Newsletter - Term 1 - Week 10 - 2 April 2025

Dear Ivanhoe East Community,

As Term 1 comes to a close, I want to take a moment to thank our students, staff, and families for their dedication and support throughout a busy and productive start to the school year.

Term 1 Principal’s Report

I am pleased to share our Term 1 Principal’s Report, which highlights key achievements, including:

• The successful participation of Year 3 and 5 students in NAPLAN.
• The introduction of The Stand Up Project, empowering Grade 6 students to lead by example.
• The launch of the ELSA phonics program in Prep and Grade 1 to support literacy development.
• The rollout of our new reporting cycle, ensuring families stay informed about student progress.
• A strong focus on student wellbeing, including the implementation of Positive Classroom Management Strategies and the use of Pivot Wellbeing Surveys to track student engagement and support needs.

You can read the full Term 1 Principal’s Report here: https://ivanhoeeastps.vic.edu.au/principal-s-report

Thank You – Parent-Teacher Conferences

A big thank you to all families who participated in this week’s Parent-Teacher Conferences. These meetings are a vital opportunity for open dialogue between teachers and parents, allowing us to:

• Discuss students’ academic progress, behaviour, and overall well-being.
• Address any concerns and collaboratively develop strategies to support student growth.
• Strengthen the partnership between home and school, ensuring that both parties work together to enhance each child’s learning experience and personal development.

We greatly appreciate your time and commitment to supporting your child’s education.

Easter Holiday Reminders

As we approach the Term 1 break, please take note of these key dates for Term 2:

• Monday, 21st April – Easter Monday (Public Holiday)
• Tuesday, 22nd April – Students return to school
• Friday, 25th April – ANZAC Day (Public Holiday)

We hope you have a restful and enjoyable holiday break and look forward to welcoming everyone back for another great term of learning and growth.

Thank you.

Ben Phillips,
Acting Principal

At Ivanhoe East Primary School, we understand that effective communication is key to building strong partnerships between families and the school. We also recognise that open, clear communication plays an essential role in supporting a balanced and well-rounded education for every student.

To support this, we’ve published a Communication Matrix on our website. This resource outlines the various channels we use, such as Compass, the school website, newsletters, and WhatsApp, and explains the purpose and type of information shared through each.

We encourage all parents and carers to take a few moments to familiarise themselves with the matrix, to ensure they stay informed and connected throughout the school year. You can access the Communication Matrix, and our overall approach to communication at https://ivanhoeeastps.vic.edu.au/how-we-communicate

The Second Hand Uniform shop is now located next to the front office.

It has now closed for Term 1.

In Term 2, our new opening times will be as follows:-

Fortnightly Fridays (onsite assembly weeks) - Fortnightly starting from Friday 9th May - 8.30-9.15am.

Fortnightly Tuesdays (digital news weeks) - Fortnightly starting from Tuesday 29th April - 8.30-9.15am.

Second Hand uniform items are available to purchase for $5 from the Second Hand Uniform shop. Payment is strictly card only. 

Reminder:-

We  ‘CANNOT’ accept items with stains and holes in them so please do not donate these items to the school. Shorts, Skorts, Skirts and Trackies are not needed either.

Thank you:-

We would also like to take this opportunity to say a big 'thank you' to all of our parent volunteers who give up their time and energy to help our school community.

With a special thanks to Sarah for running the uniform shop over the past few years. Sarah's dedication and hard work has kept the second hand uniform shop operating smoothly. Furthermore, it was Sarah who launched the 'uniform swaps' initiative, which has been whole heartedly embraced by the school community. Thank you Sarah!

We are excited to announce that on Friday, 4th April, the last day of Term 1, Ivanhoe East Primary School will be running a Whole School Tabloid Sports Day! This event is all about fun, teamwork, and getting active, with a range of engaging games designed to build collaboration and enjoyment for all students.

The day will be facilitated by the Educational Sports Carnivals team, who will bring the necessary equipment and activities. Our school staff and student leaders, including House and School Captains, will also be assisting to ensure a fantastic experience for everyone.

A special highlight of the day will be seeing our Grade 6 House Captains and Grade 5 Vice House Captains take on the responsibility of running a whole-school event for the first time! As this is a student-led initiative, parent assistance is not required, but if you'd like to drop by and see your child in action, you're more than welcome.

Schedule:

• 🕘 9:15 – 10:45 AM: Prep – Year 2 activities
• 🍎 11:00 – 11:30 AM: Recess
• 🏅 11:40 AM – 1:25 PM: Year 3 – Year 6 activities
• 🥪 1:40 – 2:10 PM: Lunch
• 🏫 2:10 – 2:30 PM: In classrooms before a 2:30 PM finish

What to Wear:

• Students are encouraged to wear their house colours to show their team spirit! Please ensure they are dressed appropriately for physical activity and have a hat, water bottle, and sunscreen.

Canteen Arrangements:

• Please note that there will be no over-the-counter sales on the day. Lunch orders will be available as usual.
• We look forward to a fun-filled day of teamwork, sportsmanship, and school spirit!

Looking forward to a fantastic day!

A huge congratulations to all our incredible swimmers who competed at the Regional Championships on Thursday 20th March. The team was thrilled to be at Watermarc proudly representing IEPS and every swimmer gave it their all. In what was a fiercely competitive event, our students held their own in every race and should be extremely proud of their efforts.

A special shoutout goes to our Boys 11-Year-Old Relay Team, who placed third overall—an outstanding achievement!

Thank you to all the parents and carers who came along to cheer from the side lines.

As the swimming season wraps up, we now look ahead to Cross Country, with our Years 3–6 students set to compete on Tuesday 29th April at Chelsworth Park. We’re excited for another fantastic term of sport, full of effort, energy and team spirit. Let’s keep the momentum going!

• Thursday 3 April - Whole School Hot Cross Bun Morning Tea 
• Thursday 26 June - Parents Battle of the bands - Book tickets below