Principal's Report 

Welcome Back

I am delighted to welcome everyone back to school after the school holidays. I trust you all had a well-deserved break. This week, classrooms have been buzzing with students sharing their holiday experiences in structured reflection activities. From overseas trips to local "staycations", it's clear that time off school was put to good use. The term break has provided both staff and students with fresh energy that will be important in the term ahead.

Upcoming Events

We have a busy term ahead of us, filled with multiple camps, excursions, parent-organised fundraising, gala days, and our school production at the end of the term. These activities will enrich our students' learning experience and sustain the thriving community that makes Port Melbourne Primary School great. We look forward to your continued support and participation in these events.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent-teacher interviews are scheduled for week 3. These meetings are an essential part of our collaborative approach to education, providing an opportunity for you to engage directly with your child's learning journey. Before the interviews, I encourage you to have discussions with your children about their learning. These conversations can help you gain a deeper understanding of your child's academic experience and can guide the discussions you have with their teachers.

These interviews are not just about receiving information, but also about asking questions and sharing your own observations. Your active participation in these meetings contributes significantly to your child's success at school. We look forward to seeing you in week 3.

Staffing Update

We are in the process of coordinating the back-fill for Kim Nickels’ Assistant Principal duties for her maternity leave, which commences later this term. We are fortunate to have a strong internal talent pool, allowing us to promote from within for this role. As we continue with this internal process, I will keep the community updated. Any classroom teacher vacancies created by internal promotions in term 4 will be filled promptly to ensure continuity of learning for any affected classes.

Toilet Allocation

As flagged in the last newsletter, we’ve now commenced new protocols around toilet access by students. Signage is now in place and we have communicated these changes to students. This adjustment addresses some concerns raised by parents last term and ensures the comfort and security of all students. A reminder of the allocation is included below:

• Year 5 and 6 will use the Gym toilets
• Year 3 and 4 will use the A block facilities
• Prep, Year 1, and Year 2 will use the B block facilities

On the topic of toilets, a gentle but important reminder to all parents and caregivers: to maintain safety and privacy, I remind all parents that it is not appropriate for adults to use student toilet facilities when visiting the school or collecting their children.

Health and Wellbeing - Energy Drinks

We are aware that some students may be consuming energy drinks that contain very high levels of caffeine and other herbal stimulants. Concerningly, some products like "Prime" have been marketed towards children, despite having age recommendations of 14+ or 18+. While we will not impose on families' decision-making around nutrition and diet for their children with a formal ban on these products, the school will continue to adopt an education and harm reduction approach. We will engage in conversations with students and families where we believe such products have been consumed, especially if this consumption is adversely affecting students' engagement with school.

I’m excited about the term ahead and looking forward to seeing our students experience all of the great things in store for them. Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement.

Tom Cain

Acting Principal