The opening to Euroa Primary School’s year has gone like clockwork, with grades one to six beginning last week and the prep’ year starting on Monday 2 February. Principal Kim Flack reported a ‘really smooth’ start for students and staff. “I always look forward to yesterday [Thursday 29 January]; it is one of my favourite days of the whole year, when the kids come back,” Ms Flack said. “We are well-staffed and ready for a really successful 2026.” A new face among that staff is Maria Flaherty, who has come from Patterson Lakes in Melbourne’s southeast to settle into both the school and the community. “I have moved from a sea change to a tree change,” Ms Flaherty said. “I was right on the [Port Phillip] bay and was at a school of 600 students, now to one with 100 students.” Although she and partner Brad are in transition from Melbourne, leaving two settled adult daughters behind, Ms Flaherty said she was not impacted by any bushfire evacuation but kept an eye on the VicEmergency app all the same. Her focus is now solely on the students. “I am looking forward to getting into a smaller school – the staff are lovely and welcoming.” She also said she was looking forward to her daughters coming up for an overnight stay. “We have bought a four-bedder, so there is definitely space – a lot of people want to visit, someone is already taking on the challenge and coming up in a couple of weeks. “We’d take them to visit Mansfield, do a spot of fishing, and see the wildlife we have on our property.” She said the couple was planning to settle in Euroa. The school captains appointed for 2026 are Aahana Oza and Jye-Loki Webb, supported by vice captains Ellie Roper and Henry Crafter. Ms Flack said the school had also recently advertised for a part-time position to help with the bushfire emergency response. “We are very aware that there's extra work to do to make sure all our families can access the learning and wellbeing. “That person will work between here and the secondary college to keep families up to date, whether it be finance or fence posts or any community meeting. “It will be a different term, but I am ready for it.”
