By Callum Ludwig
Millwarra Primary School students have made their return to the classrooms for the 2025 school year.
They weren’t the only ones to return, however, with new Principal Mel Hancock stepping in to take the reins across the two campuses, 12 years on from when she last worked at the school.
Ms Hancock said it’s been an amazing, wonderful and smooth start across both campuses.
“I started out at Warburton East yesterday and I was outside playing basketball with them and everyone came in and settled beautifully straight into their learning and then I came here in the afternoon and it was the same thing,” she said.
“Everyone was working beautifully so then I went and played with them and got to spend time with the kids outside, they’ve just come back really happy and excited and it’s really nice spending time with everyone.”
Preps had a shortened day on Wednesday 29 January and will have the day for a while going forward as they make the transition to primary school.
Ms Hancock said the start to the school year is all about creating consistency in their classroom to ease the transition and lots of communication with people coming back from holidays.
“It’s getting back into the routines, the students thrive off routine and just knowing coming in and knowing what they’re doing, just watching them this morning they knew on day two what to do which was really nice because that’s what they thrive off,” she said.
“I haven’t been here in 12 years it’s great to see they still come bouncing in with a positive attitude… there were kids here at 8.30 this morning and we were just having a chat about student leadership and what they’re excited to do for the school this year which is really nice because you don’t get that in all schools.”
Students are excited to start new electives from 10 February, with the usual PE and Art being joined by Ben’s Shed, Gardening, Cooking, Bike Education/Riding Experience as well as Drumming for all students.
Other exciting developments at Millwarra Primary School are plans to utilise the school minibus to take students between the Warburton East and Millgrove campuses for educational opportunities and social connection on top of whole school events, as well as the upcoming unveiling of a new school ‘Values’ system for students, parents and staff.
