Welcome back to all our returning families and a very special welcome to those joining our school community for the first time. I hope you enjoyed a wonderful summer break filled with rest, laughter and special family moments. It has been an absolute pleasure to see our school come alive again with energy, excitement and smiling faces.

I would like to extend a particularly warm welcome to our 2026 Prep students. We are so incredibly proud of how beautifully they have settled into school life. Starting school is such a significant milestone, and our newest learners have shown courage, curiosity and enthusiasm as they navigate new routines, friendships and learning experiences. It has been delightful to see them confidently entering classrooms, exploring their new environment and already feeling a strong sense of belonging.

We also recognise that for some families, the summer break was not restful. The recent fires had a significant impact on parts of our community, and we understand that this may have been a stressful and uncertain time for many. As a school, we were honoured to open our doors during the holidays to support affected families. Recovery looks different for everyone, and there is no single timeline for healing. If your child or family would benefit from additional support, please do not hesitate to reach out to our wellbeing team. We are here to listen, support and connect families with appropriate services if needed.

We would also like to sincerely thank the many volunteers within our school community who bravely fought the fires and supported our community in countless other ways. Your courage, generosity and commitment to keeping others safe does not go unnoticed. We are incredibly proud to be part of such a caring and resilient community.

Thank you to all families for your support and patience during these first few weeks. We know there are many forms, notes and information requests sent home at the beginning of each year. While it can feel like a lot, updating student information is extremely important to ensure we can provide the safest and most responsive environment possible for every child. We greatly appreciate your understanding and prompt responses.

One of the greatest joys of my role is walking through the yard and classrooms each day. There is something truly special about seeing students engaged in their learning, collaborating with peers, laughing together in the playground and demonstrating pride in their work. The positive start to the year has been evident across every learning space, and it speaks volumes about our dedicated staff, supportive families and wonderful students.

Over the holiday period, significant work was completed to further enhance our learning environment. Improvements included:

• Installation of new carpet in the main building
• Fresh painting in the Prep classrooms to create bright and welcoming spaces
• Removal of the gas tank on Apollo Street to improve safety and functionality
• Careful maintenance of the bottom terrace to keep the grass green and healthy over summer
• Installation of new chilled drinking taps for students (this week)
• A new yard speaker system so everyone can clearly hear the bell

These upgrades ensure our facilities continue to support both learning and wellbeing, and we are excited for students to benefit from these improvements throughout the year.

In 2026, our strategic focus centres on two key priorities: strengthening student outcomes in Mathematics and increasing student voice and agency in learning. This year, we will continue to develop and embed consistent, high-quality instructional practices in Mathematics across all year levels, ensuring every student builds strong foundational skills, confidence and problem-solving capabilities. Alongside this, we are committed to empowering students to take greater ownership of their learning, providing meaningful opportunities for choice, goal setting, feedback and reflection. When students feel heard and actively involved in their learning, motivation and achievement flourish.

We are also looking forward to our upcoming Parent Information Night and Open Classrooms on Wednesday 18th February from 4:30pm. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to meet teachers, learn about classroom routines and expectations, and gain insight into what learning will look like in 2026. We will also share more detail about our strategic goals and how these priorities will come to life in classrooms. Building strong partnerships between home and school is essential to student success, and this evening is an important part of that connection. We encourage all families to attend and look forward to seeing you there.

As we begin 2026 together, I am filled with optimism and pride. Thank you for your ongoing partnership and commitment to our school community. I look forward to a year of growth, connection and success for every student.

Warm regards, Nicole Salmon

Nicole Salmon                      

B.App.Sc. (Dis.St.), Dip.Ed., M.Ed. (Sp.Ed.)

 Principal

AFTER SCHOOL ARRANGEMENTS 

Please ensure your child is aware of what is happening after school, where they are going, who is picking them up and they know the plan if a after school activity is cancelled. 

A reminder to families that the school day finishes at 3.30pm. Please ensure your child/children are collected from school in a timely manner. If you are running late, please notify the front office. 

BUS TRAVEL 

Any changes to your afternoon bus travel arrangements are to be made by 2.00pm for the day of travel. This can be made via the Audiri App by selecting Resources, Forms, then Bus Travel or calling the front office on 5775 2325 & follow the prompts. 

If your child has started a new after school activity for the Term, football/netball/cricket training for example, please update their regular bus travel arrangements. 

Absences

If your child is absent from school, we ask that you contact the school by 10am on the day or as soon as practicable. Absent messages can be submitted through our school app Audiri, by phone or email. 

Medication

All medication for students during the school day must be given to the front office staff and a medication authority form is to be completed.  

Student Toilets

Please be mindful that the student toilets are for students only. There are toilets located at the front office, please see the office staff if needed. 

Supervision Before & After School

MPS Yard is supervised before school from 8.30am and after school until 3.45pm.

Two teachers are on duty in the yard at these times wearing an orange vest and students can go to them with any issues.

Any students in the yard outside these times will be asked to move to the front office to wait until supervision begins.

Audiri

In an emergency our school app Audiri will be used as our main source of communication to our families. This is a reminder to families to download Audiri.

Please note (if you have not already updated) to update your child/s year level on Audiri. This is done by opening Audiri selecting resources, groups, & then selecting your child/s grade including whole school. 

Family Details

If your family contact details have recently changed - residential address, contact numbers & or emergency contacts please update via Audiri by selecting resources, forms & then change of details. 

SCHOOL UNIFORM

Uniform to be ordered through Spartan School Supplies.      

We have a full range of uniform on display at the front office for you to view before making your purchases online. 

LOST PROPERTY

Please note we cannot return items that have no name. Please ensure uniform & drink bottles are clearly labelled with your child's name. 

SPARE CLOTHES

If your child has come home in spare clothes from school, we ask that you please wash & return these items.

HEAD LICE

A reminder to families to be checking for head lice & taking the appropriate steps to treat hair if lice are found. 

Term 1

• 27th February     Buddy Day        
• 3rd March     District Swimming Trials    
• 6th March     Student free day
• 9th March     Public Holiday     
• 11th March   School Photo Day     
• 11th – 23rd March    NAPLAN- Year 3 + Year 5
• 13th March    Division Swimming  
• 18th March    Regional Swimming  
• 24th – 27th March    Year 5 camp
• 2nd April    Last day of Term 1 
• 3rd April- 19th April    School Holidays                      

Term 2 

• 22nd April    State Swimming      
• 24th April    3-6 Cross Country
• 30th April     Prep-2 Cross Country      
• 22nd May    District Cross Country 
• 28th May    Division Cross Country
• 3rd June    From Scratch program starts- Year 6     
• 5th June    Student Free Day
• 8th June    Public Holiday
• 12th June    Regional Cross Country
• 18th-19th June    Year 5 Bike Ed
• 19th June     World Make Music Day
• 26th June    Last day of term
• 27th June-12th July    School Holidays                               

Parents /Guardians who drive their children in excess of 4.8 km to board a school bus or travel more than 4.8km without passing a bus stop when driving to school are entitled to apply for a conveyance allowance.

The payment is calculated on the distance travelled (subject to Government notification) and is paid quarterly. 

If you believe you are entitled to this allowance please contact the school office for a Conveyance Form.

If you already receive conveyance allowance there is no need to complete another form.

Please ensure that this form is received at the school office by Friday 6th March, 2026.

Creativity and curiosity were on full display at Mansfield Primary School on Tuesday 10th and Thursday 12th February, as our Visual Arts students took part in a special hands-on workshop delivered through a free education program from Benalla Art Gallery. 

The sessions featured the Gallery’s travelling Art Cases, recently received from the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) as part of its Exhibition Touring Program. The unique cases contain three-dimensional artworks by well-known artists, organised around key themes and designed specifically for safe handling by students — offering a rare opportunity to experience real artworks beyond the traditional “look but don’t touch” museum setting. 

Education and Public Programs Curator, Tegan Nash from Benalla Art Gallery visited Mansfield Primary School to present the Art Cases to Grade 1 and Grade 5 students, guiding them through a series of interactive learning activities. Students explored the materials, forms and ideas behind the artworks while engaging with specially designed resources linked to the themes and concepts of the collection. The program aims to bring gallery experiences directly into the classroom, equipping teachers and students with authentic artworks, learning tools and creative activities. By allowing students to carefully handle the works, the Art Cases foster deeper understanding, discussion and connection with contemporary art practice. 

Mansfield Primary School’s Visual Arts classroom was transformed into an interactive gallery space across the two mornings, inspiring young learners to think, question and create — proving that meaningful art experiences can travel far beyond gallery walls. 

Shanley Cleeland

Visual Arts Teacher

🏐 Mansfield Junior Netball Club – 2026 Junior Championship (formerly known as Winter Comp)

Are your Kids ready to hit the court in 2026? Our Junior Championship is now open for registration and we can’t wait to see our young netballers back in action 💙

📅 Competition Runs Friday Nights starting 13th March through to 19th June (excluding Easter & School Holidays)

📲 Register via the Netball Connect App or the link in comments

Age Groups • U11s – Born 2015 / 2016 / 2017 • U13s – Born 2013 / 2014 • U15/17s – Born 2009 / 2010 / 2011 / 2012

⚠️ Important ⚠️

*Registrations close: 15 February 2026*

- Registrations must be submitted during the registration period to avoid missing out during team selection period!

Any questions, please email mjnclub20@gmail.com or reach out to Mansfield Junior Netball Club on Facebook