2026 IMPORTANT DIARY DATES
- Tuesday 3rd February: Parents and Friends Annual General Meeting
- Tuesday 10th February: District Swim Trials
- Tuesday 10th February: Foundation Welcome Picnic
- Tuesday 17th February: Get To Know You Interviews
- Thursday 19th February: Get To Know You Interviews
- Tuesday 24th February - School Photo Day
- Friday 27th February Year 3-6 Athletics Day at Willinda Park
- Monday 9th March: Labour Day
- Wednesday 11th March: NAPLAN for Year 3 and 5 students begins
- Monday 23rd March: NAPLAN last day
- Wednesday 25th March: Whole school Walk-a-thon
- 8th and 10th September - School Production
PUPIL FREE DAYS (TheirCare School Holiday Program will be available on pupil-free days)
- Dates for 2026 pupil-free days remain unconfirmed.
2026 CAMP DATES
- Year 6 Phillip Island Adventure Camp: 18 March to 20 March
- Year 5 Lady Northcote Discovery Camp: 07 October to 09 October
- Year 4 Anglesea Discovery Camp: 13 May to 15 May
- Year 3 Phillip Island Adventure Camp: 26 October to 28 October
2026 TERM DATES
- TERM 1: 28 January - 2 April
- TERM 2: 20 April - 26 June
- TERM 3: 13 July - 18 September
- TERM 4: 5 October- 18 December
First of all, a warm happy new year to everyone and I hope that the year has been kind to you so far. And while we are at it, a very warm welcome back, and first time welcome, to current and new Viewbank PS community members! Yesterday, saw our Grade 1 to 6 students commence their 2026 school year and today saw our 78 Foundation students start their educational journey attending our school ‘officially’ for the very first time. Always a highlight of the school year for all of us, and unforgettable, we hope, for our new Foundation students. Along with our 78 Foundation students we had more than 30 students commencing with us at other grade levels with a total enrolment, at this stage, of 663 students for 2026. From the staffing viewpoint, special welcomes to Izzy Hayes and Lily Wilkinson-Beards as they commence their teaching careers and glad that they commence these with us! I’d like to acknowledge Gordon Briddock’s first long-term full time teaching position with us as he takes over from Jane McLeod who takes on the Acting Principal role at Strathewen PS for Semester 1 this year. Georgina Convery is replacing Sandy Farley for Term 1 as Sandy takes a well-earned LSL break. Welcome back to Kelsey Mentiplay, Ellen Maxwell-Lopez, Kori Stuckey and Meredith Kearney from Family Leave, and good luck to Emma Sargeant and Jen Hall who transition to full time from part time roles. I will be working at a 0.8 time fraction this year with Friday being my day of non-attendance (in most cases). Gill Nicholls will be the acting principal on the day that I am not in attendance. Gill is also working at a 0.8 time fraction in 2026, with Tuesday being her day of non-attendance. Patrick Walsh will keep us both in line, being fulltime Assistant Principal. As always, Term 1 offers a number of highlights with ‘Getting To Know You’ interviews, Information Nights (virtual), School Swimming Trials, a Foundation and whole school picnic night, Junior School Council Elections, School Council Elections, House Athletics and more. Our newly appointed school captains will receive their badges at a special assembly on Friday, February 6 where once again we will be graced with the presence of Anthony Carbines, our local member and Minister for Police (amongst other portfolios). Anthony will present our 2026 school captains (Ryan Shu, Georgia Kent, Riley Cadusch and Saanvi Cataram) with their well earned captains badges at this gathering. The five-week break has meant a few projects have been able to be ticked off at school. There was painting and maintenance completed in the gymnasium and gym foyer, the gym floors received their annual recoat, there was painting in the breezeways, completion of the staff carpark, some new fencing in that same area and many other routine maintenance tasks completed. Like always, we encourage the community to keep informed by reading Compass and the newsletter religiously each week. As well, our school’s website is the font of much knowledge and information www.viewbankps.vic.edu.au, along with our school’s Facebook pages. We reiterate that whilst there are WhatsApp groups in operation that filter school information the first/primary source should always be Compass or the newsletter. If in doubt, please ring the General Office. We encourage you to ‘get involved’ in any way you can, which may include membership of some of our sub-committees (e.g. Parents and Friends, Buildings and Grounds,), membership of School Council (I will be calling for nominations in next week’s newsletter!), submitting an expression of interest to attend camps as a parent helper, attending working bees, being a ‘reading’ parent, assisting with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program and more ... the list goes on!! PUPIL FREE DAYS The first of our five pupil free days for 2026 was on Tuesday of this week, enabling staff to complete various inductions, to discuss plans for 2026 and to prepare for the school year. Other dates will be advised as soon as possible once they have been confirmed and approved by School Council. We generally try to ‘attach’ pupil free dates to either end of public holidays (e.g. Labor Day, King’s Birthday, Melbourne Cup Day) to enable families to plan ahead and perhaps contemplate a mid term ‘break’. SCHOOL SWIMMING TRIALS The Annual Swimming Trials for students in Grades 3 to 6 is set down for Tuesday, February 10 at the Water Marc pool in Greensborough. Please mark the date in your diary and come along and support your children!! SCHOOL COUNCIL The first School Council meeting for the year, and the last for this current School Council, will be held at school on Tuesday, February 10 from 7.00pm in the staffroom. I hope the start of the school year has gone well for everyone. Looking forward to catching up and chatting with everyone as the first few weeks unfold in different ‘forums’. Kind regards, Bill Kersing
Welcome to all of our new and returning students and families. I hope you all had an enjoyable and relaxing holiday break. It was great to see our Grade 1-6 students happily returning to school on Wednesday morning, catching up with friends and settling quickly into their new grades. Congratulations to all our new Foundation students who started their Viewbank learning journey today. They certainly looked the part in their school uniforms and seem to be confidently settling in. I’m sure we will hear more about their time at school throughout the term. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s wellbeing, mental health or progress please speak with your child’s teacher in the first instant, either personally or via email. If you still have concerns please contact the Leadership Team. There are many avenues for support if we know there is a concern. The Department of Education provides many relevant Parent and Carer resources to assist with student mental health and well-being which you can access online, and I often share in the newsletter.
Tips to support your child’s health and wellbeing Tips and resources available for parents and carers to support their child’s mental and physical health and wellbeing.
- Looking after your child’s wellbeing
- Looking after your child’s mental health
- Wellbeing activities for parents of primary school students
- Wellbeing activities for parents of secondary students
Wearing Hats at School Just a reminder ALL students must wear a school approved hat at school each day. As outlined in our school Sun Protection Policy (available on the school website)
- From mid-August to 30 April, all students must wear a sun protective hat that shades the face, neck and ears for all outdoor activities. Hats may also be worn for all outdoor activities outside of the August to April time period, by parent or student choice.
- A ‘No Hat, No Play’ rule will be enforced from mid August to the end of April. Students without hats will be restricted to playing in designated shaded areas during scheduled play breaks. During PE and sport lessons or during excursions a hat may be provided by the school for the duration of the activity if your child does not have their own.
Wearing and Applying Sunscreen As outlined in our school Sun Protection Policy (available on the school website)
- Viewbank Primary School encourages all staff and students to apply SPF30 (or higher) broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen daily whenever UV levels reach 3 and above.
- Viewbank Primary School has strategies in place to remind students to apply sunscreen before going outdoors, for example verbal and visual reminders in classrooms, sunscreen monitors, applying sunscreen together.
- Staff encourage children to apply their own SPF 30+ broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen before going outside to play or prior to Physical Education or Sport classes and provide time for application.
- At Viewbank Primary School, it is the responsibility of parents to provide their children with personal sunscreen, labelled with their name, to be used at school, during excursions and at the Out of School Hours Care facility in order to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction. Students are not allowed to share sunscreen. Teachers are not permitted to apply sunscreen to students.
- During school camps and sporting events students are encouraged to access school provided sunscreen. Staff and students who may suffer from allergic reactions from certain types of sunscreen are encouraged to provide their own personal sunscreen to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction.
I very much look forward to catching up with you as the term progresses. Enjoy the week. Gill
Welcome Back Welcome to the start of another exciting school year! I hope you all had a wonderful summer. I am incredibly grateful to be an assistant principal at Viewbank Primary School. Our school is filled with dedicated teachers, supportive staff, and eager students who are ready to learn and grow together. I have no doubt that this year will be filled with opportunities for personal and academic growth, as well as fun. Get To Know You Interviews You will be able to access Compass to book your child’s 2026 ‘Get To Know You Interview’ time from approximately 4:30pm on Tuesday 03 February. These will be held in-person on Tuesday 17 February and Thursday 19 February. These 10-minute meetings for classroom teachers, and 5-minute meetings with our specialist teachers, are an excellent opportunity for you to share important information regarding your child, information that will help the classroom teacher best support them to ensure that they can succeed in 2026. As it is very early in the year, teachers will be able to provide information on how your child has settled into their 2026 class. A comprehensive written report and interview regarding academic and social progress will be offered mid-year. If you are not sure where your child’s classroom is, please see this map:
Times will also be available with our specialist teachers (see information below); however, these are only available on the days that they work, and the number of slots that they have are limited. We strongly recommend that you only book a time with a specialist teacher if there is an important reason to do so (e.g. explaining to one of our PE teachers, Mr Peters or Mr Betson, that your child has a condition that may prevent full participation in PE classes). The booking system will close to further bookings on Thursday 12 February at 12pm. If you have any difficulties booking a time, feel free to contact the office (9459 1512 or viewbank.ps@education.vic.gov.au). I would like to thank the staff for giving up their evenings with their families and other commitments on these nights. Our staff do this because they recognise the importance of a strong school-home relationship, and that they value your input. We are fortunate to have such committed teachers and support staff at Viewbank Primary School! Specialist Classes Our specialist teachers in 2026 are:
As of Wednesday 28 January, classes have the following specialist teachers (initials from names):
Additional Assistance / Support Staff Our Additional Assistance / Support Staff in Term 1 are:
Their role will evolve this year based on the needs of the students. Parents and Friends Our first meeting for the year is on Tuesday 03 February at 7:30pm in the staffroom – enter the Admin Building via Nevin Parade. Student accident insurance, ambulance cover arrangements and private property brought to school Please be aware, the Department does not provide personal accident insurance or ambulance cover for students. Parents/carers of students, who do not have student accident insurance/ambulance cover, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance or transport as well as any other transport costs. Private property brought to school by students, staff or visitors is not insured and the Department does not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage. This can include mobile phones, ‘wearables’, calculators, toys, sporting equipment and cars parked on school premises. As the Department does not hold insurance for personal property brought to schools and has no capacity to pay for any loss or damage to such property, students and staff are discouraged from bringing any unnecessary or particularly valuable items to school. Parents/carers can purchase insurance policies from commercial insurers if they wish. Have a great weekend! Patrick
Term 1 Kitchen and Garden Classes – Grades 3 & 4 Our Kitchen and Garden program is back for Term 1! Students will enjoy hands-on learning experiences in both the garden and the kitchen throughout February and March. We’re also looking for parent helpers to assist during sessions – if you’re available, please email viewbank.ps@education.vic.gov.au . Any time you can give would be greatly appreciated!
Grade 3 Garden Sessions: Dates: 16 Feb, 2 Mar, 16 Mar, 30 Mar
- 3W – 11:10–12:00
- 3P – 12:00–12:50
- 3/4B – 1:50–2:40
- 3NK – 2:40–3:30
Kitchen Sessions: 3W & 3/4B: 17 Feb, 3 Mar, 17 Mar, 31 Mar
- 3W – 11:10–12:50
- 3/4B – 1:50–3:30
3P & 3NK: 18 Feb, 4 Mar, 18 Mar, 1 Apr
- 3P – 11:10–12:50
- 3NK – 1:50–3:30
Grade 4 Garden Sessions: Dates: 9 Feb, 23 Feb, 23 Mar
- 4M – 11:10–12:00
- 4JB – 12:00–12:50
- 4W – 1:50–2:40
Kitchen Sessions: Dates: 10 Feb, 24 Feb, 10 Mar, 24 Mar
- 4W – 9:00–10:40
- 4M – 11:10–12:50
- 4JB – 1:50–3:30
We’re also looking for donations of large coffee and Milo tins to use in our Kitchen and Garden program. These make fantastic containers for our activities! If you have any to spare, please send them along to school.
Lower Plenty Bakehouse proudly partners with our school to provide fundraising lunch orders every Thursday. This initiative, organised by our Parents and Friends Committee, serves as one of our school’s major fundraising efforts. All proceeds will go towards our significant school upgrade project. Term 1 Fundraising Lunch Order Dates: Thursday 5th February (Orders close: Monday 2nd February, 3:00 PM) Thursday 12th February (Orders close: Monday 9th February, 3:00 PM) Thursday 19th February (Orders close: Monday 16th February, 3:00 PM) Thursday 26th February (Orders close: Monday 23rd February, 3:00 PM) Thursday 5th March (Orders close: Monday 2nd March, 3:00 PM) Thursday 12th March (Orders close: Monday 9th March, 3:00 PM) Thursday 19th March (Orders close: Monday 16th March, 3:00 PM) - Year 6 Camp Thursday 26th March (Orders close: Monday 23rd March, 3:00 PM) Thursday 2nd April (Orders close: Monday 30th March, 3:00 PM) Ordering Instructions: Orders must be placed in advance via Compass Canteen. Ordering will close at 3:00 PM on the Monday before each lunch date. You can now place orders for all Term 1 lunch dates in advance if preferred. All food is Halal. A Parent User Guide on how to order through Compass Canteen is below for your convenience. Please note, a $0.35 transaction fee will apply at checkout. Thank you for supporting our school community!
ICY POLE FRIDAY Students can purchase icy poles over the counter every Friday at lunchtime for $1.00 each. We offer an assortment of different icy poles each week, but always have Zooper Doopers available.This serves as a school fundraiser.
If you're interested in volunteering as a parent helper to sell icy poles, please contact the school's general office.
Entertainment Book 20% of the membership goes directly to support our fundraising at Viewbank Primary School. https://www.entertainment.com.au/current-promotion
Lunches must be ordered online using the CLASSROOM CUISINE website.
WEEKLY SECOND HAND UNIFORM SALE - Every Friday 3:00pm to 3:30pm, next to the music room. Jumpers with the school logo, long and short sleeve school polo tops and school dresses will be $2.00. We are currently asking for donations of any unwanted reusable school uniform items to sell at our stall.
SINGING WITH GABRIELLA - Gabriella
- Email: favrettogab@gmail.com
- Phone: 0413 676 733
STRINGS – Jack Cai
- Email: jack3bld@gmail.com
- Phone: 0426 665 044
STRINGS - MR CAI
- Email: cai66@optusnet.com.au
- Phone: 0403 490 078
PIANO/KEYBOARD/DRUMS - Daniel Tucceri
- Email: info@banyulemusicandtutoring.com
- Phone: 0405 667 908
GUITAR - Dimi Holborow
- Email: mastermusic606@outlook.com
- Phone: 0409 629 612
Our school has partnered with an independent provider called TheirCare to provide exceptional Outside School Hours Care services for our school community.
The program is available for all children at Viewbank Primary School from 6:30am until 9:00am in the morning and from 3:30pm until 6:15pm each school day.
During School Holidays & Pupil Free Days the service will operate from 6:30am until 6:15pm.
Families wishing to use this service can visit the TheirCare website: www.theircare.com.au
Families are eligible for a Government Rebate called the Child Care Subsidy which can reduce the cost per session by up to 85%.
More information can be obtained by contacting the school or ringing TheirCare Support Team on 1300 072 410.
TheirCare provides a stimulating and safe environment for all children. During sessions, children develop life-skills, friendships, confidence and creativity through play-based programs.