PARENT / STUDENT / TEACHER CONFERENCES
Please note that information has been included about our Term 1 Conferences in this newsletter. From this Wednesday morning 9:00am YOU can book your child(ren) conference ONLINE using COMPASS! (We will not activate the button until Wednesday 9:00am. Do not panic if you can’t  find where to click, as it will not work until 9:00am Wednesday 12th March 2024).

CAN YOU PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL??
An important part of our School Review is that the Reviewer would like to chat with parents. Diana (Di) is lovely! ? She will ask you about your experience and your child's experience at TWPS. The positives and the opportunities for improvement. Your feedback helps our school to improve!

Are you available to speak to Di the Reviewer? (Yes, please bring another TWPS Mum, Dad or Carer with you.)
Please send a Class Dojo message to Mrs Young to indicate when you are available. We can also organise interpreters.
▶️Wednesday 12/3/25 from 9am - 9:30am. 
▶️Thursday 13/3/25 from 9am - 9:30am. 

Child Safe Standards
The Child Safe Standards are compulsory minimum standards for all Victorian schools to ensure they are well prepared to keep children and young people safe and protect them from abuse.

Victorian schools continuously build on their existing child safety strategies, policies and practices to strengthen their culture of child safety and protect children and young people from abuse.

The Child Safe Standards include requirements to keep children, young people and students safe, including:

• involvement of families and students in child safety
• schools’ focus on safety for Aboriginal students
• better management of child abuse risks in online environments
• governance, systems and processes for keeping students safe.

Thomastown West Primary School has zero tolerance for child abuse.

Thomastown West Primary School is committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Particular attention will be paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability.

Thomastown West Primary School takes a preventative, proactive, and participatory approach to child safety. For this reason, parents are not permitted inside school buildings without staff supervision, including in the toilets.

We understand that younger siblings of TWPS students may occasionally need to use the toilet. In this case, please visit the Office in the Admin building, where our staff will assist you in accessing the staff toilets.

Similarly, if parents wish to speak with a teacher before or after school, we ask that they do not walk through school buildings in search of them. Instead, please go to the Office in the Admin building, and we will contact the teacher to arrange for them to meet you there.

Thank you for understanding.

Thomastown West Primary School CCTV Privacy Notice
Thomastown West Primary School  has decided to install a closed-circuit television (CCTV) system at our school. 

This Privacy Notice outlines how the CCTV system will be used, including the use and disclosure of any footage produced by the CCTV system so as to be consistent with Victorian privacy law.

Need for CCTV
Our school has an obligation to ensure the school environment is safe and secure, and fulfil our duty of care to students, staff and visitors.  The CCTV system assists our school to fulfil these obligations and to prevent and manage other inappropriate behaviour on school grounds. CCTV also provides enhanced capability to protect our school’s assets against vandalism and theft.

Use of CCTV
Consistent with our school’s obligations set out above, our school may use CCTV cameras to: 

• prevent, support and verify incidents involving
• criminal behaviour – of anyone on school grounds
• staff misconduct 
• other inappropriate behaviour – including of students, staff, visitors or members of the public. For example, this means the school may use CCTV footage of incidents to help inform decisions about student management
• verify and investigate other incidents involving students, staff and visitors (for example incidents in which a person has sustained injury, loss or damage on school premises) 
• to provide the Department with visual coverage during emergencies.

In limited circumstances live CCTV footage may also be viewed by our school or Department staff. For more information please refer to the Department’s policy: CCTV in Schools – Installation and Management (CCTV Policy).

CCTV cameras are NOT
located in private areas such as toilets, changing rooms, dressing rooms, showers, or other areas where individual privacy is paramount

• used to monitor student or staff work performance
• hidden or covert, except in limited circumstances and in accordance with the Department’s CCTV policy.

Location of CCTV cameras in our school

1. Front entry of office
2. one camera on the office building facing the double gate entry
3. Two cameras facing the staff car park with one camera  facing  the single gate entry.

A notice is located at the school’s entrances, which alerts people to the presence of cameras and this CCTV Privacy Notice. Access to CCTV footage

CCTV footage is only accessed for the purposes set out in this Privacy Notice and the Department’s CCTV Policy and only by the following people:

1. the Principal or nominee, including people explicitly authorised by the Principal
2. central and regional Department staff, when required to assist the school for an above purpose
3. any other people permitted by law.

Request to view footage 
When using CCTV for the purposes listed under the heading ‘Use of CCTV’ the principal may show specific footage of an incident to those directly involved, including relevant staff, students and/or their parents, provided:

• the principal considers it appropriate and necessary in order to support parents to understand the specifics of an incident that has taken place so they can provide appropriate support to their child or for a staff member to better understand an incident
• it would not cause a health, wellbeing or safety risk to any other person 
• it would not be an unreasonable intrusion into another person’s privacy.

Please note, our school cannot provide copies of CCTV footage to staff, students or parents The Department must be contacted where these requests are made. Please refer to the Department’s CCTV Policy. 

Storage of footage 
CCTV footage is stored locally on the school’s server room.

CCTV footage is kept for no more than 31 days If our school has not used CCTV footage in any of the ways set out above, and there has been no request to view or access footage during this period, the footage is deleted. 

Where CCTV footage has been used to verify an incident or where it is required to be retained for legal reasons, our school will manage and securely retain the footage in accordance with the retention requirements set out in the Department’s Records Management Policy.

What if you have questions?
For more information of how our school may use the CCTV system and who may access the footage, please see the Department’s CCTV Policy.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the use of the CCTV system in our school, please contact the school to discuss: Sandi Young on 9465 4317 or thomastown.west.ps@education.vic.gov.au


LONG WEEKEND
Please remember that Monday is a Public Holiday.
Wishing you all a fabulous long weekend!

Sandi Young                                  Jame Crotti
Principal                                        Assisant Principal

 TWPS CURRICULM DAYS
*Students do NOT attend school on these days*

*Whole School Professional Practice Day for Staff. Students do not attend school.

TERM DATES

TWPS School Council Elections 2025

School Council Elections are held each year. I have  included the Schedule 3 2024 Notice of Election and Call for Nominations for School Council, a nomination form and some frequently asked questions about School Council with this Newsletter. There are a  number of  vacancies so I hope you will consider supporting the school by joining School Council.

Would you like to  know more about School Council:

✅ It is a legally formed body that is given powers to set the key directions of a school.

✅ Is the major governing body of the school

✅ Plays an important role in school accountability and  improvement processes

✅ Endorses the key school planning, evaluation and reporting documents

✅ All School Council decision-making takes place within a framework of legislated powers, Ministerial Orders, directions, guidelines and Department of Education policy objectives

✅ Assist in the efficient governance of the school

✅ Ensure students’ best interests are primary

✅ Enhance the educational opportunities for students

✅ Ensure compliance with relevant legislation and regulations Fundamental Function Establish the broad direction and vision of the school within the school's community

✅ Participate in the development and monitoring of the school strategic plan

✅ Develop, review and update school policies

✅ Develop, review and monitor the Student Engagement Policy and the School Dress Code

✅ Raise funds for school-related purposes

✅ Approve the annual budget and monitor expenditure

✅ Maintain the school’s grounds and facilities

✅ Enter into contracts (e.g. cleaning, construction work)

✅ Report annually to the school community and to the Department of Education.

✅ Generally, stimulate interest in the school in the wider community

Schedule 3

 2025 Notice of Election and Call for Nominations for School Council

An election is to be conducted for members of the School Council of Thomastown West Primary School.

Nomination forms may be obtained from the school and must be lodged by 5.00pm on Monday 10th March 2025.

Following the closing of nominations, a list of the nominations received will be posted at the school by Friday  17th March 2025.  If a ballot is necessary, it will close at 4.00 pm on Friday 24th March 2025.

The terms of office, membership categories and number of positions in each membership category open for election are as follows:

If the number of nominations is less than the number of vacancies, a notice to that effect and calling for further nominations will be posted in a prominent position at the school.

Sandi Young

The categories of membership explained:

1. A mandated elected Parent category - more than one-third of the total members must be from  this category. Department of Education and Training (DET) employees can be Parent  members at their child's school as long as they are not engaged in work at the school.
2. A mandated elected DET employee category - members of this category may make up no more than one-third of the total membership of School Council. The principal of the school is automatically one of these members.
3. An optional Community member category - members are co-opted by a decision of the council  because of their special skills, interests or experiences. DET employees are not eligible to be  Community members.

Generally, the term of office for all members is two years. The term of office of half the members expires each year, creating vacancies for the annual School Council elections.

Why is Parent membership so important?

Parents on School Councils provide important viewpoints and have valuable skills that can help shape the    direction of the school.

 Those parents who become active on a School Council find their involvement satisfying in itself and may also find that their children feel a greater sense of belonging.

How can you become involved?

The most obvious way is to vote in the elections, which are held in Term 1 each year. However, ballots are only held if more people nominate as candidates than there are positions vacant. This way you have input into who will be representing you.  

The other way is to nominate yourself or nominate someone you would like to see on School Council.

School Council Elections 2025

Schedule 5A: Self-nomination Form for Parent Member Category

I wish to declare my candidacy for an elected position as a parent/guardian representative on the Thomastown West Primary School Council.

Name: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Residential address:
    ………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Home telephone: ………………………………   Business telephone ……………………………

Email: …………………………………………………………………………………………………...………

I am the parent/guardian of …………………………………who is/are currently enrolled at this school.

I am an employee of the Department of Education.      Yes / No (please circle)

I am prepared to serve as a Parent member of the above-named School Council.

I hereby declare that I am not an undischarged bankrupt and that I am not currently serving a sentence for an indictable offence.

Signature of Candidate ……………………………………………………  Date      /     /

You will be notified when your nomination has been received.

✅ Personal information provided in this form is collected as part of the School Council election
nomination process. The information may be used to determine your eligibility as a candidate. Your personal information may be disclosed as a result of inspection prior to the commencement of voting or at any time up to one year from the declaration of the poll.

✅ Your name will be included in a list of School Council candidates and nominators (where applicable) posted in a prominent position at the school and for candidates, on a ballot paper (where applicable).

✅ You can access your personal information by contacting the principal on 94654317

✅ You may choose not to give some or all of the information requested; however, your nomination may not be accepted. If you have any queries about the School Council nomination process, please contact the principal, Sandi Young

2025 TWPS Student Leadership Team 

 Student Representative Council                  Student Voice Team
          

2025 Koorie Leader: Djaron

2025 House Captains

Supporting Your Child Through NAPLAN: Managing Anxiety & Building Confidence

NAPLAN testing is approaching, and while it’s a great opportunity to assess literacy and numeracy skills, it can also bring stress and anxiety for some students. As parents, your support and reassurance can make a big difference in how your child approaches the tests.

How We Support Students at School

At Thomastown West we are committed to ensuring that students feel calm, confident, and ready to do their best. In the lead-up to NAPLAN, we incorporate mindfulness activities and Ready to Learn plans in the classroom. These strategies help students regulate their emotions, develop positive thinking habits, and build resilience.

• Mindfulness techniques, such as breathing exercises and guided relaxation, help students manage nerves and stay focused.
• Ready to Learn plans encourage students to recognise what helps them feel calm, prepared, and engaged in their learning.

Tips for Talking to Your Child About NAPLAN

✅ Emphasise Effort Over Results – Let your child know that NAPLAN is just one part of their learning journey. Encourage them to do their best rather than aiming for a ‘perfect’ score.

✅ Normalise Feelings – If your child is feeling nervous, reassure them that it’s completely normal. Share a time when you felt nervous and how you managed it.

✅ Keep the Routine Normal – Ensure they get plenty of sleep, eat well, and have time to relax and play. A well-rested and happy child is more likely to feel confident.

✅ Encourage a Growth Mindset – Help your child see mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures. Remind them that every test is a chance to grow.

✅ Practise Calm Techniques – Support what they’re learning in class by using mindfulness strategies at home, such as deep breathing or positive self-talk.

Most importantly, remind your child that NAPLAN doesn’t define them – it’s just one measure of their learning, and they are capable of so much more!

If you have any concerns or need support, don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher.

TERM 1 WEEK 5
 
Scroll down to view our super stars in the photo below

TERM 1 WEEK 6
 
Scroll down to view our super stars in the photo below

WEEK 5





WEEK 6

CUP OF LIFE

Term 1 Week 5 & 6   Student Attendance Report

As part of the Department of Education Every Day Counts initiative, schools report attendance in percentages. The Government regard 95% as the minimum satisfactory attendance for a school student.

The percentages in the table below indicates the average attendance for each class for this week.

The shaded boxes  below indicate which classroom has the highest level of attendance for their year level.

Every day of learning really does count!

At TWPS we want every child to achieve their full potential and we know that parents share this goal. There is a clear link between good attendance and educational achievement. If your child is not in school, on time, as often as possible they will be missing out on many important parts of their
education.                      

Why is regular attendance at school important?

Regular school attendance will mean that your child has a better chance in life. Your child will achieve better when they go to school all day, every school day...

*they learn better   
*they make friends      
*they are happier   
*they have a brighter future

If your child is sick, of course it is appropriate to keep your child at home but

other ‘days off’ school add up to lost learning.  See below:

CUP OF LIFE

Well done to all the boys and girls who are attending school every day. 

Congratulations! The room that had the BEST ATTENDANCE for Week 5 is Room 3  & Week  6, Term 1 is Room 10 .

GRIP Leadership Conference Inspires Our Future Leaders

On Tuesday, March 4, students from Grades 2 to 6 attended the GRIP Leadership Conference, where they gained valuable insights into leadership that they can apply at TWPS.

Key lessons from the conference included:

• Leadership is about inclusion—effective leaders engage with others through meaningful conversations rather than just giving instructions.
• Change happens in stages—big goals are more achievable when broken down into smaller steps.
• Lead by example—being a role model is one of the most powerful ways to inspire others.
• Everyone is a leader—leadership is not about titles or badges but about actions and attitude.
• Make change enjoyable—instead of just talking about change, find ways to make it fun and engaging.
• True leadership is about service—it’s not about status but about helping, sharing, and being responsible.
•  

Here’s what some of our students had to say about their leadership takeaways:

? "Instead of just giving instructions, take the time to have a conversation with others." – Dun

? "Leaders are helpful and inclusive." – Maria

? "Status is not what makes a leader—service is the key." – Albraa

? "Change is more effective when it’s fun rather than forced. If you want to make a difference, don’t just tell others what to do—make it enjoyable!" – Haneen

The GRIP Leadership Conference has left our students inspired and ready to embrace leadership in their everyday actions. We can’t wait to see them put these lessons into practice at TWPS!

Exciting Hub news ...