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Thursday 30th October
- Loddon Mallee Tennis Finals - Boys team participating
Friday 31st October
- Halloween Dress-up day - 9:30am parade in the hall - families welcome
Monday 3rd November
- School Curriculum Day - no students at school
Tuesday 4th November
- Melbourne Cup public holiday - no students at school
Friday 7th November
- Kickball - please approve on Compass
- Prep & Year 1 dinner & Year 1 sleepover - see Compass & notes sent home
Friday 14th November
- Mini Olympics - Prep - Year 4 - 11:25am - 1:40pm
Thursday 11th December
- End of Year Family Picnic & Performance - 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Wednesday 17th December
- Student reports published on Compass
- Year 6 Graduation
Friday 19th December
- Last day of Term 4 - 1:30pm finish
2026 Preps
- Tuesday 18th November - 2:15pm - 3:15pm
- Tuesday 25th November - 2:15pm - 3:15pm
- Tuesday 2nd December - 2:15pm - 3:15pm
- Tuesday 9th November - 10:00am - 12:00pm
Whole School Step Up Day (including new students)
- Tuesday 9th November - 10:00am - 12:00pm
Hello WFPS community,
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After almost 4 weeks in the hotseat, I can report that the term is progressing nicely. I am receiving great support from Department officials and principals in the area to bring us to a positive and smooth end to the year. Many thanks for the ongoing support from our wonderful school community.
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World Teachers Day
This Friday, 31 October 2025, we pause to honour the incredible dedication and impact of our teachers here at Winters Flat Primary School as we celebrate World Teachers’ Day.
Every day, our teachers inspire curiosity, foster confidence, challenge assumptions, and nurture futures. Whether it’s guiding a first-grader to read, mentoring an older student through a presentation, or simply offering a quiet word of encouragement, your work matters.
On this special day, we extend our deepest thanks to each and every Winters Flat teacher: for your creativity, your patience, your commitment, and your unwavering belief in the potential of all learners.
We invite everyone, students, parents, colleagues, and community members to join in the celebration: message your favourite teacher, or share your thanks on social media with the hashtag #WorldTeachersDay2025.
To all our Winters Flat teachers: hats off to you. Thank you for showing up, for making a difference, and for shaping the lives of our young people every single day.
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Curriculum Day
Next Monday, 3rd November is our term 4 Curriculum Day. We hope you are able to take advantage of this ‘long weekend’ and have some valuable family time. Meanwhile, we will be focusing on the new curriculum (VTLM 2.0) and our new reporting system, as well as some preparations for 2026.
2026 Planning
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We have been busy behind-the-scenes, giving much consideration to class structures and class locations for 2026.
Currently, the effectiveness of the cooling system in the SLC building (housing 5/6 and French room) is being reviewed. Our objective is to create a more comfortable teaching and learning space using targeted fund-raising efforts to the best effect. We have sought expert advice and will keep you informed.
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Upcoming events
There is so much happening! Please try to stay up-to-date by checking the Compass calendar, reading the newsletter or checking in with teachers and the office.
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Tennis
Two teams had a great day at local tennis comp. last week, resulting in one time making it to the Loddon Mallee regional finals in Swan Hill tomorrow. Congratulations to everyone who participated last week and good luck for tomorrow.
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SunSmart
Please make sure your child/ren has a named broad-brimmed hat.
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Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Kind regards,
Helen
Acting Principal
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New parent/school platform
The school has switched user platforms from Xuno to Compass. We are in the process of teaching staff to use the platform, please be patient as we navigate the new system.
Please find the parent guide below:
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Karen & Kitty
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Each week, our students take part in the 4Rs Program—a wellbeing initiative from the Victorian Department of Education that focuses on Respectful Relationships, Resilience, Rights and Responsibilities. These one-hour sessions run across the whole school and help students build emotional awareness, empathy, and healthy coping skills.
Our Grade 6 students have recently been exploring Topic 3: Positive Coping with Hannah, with a focus on developing positive self-talk. Last week, they role-played tricky social situations and brainstormed ways to respond with kindness and perspective.
In one scenario, a student’s best friend was invited to a party by someone else, but they weren’t. Here are some of the positive self-talk ideas the class came up with:
- “I’ll make other arrangements so I don’t miss out.”
- “There will be more parties.”
- “Just because you didn’t get invited doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.”
These thoughtful responses show real growth in emotional understanding and resilience — wonderful skills to carry into the next stage of life.
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Ride to School Days
We’re encouraging students to ride their bicycles to school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays! Riding to school is a great way to stay active, boost mood, and start the day feeling energised.
Students must wear a helmet and commit to riding safely at all times. The oval path is our designated area where students can ride and practise safe cycling before and after school.
Let’s keep promoting independence, fitness, and fun while staying safe on two wheels!
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Supporting Families Online – The eSafety Commissioner
The eSafety Commissioner is Australia’s national independent regulator for online safety. It provides families with resources, advice and practical tools to help keep children safe and respectful online. Parents can access free guides on topics such as managing screen time, dealing with online bullying, setting parental controls, and supporting children to make safe choices on social media.
If you ever need support or information, visit https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents
— it’s a fantastic resource for families.
What we're cooking in the kitchen this fortnight...
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Olive Bread Rolls
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Herb Polenta Chips
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Mozzarella Arancini
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Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce
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Zucchini and Parmesan Salad
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Passionfruit Yogurt Loaf Cake
Yum!!!
Chefs of the week:
5/6B - Peg, Louisa, Pearl
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Cath & Terry
Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden
A 'good ol days' bike shed at Winters Flat! Call out for building materials donations
To help encourage kids and parents to ride to school, the Sustainability Sub-committee is leading the build of a bike shed built from second-hand materials. And we have already hit go! The ground is level, hardstand is down, and post holes are dug. Now, we need the materials ?
The site is behind the art room in a nice, safe, visible location, and a great size (10m by 3m by 2.5m high). There is room for plenty of loved bikes.
We are seeking donations of the following materials to construct the shed itself:
· 4 posts at 3m long
· 4 posts at 2.5m long
· Beams for the roof. Dimensions of 200mm by 40mm at 2.5m long or above. We will need a total of ~20m in lengths
· Corrugated iron for the walls and roof, lengths of 1m or more. Any colours welcome ?
· Timbers for roof and wall joists, 100mm by 50mm or similar.
If you don't have materials to spare but would be willing to make a donation for the purchase of some of the materials we will need to buy new, please contact the office.
We will be in touch about a working bee to get the build done once we have all materials ready.
The Castlemaine Rocky Riders Mountain Bike Club, Dirt Crits Series starts Thursday 6th November and registrations are now open! Dirt Crits is a junior cross country mountain bike event series, consisting of 10 rounds of mountain biking fun (5 in Nov-Dec 2025, 5 in Feb-Mar 2026) at the Walmer Forest trailhead, Daltons Road Castlemaine.
Dirt Crits are run as a handicapped format, with individual start times and laps to complete calculated week-to-week, based on lap times. So on any given week, anyone can win!
There are two categories: Dirt Cubs (age 3-7 ) & Dirt Masters (ages 8-14 )
Dirt Crits are all about fun. We encourage riders of all abilities to come and have a go, either to compete, or to just roll around and enjoy our local trails in a friendly and inclusive environment.
Cost of entry for each week of racing is just a gold coin donation.
