Two week secondment

Firstly I would like to thank Amanda Dwyer for stepping in as Acting Principal and Alex Silvestro, Jo King and Sophie Herbert for stepping up to support Amanda. The school was able to run smoothly in my absence due to our comprehensive organisational model.

Throughout the two weeks from 5^th May – 19^th May I was on secondment as the Senior Education Improvement Leader for the Whittlesea Network overseeing 22 primary and secondary schools. During this time, I was able to support many schools through a range of situations and issues ranging from Teaching and Learning improvement, all the way through to Critical Incident management and everything in between. Even though I enjoyed my time in that space it has been great returning back to IEPS to continue our continuous improvement journey.

As part of our continuous improvement journey, we are entering our school’s four year review.

All Victorian schools must undergo a process every four years to determine how they have progressed through their Strategic Plans (SSP). Reviews are facilitated by an independent school reviewer with a panel comprising the principal, assistant principals, school council president, SEIL, and challenge partners.

The panel considers the schools self-evaluation and undertakes additional fieldwork activities such as classroom observations, focus groups and interviews. The review concludes with a report proposing draft goals, targets and key improvement strategies for the school’s next SSP (2024-2028).

Days of Acknowledgement

May 19^th – 25^th – Education Week

This year for Education Week we are inviting our parents and guardians into the classroom! Our Maths Open morning allows our loved ones to see how learning is fun and builds our critical and creative thinking to solve numeracy problems. IEPS loves learning and we are excited to share this with the community. 

May 26^th - National Sorry Day

The official Day of Healing commemorates those who were taken from their families during the Stolen Generations. This generational trauma will continue to affect those who were, and continue to be mistreated because of their culture and race. On this day we acknowledge that there is still a lot that needs to be done to close this gap.

May 27^th – 3^rd June - Reconciliation Week

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 achieving reconciliation in Australia.

The week runs from 27 May to 3 June every year. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey – the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision.

At IEPS we will be using curriculum-aligned lessons for all levels that are appropriate for extending the theme of reconciliation into the classroom.

2024 IEPS Fair (Save the Date)

On Saturday 30^th November we will be having our 2024 IEPS Fair. Our Fair committee will be meeting for the second time tomorrow at 9am in the Bendigo Bank room. We are calling out for more volunteers and if you are interested in being part of the committee please email me at tom.boyle@education.vic.gov.au

Note: we have engaged with an event manager so the fair committee’s roles will be more about themes, mapping, costs and fundraising.

Education Week – Math’s Open Morning

Thank you to all of you who were able to come on-site this morning to celebrate Education Week. This year's theme was Numeracy, and we had a range of Math’s games on show for everyone to engage with. The excitement around the place, including some healthy competition amongst families was great to see. 

Science Open Afternoon - Thursday 20^th of June

We are inviting all Parents, Grandparents and extended families to our Science showcase event. This open afternoon will showcase all of the Science Inquiry learning that has been going on in classrooms this term.

Date: Thursday 20^th June
Time: 2.30 pm – 3.30 pm (Science Learning Showcase) 3.30pm – 4.15pm (BBQ)
Location: The Science Learning Showcase will be in classrooms.

BBQ will be on the top asphalt near the friendship tree.

IEPS Runners Excel at District Cross-Country

The IEPS cross-country team showcased their talent at the Ivanhoe District Cross Country competition at Chelsworth Park on Monday, May 13. Blessed with ideal weather conditions, our athletes performed exceptionally well, with each participant demonstrating their best effort and proudly representing IEPS.

Congratulations to all the students who participated, and a special mention goes to the runners who finished in the top 10 and are advancing to the Division level. We extend our best wishes to Dane Anthony, Teddy Junot, Owen Kellett, Scarlett Leeds, Ziba Mehin, Heidi Mitchell, Angelica Venizelakos, Taj Walker, and Indi Walker as they prepare to represent IEPS at the Division competition.

Finally, thank you to everyone who came out to support our team and to all those who volunteered on the day. We wish the Division team the best of luck in their upcoming race!

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