We acknowledge the traditional Aboriginal custodians of the lands, waterways and skies of the Bunurong Peoples of the Kulin Nation where we gather, learn and grow at Aspendale Primary School.

We pay our respects to past and present Traditional Custodians and Elders of all nations,  and their ongoing cultural, spiritual and educational practices.  

We extend this respect to all Torres Strait Islanders and any First Nations peoples who learn or visit these grounds. We thank you for sharing and caring for the land we are learning on.

New version of the Acknowedgement of Country
Above is an updated Acknowledgment of Country that has been written in consultation with staff, students and members of our community. We recieved positive feedback and approval from our friends at the Bunurong Land Council in 2023. 



Aspendale Primary School commemorated Reconciliation Week.
We understand that for many members of the APS community, this is a challenging time.

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.

Now more than ever, these conversations are important to be having. 

As a school, we commemorated the week by focusing on developing our sense of community and connections with a whole school event. 

Our School Captains made a video during camp to commemorate the week. It starts with our school's Acknowledgement of Country. You can watch the video here. 


Thank you to Gus, Surina, Warren & Edie for helping create the video. You all did an amazing job understanding the purpose of the week. 

Year 5 Chemistry Incursion

The Year Five students began the week by delving into different states of matter. They investigated chemical processes and created chemical mixtures, under the guidance of the wonderful presenters from Supreme Incursions. The incursion was capped off with some exciting chemical reaction experiments to create slime and launch rockets.

Marine Ambassadors – I see I care

On Tuesday, the Marine Ambassadors, along with Mrs Michelle Thompson, went to Chelsea beach, where they planted seedling and helped pull out invasive weeds from the sand dunes. They then spent time learning about local indigenous sporting and ethical hunting artifacts, and the unique qualities of possum and Eastern grey kangaroo pelts. After sifting sand to explore how rubbish accumulates on the beach, they each made a personal commitment to taking action, including cutting open ring-shaped items before disposal and recycling hair ties by washing and reusing.

Chelsea District Athletics – Tomorrow

Tomorrow over 60 students from Years Four, Five and Six are heading off to Ballam Park Athletics Track to compete in the Chelsea District Athletics Carnival. We wish all our athletes all the best in their events and know they will represent our school with commitment and integrity. Go Aspendale!

Sports Colour Day – Tuesday 17^th September

Next Tuesday, we will be holding our Sports Colour Day. Students are invited to come dressed in their favourite team colours or uniforms and join the morning parade in the courtyard. After recess there are a variety of fun sporting rotations that the Year Six students have organised for each class to enjoy, before coming together for a picnic lunch in the courtyard.

SunSmart - Wide Brimmed Hats

Our school SunSmart Policy requires students to wear their school wide brimmed hat when outside during Terms Three and Four, from 1st September until April 30th. If your child has lost or misplaced their hat over winter, hats can be purchased at the school uniform shop. Children are asked to sit in a designated shaded area for the duration of play if they do not have their hats. It is also recommended that hats are checked to ensure your child’s name is clearly visible, so they can easily be returned to the right classroom and person if they are misplaced.

Year Six China Trip

On Saturday evening, Mr Pearce, Ms Ma, Ms Fletcher and Mr Dowling, along with twenty-one Year Six students boarded the plane for China. They have had an exciting time visiting Beijing, seeing the sights and meeting other students.  Read further in this newsletter to find out more about the wonderful adventures the Year Six students are having during this amazing opportunity.

Kind regards, 

Melissa Jacobs

Acting Assistant Principal

Whooping cough

Whooping cough cases are continuing to increase across Victoria, particularly among school-aged children.

Whooping cough is a very contagious infection, mostly spread through coughing or sneezing. Symptoms include:

• blocked or runny nose
• tiredness
• mild fever
• severe bouts of coughing, often followed by a ‘whooping’ sound on breathing.

Whooping cough can lead to life threatening infections in babies.

If your child is unwell, they should not attend school. Please see a doctor if you or your child develops whooping cough symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment will help reduce the spread of the infection.

Students diagnosed with whooping cough must not attend school

If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, they must not attend school for 21 days after the onset of the cough, or until they have received 5 days of antibiotic treatment. You must notify the school if your child is diagnosed with whooping cough.

To further reduce the spread of infection to your child and the school community, the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019 require that some students who were in the same classroom as a student diagnosed with whooping cough should not attend school.

Your child should not attend school for 14 days after they were last exposed to a person diagnosed with whooping cough, or until they have taken 5 days of a course of antibiotic treatment if they are:

• aged less than 7 years; and
• not fully vaccinated with 3 doses of whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine.

This exclusion is required by law – refer to the School exclusion table for primary schools and children’s services.

If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, please contact the school to let us know.

More information

For more information about whooping cough, refer to Whooping cough on the Better Health Channel.

Vaccination is the best way to reduce the risk of whooping cough. The Department of Health recommends staying up to date with immunisations, including booster doses. A free booster dose of the pertussis vaccine is covered under the national immunisation program for students aged 12 to 13. If you are unsure about your child’s vaccination status for whooping cough, please discuss with an immunisation provider, such as your doctor.

I really appreciate your support in keeping our students safe and well.

Kind regards,

Amelia Busuttil

Year 4 Excursion to the Cranbourne Botanical Gardens

Last week, the Year 4s went on an exciting excursion to the Cranbourne Botanical Gardens as part of our Unit of Inquiry on biomes. During the visit, students had the opportunity to learn about our local ecosystem and discover the diverse range of Australian animals and plants that inhabit it. Our Indigenous educators shared valuable insights into how the introduction of foreign species can impact our environment. A highlight of the day was spotting Bunjil, the wedge-tailed eagle, soaring above us, adding a special touch to our Excursion.

Here were some of the  highlights from the Cranbourne Botanical Gardens:

 "Getting to see different animal's skulls and shells. I loved touching the turtle's shell." - Madi, 4C.

"I liked going on a tour of the Cranbourne Botanic Gardens and listening to our tour guide." - Cooper, 4G.

"My favourite part was getting to look at all the different animal skeletons."- Madeline, 4MB.

"I liked when we sat in a circle and passed around the animal skulls. I liked learning about native and foreign animals in our ecosystem." - Levi, 4S.

Premiers’ Reading challenge

Last week the Premiers’ Reading challenge came to an end. Congratulations to the 250 students who participated. Each student who completed the challenge received a book to honour their efforts. Here are some photos of students from various year levels with their prize books.

Dear parents and carers,

Please see the following information below received form the Department of Education in relation to the School Saving Bonus.

In Term 4, 2024, families with a child enrolled in a government school from Prep to Year 12 in 2025 will receive the one-off $400 School Saving Bonus.

The $400 School Saving Bonus provides families with support for education-related costs, such as school activities and/or school uniforms and textbooks.

The School Saving Bonus is not available for full-fee international students, home schooled students, TAFE students and students attending kindergarten in 2025.   

Actions for parents and carers

Before 18 October 2024, the Department of Education is asking parents and carers to:

• Complete enrolment: If your child, or children are changing government school for Term 1 2025, or starting Prep or Year 7 in 2025. For more information, read about Enrolling in School. 
• Check your contact information: Ensure your email address and phone number is up to date with us. You can check this information by contacting us directly.

We need to ensure your contact information is up to date as the Department of Education will email you twice:

• in October, to verify your email address
• in November, with your $400 School Saving Bonus and access to an online system.

Please check your junk mail regularly to make sure you do not miss an important email.

To learn more about the School Saving Bonus, download the School Saving Bonus Information sheet for government school parents and carers or visit vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus.