Principal Team's Report

Welcome everyone to the new school year and a very warm welcome to our new families joining the school community for the first time.  We welcome 94 students to their ‘first’ year of school and an additional 20 students to other year levels.   I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new families and encourage you to become involved in school activities.   We look forward to a happy and productive year and having a strong home and school partnership to support your child’s academic and personal development.

As we start the new year, our teachers have been revisiting our school values of Respect, Responsibility and Resilience.  They have also spent time this week explicitly teaching students how to display and use these values in the classroom.  Teachers have also focused on setting up strong expectations for learning. 

In 2022 we have two large focuses in our Annual Implementation Plan and they are to improve the teaching and learning in Mathematics and continue to work on our School Wide Positive Behaviour.  Students are already being acknowledged for showing our values with Froggy Dollars and they are striving to achieve their bronze, silver and gold certificates. 

COVID Safety Measures

• Please remember to send a mask, we have not received any student masks from the Department yet.  Mask wearing for students in Years 3-6 indoors (unless medically exempt) will be treated like uniform.  Staff are being extremely supportive and sensitive towards supporting students in remembering to correctly wear their mask and mindfully maintaining social distancing when students are unable to wear a mask.  DET have directed all schools to treat deliberate and persistent non-compliance (staff/students/families) of mask wearing as a serious matter.
• Mask wearing for students in Years P-2 is optional but recommended by the Chief Health Officer and DET
• Air Purifiers are in all classrooms
• We are moving learning outdoors as much as possible
• Physical Education lessons will be taken outdoors when possible (hats and sunscreen needed)
• We are keeping windows and doors open during learning times
• High touch areas and devices regularly wiped down
• Sanitising before and after break times and during lessons as needed

School Council

School Council nominations are currently open.  School Councils play a key role in Victorian government schools.  Participating as a school council member is a rewarding and challenging experience.  The school council supports me as the principal to provide the best possible educational outcomes for students.  I encourage you to consider nominating to be a member of the Pakenham Springs School Council.  We have 5 parent vacancies - four, 2-year positions, one, 1-year position and 1 position for school staff to nominate.  More information on the role of a School Councillor can be found on the Compass newsfeed.  Nomination forms are available at the office and need to be completed by Tuesday 22nd February 4pm.

Don't forgot your hat!

We encourage all parents to have a chat with your child/ren about wearing our uniform with pride.  A reminder that hair colour should be 'natural' and jewellery should be minimal under our dress code regulations.  A SunSmart (broad-brimmed or legionnaire style) hat is mandatory for all students during Term 1 and Term 4.  Students without a hat will be directed to sit in an undercover area during break times.

We are very much looking forward to a busy and productive fortnight ahead, take care.

The PSPS Leadership Team