Dear Craigslea Community,

As we approach the final fortnight of the 2024 school year, it is a time to reflect on the many positive achievements our whole school community can be proud of. Together, we have accomplished so much in learning and engagement, including:

- Learning and Bump It Up walls in every classroom

- Show & Shine afternoons celebrating student learning

- House Shield Competition, highlighting and rewarding positive student behaviour

- Installation of the P&C-funded Prep playground

With two weeks to go, I am looking forward to the following special events:

- Step Up Day – Monday, 2nd December

- 2024 Celebration Assembly – Tuesday, 3rd December

- Year 6 Graduation – Tuesday, 3rd December

- Year 6 Excursion – Wednesday, 4th December

- Year 4 Excursion – Thursday, 5th December

- Class Parties – Friday, 6th December

A Reminder to Families

The next 2 weeks are normal school weeks therefore all absences must be accounted for so please don’t forget to let us know if your child/ren will be away.

Christmas Concert

This year, for the first time, we held our Christmas Concert on a Saturday, enabling us to celebrate as a whole school community. What a wonderful night it was! Christmas concerts are always a special highlight of the year, and it was fabulous to see so many families join us to enjoy carols, stalls, and a movie. The festive cheer was truly contagious.

A huge thank you goes to Mrs. Stockill for her coordination of the event and for the time she dedicated to preparing students for their performances. I would also like to acknowledge the P&C, parent volunteers, and our teachers who generously gave up their time to make the evening such a success. Your efforts are deeply appreciated.

Thank You to Our P&C

As the year draws to a close, I want to acknowledge the hard work and unwavering support of our P&C. Having had the privilege of being the principal of five schools, I know the strength of the partnership between the P&C and the school is absolutely critical. At Craigslea, we are incredibly fortunate to have an amazing group of parents who are dedicated to making our school the best it can be for our students.

This year, the P&C has supported every school event, funded playground projects, installed water coolers across the school, and purchased outdoor ping pong tables for our senior students. While this is only a snapshot of their contributions, please know how deeply grateful we are for everything they do.

Show & Shine Afternoons

Thank you to the parents and carers who attended our final Show & Shine Afternoon for 2024. These events have become a much-loved afternoon, allowing students to proudly share their learning with their families. The afternoons provide a wonderful opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved and to celebrate a term’s learning. Congratulations to our students and teachers for making these afternoons such a success.

A Snapshot of 2025

Last week, we were excited to share our plans for 2025 with the community during both a Coffee & Connect morning and evening session. Looking ahead to 2025 has generated great enthusiasm among our staff, and the feedback from parents and carers has been overwhelmingly positive. We are excited about the opportunities and initiatives in store for the coming year.

A Final Note

This is our final newsletter for 2024, and it’s incredible to reflect on how quickly the year has flown by. As I complete my first year as your principal, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Craigslea community for your ongoing support of our school. By working together, we are truly creating the village that educates our children.

I am proud of what we have accomplished this year and eagerly anticipate the great things we have planned for 2025. Wishing all our families a safe and joyful holiday season.

“Celebrate what you have accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed.” Mia Hamm

Yours in Learning,

Melanie Rehm