Dear Parents and Caregivers,
As we enter the final week of the school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible year we’ve had and express my gratitude to everyone who has contributed to making it so special.
Thank You, Ethel
First, a big thank you to Ethel, our Principal for the Day, for her outstanding work in leading last week’s Principal’s update! Ethel did an amazing job, both in the update, and throughout the day visiting classrooms and making important decisions. If you missed Ethel’s video update I highly recommend watching it here.
Celebrating a Great Year
This year has been one to celebrate, with so much achieved by our students, families, and staff. From academic growth to creative performances and thriving community events, 2024 has shown what a strong and vibrant community we are at PMPS. These achievements are only possible through the shared effort of everyone involved, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together.
Staffing Update
We’ve made the final adjustments to our staffing model for next year:
- Teagan Barrack will be taking leave in the second half of next year. Rather than placing her in a classroom for the entire year as planned, she will relieve Ms. Wendy in Year 2, who is taking long service leave for much of Term 1.
- We welcome Karen Kasasih to our Year 3 team. Karen is a recent graduate who will bring fresh energy and perspective to our teaching team.
- Melinda Keenan, who has been part of our intervention team, will finish up with us at the end of the year. I’d like to thank Melinda for her invaluable contributions to our school.
- Mary Veness and Gigi Bone from our office will also be finishing up with us at the end of the year. Thank you both Gigi and Mary for everything you’ve done for our school community.
- Declan, Jacob, and Emmanuel from our classroom-based ES team will also be finishing up, and we wish them all the best in their next endeavours.
This week we’re farewelling several other staff who are leaving us, as I shared in my last Principal’s update.
We’ll be sharing a full staffing summary early in 2025 to keep everyone informed.
Intervention in 2025
As we aim to future-proof our staffing model in light of lower enrolment projections, staff previously allocated to intervention will return to classroom teaching roles next year. We are currently exploring the best ways to run our intervention program at a more sustainable cost ensuring its long-term viability. This is an essential program, and I’ll provide further updates to the community early next year on the next steps in this process.
A Huge Thank You to the PFA
I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our Parents and Friends Association (PFA) for their enormous fundraising effort this year. The Fete was more successful than ever, raising an incredible $60,000, and overall, the PFA has raised over $130,000 this year.
These funds are more important than ever as we navigate school-wide changes to our teaching and learning practices to align with evidence-based approaches, while also managing the challenges of reduced annual Department resourcing due to our enrolment changes. PFA-raised funds are critical to maintaining the high standards of our resources and facilities, equipping classrooms, and upskilling teachers to succeed in the new model.
A special thank you to Kate Esam, our PFA President, and everyone who has supported the PFA this year. Your contributions make a huge difference to the experience of our students and staff. If you’re in a position to get involved with the PFA next year, I highly encourage you to consider joining. It’s one of the things that truly makes our school special.
End-of-Year Celebrations
This week, we’ll be celebrating the end of the year with several important events, including our Christmas Concert and the Year 6 Graduation. I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate the graduating Class of 2024 on all they have achieved this year. You’ve grown in many ways, and I wish you all the best as you embark on your secondary school journey.
Wishing You a Wonderful Break
Finally, I’d like to thank each of you for being part of our school community this year. It’s been a privilege to work alongside such dedicated families, students, and staff. I wish you all a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable break, and I look forward to seeing you refreshed and ready for another fantastic year in 2025.
Warm regards,
Tom Cain