Our School
Meet the Principal
May I extend to you and your child a very warm welcome to our school. My name is Paul Schwartz and I am the Principal of Wedge Park Primary School.
Wedge Park Primary School is a great place to work because of the positive relationships and values shared by staff, students and parents.
We have 950 students enrolled for 2021. There are 41 classes. Class size in Years Foundation to Yr 2 = 20 – 24 and in Years 3 to Yr 6 = 22 – 28 students.
Wedge Park Primary School’s academic results are very positive and continue to improve yearly. In the classroom, we plan and deliver engaging lessons in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy where whole class instruction and independent learning time is strengthened by teachers facilitating focus groups during each session. Students are also supported during student conferencing which enables them to learn alongside their teachers and peers. Students learn at their level by building on their prior knowledge, to develop their skills, to challenge their thinking and to make new connections. We work closely with our students so they have a voice as they set their individual learning goals to support the direction of their learning.
With a team of committed and highly skilled teachers, Wedge Park Primary School fosters a community of life-long learners. We strive to develop articulate, socially responsible and resilient individuals who are working towards achieving their full potential. We see our central purpose as giving students a comprehensive education enabling all students to become literate, numerate and curious learners who have the capacity to contribute to society now and in the future as global citizens.
Our school values (Responsible, Respectful, Learners) describe the guiding principles and beliefs of the school community, and are designed to underpin all that we do. These values will assist the school to provide an environment where our children can be happy, safe, expressive, creative and engaged in learning. We expect staff, students and parents to model these values in all interactions.
Paul Schwartz
Principal

Staff
Principal Class

Paul Schwartz
Principal

Sara McKee
Deputy Principal

Melissa Lake
Assistant Principal | Prep - 3

Jennifer Stevenson
Assistant Principal | 4-6 and Spec
Leading Teachers

Michelle Trimboli
Prep/Intervention

Kathy Jungfer
Year 1/2

Belinda Vaughan
Year 3/4

Jodie Leetham
Year 5/STEM

Carolyn Murray
Year 6 /ART/SVAL
Teaching Staff

Natasha Naidu
PNN

Sree Sivadas
PSS

Madeline West
PMW

Amber Kirk-Jambor
PAK

Cassie Mason
PCM

Mel Vella
PMV

Stef Tsotsos
1ST

Jamayka Webster
1JW

Bonnie Norman
1BN

Natalie Zammit
1ZN

Colleen Hardwick
1CH

Briegh Willcox
1BW

Erin Thomas
1ET

Racheal Abela
2RA

Amy McQualter
2AM

Karyn Woolley
2KW

Belle Kurulic
2KT (M,Th, F)

Kristy Taylor
2KT (Tu, W)

Marnie McColl
2MM

Sarah Lochhead
2SL

Tim Hughes
3TH

Michelle McRae
3MM

Rebecca O'Donnell
3RO

Angee Ozanne
3AO

Madeleine James
3MJ

Ebony O'Connor
3EO

Sarah Bogle
4SB

Craig Turner
4CT

Paige Banks
4PB

Kirralee Carter
4KC

Nafoose Curmi
4NC

Rachael Best
5RB

Liam Kenny
5LK

Tarhnie Brown
5TB

Sarah Bennett
5SB

Toan Phan
5TP

Jordan Kirk
6JK

Rickie Chase
6RC

Zoe Thompson
6ZT

Rob Bess
6RB

Shannon Rees
6SR

Ash Aghan
6AA
Specialists

Daniel Perkins
PE

Sarah Vaughan
PE

Jenny Velja
Music

Fiona Briscoe
Science

Yvette Champness
Art

Tina Polistina
Art

Lorraine Sternberg
Intervention

Belinda Williams
Intervention (M,Tu,F)

Skye Thompson
Tutor

Anthea Makings
Tutor

James Payne
Library

Laura Schuliga
Digital Tech (M,TH,F)

Chelsea Bowman
Digital Tech- (Tu,W)

Rebecca Harmon
Digital Tech (W)
ES Staff

Lexie Rust
Business Manager

Kay Looby
Admin Assist

Lyndal Lewis
Exec Assist

Brinley Keep
Receptionist

Rebecca MacMillan
School Nurse

Nicole Donehue
Library Technician

Sarah Dixon
Psychologist

Kate Hannett
Welfare (M,W,F)

Teresa Tobin
Speech Assistant
Education Support Staff – Integration Aides

Georgina Aquilina
1JW

Penny Cameron
PCM

Julie-Anne Williams
1BW

Karla Williams
2RA

Tracey Fletcher
3MJ

Ashley Stefanile
1ST (M,W,Th,F)

Lauren Waldie
4KC

Tamieka Ierardo
3AO

Jade McMaster
2SL

Jade Petri
6AA

Brenda Castrignano
Various

Susanne Waterson
4CT

Lucia Storrar
6ZT

Niccolle Walker
6SR

Melissa Maroun
2AM (M,Tu,Th,F)

Mikkayla Ashdon
5TB (M,Tu,W,F)

Sam Storer
5RB
Maintenance

Alan Farr
(M-Th)
Scott Farr
(Th,F)
IT
Ravi Kanneganti
(M,Th)
George Zipevski
Mission, Vision & Values
Mission
Every student matters, every moment counts
Vision
As a school community, we create an environment where every student matters and every moment counts.
We aim to:
- Ensure high quality teaching through professional learning, feedback, teamwork, collegiate support and communication.
- Respect and develop the unique and individual strengths, talents and needs of every child through fostering a positive growth mindset.
- Develop every students Literacy, Numeracy and 21st century skills to enable students to be successful in a changing world.
- Promote a positive working and learning environment where contributions are recognised and celebrated.
- Welcome community involvement through an open, supportive and consultative environment where contributions are valued.
- Create an environment where everyone is encouraged to strive for excellence in an atmosphere of confidence, safety, enjoyment and active participation.
- Challenge students to grow academically, socially, emotionally, physically and creatively to their full potential whilst demonstrating the core values of the school: Responsible, Respectful, Learners
Values
We are Respectful
We are Responsible
We are Learners
Plans, Reports & Policies
Advertising And Sponsorship Policy
Assessment And Reporting Policy
Communication With School Staff Policy
Equal Opportunity And Anti Discrimination Policy
Inclusion And Diversity Policy
Personal Property And Insurance Policy
Photographing, Filming And Recording Students Policy
Respect For School Staff Policy
The Child Safe Standards
The Child Safe Standards (the Standards) are compulsory minimum standards for all Victorian schools to ensure they are well prepared to keep children and young people safe and protect them from abuse. Ministerial Order 1359 – Implementing the Child Safe Standards – Managing the risk of child abuse in schools (PDF) provides the framework for child safety in schools.
Victorian schools can continue to build on their existing child safety strategies, policies and practices to strengthen their culture of child safety and protect children and young people from abuse.
The Child Safe Standards include requirements to keep children, young people and students safe, including:
- involvement of families and students in child safety
- schools’ focus on safety for Aboriginal students
- better management of child abuse risks in online environments
- governance, systems and processes for keeping students safe.
The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority is responsible for regulating the compliance of schools with the Standards. Schools are required to comply with the Standards as part of the prescribed minimum standards for registration.
There are 11 Child Safe Standards:
- Standard 1: Culturally Safe Environments – Establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.
- Standard 2: Leadership, Governance and Culture – Ensure that child safety and wellbeing are embedded in school leadership, governance and culture.
- Standard 3: Child and Student Empowerment – Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.
- Standard 4: Family Engagement – Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
- Standard 5: Diversity and Equity – Equity is upheld, and diverse needs are respected in policy and practice.
- Standard 6: Suitable Staff and Volunteers – People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
- Standard 7: Child-Focused Complaints Processes – Ensure that processes for complaints and concerns are child focused.
- Standard 8: Child Safety Knowledge, Skills and Awareness – Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
- Standard 9: Physical and Online Environments – Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.
- Standard 10: Review of Child Safety Practices – Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.
- Standard 11: Implementation of Child Safety Practices – Policies and procedures that document how schools are safe for children, young people and students.
The Child Safe Standards are changing 1 July 2022. Guidance and resources have been developed to support schools transition to the new Standards.
The department’s PROTECT website contains guidance to support schools to implement the new Child Safe Standards including a new Child Safe Standards Action List for government schools:
Child Safety And OHS Induction Pack Volunteers
Child Safety Responding And Reporting Obligations Policy And Procedures
The Department of Education and Training (the Department) values your privacy and is committed to protecting information that schools collect. Please click on the link to find out more
Student Leadership
A variety of roles and responsibilities are available across our School to support and promote the development of student leadership skills. In light of our commitment to equity through a distributive leadership model, students have the opportunity to hold one leadership position at a time.
Formally, these include:
- School Captain
- School Vice-Captain
- Student Representative Council (SRC) – yearly position, Years 3 to 6
- Sports Captains / Vice-Captain
In addition, all children have the opportunity to lead initiatives – fundraisers, clubs at lunchtime, assembly presentations – by either taking their ideas to the SRC or to their classroom teacher.
Photos