From The Principal's Desk

Dear Parents and Carers,

Although we are all feeling a sense of relief that concert week is over, we must pause for a moment to take stock of the positive impact such an event has for students and the greater school community. During the last several days there were many examples of this:

The students who are naturally creative and theatrical getting the opportunity to thrive and showcase their talents on stage.
The student who voluntarily sends a message to her teacher and classmates saying how proud she is of them and the efforts they have made to make the concert a success.
The students who couldn't gather the courage to step foot on stage but instead completed the dances perfectly in the wings.
The tears of pride that streamed down the faces of staff members as they saw students pull it altogether on the night.
The tears of pride coming from parents who would never have thought their child would take to the stage.
The student who came off stage giving his classmates and staff a high five and expressing how proud he was of himself for dancing on stage.
The students who had learnt the dances of other classes and were supporting those on stage by dancing in the wings.
Those students who have struggled to do the simplest of things in the classroom, gathering all their strength and courage to join in during the performances.
The grandfather who came to school on Friday to express his thanks for giving the students an opportunity to be part of a theatrical experience. He donated a bean plant to show his appreciation.

The list goes on and I am sure, as parents, you will have plenty to add as well.

A huge THANKYOU goes out to every staff member for the time, energy and effort during the last number of months to make the concert a real success. Over 1400 tickets were sold during the three performances which is a clear indication that this event is appreciated by the school community. Appreciation goes out to the parents, extended family members and friends who supported the school by purchasing tickets or photos. A concert video will be available soon… stay tuned! Thankyou to everyone who supported the concert week, you were all ABSOLUTE LEGENDS!!

New Portable Arrival

As mentioned in previous newsletters, we will be receiving a new Mod 5 Portable in the coming weeks. The placement of this portable will be just to the west of the current portables on the grass between the current school fence and the Doug Dean Oval. Despite the placement of this portable being outside the current fence line of the school, it is actually located on school land. The fence will be relocated shortly after the portable has been placed on site. The walking track around the oval will be temporarily out of action and will be replaced to ensure students and members of the community can continue to access the track around of the oval into the future.

From this Thursday, a temporary worksite will be established along the western boundary of the school. We thank you for your understanding with this matter.

Year 5 Camp

This week the Grade 5 students have been enjoying a wonderful camping experience at Norval Camp, Halls Gap. The students have been challenging themselves with the high ropes course, the amazing race, archery, orienteering and initiative games. Everyone is having a fabulous time in the scenic surroundings and they all look forward to sharing all the stories upon their return.

Transition - The Ins and Outs

It has been fabulous seeing groups of Kinder students visiting Delacombe PS this week in preparation for transitioning to school. We have had Delacombe Kinder and Kidscape visit this week with United Care Kinder visiting a few weeks ago. The activities that Miss Sampson and Miss Turnbull organised gave the students an excellent understanding of what the students will experience in 2023.

Additionally, the Grade 6 students will have an opportunity to experience secondary school life on Thursday this week as they visit Phoenix for a transition program. Although this event only includes those students who will be attending Phoenix in 2023, I am sure they will return with plenty of stories to share.

Father’s Day

It was wonderful to see all students attending and leaving the Father’s Day stall with a gift for their dad or father figure. A huge thanks goes out to Casey Holland and Kara Cook, as well as all our other helpers for their efforts to organise the presents and the running of the day. Your efforts are appreciated by all.

Sporting Colours Day

It is hard to think that it is the second last week of term. On the last day of term we will celebrate all sporting codes with our Sporting Colours Day. On this day students are welcome to come dressed in their favourite sporting team colours and bring a gold coin donation for the Ballarat Foundation.

Big Buddies

Throughout this term we have had our Big Buddy program running throughout the school. These ACU teaching students have spent time one-on-one with students to help build problem solving and resiliency skills. These buddies have also attended the school concert to assist with regulating student behaviours backstage. The work that these buddies have been doing has been greatly appreciated and wonderful preparation for their future teaching careers.

Staffing

Last Friday we farewelled Jesse Winter who has been our school chaplain for the past 6 years. Jesse has worked with many students, staff and some parents during his time at DPS. A large percentage of his time is touching base with students each week to support their social/emotional wellbeing but he has also been critical in supporting issues that require immediate attention. We wish Jesse all the best for the future in the Fire and Rescue department and look forward to visits from time to time.

We have been lucky enough to secure a new chaplain very quickly who will begin work at DPS next week. Laura is an experienced social worker who will continue and build on the work that Jesse has started. We look forward to more formally welcoming Laura in the coming weeks.