter to receive the latest online safety news, resources, and advice.
Warm Regards,
Adele