I would like you all to join me in reflecting on what has been another wonderful year at Thornhill Park Primary School.  We have created some wonderful memories and made some lasting links with the community.  Our students have proven that they are making huge gains whilst in our care compared to other Australian schools and we continue to strive to develop and strengthen our amazing school culture.  It truly is a privilege being the Principal of this school.

This year we have had another lot of firsts.  There was our first ever production – The X-Factory which showcased our Arts program and the talented students we have here.  We launched our houses and now display our mascots proudly in the school.  Our Year 6’s provided a fabulous legacy through their art work on the Gaga Pit. We also had out first ever students represent Team Vic in Touch Rugby being Skyla and Mya Berryman.

Graduation

Congratulations to our Year 6 students who took part in the Graduation ceremony on Wednesday.  It was a spectacular event in which the students were recognised for their amazing work this year.  A particular congratulations to the students who took home special awards for their work in various subjects.  A huge thank you to the staff and Mr Soumbassis partner Rose for making it a memorable occasion by organising the night and creating great photo opportunities.

New buildings

You may have noticed that we are getting new buildings beside the bike shed.  This will be out new STEM space.  We are also receiving new buildings towards the rear of the school and another double storey portable to accommodate our growth.  All of this work will occur between now and the end of term 1.

Students Leaving

We wish all students who are leaving us in 2025 all the best in their new schools.  Whether it be that you are heading to St Padro Pio or to another school, you will be a member of the Thornhill Park Primary School community for life.  We hope that the things you have learnt here hold you in good stead at your new schools.

Staff leaving

Farewell to Josh Eldon, who taught in Year 3/4 this year.  He will be moving to a new school in 2026.  Natasha Donellan is heading back to Perth and will also be leaving us at the end of the year.  Mark Micallef will also not be with us next year as he is taking some leave.

New staff

We welcome a heap of new staff for 2026.  Lanie da Castro (Yr 3/4), Will Southall (Yr 3/4), Linda Vo (Yr 1), Courtney Nash Yr 3/4), Carly Bordignon (Yr 5/6), Samantha Hackney (Inclusive practices teacher), Shinsuke Yoshimura (Yr 2), Mark Rohan (STEM), Christine Connor (Yr 1), Donna Evans (ES), Kamaldeep Kaur Mallhi (ES), Liam Volf (ES) and Emily Brown (Yr 1).  We welcome all of these people to our school and know that they will be made to feel like they are a part of the school right away.

Last day of school

School will end for 2025 on Friday 19th December at 12.30pm.  An assembly will be had at 12.20pm where will do the traditional guard of honour for our Year 6 students as they leave the school for the last time.

Holidays

I wish everyone as safe and happy holiday.  On behalf of all the staff here at Thornhill Park we would like to thank the whole community for your respectful interactions and for supporting us to do the work that we do.  It is truly appreciated.  Please be extra vigilant on the roads as there are more children out and about.  We look forward to seeing you all back for 2026 on Thursday 29th January for Years 1-6 and Monday 2nd February for our Prep students.

Have a great holiday.

Darryl Spiteri

Thornhill Park PS

Principal

Congratulations to 56C who achieved the best attendance for the week ending 5th December, 2025.

Congratulations to 34C who achieved the best attendance for the week ending 12th December, 2025.

The best attendance for term 4 goes to 3/4G!

PRIMARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education. Students learn new things at school every day – missing school puts them behind.

If your child is sick or absent, you are required to notify school as soon as possible on the day of absence using one of the following methods:

1. Online: log the absence directly using Compass.
2. Telephone: the school office and let the staff know your child’s name, class, date of absences and reason.

Notifying the school of your child’s absence either prior to, or on the day that they will be away, helps ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and will fulfil your legal responsibility.

Why do I need to notify the school if my child is absent?

Schools need to know when and why a child is absent and you need to know if your child isn’t at school.

If your child is absent on a particular day and you have not contacted the school to explain why, the absence will be marked as unexplained.

This system also promotes daily school attendance. Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education, they learn new things every day – missing school puts them behind.

What is your responsibility?

You are legally required to ensure your child attends school every day or you must provide an explanation for their absence. You should let the school know in advance of any upcoming absences or let them know in the morning if your child won’t be at school. Avoid making routine medical and dental appointments during the school day or planning family holidays during the term.

Recognising great attendance and punctuality.

Our attendance target is 96%.  Each week, we reward the class with the highest attendance (which includes getting to school on time!), with our school mascot, Ripwell in their classroom for the week.

Lost Property Announcement

We currently have a large number of school jumpers and jackets in Lost Property. Please ensure that your child’s name is clearly labelled on all clothing items, jackets, lunchboxes, and drink bottles to help prevent loss and reduce waste.

Our Lost Property area is located in the Wellbeing space at the front office. We kindly ask for your cooperation in keeping this area clean and tidy.

Any lost property that is not claimed by the end of this term will be donated or disposed of appropriately.

CANTEEN: The canteen will be closed on the last day of term and their last day of operation for the year will be Thursday 18th.

ART

This term, our Prep students followed the steps to draw, outline and colour in this ADORABLE frog! They learnt about frogs and their pond habitat. Students then explored colour, shape, and texture through collage.

This term, our 1/2 students followed the steps to draw, outline and colour in this PRECIOUS polar bear! They learnt about polar bears and their arctic habitat. Students then explored colour, shape, and texture through collage.

This term, our 3/4 students learn’t about the Pop Art movement and artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. They chose objects of interest and created compositions with bold lines, vibrant colours, and use of repetition. Students used markers and coloured crayons and pencils to bring their artworks to life – don’t they just pop?

This term, our Year 5 students created mixed-media mood boards that visually represented their likes, interests, and personalities. They selected and arranged images, words, stickers, and other paper-craft materials in this unique collage style.

STEM

• Prep students investigated different types of weather, with cloud hunting being a favourite activity.
• Year 1 students learned how to give Bee-Bots clear commands to follow simple programs.
• Year 2 students explored mixtures, discovering how some materials combine while others stay separate. Making slime was definitely a highlight!
• Year 3/4 students learned about the Engineering Design Process and explored joining techniques to strengthen their constructions. Their mini houses were an excellent example of these skills in action.
• Year 5/6 students put their coding skills to the test by building LEGO robots and programming them to complete challenges.

Year 6 Art Legacy, A Lasting Gift to Thornhill Park Primary School

Our Year 6 students have created something truly special as they prepare to leave Thornhill Park Primary School, a vibrant and meaningful Grade 6 Art Legacy that will live on for future students to enjoy. Using Posca markers, our students designed and painted 14 large art boards, each one showcasing creativity, identity, and pride in their school community. These colourful panels will soon be installed around our school’s gaga pit, transforming it into a space rich with story, culture and student voice.

The gaga pit, a much-loved feature in our yard, is a fast-paced, inclusive game space where students dodge, tap, jump, and laugh their way through energetic rounds of gaga ball. It’s a place of teamwork, strategy, resilience and pure fun, a hub where students of all ages come together to play and connect. Installing the legacy artwork around this area makes it a perfect location, a space that represents movement, community and joy.

What makes the artwork even more meaningful is the cultural and environmental storytelling woven into each design. Students incorporated Aboriginal-inspired patterns and symbols, celebrating connection to Country and honouring the land on which our school stands. They also included illustrations of native flora found across Thornhill Park, alongside visual elements inspired by the unique features of our school, all chosen thoughtfully to represent belonging, growth and our school’s identity.

This extraordinary project stands as a proud reminder of our 2025 Year 6 cohort, their creativity, their leadership, and their lasting contribution to Thornhill Park Primary School. Their legacy will inspire future generations of students for years to come.

Years 3 & 4 Multimedia 

Physical Education 

During this term, students in Year 3-6 participated in a unit on volleyball. They were taught skills such as ‘set’, ‘serve’, ‘dig’ and court positioning. They finished off the unit by playing against each other in mixed ability groups.

The Year 5/6 students ended the term with a Team Challenge whereby they participated in a round robin tournament. They were placed into teams and played against each other over the last 4 weeks in games of basketball and indoor soccer. Scores were recorded and results published weekly on the gym window.

The Year 3/4 students finished off the term with a few weeks worth of frisbee games. Focus was placed on grip, stance, footwork and catching techniques.

Congratulations to the following students who received awards during our assemblies!

Keep up the great work!

Students of the Week – Ending 5th December

Students of the Week – Ending 12th December

Congratulations to the following students who are celebrating a birthday in December & January!

We hope you had a lovely day!

Caroline PC

Katerina 56E

Lucas 1E

Aeran 2C

Angadbir 34E

Mason 34D

Blake 34G

Manaf 34F

Ob PC

Rehmat 2E

Fatima 34E

Caleb   56F

Aditya 56F

Amilia PC

Nishchay PD

Myra 1C

Isaac 34A

Sophia 34D

Kultaaj 56B

Ambrose PG

Idris 1C

Alice 2D

Siaosi 2C

Viyaansh 34F

Pita 34H

Arabella 1F

Aileen  34G

Rebecca 1A

Mehtab 34C

Ryan 1B

Aroohi 56A

Emmanuel 1F

Lavanya 2A

Melina 34F

Peter     34B

Christy 34B

Tannin  PH

Zayed   1G

Taj  34B

Marziya 56F

Aaliyah 56C

Khalas 56F

Parwan PH

Emily 2B

San 56A

Rishi PA

Agam 56A

Aariya  PB

Avei  PH

Edith 56A

Raina    PH

ALI Menaal  56B

Ekam 34H

Jaxon    56A

Samanvitha  56C

Amraj   PF

Athena 56B

Radiant 1B

Isa   2E

Myra  1C

Rehmat 1F

Isak  2A

Richie  34H

Keerat  1F

Bhumi  PA

Shaarvi PE

Joanne 56A

Ethan    1E

Ridhi     2B

Viona PC

Eshaal  34E

Raj         34B

Daniel  34D

Rudra   1C

Hussain Ali   34C

Elias      PF

Moroni 56A

Joyce    1D

Auddie 34F

Alpha 56F

Jayden 2E

Ashmeet 56E

Florence PG

Saish Aryan   1C

Abigalie 2D

Aaron   2B

Emaan 2B

Leeroy 34B

Hania   34E

Mahit    PB

Arliya    PC

Kayla    34C

Vicky    34G

Daksh 56C

Janice  56D

Myles   PD

Oliver   1C

Asees   2E

Rakeb   1B

Avi         34C

Carlos  56A

Amir      PB

Kolton  1G

Arwa     2C

Manaia PF

Rabaab PB

Gianna 2C

Rhythm 34F

Emad    56E

Angus 56E

Prabhleen 1E

Ada  1F

Dhavish PE

Jayce    34E

Guntaas 34G

Avery    PA

Navroop 34C

Chinaza 56C

Luna     PA

Oscar   1D

Braxton 1E

Gurfateh 2A

Kaedyn 2D

Celina  2D

Haider 1F

Franky  2A

Roland 1F

Sam      2A

Meena 2E

Gavin   34G

Ryan     34E

Reno     34G

Neriah 56D

*Please note that birthdays are only published up until the date of publication.  

Important Dates – Term 4

• Friday 19th December – Term 4 ends @ 12.30pm

Free Soccer Training Session at Thornhill Park Primary School!

Families are invited to join a free soccer trial session on Sunday 14th December, from 10am to 12pm at Thornhill Park Primary School.

Join us for a fun and active morning!

This is a great opportunity for students to get active, build confidence, and have fun while learning new skills in a supportive team environment. The session is run by an established organisation; Football Star Academy, with over 15 years of experience, working in 390+ schools across Australia and empowering more than 100,000 children through sport. Their programs are also delivered internationally in the USA, UAE, India, and Hong Kong.

Exclusive discounts will be available on the day for upcoming school holiday programs and Term 1, 2026 enrolments.

THIS SESSION IS ALSO OPEN TO ALL CURRENT MEMBERS.