Welcome back to the 2025 school year at Forest Primary School. It has been wonderful to see all of our student’s proudly wearing our school uniform including hats when we are outside. The school environment is looking amazing, including our NEW Kindergarten playground. Thankyou so much to Peter Benson Landscaping for making this all happen.

A special shoutout to Brent from Wooldrage Excavation for the removal of the old play equipment. Josh Anderson for his help in fertilising our school paddocks and to Johnny and Scott Korpershoek for cutting and bailing. We appreciate your time and willingness to support our school.

The grounds wouldn’t look the way they do without the hard work and dedication of Murray – thanks Murray!

It has been a privilege to witness all of our staff working hard to ensure that all of our students settle in well to their new classrooms. We have all been working hard to ensure that we are supporting our students to feel known, safe, well and learning everyday. I warmly welcome all of our new and existing students and families to Forest Primary.

I extend a warm welcome to the Forest Primary family our two new teaching staff members – Claire Nicholl (Year 1/2) and Ebony Meldrum (Year 5).

Our Year 6 students will be attending their Hobart camp on Monday 5th to Friday 9th of May, more information to follow.

Leadership opportunities for students have been happening, led by Sarah Cuthbertson (Daily PE & House Captains) and SRC will commence next week led by Toni Popowski.  Students are excited to develop their leadership skills and are looking forward to the 2025 school year.

We also wish Mrs Young all the very best for her Long Service Leave in Term 1 and Term 2 and congratulate Danielle Ollington who is taking on the SBM role in Ann’s absence.  We hope you enjoy your break and you can officially forget about all of those ‘bus lists.’

As always, I encourage each and every one of you to come into our school and speak with any of us. Our doors are always open, and we are open to your feedback (both the positive and the ‘room for improvements.’)  I feel like 2025 will be another year of GROWTH and CONNECTION for us here at Forest Primary School and I can’t wait to lead this community as your Principal – I am the lucky one!

Forest Primary School Staff 2025

Kindergarten: Kellie Bransden

Teacher Assistant: Rhiannon Thorp/Melinda Brown

Prep: Melissa Cox

Teacher Assistant: Melinda Brown

1/2: Claire Nicholl

Teacher Assistant: Mel Gillie

3/4: Jessie Ollington

Teacher Assistant: Kali Townsend

5: Ebony Meldrum

Teacher Assistant: Teleeka Crowley/Haylee Deverell

6: Toni Popowski/Sarah Cuthbertson

Teacher Assistant: Margaret Ollington/ Haylee Deverell

Lil/The Arts: Frances Joyce

Agriculture: Megan Hills

Japanese: Mina Howe

EFA: Murray Horton & Sandra Ling           

Health/PE: Ryan Nibbs

Admin Clerk: Teleeka Crowley and Haylee Deverell (Terms 1 & 2)

School Business Manager: Danielle Ollington (Terms 1 & 2) Ann Young (LSL Terms 1 & Term 2)

Librarian: Sandra McCarthy & Margaret Ollington

Leadership Team

Principal: Megan Hills

AST: Toni Popowski

Instructional Specialist: Melissa Cox

Thank you,

Megan Hills

There are lots of things you can do to set your child up for success:
Make sure your child goes to school, every day.
Going to school every day gives your child every chance to learn and grow, and connect with their mates and teachers. It’s where bright futures start and where they’ll benefit the most.
Get them excited for school
If you show a positive attitude and excitement towards school, your child will pick up on that. The most common thing we hear from students, of all ages, is that school is where they can:
» spend time with their friends and teachers
» create new and fun experiences
» find their interests
» learn new things
» open up their options – for whatever future they want (whether that’s their dream job or to travel around the world).
Share these positives with your child. Talk to your child about school. Open up a conversation with your child about what’s happening at school. It will help you to better support their interests and confidence in learning. If you show an interest in school, they’ll know that getting an education is important and valued.
Celebrate the milestones
Big and small! Celebrate milestones such as making it through the first day or week of school. And remember: all milestones look different. If it’s a big achievement for your child, it’s important to recognise it.
Set up a time to talk to your child’s teacher or principal if you’re struggling to get your child to school, help is available. Please talk to us at school about your situation. We’ll support you, in whatever way we can.
Know when to seek help
There is no weakness in admitting you need help. If your child has completely disengaged with school, and not attending at all, there is support to help you. In the first instance, talk to us at school. For more helpful tips, please check out the Anything can happen website.

ALL VOLUNTEERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS on DECYP Sites Safeguarding Training (to be completed at the start of every year).

All volunteers and external service providers must complete a 15 minute Safeguarding Training Module before working with any children or young people this year. Volunteers and service providers can access the new Safeguarding Training Module at https://decyp-safeguarding.mygo1.com/signup/email
When you sign in at the office for your first visit to Forest Primary or an on-line session with our students you will be asked to show that you have completed the required training, this can be a photo of the completion certificate on your phone. The training must be completed annually.

Working with Vulnerable People Card

With RWVP’s it is now a requirement by DECYP that RWVP registration status is checked EVERYTIME you visit the school, so please ensure you have your card on you for presentation at the office. Thank you for your understanding as we all work together to keep our students safe. Please contact the school office if you require any additional information.

Keeping children safe through safeguarding

Our school has appointed Mrs Megan Hills as our Safeguarding Lead. Safeguarding Leads are appointed in every DECYP school and CFLC in Tasmania to help ensure children and young people are known, safe, well and learning. As Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Hills will enhance our efforts in promoting and nurturing a culture of safeguarding at our school. This will enable us to better support the wellbeing of all our students and reinforce the understanding that keeping children and young people safe is everyone's responsibility. By improving our safeguarding culture, we can create a safer and more supportive environment for all. For further information on Safeguarding in Schools and CFLCs, please visit the DECYP Keeping children safe through safeguarding webpage.

What a great start we have had in the Grade 6 classroom.

Leadership programs have begun across the school, with students running Daily PE and also thinking about their Student Council speeches for election, which will be held next Monday.

We have been working collaboratively to discuss our “ways of working” in the classroom and across the school, based on our school values of Respect, Resilience, Connectedness and Excellence. We have even managed to produce a Bitmoji for ourselves.

In English we have started talking about the importance of reading and in writing we are famous YouTube bloggers going on an epic snow adventure.

In Maths we have been working on some number challenges. As a class we are working on using the digits 2,0,2 and 5 and any operations to make the numbers 1-25. We are still trying to find a way to make 19 but we won’t give up.

In Science we are looking at the importance of fungi in the ecosystem and to our daily lives. We are hoping to go fungi hunting after the Autumn rains come. In HASS we are looking at immigration and the importance of this in Australian history.

We have settled back to school really well and we are looking forward to all the exciting learning opportunities that will be happening.