Greetings from Shaun
Reports Going out of Tuesday 23rd June
Student reports will be available to families via Compass on Tuesday the 23rd of June. We encourage families to take some time to read through the report with their child, celebrate their progress and discuss goals for the semester ahead.
If you have any questions about your child's report, please contact your child's classroom teacher.
Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Wednesday the 22nd of July, with more information and booking details to be shared closer to the date.
Steve will be taking leave early in Term 3, so the conferences for families in 5/6D will be held a little earlier, on Wednesday the 24th of June. Families in 5/6D will receive further information soon.
Staffing Update
As many families will be aware, Anita will be commencing maternity leave later this term as she prepares to welcome her second child. We wish Anita and her family all the very best during this exciting time.
We are also pleased to share that Andrea will be stepping into the role during Anita's leave. Andrea is already a familiar face to many of our students and families, and we know she will bring great enthusiasm and creativity to the role.
Professional Practice Day
On Friday the 5th of June, staff participated in a Professional Practice Day. These days provide valuable opportunities for teachers to work on planning and assessment, reflect on student learning, and engage in their own professional development. While students enjoyed a day away from school, our staff used this time to strengthen the work taking place in classrooms every day.
Principal Conference
On the 28th and 29th of May, I had the opportunity to attend the Statewide Government Schools Principals' Conference at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. With more than 3,800 school leaders in attendance, the two days were jam packed with learning, reflection and discussion about the opportunities and challenges facing education. One of the highlights for me was hearing from Dr Karl Hendrick, who’s practical and evidence informed insights into teaching and learning provided plenty of food for thought.
Planning Week (Week 9- next week)
Next week is Planning Week, which means our timetable will look a little different to usual. Specialist classes will still take place, however they will be scheduled in different blocks across the week rather than at their regular times.
For many students, this change will be no issue at all. However, if you know that your child benefits from having advance notice of changes to their routine, please reach out to your child's classroom teacher, who can let you know what the week will look like for their class so you can help prepare them.
Division Cross Country
Congratulations to our students who recently represented Northcote PS at the Division Cross Country event. A special congratulations to Patrick Devine, who placed first in his event and will now progress to the next stage of competition.
We also congratulate Alex Lesniak Glue, who achieved an impressive sixth place finish. We are incredibly proud of both students for their efforts and the way they represented our school.
Students on the Move
Our students have also enjoyed two fantastic excursions recently, with our Year 3/4 students visiting Healesville Sanctuary and our Year 1/2 students exploring the Royal Botanic Gardens. By all accounts, the children had an absolute ball and came back full of stories and new learning. A big thank you to the staff who put so much time and effort into organising these opportunities and ensuring they were such a success.
Free Hearing and Vision Testing
The Northcote Lions Club is once again offering free hearing and vision screening for children aged 3.5 to 6 years as part of its community service program.
The screenings will take place on Saturday the 15th of August at Wales Street Primary School in Thornbury between 9am and 4pm.
Appointments are essential, with bookings opening from Monday the 3rd of August.
To make a booking, visit the Northcote Lions Club website at https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/Northcote/ and follow the prompts to book an appointment.
For further information or assistance with bookings, please contact Sue McGregor on 0478 010 501 or via email at suemac379@yahoo.com.
School Tours/ Enrolments
School tours for our 2027 Prep students are now well underway, and it has been wonderful to welcome so many prospective families into the school to see our learning in action.
Enrolment applications have now opened and are due by Friday 31st July.
If you, or someone you know, has a child starting school in 2027, we encourage you to join a tour and begin the enrolment process early.
End of Term Reminders
As we head towards the end of term, a few quick reminders can help our days run smoothly. Arriving at school on time and being organised for the day ahead sets students up for success and helps minimise disruption to learning.
Our school gates open at 8:45am and are locked at 3:45pm each day. If your child arrives late or needs to leave early, please remember to sign them in or out through the office.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays are also meeting nights for staff, so we appreciate families collecting students promptly at the end of the day.
When using the Kiss and Go zone, please keep traffic moving and avoid leaving your vehicle unattended. We also ask all families to model safe road use by using designated crossings and taking extra care around the school at busy drop off and pick up times.
Take care,
Shaun