Friday 22nd August, 2025

From the Principal

Book Week
Book Week has come and gone for another year. Our Book Week parade was another memorable event with so many wonderful costumes on display. As I sit here writing this dressed in Hogwarts attire (Gryffindor of course!) I can’t help but think of the wonderful memories I have for most of my life as a student and then educator in schools of Book Week and the fun that comes with it. In past years I’ve shared photos from back in my primary school days dressed up in costume to celebrate the adventure we can all have through reading. These are the memories many of us have of primary school as National Book Week celebrates its 80th anniversary this year!

Following our Book Week parade we held our annual Book Swap which provided an opportunity for our students to bring in books and swap them for others. This is always an exciting opportunity for our students, and an enjoyment for staff seeing faces light up as students find a new book to love.

To celebrate Book Week this year we have also had author and illustrator, Fern Smith with us across the week. Students worked with Fern, contributing their own page to ‘The Worlds Longest Book’. Thanks to Fern for coming along and sharing her passion with us all.

Parent Opinion Survey
Our school is conducting the annual ‘Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey’ offered by the Department of Education and we are seeking your feedback. The survey is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, and student engagement. The survey is optional, but we encourage and appreciate your participation. We really value your input and utilise the information from this survey to improve our school and build our community. Please complete the survey if you can.

Emergency Management at Wangala Primary School
I have recently been working on updating the emergency management procedures at Wangala Primary School. This review has included identifying areas where our emergency management procedures could be improved and ensuring that the whole community is aware of the plan and their role during an emergency.

Each term we practise an emergency scenario which could include a lock down, evacuation, first aid, or an evacuation off site. We will inform our community when we have held an emergency practise.

Regards,

Steven King

Principal

Dates to Remember

Friday, 29th August
Assembly, 2.45pm in the Gym

Monday, 1st September
MARC Van
BioCATS Excursion Year 4-6 Students

Friday, 12th September
Footy Sports Day
Assembly, 2.45pm in the Gym

Monday, 15th September
MARC Van
STEAM Ocean Education Incursion
Year 4-6 Students

Wednesday, 17th September
The Wonder School’s Showcase
Whole School Performance at GAC

Friday, 19th September
Last Day of Term 3
1.30pm Open Classrooms
2.15pm Early Finish

Wangala Primary School acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land we are on, the Wadawurrung people, and thank them for sharing their long lasting culture with us as we learn and grow together.

Book Week!

Wangala Snack Bar

Our very first week of the Wangala Snack Bar was a huge success! A big congratulations to our Year 2/3 students who did a fantastic job baking delicious banana bread for everyone to enjoy.

Thank you to the families who have already paid in advance for the remainder of the term, your support helps us keep the Snack Bar running smoothly.

This week’s treat on the menu is Honey Joys. The cost is $1 each! Payment can be made on the day in cash, Please ensure you bring the correct money, alternatively payments can be made via EFTPOS for the remainder of the term (4 weeks) either over the phone or in person at reception.

Fern Smith

A huge thank you to Fern Smith for spending her time with each class this week allowing our students to add to her project The Longest Book in the World. Our students enjoyed adding their own pictures and writing to the book and being recognised as authors and illustrators for their contributions.

School Wide Positive Behaviour

This fortnight, our School Wide Positive Behaviour focus is ‘We try to be the best we can be’.

At school, being the best we can be means giving our best effort in learning, showing kindness to others, and making positive choices in and out of the classroom. We encourage students to take pride in their work, set personal goals, and celebrate their achievements – big and small.

Families can support this focus at home by talking with children about what it looks like to do their best each day, whether that’s trying again when something feels tricky, using encouraging words, or showing persistence in hobbies and responsibilities.

Together, we can continue to build a school community where every student feels motivated to shine and reach their potential.

In the Classroom P1A

P/1A students have been learning about measurement in Maths. They had fun using different sized containers to measure items around our classroom. Students discovered that some containers could hold more or less than others, which led to some great classroom discussions.

STEAM

This week in STEAM, the junior students (Prep–Grade 2) began exploring magnets. They loved the hands-on approach to learning that STEAM offers!

Students worked their way through a rotation of activities, where they:

Sorted items into magnetic and non-magnetic using a horseshoe magnet
Guided paperclips through cardboard mazes with small magnets
Made plastic cars and people move across the table without touching them, by moving magnets underneath
Watched metal filings “dance” using a magic magnet wand

Next session, students will learn about north and south poles and how magnets attract and repel. There’s still plenty more exploring and discovering to be had!

Lightning Premiership!

On Thursday, the senior students took part in the Lightning Premiership at the Geelong Sporting Hub, playing either basketball or VolleySTARS. We could not be prouder of how they represented our school—showing determination, pride, respect, and great sportsmanship.

The basketball team had a cracking day, winning three out of their four games, while the VolleySTARS team had a mix of results with one win, a draw, and a few close losses.

Some of the highlights included playing volleyball barefoot in the sand, having a real referee for basketball, and the chance to compete against other schools in a fun and competitive environment.

A big thank you to the parents and carers who came along to support us on the day, and also to the teaching staff who helped make the day such a success!

Sports in Junior and Senior Classes

The junior students (Prep–Grade 2) have been really enjoying learning hockey over the past few weeks. While they haven’t played a full game yet, they are focusing on essential safety and skills, including proper stick handling, passing, and movement strategies.

The junior students have also been developing their coordination and had lots of fun with the egg and spoon activity, demonstrating great focus and determination.

All senior students (Grades 4–6) have been learning Volleystars, a modified version of volleyball. Four to six students have been practising to prepare for the Lightning Premiership, while Kelly’s class have been focusing on building the necessary skills for future opportunities to represent the school. They now know how to dig, spike, and set, and have shown impressive teamwork, coordination, and game awareness throughout their sessions.

Footy Day – Change of Date

Please be advised that there has been a change of date for our upcoming Footy Day in Week 8. The event will now take place on Friday, 12th September, rather than Monday, 8th September.

This whole-school event will run from 12:30pm – 3:15pm and will provide students with the opportunity to participate in a range of tabloid sports activities, representing various football codes, including Rugby, AFL, and Soccer.

Students are encouraged to come dressed in their team colours or jumpers to show their support for their favourite AFL, Rugby, or Soccer teams.

To add to the occasion, a special lunch will be available, with hot dogs for purchase. Further details regarding ordering and payment will be communicated shortly.

We look forward to a wonderful afternoon of sport and community spirit to finish off the week.