Dear Families,

Welcome to Term 4! The sun is starting to shine, the days are growing longer, and the excitement of a fresh new term is in the air. We’re looking forward to a fabulous term full of rich learning, creativity, and connection. With big events like graduation, excursions, incursions, and the Colour Run on the horizon, there’s much to be energised about — and we’re thrilled to be on this journey with you.

Student-Free Days – Friday 24th October & Monday 3rd November

A reminder that Friday 24th October is a student-free day. On this day, staff will be working on forward planning for 2026. This is an exciting opportunity for us to continue our major work redesigning our English and Mathematics curriculum, refining assessment practices, and further developing supports for students at their point of need. These are important and complex tasks that will shape our future direction, and I look forward to sharing our progress with you as we move closer to 2026.

We also have a Student Free Day scheduled as usual on the day before the Melbourne Cup Day public holiday on Monday 3rd November. 

Uniform Expectations for Term 4

As the weather warms up, students are moving into summer uniform. We kindly remind families to ensure clothing remains appropriate for school, allowing students to play, learn and participate comfortably and safely. Shorts should be mid-thigh or longer, and bike shorts may only be worn under dresses or other shorts. Hats are required outside in Term 4, so please make sure your child has a navy broad-brimmed hat — available at the office for $12. And as always, we understand that some children may experience sensory sensitivities with uniform fabrics — please reach out to Michelle or me if you'd like to chat about how we can support your child.

Launching Our New Values and Expectations

We are incredibly excited to be launching our new school values and behaviour expectations this term. These were developed in consultation with students and staff as part of our school-wide positive behaviour support (SWPBS) work — and we’re thrilled to be sharing them with families soon. At our Week 4 assembly, we will be formally launching our values with students and beginning the next phase: explicitly teaching and recognising the behaviours that align with these.

Our school values are: Respect, Kindness, Perseverance and Teamwork.
These were chosen to reflect the strengths, hopes, and culture of our school community, and they will guide how we learn, interact and grow together.

SWPBS is a highly effective framework used in almost 50% of schools across Victoria. Having previously worked as the Statewide Manager of SWPBS, I know firsthand the positive impact that clearly taught values and consistent behaviour expectations have on student wellbeing and academic outcomes. I'm excited to embed this work at EBPS in ways that strengthen our culture and support every learner to thrive.

The Colour Run is Coming!

Back by popular demand — the EBPS Colour Run will return on Friday 28th November! Last year’s event was an absolute highlight, with music, laughter, colour everywhere, and an amazing sense of community spirit. It was such a joyful day for students and staff alike. This year promises to be just as spectacular. Keep an eye out for information coming home with your child — including sponsorship details and how to get involved. We can’t wait to get colourful again with you all!

Building Works Update

We’re delighted to share that Phase 1 of our building works is now complete! It has been an incredibly rewarding process to see our refreshed learning spaces come to life, and I feel truly grateful to have been able to deliver improvements to our community that total nearly $900,000. These works have been designed with students in mind — improving accessibility, usability, and aesthetics across our school.

We are now finalising Phase 2, which will include some much-needed structural upgrades such as sewerage improvements, tap replacements, and upgrades to key pathways. I will continue to keep you updated as this exciting next phase unfolds. Thank you for your continued patience and support as we work hard to provide the very best facilities for our children.

Attendance Matters

As we head into the final stretch of the school year, we ask families to prioritise regular attendance. Every day of learning counts — and Term 4 is packed with essential academic work, community events, and opportunities for your child to build confidence, connection and momentum heading into 2026.

Research shows that students who attend school regularly are more likely to succeed academically, build stronger friendships, and feel connected to their community. According to the Department of Education, "Regular school attendance is one of the most significant factors in student achievement." If your child is struggling with school attendance, please don’t hesitate to reach out so we can work together to support them.

Congratulations to our Under 11 Girls Footballers!

A huge congratulations to a group of our East Bentleigh Primary School students who play in the Under 11 Girls Football Team and recently won their grand final! What an incredible achievement for these talented, determined and passionate young athletes. Their teamwork and commitment were truly outstanding, and we are so proud of them for representing themselves, their club, and our community so beautifully. Thanks to our staff members who also turned up to support them!

**Reminder**
We have a school WORKING BEE coming up on Sunday 19th October from 9am - 12noon. We hope you can come along to help us - as many hands make light work!!

Please note - you can ALSO view the latest School Calendar at any time on Compass - you can choose to view it by day, week, month or term and also choose what you want to include by clicking on the layers you want to view, ie: School Events, Public Holidays etc.

As always, thank you for your partnership and support of our wonderful school. My door is always open, and I look forward to a vibrant, meaningful and joy-filled Term 4 with our beautiful community.

Warm regards,
Sarah Spence
Principal, East Bentleigh Primary School

The PCFA are bringing back the popular Mango fundraiser!

Please see attached for more information.

Please order by 28th October 2025 via this try booking link https://www.trybooking.com/DFWQJ,

Thank you PCFA Committee

This is a chance to make a lasting contribution to the school as we look to finish the outdoor learning classroom, create some landscaping, and help fence the prep play space.

Please see details in the flyer below and visit the Try Booking page here to participate.

Classroom Cuisine is available for us to order online,
every day (except Tuesdays)

New menu items are a Quesadilla (Chicken) served with Sour Cream; Tandoori Chicken Puff Parcel with Mango Chutney; Carrot Cup Cake (Gluten Free, Dairy Free & Vegan); and Harvest Snaps.  

The Poke Bowl has been a huge hit and will continue this term along with our other "new in Term 2 items" - Soft Shell Chicken Tacos with Salsa, Cheese & Salad; Sausage Rolls with Tomato Sauce; Lamingtons; Corn Chips with Mild Salsa; and "Not Cross" Buns.

Please note, our menu is all served cold/room temperature. Enjoy!

Kind regards: Bronwen - Classroom Cuisine

Orders open until 8:30am on the day!

https://classroomcuisine.com.au/