Students Dental Van checkups

Last week, we were pleased to welcome the Dental Van to support the dental health of our Thomastown West students. It was wonderful to see so many students happily having their teeth checked and learning more about the importance of good dental hygiene habits for life.

Programs such as this help students understand how caring for their teeth and gums contributes to their overall health and wellbeing. Students learned valuable messages about brushing, healthy eating, and regular dental check-ups in a positive and supportive environment.

We thank the dental team for visiting our school and helping our students build healthy habits that will benefit them well into the future.

     

Student Illness

As the weather becomes colder we are more likely to have children who become sick at school. Please ensure your child is well enough to cope with the demands of a classroom if they have already been unwell in the morning or over the weekend. We have sent some sick children home over the last fortnight and in a number of cases they have come to school being unwell. TWPS staff can only offer basic first aid. If your child is running a fever, coughing persistently and/or obviously unwell, they really need a warm bed and rest. Please do not send sick children to school as it is your responsibility to make provision for their care. If we ring you to collect your child it is important that you come straight away or make arrangements for your child to be collected. Thank you for understanding. We appreciate your continued support.

STEM Gardening

Our Prep–1 students have been busy working in the Community Garden with Mr Crotti! Students enjoyed getting their hands dirty as they helped clear out weeds, prepare the garden beds, and plant new seeds ready for the growing season.

Gardening provides wonderful opportunities for students to learn about sustainability, teamwork, responsibility, and caring for the environment. It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm and excitement from our youngest learners as they worked together in the garden.

Be sure to check out the photos of our students hard at work in the Community Garden below.

                                                                    
 

Sovereign Hill Excursion

Our Grade 4/5 and Grade 5/6 students recently enjoyed an exciting day at Sovereign Hill as part of their learning in Australian History.

Throughout the day, students were immersed in life during the gold rush era, exploring historical buildings, participating in hands-on activities, and learning about what life was like in the 1850s. The excursion provided students with valuable opportunities to connect their classroom learning with real-life experiences and deepen their understanding of Australia’s past.

A highlight of the day was seeing students engage so enthusiastically with the interactive experiences and historical demonstrations. We thank all staff and volunteers who helped make the excursion such a successful and memorable learning experience for our students

Attitudes to School Surveys underway

Over the past few weeks, Mr Crotti and Mrs Colakovski have been working with our Grade 4, 5 and 6 students to complete the Attitudes to School Survey. As part of the process, students have participated in small group discussions and reflections about their experiences at school, including the programs, supports and opportunities available to them.

The survey provides valuable student voice data that helps us better understand what is working well across our school and where we can continue to improve. This information plays an important role in our future planning and helps guide decisions around student wellbeing, engagement and learning for the years ahead.

We thank our students for the thoughtful and honest way they contributed to these discussions and surveys.

Principals are learners too - Conferences

Mrs Young and Mr Crotti attended the Whittlesea Network Conference where they participated in a range of professional learning sessions focused on Aboriginal perspectives, Artificial Intelligence in education, leadership, and the ways people and leaders make decisions within schools and organisations.

This week, they are also attending the State Principals’ Conference in Melbourne CBD alongside thousands of principals and assistant principals from across Victoria. The conference provides valuable opportunities for school leaders to learn together, share ideas, and explore current educational research and practices that support improved outcomes for students.

We value opportunities such as these, as they help strengthen leadership capacity and bring new ideas and learning back to our school community.

Curriculum Day June 9

No students are to attend school on this date. If you require care for your child while you work or run errands, please check with Theircare - our out of school hours care provider to join their full-day program. All students will return to their regular classroom routines on Wednesday, June 10. We encourage you to add this date to your calendars and fridge planners so you can easily plan ahead. If you have any questions regarding the pupil-free day or Term 3 programming, please reach out to the School Office for further information.

Record Chess Club Attendance

Our Wednesday Lunch time Chess Club reached its highest attendance on Wednesday last week, with a fantastic turnout of students eager to take part.

Each session begins with Xavier, our chess teacher, demonstrating and discussing a game to help students build their skills and understanding of strategy. Students then have the opportunity to put their learning into practice by playing against one another in a supportive and engaging environment.

It has been wonderful to see so many students getting involved and giving chess a go. The program is offered free of charge, making it an inclusive opportunity for students to develop problem-solving, concentration, and critical thinking skills while having fun with their peers.

Eid Mubarak to Our School Community ?

We would like to wish all of our families celebrating Eid al-Adha a very happy and peaceful Eid Mubarak.

Eid al-Adha is one of the most important celebrations in the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims around the world. The celebration recognises the values of kindness, generosity, sacrifice, and helping others. Many families celebrate by gathering together for prayers, sharing meals, spending time with loved ones, and giving to those in need through acts of charity.

Celebrations such as Eid provide an important opportunity for families and communities to come together and reflect on gratitude, compassion, and community spirit.

At our school, we are proud to celebrate the rich cultural and religious diversity within our community and value the opportunity to learn from one another’s traditions and celebrations.

We wish all families celebrating a joyful and blessed Eid Mubarak. ?✨

TWPS CURRICULM DAYS 2026
*Students do NOT attend school on these days*

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

TERM DATES 2026

On Thursday 11th June, our Student Representative Council (SRC) will be holding a Sports Gear Day! Students are invited to wear their favourite sports clothes or team colours instead of their school uniform by bringing a gold coin donation. All funds raised will be donated to Team Sports 4 All.

At Thomastown West Primary School, we recognise the important role sport plays in supporting children’s physical health, confidence, friendships and sense of belonging. Team Sports 4 All is an organisation committed to ensuring that all children have the opportunity to participate in team sport, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.

The organisation assists families with sporting costs such as registration fees, uniforms and equipment, while also providing ongoing support to help children remain involved, build connections and feel included within their local sporting communities. Their programs also promote greater inclusion by supporting girls’ participation in sport and working closely with multicultural communities to ensure children from diverse backgrounds can access opportunities to participate.

Participation in sport can have a significant positive impact on children’s wellbeing, resilience, teamwork and school engagement. We are proud to support initiatives that help make community sport more accessible for all children.

To learn more about the organisation, please visit Team Sports 4 All.

 TERM 2 WEEK 5

Rania	Room 2	For striving to be her best when role playing the problem in The Three Billy Goats Gruff story.
Jessica	Room 3	For doing her best in writing and concentrating hard to stay on the lines.
Kenan	Room 5	For such a fantastic job with his Goldilocks retell. Keep it up, Kenan!
Arshia	Room 6	For taking responsibility for your learning by asking for feedback when you are unsure and always trying your best to improve.
Mohammad	Room 9	For demonstrating an excellent attitude by contributing regularly and striving for success.
Alexandra	Room 10	For striving to be her best at Netball and working hard to improve her skills.
Steven	Room 11	For his enthusiasm in writing. He gave careful consideration to the writer's tools to enhance his writing. A fantastic effort!
Israa	Room 15	For always attempting difficult and challenging tasks. You give everything a go! Well done ?
Aaron	Room 18	For showing respect in the classroom by acting in a positive way, following instructions and always being ready to learn.
Ashraf	ART	For staying focussed in Art sessions and taking great care and pride in his art work.

Brian	Room 2	For striving to be his best when writing facts about Platypuses.
Sam	Room 3	Showing responsibility by remembering to bring his reader bag to school.
Andreya	Room 5	For always being such a diligent worker and trying her best in all her learning.
Aishwarya	Room 6	For always having a positive attitude towards your learning and always striving to be your best. You are a superstar!
Haneen	Room 9	For having shown excellent focus in your work and living our school values. Well done, Haneen!
Miracle	Room 10	For striving to be her best in all that she does. Well done and keep up the hard work!!
Luli	Room 11	By writing and illustrating her understandings of the Gold Rush with great care.Luli worked hard to show what she had learned and took pride in her work. Well done, Luli!
Aura	Room 15	For striving to do her best at all times and extend herself in all areas of the curriculm.
Nour	Room 18	For striving to be his best during maths by staying focused, showing persistence and putting in his best effort.
Zaineb Rm 15	ART	For listening respectfully to others, working productively and helping to keep the art room clean and tidy. Thank you Zaineb!

CUP OF LIFE

Term 2 Week 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 rooms that had the BEST ATTENDANCE for Week 5 Term 2 is Room 06 and for Week 6 Term 2 is Room 05.


Which class will have the best attendance and win the FREE bowling excursion at the end of the year??

TERM 2

TERM 1

Get ready for our next exciting fundraiser on
Wednesday 17th June — it’s Pyjama Day!

Students and staff are invited to come to school dressed in their coziest, warmest pyjamas for a fun-filled day together. To make the day even sweeter, students can pre-order a delicious donut and flavoured milk combo for just $8.00.

Please make sure all orders are returned by Monday 15th June.

As always, we truly appreciate the wonderful support from our parents and carers. If you are available to help on the day, please see Mrs El Zoobi at the office.

We can’t wait for a comfy and fun day while raising funds together!


         

                              

Autumn TNH News

The month of May has been full of art, ideas and Autumn leaves at Thomastown Neighbourhood House! It has been wonderful to see so many activities taking place in our outdoor spaces, enjoying the Autumn sunshine — and we’ve even embraced a few rain puddles along the way too… making our outdoor mud kitchen extra muddy!

Poppi at Women’s Making Circle. Autumn Art


Our Community Coffee Van has been brewing daily, Playgroup numbers continue to grow as new families and babies join the group and activities like Little Diggers Family Fun Club are attracting record attendance now that we are located next door to Thomastown West Primary School.

As we head into winter, many of our activities will move indoors into our warm and welcoming double Classroom at Thomastown Neighbourhood House and we look forward to welcoming new participants each week. At our Neighbourhood House there are no strangers — only friends we haven’t met yet. So whether it’s meditation, gardening, English classes or Women’s Making Circle, we encourage you to come in, connect and keep warm with community this winter.

Happy Eid Al- Adha! From everyone at Jeeran Arabic Playgroup

Pizza & Play at Little Diggers Family Fun Club 

TNH would like to say a HUGE thankyou to the generous team at Ben Venuti who surprised us with a donation of 20 pizzas! Perfectly timed with the start of Term Two Little Diggers, families were welcomed with delicious food alongside all the usual fun—craft activities, outdoor games and a relaxed afternoon tea together.

Thanks to all who popped in and joined in the fun and thanks again to ‘BEN VENUTI’ Pizzaria!

Little Diggers runs every Thursday from 3:15–5:00pm and is a fantastic, free way for local families with Primary School aged kids to connect and unwind at the end of the day. No registration needed—just come along! (Children must be accompanied by an adult.)

Playgroup News

It has been a joy to welcome so many new babies, parents and carers to Promisetown Playgroup this term at Thomastown Neighbourhood House. Each week our play spaces are filled with laughter, conversation, music and connection as local families come together to learn, play and build friendships within the community

Congratulations to the Ward Family on the arrival of the Twins!

We are also delighted to see growing participation in the Arabic Playgroup facilitated by Jeeran Services each Monday, as well as the wonderful Small Talk Playgroups delivered by City of Whittlesea on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in partnership with TNH. It is wonderful to see families from many different backgrounds connecting through play, language and shared experiences in such a welcoming environment.

We’re also excited to welcome members of the DPV Health team to deliver a special session for our playgroup families on Thursday 4 June from 10am–12pm. This informal session, Communication Development for Children 0–3 Years of Age, will explore typical communication development in young children, including when to seek support and practical strategies families can use to encourage communication and language development at home.

Amazing Interns

At Thomastown Neighbourhood House, we are proud to continue our valued partnership with Stott's College through the Community Services Internship Program. Each term, we welcome a team of Bachelor of Community Services students who contribute their time, energy and enthusiasm to programs across the Neighbourhood House. Many of these students also bring the valuable lived experience of settling in Australia from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, enriching our community with their insight, compassion and cultural knowledge. 

Through the internship program, meaningful friendships are formed and students gain valuable hands-on experience within the community sector while supporting local families and participants. This month, we would especially like to recognise Arpana Dharel from Nepal, who has recently completed 200 hours of placement with TNH. We thank Arpana for her warmth, dedication and contribution to our community, and we wish her all the very best with her future studies and career journey. 

                        

Activities available for you and your family

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 Term

Need Help or Have Questions?

You are always welcome to visit us.

Open: Monday – Friday, 9am – 3pm

Thomastown Neighbourhood House @ The Hub, TWPS
Located at the Hub, next to the school

M: 0488 224 439
manager@tnh.org.au