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

Brian Slatter

Brian Slatter

Principal

Belinda Williams

Belinda Williams

Acting Assistant Principal | Prep - 3

Jennifer Stevenson

Jennifer Stevenson

Assistant Principal | 4-6 and Spec

Leading Teachers

Cassie Mason

Cassie Mason

Acting P - 2 Literacy

Laura Siu

Laura Siu

P - 2 Numeracy

Kathy Jungfer

Kathy Jungfer

P - 2 Engagement

Sarah Lochhead

Sarah Lochhead

3 - 6 Literacy

Tim Hughes

Tim Hughes

3 - 6 Numercy

Jodie Leetham

Jodie Leetham

3 - 6 Engagement

Teaching Staff

Amber Kirk-Jambor

Amber Kirk-Jambor

PAK

Colleen Hardwick

Colleen Hardwick

PCH

Claire Jungfer

Claire Jungfer

PCJ

Michelle McRae

Michelle McRae

PMM

Skye Thompson

Skye Thompson

PST

Cassie Lapthorne

Cassie Lapthorne

PCL

Nicole Palmer

Nicole Palmer

PNP

Sree Sivadas

Sree Sivadas

PSS

Stef Tsotsos

Stef Tsotsos

1ST

Anthea Makings

Anthea Makings

1AM

Cassie Crawford

Cassie Crawford

1BW

Chelsea Bowman

Chelsea Bowman

1CB

Marnie McColl

Marnie McColl

1MM

Monique Stapleton

Monique Stapleton

1MS

Briegh Willcox

Briegh Willcox

2CM

Erin Thomas

Erin Thomas

2ET

Diane Kinder

Diane Kinder

2DK

Madeline West

Madeline West

2MW

Nathan Apps

Nathan Apps

2NA

Shannon Rees

Shannon Rees

3SR

Angee Ozanne

Angee Ozanne

3AO

Karyn Woolley

Karyn Woolley

3KW

Natalie Zammit

Natalie Zammit

3NZ

Sarah Bennett

Sarah Bennett

3SB

Jasmine BESANKO

Jasmine BESANKO

3JB

Rachael Best

Rachael Best

4RB

Crystal Markovski

4CM

Liam Kenny

Liam Kenny

4LK

Marilyn Kerr

Marilyn Kerr

4MK

Rachelle Holland

Rachelle Holland

4RH

Toan Phan

Toan Phan

4TP

Craig Turner

Craig Turner

5CT

Tarhnie Brown

Tarhnie Brown

5BH (M-W)

Kate Hassett

Kate Hassett

5BH (W-F)

Gabrielle Kernick

Gabrielle Kernick

5GK

Jordan Kirk

Jordan Kirk

5JK

Mel Vella

Mel Vella

5MV

Rob Bess

Rob Bess

6RB

Justin Belovitch

Justin Belovitch

6JB

James Payne

James Payne

6JP

Paige Banks

Paige Banks

6PN

Rickie Chase

Rickie Chase

6RC

Rebecca O'Donnell

Rebecca O'Donnell

6RO

Specialists

Robert Lake

Robert Lake

PE

Sarah Vaughan

Sarah Vaughan

PE

Jenny Velja

Jenny Velja

Music

Fiona Briscoe

Fiona Briscoe

Science

Yvette Champness

Yvette Champness

Art

Chris Downing

Chris Downing

Digital Tech

Lorraine Sternberg

Lorraine Sternberg

Intervention

Tina Polistena

Tina Polistena

Intervention

Laura Schuliga

Laura Schuliga

LOTE

Ruth Jones

Ruth Jones

LOTE

ES Staff

Brinley Keep

Brinley Keep

Business Manager

Kay Looby

Kay Looby

Admin Assist

Lyndal Lewis

Lyndal Lewis

Exec Assist

Cassidy Pettigrew

Cassidy Pettigrew

Receptionist

Rebecca MacMillan

Rebecca MacMillan

School Nurse

Jade Petri

Jade Petri

Library Technician

Sarah Dixon

Sarah Dixon

Psychologist

Racheal Abela

Racheal Abela

MHIPS

Niccolle Walker

Niccolle Walker

Student Admin

Education Support Staff – Integration Aides

Julie-anne Williams

Julie-anne Williams

1CB

Penny Cameron

Penny Cameron

1MM

Shelby Lawson

Shelby Lawson

1MS

Teresa Tobin

Teresa Tobin

1ST

Karol Bruzzaniti

Karol Bruzzaniti

2ET

Brenda Castrignano

Brenda Castrignano

3AO

Kelly James

Kelly James

3KL

Tracey Fletcher

Tracey Fletcher

3NZ

Julie Niemczyk

Julie Niemczyk

4LK

Jade McMaster

Jade McMaster

4MK

Ella Cook

Ella Cook

4RB

Melissa Maroun

Melissa Maroun

5BH

Gemma Stemp

Gemma Stemp

5CT

Sarah Dickson

Sarah Dickson

5GK

Tamieka Lerardo

6RB

Kira Gregory

Kira Gregory

6JB

Maintenance

Alan Farr

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

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: 

Bullying Prevention Policy

Child Safety And OHS Induction Pack Volunteers

Child Safety Code Of Conduct

Child Safety Policy

Child Safety Responding And Reporting Obligations Policy And Procedures

Complaints Policy

Digital Learning Policy

Student Engagement And Wellbeing Policy

Visitors Policy

Volunteers Policy

Yard Duty Supervision

 

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

Schools’ privacy policy (education.vic.gov.au)

DET Privacy Collection Notice

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

School Tour