National Sorry Day

On May 26, we mark National Sorry Day as an important day in Australia’s history. It is a time to remember and reflect on the sad past when many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were taken from their families. This period is known as the Stolen Generations.

These children were removed by government policies, and many never saw their families again. This caused deep hurt that still affects many families today.

National Sorry Day helps us to:

• Remember what happened,
• Reflect on the pain it caused, and
• Work towards reconciliation, where all Australians can respect and understand each other.

The first National Sorry Day was held in 1998, after a special report called Bringing Them Home was shared with the nation. It told the stories of those affected and helped more people learn the truth.

At school, we talk about National Sorry Day to help students understand our shared history and to show respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Together, we can listen, learn, and build a kinder future.

National Reconciliation Week 
National Reconciliation Week (27 May to 3 June) is a time for all Australians to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

The National Reconciliation Week 2025 theme Bridging Now to Next, reflects the ongoing connection between past, present and future.

Bridging Now to Next calls on all Australians to step forward together, to look ahead and continue the push forward as past lessons guide us.

The National Reconciliation Week 2025 theme artwork created by Kalkadoon woman Bree Buttenshaw, native plants (which are known for regenerating after fire and thriving through adversity) symbolise our collective strength and the possibilities of renewal. This is a time for growth, reflection, and commitment to walking together.

 

Education Week 2025 – A Celebration of Cultures

Education Week is usually celebrated in Victoria May 19 to 23. Thomastown West Primary School will be celebrating Education Week later this term. More information will be sent home next Tuesday afternoon (via Compass and Class Dojo) about an open morning and a reminder about the after school Monday Muster for parents and carers to visit their child's classroom from 3:15pm 16th June 2025. This year’s theme is A Celebration of Cultures.

This theme reminds us how important it is for every child to feel safe, respected, and welcomed at school. It also gives us a chance to celebrate the rich mix of cultures and communities that make our school special.

At Thomastown West Primary School, we are consistently:

• Celebrating different cultural traditions,
• Learning about each other’s backgrounds, and
• Encouraging respect, kindness, and inclusion.

We are proud to be part of a school community where everyone belongs.

School Pride

Thank you for ensuring your child/ren have been wearing their full school uniform. Now that the weather has become very cold in the mornings, students may wear a jacket or parker over the top of their bomber jacker or school jumper. Beanies, scarves and gloves are also acceptable. We understand these additional winter items may not always be school colours. Well done and thank you to the parents and carers who have found red and blue beanies, scarves and gloves for their children.  Please note, all classrooms are heated and children will be asked to remove their additional winter clothes when inside the classroom. 

Students wearing our compulsory school uniform fosters pride in the school and unifies students from various backgrounds into a more cohesive school community. It also encourages children to live our school values, identify with the school, and helps to break down discrimination by removing peer pressure to conform to passing fashion trends. 

TWPS Mobile phone and device policy

We have written about this previously but we really need your help! Please remind your children that  it is a Department of Education Policy and expectation that all mobile phones and smart or electronic devices must be handed into the Office to be locked up, as soon as students arrive to school. I would like to say a HUGE thank you to the few students who have been consistently handing in their phones every day.

Whether onsite or online, at Thomastown West Primary School:

* Everyone has the right to feel safe and comfortable

* Everyone has the right to learn.

To review our Mobile Phone School Policy, click here.

Make it Right Club

During lunchtimes, a dedicated staff member facilitates Make it Right Club to support individual students who have demonstrated behaviours inconsistent with our school's values. These students are provided an opportunity to reflect on their actions and brainstorm ways to restore any relationships that may have been affected. In cases of more serious incidents, parents will receive written notification when their child is required to participate in the Make it Right Club.

We strongly encourage parents to engage in discussions about the Make it Right Club with classroom teachers, emphasising our shared commitment to your child's success. Our school strongly believes in the importance of collaboration between home and school in supporting students' growth and development.

STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY AND CHILD SAFETY PRINCIPLES

Thomastown West Primary School is a child safe organisation which welcomes all children, young people and their families.

We are committed to providing environments where our students are safe and feel safe, where their participation is valued, their views respected, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Our child safe policies, strategies and practices are inclusive of the needs of all children and students.

We have no tolerance for child abuse and take proactive steps to identify and manage any risks of harm to students in our school environments.

We promote positive relationships between students and adults and between students and their peers. These relationships are based on trust and respect.

We take proactive steps to identify and manage any risk of harm to students in our school environment. When child safety concerns are raised or identified, we treat these seriously and respond promptly and thoroughly.

Particular attention is given to the child safety needs of all students experiencing risk or vulnerability. Inappropriate or harmful behaviour targeting students based on these or other characteristics, such as racism or homophobia, are not tolerated at our school, and any instances identified will be addressed with appropriate consequences.

Child safety is a shared responsibility. Every person involved in our school has an important role in promoting child safety and wellbeing and promptly raising any issues or concerns about a child’s safety.

Thomastown West Primary School has zero tolerance for child abuse.

We are committed to regularly reviewing our child safe practices, and seeking input from our students, families, staff, and volunteers to inform our ongoing strategies.

At Thomastown West Primary School, our approach to creating and maintaining a child safe school environment is also guided by our school values. At Thomastown West Primary School our motto is Together Working on Pathways to Success. At Thomastown West Primary School, we respect ourselves, our school and each another, and understand that our attitudes and behaviours have an impact on the people around us. 

Resilient: Resilience is what helps you to cope, get through hard times and recover. Sometimes it makes you even stronger than you were before. It means we bounce back after difficult times.

Responsible: Being responsible means, you do the things you are expected to do and accept the consequences (results) of your actions. It means you do what is right.

Empathetic: Empathy is the ability to understand how someone else is feeling or to understand the situation they are in. It means ‘putting yourself in someone else's shoes.’ 

Respectful: Respect is thinking and acting in a positive way about yourself and others. It means you behave in a way that shows you care about the feelings and wellbeing of other people.

We will strive to do our best: Striving to be your best is the ability to keep working towards a goal, overcoming challenges and sticking with it even when it’s hard. It means believing in your heart that you can make choices you are proud of and always trying your best.

State School Relief Support

Additional uniforms including winter jumpers and bomber jackets are available from State School Relief. Please contact Mrs Irons or the Office if you require support for additional school uniforms.


Whole school goal for weeks 6 & 7:

Arrive on time, ready to learn, at quarter to nine!
Let's see if we can make a huge improvement to the number of students who arrive on time at school each day! The morning school bell rings at 8:45am and students are expected to be at school. We look forward to sharing our progress with you in the next newsletter. 

Mrs Young has returned!

Thank you for welcoming me back to TWPS after my four weeks of long service leave. I had an amazing time away and feel refreshed and excited to be back at school.

I travelled to Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Morocco is a colourful and fascinating country with a rich history, beautiful landscapes, and warm, welcoming people. From the busy markets and ancient buildings to the peaceful mountains and desert sunsets, every day was a new adventure. I hope you enjoy the photos below.

Although I loved exploring a different part of the world and returning to Africa, I truly missed our wonderful school community. It’s great to be back, and I’m looking forward to a busy and exciting Term 3 with our students, staff, and families.

Education is Powerful, Student Agency Matters, Our Teachers Make a Difference & Every Day of learning Counts!

Sandi Young                                          James Crotti

Principal                                                Assistant 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

TERM 2 WEEK 4
 
Due to the wet weather and student absences, our super stars will have their photos published on this page Monday evening.

TERM 2 WEEK 5
 
Due to the wet weather and student absences, our super stars will have their photos published on this page Monday evening.

CUP OF LIFE

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.

Student Attendance Report

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 rooms that had the BEST ATTENDANCE for:

* Week 4:  Room   9

* Week 5:  Room   11

Life Café: Conversations on Living Well

Monthly on Wednesdays 11am- 12.30pm

We’re thrilled to welcome local community member Vanya Jain to TNH to lead a series of relaxed, meaningful conversations around living well. These 90-minute sessions run from April to September, each focusing on a different aspect of wellbeing:

• July 2^nd: Lifestyle, stress and sleep
• August 6^th: Body image and aspirations
• September 3^rd: Addiction and its management

These sessions are open, supportive, and a great space to share and learn. For more info, give us a call or reach out to Vanya at vanyajain13@gmail.com.

Food Bank Mobile Supermarket

Wednesdays | 10:30am–12:00pm
The Community Pavilion (next to the oval, behind the Library/TRAC)

We’re so grateful to have the BIG PURPLE BUS (aka the Food Bank Mobile Supermarket) visiting us each week throughout Term 2! This fantastic service provides fresh produce and essential groceries to over 150 local families every week.

*Bookings are essential
*Don’t forget to bring 2 shopping bags
*Book online here: https://foodbankvictoriamarkets.appointedd.com

Donations Welcome – Help Us Keep the Good Things Going!

Every week, TNH runs a range of free community wellness activities to support connection and wellbeing in our neighbourhood. Our regular activities include:

• Community Craft Connections
• Let’s Move – gentle movement for young adults with disabilities
• All Seasons – nature craft for all abilities
• PRACE English Class
• Mindful Meditation
• Friendship Café
• Promisetown Playgroup
• Arabic Playgroup (with Jeeran Services)
• Little Diggers – after school family fun club
• Women’s Painting Circle

New participants are always welcome!
If you’d like to support what we do, we welcome a small gold coin donation when you attend — every bit helps us to continue offering these programs to strengthen our local community.

Need more info? Visit www.tnh.org.au or email manager@tnh.org.au.

☕ Come Say Hi at the Coffee Cart!

Did you know TNH runs a Social Enterprise Coffee Cart?
We're open Monday to Friday from 9am–12pm, right in the Lounge area of the Thomastown Library. It’s the perfect spot to catch up with friends, hold a casual meeting, or get some work done in one of the co-working hubs nearby.

We serve up great coffee (thanks to Coffee Mio!) and our team of friendly, trained baristas are always ready to make your day with a warm cuppa and a smile. We accept cash and card, and every purchase helps support our programs and young adults in hospitality training.

Come by and say hello — your support means the world to us!

Exciting Hub news ...