RPS Chatter December (Final Chatter) 2025

…And BANG…..I’ve now heard “Last Christmas” on the radio….I still haven’t started my Christmas shopping….where did the time go?  One more wake-up for students, and the 2025 school year is done and dusted!

Before I go any further, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to our team for 2026:

• Foundation: Emily Wilson, Sarah Golin, Luke Davy
• Year 1/2: Daisy Sprague, Sherrick Reid, Isobel Thomas, Sarah Tehan
• Year 3/4: Rachel Foster, Isabella Walker, Harriet O’Connor, Tammy Jensen
• Year 5/6: Maddie Clark, Pauline Wallis, Sarah Devine, James Troutbeck
• Leading Teacher: Hayley Coates
• Performing Arts: Kath Faichney
• Physical Education: Julian Bowring
• STEM: Josh Hurn
• Visual Arts:  Karen Lynch
• Intervention: Aimee Robinson
• MHiPS: Camillia Govier-Friend
• Integration: Angela Rhodes, Lauren Marriott, Megan Brasfield, Liam Serong, Ava Gaul, Cassandra Went, Ella O’Flynn, Tara Swan, Rachel Byrnes
• Admin:  Andrea Gunn, Jake Debono, Jaya Dalmau
• Principal Class:  Megan Dell, Russell Sivewright

As you can tell from our staffing list, our 3 classes of Year 1/2 have grown to 4 classes.  That way we can ensure our classes in that year level are a size of 20ish students each rather than 28ish!  AND, we get to welcome Sherrick to our community.  Everyone wins!

We are very excited about our 2026 team and are looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together next year and the years beyond.

Student Free days:

• Tuesday 27th January
• Tuesday 10th March
• Monday 25th May
• Tuesday 9th June
• Thursday 13th August
• Monday 2nd November

Term dates:

• Term 1: Wednesday 28th Jan – Thursday 2nd April
• Term 2: Monday 20th April – Friday 26th June
• Term 3: Monday 13th June – Friday 18th September
• Term 4:  Monday 5th October – Friday 18th December

Public Holidays:

Monday 9th March: Labour Day

Monday 8th June: King’s Birthday

Tuesday 3rd Nov: Melbourne Cup Day

 

Year 1 – 6 first day of the school year is Wednesday, 28th January

The Foundation’s first day of the school year is Monday, 2nd February (Foundation students do not attend school on Wednesdays until March).

Just in case…All going to plan, our new build should be ready for us to move in at the beginning of Term 2.  After discussions last night with the School Council, they have approved the first two days of Term 2 as additional Student Free days.  That way, we can start the new chapter, in a new term, in our new building and hit the ground running.  We will be able to confirm these dates early in the 2026 school year.

 

School Camps:

Year 5/6: Forest Edge Camp, May 18th – 21st

Year 3/4: Anglesea Camp, August 17th – 19th

Somers: July 28th – August 5th

Our student reports were released to you earlier today.  We are incredibly proud of all their efforts and achievements.  Please make sure you download these reports from Compass before the end of the school year to ensure you have access to them over the holidays (especially if your child is not going to be part of the RPS community in 2026).

Officially, our final day of the 2025 school year for students is Thursday, 18th December (tomorrow).  We will be conducting our final school assembly on the netball courts, commencing at 9:10 am.  All students will be dismissed from their learning space at 3:30 pm.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our amazing students for the enthusiasm and excitement they bring to our learning spaces each day. They arrive with smiles on their faces and a determination to move through the year positively. We are incredibly proud of their efforts and the growth they have shown.

To our outstanding staff, who continue to ride the education rollercoaster alongside me…with a few more twists and turns sure to keep us on our toes next year…I am deeply grateful to have you on this journey. Thank you for consistently doing what needs to be done in the best interests of our students and for always placing their needs first.

To our parents and community members, thank you for the ongoing support and encouragement you provide to both our students and staff. It is genuinely appreciated.

To those members of our school community who are moving on to new chapters and adventures in 2026, we wish you every success in whatever the future holds. Please know that you will always remain part of the RPS family.

Finally, on behalf of our staff, we wish you all a safe and happy holiday break. We hope you enjoy some quality time with the people who matter most to you.

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay happy and remember to be kind to yourself and others over the holiday break. I look forward to the adventure that 2026 will bring.

Megan

Foundation: 

• Mayla A: For helping your peers in the yard to solve problems. Mayla, you are a wonderful peacekeeper who always makes sure your friends are getting along and treating each other kindly. Well done!

 

Year 1/2 

• Hugo E – For being a great role model by showing a positive attitude, being kind to others, and putting fantastic effort into all your work.
• Lucy L – Congratulations on showing respect, working hard and your all-round sparkle… Bravo, Lucy, you’re a star!

 

Year 3/4 

• Zina C – Zina, you are the perfect all-rounder!! You work hard, you play hard, and you have a never-ending energy that is contagious. You are receiving this award for how you use this energy in our Writer’s Workshops, which has led you to produce the most beautiful pieces of published work. Well done, and keep that energy up!!!
• Manuela V – Manu, you are a kind, caring, and extremely thoughtful student, the kind of student every class needs to keep our spirits up!! Your daily check-ins with the students in our class make sure everyone feels included and cared for. Keep being kind! All the kittens and trees in the world will be better for it!
• Rose F – Rosie, you love every class! It doesn’t matter what we are learning, you dig right in and have a go! Your growth mindset, even when things get tricky, is always there, making sure you get the best out of yourself and your learning. You are a fantastic role model to the class and I am super proud of you. Keep digging in!
• Rumi G – For his creativity and problem-solving skills during our podcasting sessions this week in PA
• Hiro S – For his creativity and problem-solving skills during our podcasting sessions this week in PA

 

Year 5/6

• Naimara S – For your outstanding commitment to your writing and your focus in finalising your Writer’s Gift. You have shown a fantastic ability to craft engaging and descriptive narratives.