Wallington P.S. Newsletter Term 4 Week 8 2025
Upcoming Dates
Principal's Report
Dear Families,
Swimming
Today marks the end of our two-week swimming program, and what fun it has been developing skills and water safety knowledge. This week, we received wonderful feedback from the pool staff, who commented on how impressed they have been with our students’ behaviour and positive attitude throughout the sessions. This is a wonderful reflection of our students, our school, and our community, public recognition of the positive work we all do on behavioural expectations, guided by our SWPBS framework and school values.
2026 Plans, Class Structures and Teachers
I am thrilled to share the class arrangements and teacher placements for 2026 earlier than usual - giving us the best opportunity for smooth transitions and preparation. As always, these decisions have been made with great care, weighing up the needs of all students and taking into account a wide range of factors, including feedback from staff, students and parents. Our goal remains clear: to set every student up for success - academically, socially and emotionally.
We head into the new year building on a significant body of work completed in 2025. Following a much-needed analysis and revitalisation of our curriculum, we are excited to implement a revised curriculum map in line with the breadth and depth of the new Victorian Curriculum 2.0. This includes a greater emphasis on the Arts - including music and drama - alongside expanded opportunities for hands-on, creative problem solving and enrichment tasks in science, history, geography, and design and digital technologies. These experiences will continue to be strengthened and enabled by our carefully designed, evidence-based explicit instruction approach, in accordance with the Victorian Teaching & Learning Model 2.0. This work and more, as per our new School Strategic Plan, marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our school, enriching and evolving the programs that make Wallington Primary such a unique place to learn.
Alongside exciting changes to the teaching and learning side of school, we continue to embed wellbeing initiatives such as School Wide Positive Behaviour Support and Berry Street Education practices, increased lunchtime activities, purposeful play, cross-age interactions, student leadership, and breakfast club, with additional initiatives planned by our current wellbeing team for 2026. One example is the URStrong - a practical, story-based social-emotional learning program that equips children with clear, easy-to-use strategies for navigating friendships and emotions. These highly practical tools offer primary-aged students the knowledge and skills to build resilience and work through friendship ruptures even more successfully than through alternative, broader programs such as The Resilience Project, making it an excellent fit for our community.
It is truly an exciting time to be at Wallington!
The 2026 classes and teachers are as follows:
Prep – Ros Taylor
Year 1 – Anthea Cook
Year 2 – Meg Ritchie
Year 3 – Jack Stevens
Year 4/5 – Emily Duckett
Year 6 – James Kayler-Thomson
Education support staff and specialist classes and teachers are not quite finalised but will be shared as soon as possible, as we make the final decisions regarding staffing, curriculum, and timetabling.
As I said last week, teachers will be available to meet at the end of year picnic on Friday 12th December and are keen to establish and further develop partnerships with students and families ready for a successful 2026!
2026 Staffing Changes
Lillian Moore will be taking the first half of 2026 long service leave, to enjoy some extra time with family as well as some travel. We wish Lil all the best for her time away!
Daniel Anderson and Amy Parsons’ contracts conclude at the end of the school year, and we will be sad to see them both leave us. Amy has been amazing in her role as PE teacher this year, showing a passion and expertise that all students have loved. Amy has organised whole school sports events, and lightning premiership tournaments, celebrating and promoting student participation in PE across the school and beyond. Likewise, Daniel has made a significant impact on our students during his 18-months at Wallington. Daniel has not only built fantastic partnerships with students, staff and families, he has also led our leadership program supporting Year 6 students in their responsibilities such as assemblies, whole-school sport, icy poles, and buddies. He has been a member of School Council, as well as leading Junior School Council. He reintroduced the Rotary Award to the school and instigated a recycling program that has raised hundreds of dollars for student equipment.
On behalf of the school community, I thank both Amy and Daniel and wish them well for future endeavours!
Upcoming Dates
Keep an eye on that calendar as the events and fun just keep coming!!
Cameron Edwards
Parents and Friends
DATES FOR THE CALENDAR
Friday 5th December - Colour Fun Run (2:30pm on the school oval)
Second Hand Uniforms
We have many summer uniform available with the warmer season approaching. With plenty of 4-8 sizing
Just a Gold Coin Donation. Be share to check it out.
Stay up to date
Follow us on Facebook “WALLINGTON PS PARENTS AND FRIENDS”
Next Meeting
Will be on Friday 21st of November 9.00am at the School Hall
Wallington P.S. Gardening Club is on every Tuesday at 1:40pm. Everyone is welcome!
Do you love nature, gardening, or just want to help our school bloom? The Wallington P.S. Gardening Club is always looking for volunteers!
SWPBS Awards - Student of the Week
Make it stand out
Vinnie K- Prep
For consistently demonstrating respect towards classmates and teachers. You show kindness in your words and actions, listen carefully, and treat everyone with fairness. Well done!
Lotta W - Year 1
For showing respect to all everyone at the pool this week during swimming lessons. You always use your manners, wait patiently and listen with intent. Well done Lotta.
Tucker Mc G - Year 2
For demonstrating our school values when attending swimming. You are organised, polite, and an excellent representative of Wallington Primary School. Well done Tucker.
Evan O’D - Year 3
For displaying respectful school values by increasing your positive participation in our explicit Literacy and Maths lessons.
George O - Year 4
For actively participating in our Maths lessons on 3D shape and continuing to challenge yourself. Well done on celebrating your success this week, keep up the great work George!
Neo M-S - Year 5
For always being kind and respectful to both students and teachers. Your ability to give everything a go is inspiring to other students. Keep it up Neo!
George L - Year 6
For demonstrating respect by making good learning choices, allowing others to learn and following all directions during bike ed. Great work, George!
Wellbeing at Wallington
Welcome back to Wallington’s weekly wellbeing activities:
This week's activity asks students to create a poster of the strategies they use to stay engaged in learning.
Have they trialled strategies from the diary activities that have worked for them?
Have they trialled strategies in their class that have worked?
Wallington PS Sponsors
Thank you to our PLATINUM Sponsor
Thank you to our SILVER Sponsors
Notice Board
Unexplained absences in Compass
We ask if all parents could please check on Compass if there are any unexplained absences outstanding for their child/children and please provide an explanation (via Compass). Thank you.
Dear Families,
If you are looking for something special to do with your child/s in December then look no further than The Polar Express Train Ride.
You can find more details by clicking the link https://bellarinerailway.com.au/the-polar-express-queenscliff or alternatively scan the QR code.
With Christmas fast approaching there are lots of exciting free events happening in Geelong.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
SAVER PLUS
What it is:
Financial Education and Savings:
Saver Plus is a 10-month online program designed to help participants learn about financial management, set savings goals, and develop regular saving habits.
Matched Savings:
Participants who complete the program have their savings matched by ANZ, up to a maximum of $500, which can be used for education-related costs.
Online Delivery:
The program is delivered online, making it accessible to participants across Australia.
Saver Plus is a partnership between ANZ, the Brotherhood of St. Laurence, The Smith Family and Berry Street.
Eligibility: To be eligible, participants need to have a current Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card and an eligible Centrelink payment, have other regular income, be studying themselves or have a child in school, be 18+ years old, and agree to join in free online financial education workshops.
