Dear Families,

We have made it to the midpoint of Term Two and things are progressing very well, thanks to the whole school community. Last year our student attendance data was stronger than ‘similar’ schools which I was pleased to see. As we head into the winter months, we need to think about our wellbeing (see ‘Winter Wellness Reminder’ below) and we encourage families to keep children home if they are unwell. Equally we hope students can be at school as often as possible to maximise their learning, as discussed in the next item below ‘Student Attendance – Every Day Counts’.

Student Attendance - Every Day Counts

The following extract comes from the DET website: https://www.vic.gov.au/attendance-and-missing-school

Going to school every day is an important part of your child’s education. Children and young people learn new things at school every day, connect with friends, have fun and develop good habits that help them to succeed. Attending and participating in school will help your child:

• Develop important skills and knowledge to help them learn
• Develop social and emotional skills such as good communication, resilience and teamwork
• Establish friendships with peers which help develop self-esteem and a sense of belonging

There is no good number of days for missing school. Being away from school for 1 day a fortnight adds up to missing 4 whole weeks of school a year – I’ll let you do the rest of the maths (but there are only 200 school days in a year). Where possible, you should avoid your child missing school, for example, make appointments for your child outside of school hours, and keep family holidays to outside term time.

Winter Wellness Reminder - As we move further into the winter season, we are beginning to see an increase in colds, flu-like illnesses and a small number of stomach-related bugs across the school community. To help keep everyone healthy and well, we ask families to reinforce some important hygiene habits with children at home.

Simple steps can make a big difference in reducing the spread of illness, including:

• Sneezing or coughing into your elbow
• Washing hands thoroughly with soap after using the toilet
• Washing hands before eating
• Washing hands after blowing noses, coughing or sneezing
• Using tissues and placing them straight into the bin
• Avoiding sharing drink bottles or food

Students are encouraged to bring a named water bottle each day and dress warmly for the colder weather. Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a healthy school environment for everyone.

Year Six Camp – Thanks to all the parents and staff who made this camp possible. The students told me that they had a wonderful time.

National Simultaneous Storytime – Wednesday 27^th May 12pm
Our school was excited to once again participate in the National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) 2026 - a fantastic literacy initiative which is coordinated annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and Mr Rooks. This nationwide event promotes the value of reading and literacy while connecting children across Australia through the shared enjoyment of a picture book. 

National Reconciliation Week
National Reconciliation Week is celebrated across Australia each year from 27^th May to 3^rd June.  The dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey - the anniversaries of the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision.

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to the national reconciliation effort. I know teachers will be considering these events in their planning over this week.

Curriculum Day
No School Friday June 5^th – NB: Pupil Free Day

King’s Birthday Public Holiday
No School Monday June 8^th – NB: Pupil Free Day

Student Reports and Parent-Teacher Interviews
Our student reports will be ‘live’ on Compass from 3:30pm on Friday 19^th June. As I have already advised, there will be no teacher comments in these reports, as part of the teacher’s industrial action. Our Parent-Teacher interviews will be held on Monday, 22^nd June 3:40pm to 7:45pm (bookings will be open two weeks prior to this). Parents will have the option to either attend ‘in person’ or ‘online’. WebEx addresses will be sent via Compass so all families can ‘log on’ to the link for their interview time if the Webex online option is suitable.

2026 Government Schools Principal Conference
Mrs Hunter, Ms Evans and I will be attending the Government Schools Principal Conference on Thursday 28^th and Friday 29^th May. This is an excellent opportunity for Victorian government school principals and assistant principals to:

• hear from renowned leaders in education 
• discover new ways of thinking about leadership excellence
• reflect and learn from one another.

I will be presenting as part of a panel discussing ‘Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations that were brought in on 1st December 2025.

Inspiration in Education - EduTech Conference
Mrs Hunter, Ms Evans, and I as well as a number of principal colleagues will be attending the EduTech Conference in Sydney in Week 7 of this term. This is Australia’s largest and most comprehensive conference and exhibition dedicated to shaping the future of learning and teaching across K–12, Higher Education, and VET sectors.

Over two impactful days, EduTech brings together the entire education ecosystem—including principals, CIOs, curriculum leaders, teachers, facilities managers, and technology partners—to share best practice, explore emerging innovations, and forge strategic collaborations that drive educational improvement. The conference program features an outstanding lineup of global education visionaries, including Andy Hargreaves, Rose Luckin, Jason Reynolds, Sarah McKay, and Jason Lodge, focusing on the most critical themes influencing modern education:

• AI in the classroom and the ethics of generative technology
• Leadership capabilities and institutional strategy
• Digital infrastructure (LMS/SIS) and IT modernisation
• Effective pedagogy, inclusion, and measurable student outcomes
• Sustainable facilities and innovative learning space design

We are very much looking forward to this learning experience, building on the system-wide work we are leading in AI planning and teacher support.

Mrs Ramya Deepak will be the principal on the days I am away.

Kind regards,
Campbell McKay
Principal
Mount Waverley Primary School

The Resilience Project

Resilient Youth
Survey Data Review

This week our Student Wellbeing Action Team (SWAT) and selected Year 3 class representatives; Nora (3A), Divya (3B), Zara (3C), Stacy (3D) and Zoe (3E) analysed our recent Resilient Youth Survey Data. The students worked with Phoebe Smith, our Educational Partner, from the Resilience Project. They discussed successes, opportunities and next steps for action with for SWAT team. Below is some of the data discussed and the questions put to the students. You may like to look at some of these as a family.








I would like to congratulate the students for their analytical, mature and thought-provoking responses. These students are going to be great future leaders at MWPS and the wider community.

Jacinta Evans
Assistant Principal - Wellbeing
Mount Waverley Primary School

Mark These Dates!!

Shaping Success
with Steadiness and Spirit

Well done to all award recipients!! 

Keep Growing and Glowing!!

Enrolments for Year 2027

Now Open

We are thrilled to announce that enrolments are now open for the 2027 school year at Mount Waverley Primary School.

Whether you're an existing family or joining us for the first time, we welcome you to begin the enrolment process early to secure a place for your child. As always, we are committed to providing a supportive, enriching, and engaging learning environment for every student.

A. Foundation (Prep) Enrolment

Applications for new 2027 Foundation (Prep) students has commenced from 20 April 2026, and must be submitted by Friday 31 July 2026.

Please CLICK HERE for information and resources about the timeline, including factsheets and a poster.

What you need to do

1. Book a time to attend a school tour on our School Tours page.

2. Download the Foundation (Prep) enrolment information pack HERE

Please note: Enrolment applications submitted after 31 July 2026 will be processed by the school as they are received, in accordance with the Department of Education’s Placement Policy.

B. Years 1-6 Enrolment

Please download the enrolment form HERE and submit with all supporting documents on the VicStudents Portal.

If you have any questions or need help with the enrolment process, please don't hesitate to contact the School Office via phone on 03 9807 1480 or via email mount.waverley.ps@education.vic.gov.au. 

We look forward to welcoming you and your child into the Mount Waverley Primary School community for an exciting year ahead!

Warm regards,
Tina Kolivas
Office Manager
Mount Waverley Primary School

23 June 2026

Are we ready for
a Cheery Cheesie treat?

District Cross Country

14th May 2026

A Shining Achievement!
Well done!

On 14th May, 54 MWPS students proudly represented our school at the District Cross Country held at Jells Park.

Our students showed incredible determination, pushing themselves every step of the way and competing with outstanding spirit. Their hard work paid off, with an impressive 27 students placing in the top 20 of their races, earning progression to the next stage – Division. This exciting event will take place on Tuesday, 2nd June at Lewis Park Reserve Pavilion in Wantirna South.



In a fantastic team effort, MWPS finished first overall out of the six schools in our District, with every runner contributing valuable points simply by competing. In recognition of this outstanding achievement, MWPS proudly received the District plaque – a true testament to the team’s dedication, resilience, and unity.

We are immensely proud of every student who participated and represented MWPS with such pride and determination. A huge congratulations to all runners, and we wish the very best of luck to those advancing to Division – we’ll be cheering you on!

Casey Giles
PE & Sport Specialist
Mount Waverley Primary School

 

Alexandra Adventure Resort

Mission Accomplished

Year 6B



Year 6C



Year 6D



Year 6E


Last week, our Year 6 students enjoyed an exciting and memorable camp at Alexandra Adventure Resort. Over the five days, students participated in a range of challenging and fun activities that encouraged teamwork, resilience, independence, and confidence.

Some of the highlights included the giant swing, canoeing, low and high ropes, archery, bocce and the leap of faith. Students stepped outside their comfort zones, supported one another, and represented our school wonderfully throughout the camp experience.



Camp also provided students with the opportunity to strengthen friendships, develop problem-solving skills, and create lasting memories as they prepare for their final year of primary school celebrations and transition to secondary school.

A very special thank you to our parent volunteers who generously gave up their time to attend camp and support both students and staff. Your assistance, encouragement, and care helped make the camp such a positive and successful experience for everyone involved. We truly appreciate your support.

Year 6 Teachers
Mount Waverley Primary School

Lunchtime Pop-Up
Music Performances

19th May 2026

Discovering Japanese Joy
Through Learning

Secondhand Uniform Sales

Don’t Miss Out!

Fight For Sight

In Partnership with
Waverley Lions Club

Did You Know That...

...the "buttered toast phenomenon" is the observational quirk that falling toast tends to land butter-side down? 



Please click HERE to read more...it is calorie-free...

Rather than just a pessimistic myth or a rule of bad luck, the tendency is backed by science. The effect is governed by physics, gravity, and the height of standard human furniture: 

• Standard Table Height: Tables and counters are typically around 0.7 meter to 1 meter high.
• The Physics of the Fall: When toast gets pushed over the edge, it pivots and begins to rotate.
• The "Half-Flip": Because of the distance it travels, the toast only has about 0.4 seconds of freefall. This limits the bread to roughly half a rotation before it strikes the floor. Since it usually starts butter-side up, a half-turn guarantees it lands butter-side down. 
  
  
  

Researchers, such as physicist Robert Matthews, explored this mechanism and won the Ig Nobel Prize in Physics for it in 1996. The extra weight of the butter is negligible, and the phenomenon has more to do with fundamental constants governing human height, gravity, and furniture dimensions. 

Well, next time your toast takes a tumble or makes that dramatic dive, you can smile knowing you've just witnessed a tiny moment of everyday science in action.