TWPS Newsletter No.16 2025
12th December 2025
Term 4 Week 10 Information
As the year draws to a close, this is our final newsletter for the year. Mr Crotti and I would like to acknowledge the outstanding commitment of the Thomastown West staff, whose professionalism and care consistently exceed expectations in their support of our students and families. We extend our thanks to our skilled teaching staff, our compassionate and highly effective Wellbeing team, our dedicated Education Support staff, and our exceptional Office team, whose work behind the scenes to keep the school running smoothly.
We also sincerely thank our parents, carers, and wider school community for the strong partnership you have maintained with the school throughout 2025. At Thomastown West, we recognise that student learning and wellbeing are strongest when school and home work together. In particular, we acknowledge the parents and carers who have generously volunteered their time to support School Council, excursions and fundraising initiatives.
Finally, we commend our students for their effort, growth, and commitment to living our school values of Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, and Empathy. Your achievements across learning, wellbeing, and leadership this year are a source of great pride for our school community.
Carnevale
Last Thursday’s Carnevale was a wonderful celebration for our whole school community. Thank you to Mr Rosa for setting up the night and all the teachers who came up with songs, costumes and practised with their classes. A huge thank you to the parents who helped run the sausage sizzle, and to everyone who came along, supported the event, and bought a sausage and drink. Our students had an amazing time performing their songs from around the world, sharing music and culture with energy and pride. Be sure to check out the photos in this newsletter and the performance videos on ClassDojo!
Aboriginal Perspectives Excursion
Our Koorie students enjoyed a fantastic excursion to the Melbourne Museum with Mr Crotti and Mrs Jones. Travelling in by train added to the excitement of the day, and the museum’s exhibits sparked plenty of curiosity and conversation. A special highlight was when some students spotted photos of their own relatives featured in the displays, creating a meaningful and memorable connection to their learning. It was an enriching experience, and the students had a wonderful time exploring together.
Funfields
Our Grade 5/6 students enjoyed an exciting day at Funfields on Wednesday. They represented our school beautifully, consistently showing our values through their behaviour, teamwork, and support for one another. Students had a fantastic time on the rides, in the water attractions, and spending the day together. It was a fun and memorable experience for everyone involved. We hope you enjoy the photos below.
Chess Club
Congratulations to the Chess Club students who won medals as a result of the TWPS Term 4 weekly tournament:
✅ 1st: Otto and Kaiden
✅ 3rd:Cyrus
✅ Most improved player: Mia
We will present the medals at next week's, last day of school assembly.
2026 Transition Sessions
We have continued our school transition program this week, with students participating in their fifth transition session on Thursday afternoon. These sessions allow children to interact with others in different rooms, make new friends and make connections with different teachers in preparation for 2026. At TWPS we are committed to providing supportive, balanced and productive learning environments for all students.
Cup of Life
Room 3 has proudly won the Cup of Life attendance award for the year! Their consistent effort and commitment to coming to school every day has earned them a fantastic prize, a free pizza lunch and a visit from Chris the Magician. Chris had every child and adult in the room laughing! Congratulations to all the students in Room 3 for their outstanding attendance and the positive example they’ve set for our whole school.
Goodbye and Good luck to Mrs Budgeon, Ms Taylor and Miss Ilic
As we come to the end of the year, we say goodbye to several valued members of our teaching team who have secured positions in other schools for 2026. While it is always sad to see colleagues move on, we are incredibly proud of their achievements and the exciting opportunities ahead of them.
- Mrs Budgeon has been appointed to a teaching role at another school.
- Miss Ilic has also secured a new teaching position for 2026.
- We also hope to welcome back Miss Taylor next year, who may be joining us for CRT work.
Although they will be greatly missed, we know they will continue to shine in their new roles. We wish them every success and happiness in the next chapter of their careers. Thank you for being a special part of our Thomastown West family.
Reports will be on Compass
Student reports will be available on Compass from 3:00pm Wednesday, December 17. Please keep an eye out for Compass notifications to ensure you don’t miss them. If you require a paper copy of your child’s report, please contact the office and they will be happy to assist.
Thomastown Neighbourhood House is moving into our Hub from 2026!
We are thrilled to announce that Thomastown Neighbourhood House (TNH) will be joining our Community Hub from 2026. School Council has approved a five-year lease arrangement, and TNH will begin moving in over the holidays. This partnership will bring a wide range of programs and opportunities to our local community, including a coffee van operated by local residents. We look forward to welcoming Thomastown Neighbourhood House and seeing our Hub continue to grow as a vibrant community space.
The Side by Side team will be ending work with Thomastown West Primary School at the end of Term 4. We are grateful for your trust in working with us and proud of the commitment students, families and educators have shown to improving school attendance and learning. We have enjoyed working with all our families and have loved building connections and watching your children grow and flourish at school
We wish you all the best for the future, Scott, Eva and Matthew
School Council
On Tuesday 9th December, School Council met for the last meeting of 2025 and reviewed our draft 2026 budget and reviewed one final policy for the year. School Council will meet again in February, before elections in March 2026. We would like to thank all the School Council members for their work over 2025.They have been dedicated and committed to continuing the effective governance of our school.
Parent Representatives
Caz (School Council President)
Zac
Emily
Rein
Joel
Nsiken
Zeidan
Slav - Community Member
Department Representatives
Suzi
Violeta
Effie
James
Sandi
A message from the 2026 TWPS BAND:
Happy and Safe Holiday
We wish all our students, families, and staff a happy and safe holiday break. If you are looking for a fabulous and comedic Magician for a party please refer to the details below!
Thank you for a wonderful year of learning, community, and connection. Enjoy your time with family and friends, stay safe, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back on January 28 for the start of another great school year.
James Crotti Sandi Young
Assistant Principal Principal 
Important Dates: Term 4 Week 10
Tue | 16 Dec | Grade 6 Graduation |
Fri | 19 Dec | Last day of Term 4 |
2026 Important Dates
Tue | 27th Jan | CURRICULUM DAY |
Wed | 28th Jan | Grade 1 - 6 Students begin Term 1 Preps do not attend (Prep assessment interviews begin) |
Tue | 03 Feb | Preps begin Term 1 at TWPS |
Mon | 09-13 Feb | 5/6 Camp Cottage by the sea |
Mon | 09 Mar | LABOUR DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY |
Wed | 11-23 Mar | NAPLAN Grade 3 & Grade 5 |
Wed | 25 Mar | CURRICULUM DAY (Students do not attend school) |
Tue | 31 Mar | PARENT/STUDENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES |
Thur | 2 April | Last day of Term 1 Whole school assembly 12pm Students dismissed at 1.15pm |
TWPS CURRICULM DAYS 2026
*Students do NOT attend school on these days*
| Term | Date |
| Term 1 | Tuesday 27th January 2026 Wednesday 28th March 2026 |
| Term 2 | Tuesday 9th June 2026 |
| Term 3 | Tuesday 8th September 2026 |
| Term 4 | Monday 2nd November 2026* |
*Whole School Professional Practice Day for Staff. Students do not attend school.
TERM DATES 2026
Term | Starting date | Finishing date |
Term 1 | Years 1 - 6: Wednesday 28th January Prep students: Tuesday 3rd February | Thursday 2nd April |
Term 2 | Monday 20th April | Friday 26th June |
Term 3 | Monday 13th July | Friday 18th September |
Term 4 | Monday 5th October | Friday 18th December |
Wellbeing Term 4 Week 10
Farewell to 2025
As we reach the end of another busy and rewarding year, we want to take a moment to thank our entire school community. To our families, thank you for your ongoing support, partnership and trust. It truly makes a difference in the wellbeing and success of our students. It has been a privilege to work alongside you and to watch your children learn, grow and flourish throughout 2025.
We would also like to acknowledge and thank our incredible teachers and education support staff. Their dedication, patience, care and commitment to every student plays a vital role in creating a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment. We are deeply grateful for all they do, every day.
To our fantastic Grade 6 students, CONGRATULATIONS on reaching this exciting milestone! We are so proud of the young people you have become. As you move into secondary school, we wish you every success in your new adventures. May you carry confidence, kindness and resilience with you as you take on new challenges. We know you will continue to shine.
As we head into the holiday break, we encourage everyone to take time to rest and recharge. If your family celebrates Christmas, we wish you a very Merry Christmas. If you don’t, we still hope your holidays are filled with joy, connection and moments that make you smile. And of course, we hope all our students (and adults!) spend plenty of time outdoors—soak up the sunshine, enjoy the fresh air and look after your wellbeing with a healthy dose of vitamin D.
Stay safe, look after yourselves, and enjoy the break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in the new year.
Warm wishes,
Mrs Santiglia and Mrs Colakovski
Use this link to access KIDS HELPLINE
Things to see and do in Whittlesea
Discover the wide variety of activities and attractions in the City of Whittlesea.
Explore this section to find local events, arts and cultural activities, parks, community centres, sports facilities and much more.
Whether you're looking for a place to relax, get active, or engage with the community, you'll find plenty of options to explore and enjoy.
https://www.whittlesea.vic.gov.au/Things-to-see-and-do
Attendance Awards: Term 4 Week 9 &10
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.
Student Attendance Report
| Years P/1 | Term 4 Week 9 | Term 4 Week 10 | Years 5/6 | Term 4 | Term 4 | |
| Room 02 | 85% | 86% | Room 9 | 89% | 87% | |
Room 3 | 86% | 91% | Room 10 | 85% | 61% | |
Years 1/2 | Term 4 | Term 4 |
| Room 11 | 69% | 82% |
Room 5 | 91% | 85% | Years 3/4 | Term 4 | Term 4 | |
Room 6 | 90% | 79% | Room 15 | 90% | 88% | |
|
|
|
| Room 17 | 89% | 81% |
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:
* Term 4 Week 9 is Room 5
* Term 4 Week 10 is Room 3
Congratulations to the following students who have achieved 100% attendance in Term 4!
Zara M Rm 2
Amira A Rm3
Arshia Rm 3
Aiyanna Rm 5
Israa Rm 6
Georgie Rm 6
Mohammed D Rm 2
Ava M Rm 6* 100% attendance for the year
Hannah Rm 10
Emaan Rm 15
Adem Rm 15
Steven L Rm 15
Kaiden Rm 15
Sara A Rm 17
Zuhdi Rm 17
Ibrahim Rm 17
Alex M Rm 17
Aysha S Rm 17
Term 4
| Term 4 Week 1 | Term 4 Week 2 | Term 4 Week 3 | Term 4 Week 4 | Term 4 Week 5 | Term 4 Week 6 | Term 4 Week 7 | Term 4 Week 8 | Term 4 Week 9 | Term 4 Week 10 | |
| Room 2 | ||||||||||
| Room 3 | 93% | 96% | 95% | 95% | 91% | |||||
| Room 5 | 92% | 90% | 88% | 91% | ||||||
| Room 6 | 91% | |||||||||
| Room 15 | ||||||||||
| Room 17 | ||||||||||
| Room 9 | ||||||||||
| Room 10 | ||||||||||
| Room 11 |
Term 3
| Term 3 Week 1 | Term 3 Week 2 | Term 3 Week 3 | Term 3 Week 4 | Term 3 Week 5 | Term 3 Week 6 | Term 3 Week 7 | Term 3 Week 8 | Term 3 Week 9 | |
| Room 2 | |||||||||
| Room 3 | 97% | 91% | |||||||
| Room 5 | 92% | 96% | |||||||
| Room 6 | |||||||||
| Room 15 | |||||||||
| Room 17 | |||||||||
| Room 9 | |||||||||
| Room 10 | 93% | 92% | 88% | ||||||
| Room 11 |
Term 2
| Term 2 Week 2 | Term 2 Week 3 | Term 2 Week 4 | Term 2 Week 5 | Term 2 Week 6 | Term 2 Week 7 | Term 2 Week 8 | Term 2 Week 9 | Term 2 Week 10 | |
| Room 2 | |||||||||
| Room 3 | 90% | 94% | |||||||
| Room 5 | 95% | ||||||||
| Room 6 | |||||||||
| Room 15 | |||||||||
| Room 17 | |||||||||
| Room 9 | 95% | 87% | |||||||
| Room 10 | 92% | ||||||||
| Room 11 | 94% |
Term 1
| Term 1 Week 2 | Term 1 Week 3 | Term 1 Week 4 | Term 1 Week 5 | Term 1 Week 6 | Term 1 Week 7 | Term 1 Week 8 | Term 1 Week 9 | Term 1 Week 10 | |
| Room 2 | |||||||||
| Room 3 | 97% | 97% | 94% | 94% | |||||
| Room 5 | |||||||||
| Room 6 | 97% | 97% | 89% | ||||||
| Room 15 | |||||||||
| Room 17 | |||||||||
| Room 9 | 79% | ||||||||
| Room 10 | 92% | ||||||||
| Room 11 |
Class Dojo Champions: Term 4 Week 9 & 10
Term 4 | Term 4 Week 9 | Term 4 Week 10 |
| Prep 1 | Aarosh 3 Dojo points | Supreet 3 Dojo points |
Grade 1/2 | Dian 4 Dojo points | Aycha 13 Dojo points |
Grade 3/4 | Maggie 14 Dojo points | Emaan 6 Dojo points |
Grade 5/6 | Kendrick 5 Dojo points | Ahmed 10 Dojo points |
Most Dojo points Prep - 6 | Maggie 14 Dojo points | Ahmed 14 Dojo points |
| Room 2 with 42 Dojo points | Room 17 with 58 Dojo points |
Stars of the Week Term 4 Week 9 & 10
TERM 4 WEEK 9
Anaisha | Room 2 | For striving to be best and showing confidence when performing at the Carnevale. |
| Lilly | Room 3 | For being a respectful and empathetic friend to class peers all year! |
| Gary | Room 5 | For joining TWPS and settling into our classroom routines and expectations. |
| Yasamin | Room 6 | For joining TWPS as a new student and already showing all of our school values through her kindness, effort, and positive attitude. |
| Shakira | Room 9 | For always striving to be your best to live the school values . You have been an excellent role model in the class. Well done |
| Bilal | Room 10 | For striving to be his best in all his work. |
Sairon | Room 11 | Even as a new student, he has embraced our song for our Carnevale celebration with enthusiasm, and is striving to be his best |
Adem | Room 15 | For doing a wonderfully creative job on his ‘End of Year’ acrostic poem. |
| Sohaila | Room 17 | For trying hard to follow instructions and listen to the teacher |
| Lara | Art | For showing responsibility in the art room by making the right choices. |
| The TWPS School Choir | MUSIC | For an outstanding effort to practice regularly all year to achieve a variety of successful performances here at school and in the wider community. BRAVO!!! |
| Kendrick (Rm 10) | SCIENCE/STEM | For always striving to do his best in STEM and putting great effort into creating his LEGO designs. Keep up the amazing work! |
TWPS School Choir
Please scroll down to see Week 9 Photos
TERM 4 WEEK 10
| Joe | Room 2 | For striving to be his best when completing his clock face craft. |
| Zayn | Room 3 | For being responsible and working hard to learn his spelling words all year! |
| Murad | Room 5 | For demonstrating curiosity in your learning and consistently seeking new challenges. |
| Kehlani | Room 6 | For always listening carefully, showing outstanding responsibility, and being someone everyone can always rely on. |
| Diana | Room 9 | For consistently demonstrating respect towards classmates and teachers by listening attentively, valuing others' ideas, and showing kindness in all interactions. |
| Kendrick | Room 10 | Resilience |
| Mohamad | Room 11 | Even as a new student, Mohamad has shown positivity, and strived to be his best in all the work presented to him. |
| Jasmina | Room 15 | For consistently bringing a bright smile to our classroom each day and enthusiastically sharing news about her week during Morning Circle. |
| Aysha | Room 17 | For doing a wonderful job with her End of the year acrostic poem. |
| Mohammad (Rm 11) | Art | For showing determination and making a great start on his felt snap band. Keep it up, Mohammad! |
| The TWPS School Band | MUSIC | For working hard in rehearsals twice a week, all year, to put together a great band playing such a great variety of songs. BRAVO!!! |
TWPS School band
Please scroll down to see Week 10 Photos
Theircare Term 4 Week 10
Community News Term 4 Week 9&10
NEW LOCATION: TNH @ The Hub, TWPS
We are excited to announce that in January 2026, TNH will be opening at our new location: Thomastown Neighbourhood House @ The Hub, Thomastown West Primary School. The address is 112 Main St, Thomastown, next door to Thomastown West Primary School and close to the corner of Edgars Rd and Main St. Please see Map below for location. Please also note that best parking is at Edgars Rd IGA, then cross Edgars Rd safely at the lights.
Thomastown Neighbourhood house will reopen with the commencement of the school term on Tuesday 27th january 2026.
TNH Coffee Van
2026 sees many exciting developments for TNH including the launch of our TNH Social Enterprise COFFEE VAN! Located at TNH @ The Hub, TWPS, the TNH Coffee Team (including Andy, David, Alvin, Caitlyn and Emily) will be working Monday- Fri, 9- 12 to take your tea and coffee orders! So pop in for a coffee and check out our new location!
The TNH Social Enterprise Coffee Van is supported by the Scullin Stronger Communities Program. Huge thanks to Andrew Giles (MP) for his continued support!
TNH Semester 1 Program
MONDAY
Community Craft Connections
Craft, coffee & conversation
9am- 12pm
Location: TNH @ The Hub, TWPS
Arabic Playgroup
Presented in partnership with Jeeran Community Services
10.30am- 12.30pm
Location: TNH @ The Hub, TWPS
Let’s Move!
Movement to music for all abilities
1pm-2pm@TRAC
TUESDAY
All Seasons
Nature Craft for All Abilities
10am-12pm
Location: TNH @ The Hub, TWPS
English Class
Presented in partnership with PRACE
10am-1pm
To Book call: 03 9462 6077
Location: TNH @ The Hub, TWPS
Small Talk Playgroup
Presented in partnership with City of Whittlesea
10am-12pm
Location: Main St Pavillion
Wednesday
Mindful Meditation
Gentle guided meditation
10- 11am
Location: Barry Rd Community Centre
Conversation Café
A friendly group chat
11am- 12pm
Location: Barry Rd Community Centre
THURSDAY
Promisetown Playgroup
For 0- 5 yr olds
10am- 12pm
Location: TNH @ The Hub, TWPS
Little Diggers
Family Fun Club
3.30- 5pm
Location: TNH @ The Hub, TWPS
FRIDAY
Women's Making Circle
11am- 12.30pm
Location: TNH @ The Hub, TWPS
Special Notes
- All TNH activities are free and everyone is welcome to attend.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- TNH is a child safe organsiation.
- No bookings are needed, simply come and try and register on arrival.
- Gold Coin Donations are welcome and every bit of support helps us to support our community.
- TNH activities only take place during School Terms.
Thomastown Library Closure
Thomastown Library will be closed for an amenities upgrade from February 2026. TNH will not be able to access our TNH Room at the Library for the duration of the capital works. Smaller activities such as Meditation, English Class and All Seasons will return to the TNH Room at the Library in Semester Two, 2026. However, all our other activities (including Playgroups) will continue at our new location, TNH @ The Hub, TWPS into the future!
Thanks to our partners
As 2026 draws to a close, we would like to thank our partners:
Jeeran Services (Arabic Playgroup), PRACE (English Class), Stotts College (Community Services Interns who carry out Community Activity Assistant Roles), The Bridge (Support TNH Social Enterprise Coffee Cart), TRAC, Thomastown West Primary School, Thomastown Primary School, Friends of Edgars Creek and Yarra Plenty Regional Library. Also, particular thanks to City of Whittlesea: Active Places and Communities Team, Arts and Cultural Engagement Team, Festivals and Events Teams and Early Years Team.
TNH thanks the State Gov of Victoria and City of Whittlesea for ongoing financial support.
Free ROBOTICS/MATH workshop in Thomastown
https://www.facebook.com/share/1RurdYyH1C/
Or
https://moonhub.moonpreneur.com/mh/book-a-free-trial/in-person-thomastown/robotics?page_id=2628