Dear Families,

It has been a full and vibrant start to the year, and I continue to feel so grateful for our community. Over the past few weeks, I have spent quite a bit of time in our junior classrooms, and it has been an absolute joy to see our Prep students settling in so beautifully. Watching them form new friendships, learn classroom routines, and confidently explore their learning spaces has been wonderful. There is something very special about seeing children begin their school journey with curiosity and excitement.

Play is such an important part of the junior years. Through play, children develop language, social skills, emotional regulation, problem-solving abilities and creativity. It is not separate from learning — it is learning. When children play together, negotiate roles, build, imagine and collaborate, they are laying strong foundations for academic success and lifelong wellbeing.

In the coming weeks, we will be introducing a refreshed newsletter format. Our intention is to showcase more of what makes EBPS so special by including student work samples, staff profiles, and increased contributions directly from our teachers and students. We want our newsletter to more visibly reflect the learning, creativity and growth happening in classrooms every day.

This new format will help strengthen the connection between school and home by giving families greater insight into the voices, achievements and experiences of our community. I am looking forward to sharing this updated approach with you soon.

NAPLAN reminder

A reminder that NAPLAN will be taking place in the coming weeks for our Year 3 and Year 5 students. NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) is a nationwide assessment that provides a snapshot of student progress in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy. It helps schools understand trends in learning and informs future planning at both a school and system level.

Andrea Smith is our NAPLAN Coordinator this year and will be sending further information to relevant families. Please keep an eye out for her updates. As always, we approach NAPLAN calmly and sensibly — it is one point of information in a much broader understanding of your child’s growth.

Performing Arts update

I would like to clarify my message from the previous newsletter regarding Performing Arts. I know how much our students loved drama last year, and we are all sorry to see Paul return to his previous school at the end of 2025, as he was on a temporary transfer to EBPS. He made a meaningful contribution during his time with us.

Drama and performance are deeply important for young people. Having taught drama extensively throughout my 33-year career, I have seen first-hand the confidence, empathy and collaboration it builds. As Augusto Boal once said, “Theatre is a rehearsal for life.” Performance gives students a safe space to experiment with voice, character, courage and expression.

I am currently finalising the particulars of how we might create a unique and rich performing arts experience for students as we work towards strengthening our Performing Arts curriculum at EBPS. My hope is to have someone coordinate a large-scale performance this year, but I need a little more time to consult with staff and work through the logistics carefully. Please know that drama and performance remain a priority for me, and I will continue to keep you updated as plans develop.

Languages at EBPS

I have received several enquiries regarding languages at EBPS, and I appreciate families reaching out.

We know that learning a second language brings significant cognitive, social and academic benefits. Research consistently shows that students who learn another language demonstrate stronger executive functioning skills, improved problem-solving ability and enhanced memory. Bilingual learners are also shown to develop greater cultural awareness and empathy. In Australia, approximately one in four students speaks a language other than English at home, and multilingual capability is increasingly important in a global society.

At the end of last year, our much-loved French teacher Carmen reduced her hours, and despite extensive efforts, we were unable to secure a French teacher for one day per week in 2026. As a result, we made the decision to introduce Auslan for our junior students this year.

Auslan is one of the fastest growing languages offered in Victorian government schools. Learning Auslan provides students with valuable communication tools, supports inclusion of Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities, and strengthens visual-spatial awareness. Even learning key word signing can significantly enhance communication skills, particularly in the early years.

We will revisit this decision later in the year and seek feedback from our community about how this has been received. There have also been some newly released expectations from the Department of Education regarding Languages provision, and I will update you once we have further clarity around what is required moving forward.

Steiner and Eurythmy

For our Steiner stream, we understand how important Eurythmy is in delivering an authentic Steiner experience. With the retirement of Kate Greaves at the end of 2025, we were fortunate to welcome our new Eurythmy teacher, Sarah, in 2026. Trained Eurythmists are not easy to find, and we are very pleased to have secured such expertise.

In order to timetable Eurythmy effectively within our broader school structure, we needed to adjust the delivery model. Half of our Steiner classes will participate in weekly Eurythmy during Semester 1, and the remaining classes will participate weekly in Semester 2. While this differs from the previous fortnightly model, students will still receive the same total amount of Eurythmy across the year.

Andrew Hill visit

We were very fortunate to host a visit from Andrew Hill, an experienced and highly regarded Steiner educator and leader. Andrew has worked extensively within Steiner education and brings deep knowledge of what it means to deliver an authentic Steiner approach within contemporary schooling contexts.

He spoke with our staff about what it means to be truly Steiner in practice and was very impressed with the work occurring within our Steiner stream at EBPS. He also hosted an evening session with families, which was very well received. I would like to sincerely thank Andrew for his time and for supporting us in continuing to strengthen our Steiner offering.

Building and grounds update

The improvement works continue! Thank you again for your patience as we move through what has felt like a long season of infrastructure upgrades. We are nearing the completion of the sewerage works and will soon move into the replacement of our bubblers (drinking taps) and some repairs to our basketball court. We are close to the end, and I am grateful for your continued understanding as we build the best possible facilities for your children.

School camps

We are currently finalising planning for our school camps this year and I look forward to sharing further details soon. School camps provide extraordinary opportunities for growth. They build independence, resilience, teamwork and confidence in ways that classroom experiences alone cannot. We are committed to providing rich and meaningful camp experiences for our students and will update you as soon as plans are confirmed.

Thursday Market

We are pleased to share that our Thursday Markets are set to resume next week. The building works have been disruptive, but we are gradually returning to our usual rhythms and routines. We will provide further details shortly, but it is lovely to see this much-loved part of our school life returning.

Farmers’ Market

Our monthly Farmers’ Market continues to be one of the most significant and longstanding community events at EBPS. For many years, it has brought together families, local producers and the wider community, creating connection while also supporting our school through fundraising. It is a vibrant, welcoming event that reflects the spirit of EBPS.

To ensure the continued success of the Farmers’ Market, we rely on volunteers from our community. If you are able to assist — even occasionally — we would greatly appreciate your support. Please contact the school office if you are able to help, and we will connect you with the organising team. Your involvement makes a real difference.

CSEF (Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund $400 per child)
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund provides payments for students to attend school camps, excursions, and sports and outdoor education programs. If you are a parent with a valid health care / concession card - you may be eligible to apply.
Please note - if you were at EBPS last year and applied - we can reapply for you automatically for 2026.
If you are new to the school, have a child in prep or only recently received a health care / concession card  - you should complete an application form.
Please refer to this CSEF link for all the information and download the application CSEF 2026 form. Please submit your completed form and a copy of your health care / concession card to the office as soon as you can.

Please see attached - our latest Term 1 2026 School Calendar.
These events are also included in our Compass calendar.


It has certainly been a busy start to the year. I have genuinely enjoyed meeting many of our new families and spending time in classrooms across the school. I feel very lucky to lead such a vibrant, caring community. I am usually out at the front gate in the mornings, so please do stop by and say hello.

As always, my door is open.

Warmest regards,
Sarah Spence
Principal

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

Orders open until 8:30am on the day!
Term 2 2026 menu below
https://classroomcuisine.com.au/