Newsletter - Message from the Principal

Dear Parents/Carers

Welcome to our first newsletter of 2026. We welcome back our existing families and extend a warm welcome to any new families who are joining the Newbury Primary School community. We look forward to getting to know you and working together to ensure your child/ren thrive and grow.

This year, we will be having only one newsletter per term. Information that is required to be communicated will be sent out via Sentral. If you have not yet registered to use Sentral, please contact our office for assistance.

At Newbury Primary School, our aim is to provide a safe, secure, stimulating and calm learning environment where high expectations for academic pursuits and behaviour are the norm, where students feel valued, where their thoughts and opinions are considered and effort is recognised. Our classrooms provide a calm and orderly environment, where student wellbeing and engagement is at the centre of all that we do. We have a range of supports and resources available for students to use to assist with their social, emotional and academic learning. Out in the yard, you will see staff engaging respectfully with students, encouraging inclusive play and social interaction and supporting students to have a positive play experience. They will model kindness, empathy and gratitude.

Our Prep students are slowly getting used to routines and learning what life at school is all about. Many of them are tired by the end of the day! We have also had some tears when they realised they have to return day after day!

Our Creating a Community program was held during the first two weeks of the term. Creating a Community creates the foundation for classroom and yard expectations and routines and allows time for relationships to be developed. During this time, students participate in a range of activities to assist in getting to know each other and build trusting relationships.

Thank you to the families who have made Parent Payments. Parent Payments assist us in resourcing and equipment for our students; every little bit helps. A reminder that only cash is accepted at the office, we do not have an EFTPOS facility.  Payments can be made between 8:30am-3:45pm or by using the Qkr! app on your phone.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

Newbury Primary School’s uniform is a child friendly, stylish uniform that stands out within the community; we wear it with pride.

Please ensure that your child is wearing the uniform correctly.

The uniform is as follows:

  • Anything from the waist up needs to be an item with a school logo- this includes any jackets. Jackets that are not a school jacket are not permitted, this includes hoodies.
  • Pants, shorts and skirts need to be black only. Grey, blue or any other colour is not part of our uniform and is not acceptable.
  • Hats need to be broad brimmed. Hats and beanies are available to be purchased form the office. Please see our office staff for assistance.
  • Shoes can be any colour but they must be closed toe shoes for safety purposes.

Phone calls will be made to parents and carers whose child is not wearing the uniform correctly.

The Uniform Group is our uniform provider and they now have a shop located at 71 Potter Street Craigieburn just near the Craigieburn Train Station. They can be contacted on 9768 0344.

END OF TERM FINISHING TIMES

At the end of each term, Newbury Primary School students will be dismissed early.

Terms 1, 2 and 3: Students are dismissed at 2:10pm

Term 4: Students are dismissed at 1:10pm

Please mark these times and dates on your calendar.

SENTRAL

Newbury Primary School uses Sentral as our main form of communication. It is extremely important that you have this set up on your phone with notifications turned on. If you are having any trouble with accessing Sentral, please see our friendly office staff.

SCHOOL VISION, MISSION AND VALUES:

At Newbury Primary School, we are proud of the educational setting that we have created; where students are nurtured, listened to, cared for and their wellbeing is of the utmost importance. We strive to ensure that each student feels a sense of belonging and pride in themselves and their school. Our vision, mission and values clearly demonstrate this.

Our Vision

To provide a dynamic learning community where all students are empowered to learn and achieve personal success.

Our Mission

At Newbury Primary School we are committed to creating a safe, secure, educationally stimulating, calm and nurturing learning environment underpinned by high expectations and the recognition of effort. We focus on the emotional, social and academic development of every student as an avenue of developing confident, creative, compassionate and informed citizens who are actively engaged in their community.  The strong sense of community is evident in the continuous, honest and open dialogue between all stakeholders.

The core beliefs we advocate are:

  • Student wellbeing and engagement is at the centre of all that we do
  • A positive attitude to academic and social learning is essential
  • Personal effort is to be recognised and valued

Our Values

The values that define our school community are:

Respect: Demonstrating care and consideration for ourselves and the feelings, opinions, belongings and expectations of others.

Integrity: Demonstrating honesty and trust through personal accountability and responsibility for our actions.

Effort: Demonstrating a positive attitude and the desire and determination to learn new skills, strive for improvement and be persistent.

Community: Demonstrating and promoting a sense of belonging, unity and connection that is strengthened by a clear understanding of the expectations of all members.

 

CHILD SAFE STANDARDS:

Ministerial Order 1359 - Child Safe Standards - Managing the Risk of Child Abuse in Schools provides guidance on how the Standards apply to a school setting. It came into effect on 1 August 2016.  To implement the minimum Standards in accordance with the Order school governing authorities must:

take account of the diversity of all children, including (but not limited to) the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disabilities, and children who are vulnerable; and make reasonable efforts to accommodate such diversity. Our Child Safe Standards policies are available to view on our school website www.newburyps.vic.edu.au

BREAKFAST CLUB:

Our Breakfast Club has begun and we are so pleased to be able to offer this to our school community. It is a great pleasure and privilege to see the many smiling faces of students and their families enjoying a toasted sandwich, hot off the barbeque.

I would like to thank our many staff volunteers who assist in making this happen. Thank you also to Ms Currie and Mrs Spencer who oversee the organisation including food shopping and volunteer rosters.

The Breakfast Club runs every Friday morning, excluding the first and last week of each term, and delicious toasted cheese sandwiches are prepared, cooked and handed out with assistance from 8:00am-8:40am. Please come along, spend time together and meet other members of our school community.

A coffee van selling a range of delicious drinks will also be available for purchase. We ask that due to OHS, adults only line up to purchase a hot drink.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS:

We understand that you may want to do something special at school for your child to celebrate their birthday. Please be aware that only individual lolly bags are permitted to be given to classmates.  We thank you for your understanding.

VIDEOS/PHOTOGRAPHS:

Our school policy on photographing, filming and recording students whilst at school states that parent/carer consent needs to be given which is done upon enrolment.

For a complete copy of this policy, please see one of our friendly Office Staff.

GROUNDS UPDATES:

Work has commenced on our oval upgrade. This upgrade has been a long time coming and we are thrilled that it is underway.

The new artificially turfed oval will provide students with a large space to play a range of games including football, soccer and cricket. There will also be additional four square courts that students will be able to use.

See below for some progress photos.

    

       

    

NAPLAN:

Each year, students in Year 3 and 5 participate in the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) as part of the National Assessment Program which is a Federal Government initiative. Students are assessed in conventions of language, reading, writing and numeracy. 

In 2026, NAPLAN will be held during Term 1 from Wednesday 11th March – Monday 23rd March.

STUDENT FREE DAYS

The Department of Education grants schools four student free days per school year. The first day of the year (28th January) is compulsory for all schools to take. Council has approved the following student free days for 2026, to bring our total to four for the year. Please mark them on your calendar.

Friday 5th June

Friday 14th August

Monday 2nd November (day before Melbourne Cup Day)

Staff also have a Professional Practice Day on Friday 11th September where students are not required to attend.

OUT OF SCHOOL HOURS CARE:

We are proud to have TheirCare as our out of school hours provider. TheirCare is Australia's most popular Before and After Care School Provider.  With a strong focus on safety, staff retention and quality services, TheirCare has made a strong mark in the sector and continues to grow with support of school communities.

The focus of the program is a holistic approach including highly trained staff, more flexibility for families, better safety and supervision, and more engaging and meaningful activities for children.

If you have any specific requirements regarding your child’s care you can speak to the on-site coordinator Briana or call the support team on 1300 072 410.

To register and book your child go to www.theircare.com.au and click on “Book Now” in the top right hand corner of the screen.

EVERY DAY COUNTS:

Missing school can have a major impact on a child’s future – a student missing one day a fortnight will miss four full weeks by the end of the year. By Year 10 they’ll have missed more than a year of school.

There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind and can affect their educational outcomes.

Every day counts and coming to school every day is vital.

 

The types of absence that require Principal approval are:

  • Bereavement
  • School refusal
  • Family holiday
  • Cultural observance- example Eid, Ramadan
  • Leisure or social activities
  • Special event
  • Participation in elite sporting event/training

 

Please contact the Principal via the school email absences@newburyps.vic.edu.au to seek approval.

 

If your child is absent, please notify us using Sentral to explain their absences. All absences must be accounted for on the day of absence.

Students must arrive at school by 9:00am. Classroom doors are open from 8:50am to allow students time to settle in and get themselves organised, ready to start instruction at 9:00am. Arriving at school late interrupts student learning and classroom instruction.

 

THE EDUCATION EXECUTIVE

The Education Executive is made up of leadership staff who are responsible for overseeing an area of the school. Their role is to support the staff in the learning community and provide instructional leadership.

Prep- Mrs Sharon Slamin

Year 1- Miss Ashleigh Guldon

Year 2- Mrs Vanessa Lane

Year 3- Miss Airom Camua- Uyehara

Year 4- Miss Dalalle Rustom

Year 5- Ms Leonie Gasper

Year 6- Mrs Julie Daniells

Specialists- Mr Cameron Traill

Classroom Education Support- Mrs Michelle Nunn

Education Support (Administration)- Miss Aliesha Dellevergini

 

WE ARE PAPERLESS:

At Newbury Primary School, all information notices are delivered through Sentral and school website. Only notices that require parent permission will be sent home.

 

BIKES AND SCOOTERS

At Newbury Primary School we promote health and fitness and we encourage students to ride their bikes or scooters to school. Please make sure your child is wearing a helmet and that once they enter the school grounds, they walk their bike or scooter in. The bike sheds are located at the end of the building, near Classrooms 16 and 25. We also have a bike shed located near Gate 7.

OFFICE HOURS

Our office is open from 8:30am- 3:45pm. The Newbury entrance is for families before and after school, this gate will be shut during school hours.  Enquiries can be made during school hours by entering the office on Grand Boulevard.

SUPERVISION BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL

Please note that supervision for students before school commences at 8:45am and after school until 3:25pm.  Staff are not on duty beyond these times. Please do not drop off your child before this time or leave them waiting after school beyond this time as they will not be supervised.

ALL DAY GRAZING

At Newbury Primary School, we understand that students need food to fuel their brain and that they are hungry during the day. Therefore, we encourage students to bring along healthy snacks that they can munch on in class. Some ideas include: carrot sticks, cheese, rice crackers, fresh or dried fruit, yoghurt or vegetables. Please refrain from providing food that may affect any anaphylactic students such as nuts, kiwi fruit and strawberries.

We are very pleased that you are a part of our school community and thank you for choosing Newbury Primary School. We look forward to working together positively, so that we can provide the best learning environment and supports for your child.

Principal Class Learning Community

Michelle Nunn

Cameron Traill

Kate Plant

Belinda Rae

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