19-May-2023
Dear Families
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members” – Coretta Scott King
Schools are communities and communities are based on relationships. I was again reminded of the importance of our strong relationships this week with parent volunteers assisting on camp, on the swimming buses, in the library, in the canteen, in classrooms and at breakfast club.
I wish to again recognise and express my appreciation for the work done by all members of our school community. This is because of the relationships and teamwork between teachers, support staff and families that are just as important as our individual student efforts in enabling us to support the learning and wellbeing of every student in our care every day.
Good teaching is about a team of people able and committed to working effectively together.
We know that research tells us that there are many factors that impact on the academic performance and social functioning of our students – and ourselves for that matter. These include
- Sleep disturbance
- Poor concentration
- Attachment difficulties
- Poor peer relationships
- Home destabilisation
- A need for control
Our focus is on supporting students’ physical health, cognitive development and wellbeing. To help us achieve our goals we remain committed to addressing the dot points noted above, and our school psychologist, Julie Lagerwey, has been working closely with our school to identify different strategies we can employ to meet student needs. If any of the factors listed are being noticed at home, please remember that Julie’s expertise and knowledge is a great resource for us and she is eager to help our families. To find out more, please pop in for a chat with any of our school leadership team and we can work together to support you.
National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2023, “Be a Voice for Generations,” encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work, and socialise.
We believe that by coming together and taking positive action, we can create a more just, equitable, and reconciled
country for all.
Feedback from our Senior Education Improvement Leader – Mr. Tim Wilson
It was wonderful to have our SEIL share his observations of the work our amazing staff are undertaking each and every day to help our students learn. Tim’s recent visits have led him to write the following notes that help confirm we are on the right path with our teaching and learning strategies
- Significant progress has been made on the implementation of the AIP in term 2. Most core activities have been initiated or are well underway. The key focus area in Numeracy improvement has been on checking for understanding and implementing retrieval practice in numeracy lessons.
- The school has achieved a good level of consistency with its approach to retrieval in a short space of time encouraging different ways of conducting reviews. Teachers were implementing daily and weekly review across the school. High quality resources were being used to support the teaching and learning.
- The learning walk surfaced other encouraging practices:
- Teachers are using turn and talk strategies well, regularly prompting students to explain, reason or check with others.
- Teachers are checking for understanding, giving corrective feedback, facilitating students to give corrective feedback, or encouraging mass participation through mini-whiteboard use.
- Teachers actively monitor student responses, moving around the room, checking students work.
Camp
We are very fortunate to have committed staff who are keen to continue our extensive School Camps program. While some schools across the state are having to scale back their Camp programs, we can be proud, and grateful, that we are able to offer such wonderful experiences to our students in the Senior Year levels. This week our intrepid Year 5/6 students ventured off to Arrabrai Lodge, near Warburton, for a 3-day outdoor adventure.
Our students were able to display our values (especially determination) by engaging in a range of team building and challenging activities. The group braved the elements to push their limits on the flying fox, giant swing and ropes course. The whole group activities of panning for gold, bush dancing and toasting marshmallows around the campfire were highlights. The students would have loved to have stayed longer, indicating a great time had by all!
Swimming
Its absolutely worth acknowledging and publicly applauding our Junior School students who commenced their 2 week intensive swimming program on Monday. Students have adapted the change in routine and been fine representatives of our great school while travelling to and from the pool – and during lessons.
COVID unfortunately is still raring its head every now and then at school. The current advice that we have includes:
- Students who report a positive result are recommended to isolate for a minimum of 5 days and not attend school until their symptoms have resolved. Students who isolate as a result of a positive COVID-19 test should be supported in the same way as students with an extended absence due to illness or injury, with learning materials provided to support their continued learning.
- Rapid Antigen Test are also available for all Victorians from Council sites. People can get 2 free packs (10 tests)
for themselves and 2 free packs (10 tests) for each of their household members.
School continues to have hand sanitiser available and have Air Purifiers switched on in rooms. We will continue to remind students of the importance of practising good hand hygiene, particularly on arrival to school, before and after eating, after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the toilet – in an effort to help keep us all safe as we head into ‘flu’ season.
What Went Well this Week (wwww)
Today I thought I’d finish the update with a chance to reflect upon the week and ask “What went well for you this week?” Often we get caught up in the grind of daily life and forget to appreciate the little things that make a huge difference.
Key dates in Term 2
- Swimming
- Monday 15 May – Friday 26 May – Year F -2 and Year 3B
- Monday 29 May – Friday 9 June – Year 3 – 6
- Friday 2 June- Trivia Night
- Friday 9 June – Student Leaders’ MND ‘Big Freeze’
- Friday 16 June – Semester 1 reports become available
- Wednesday and Thursday 21 & 22 June- Parent Partnership meetings
- Friday 23 June- Final assembly at 2:00pm with an early dismissal at 2:30 pm
Student Free days
- Friday August 25
- Monday November 6
- Wednesday December 20
James Whitla
I wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which this is being read – for most of us – the
Bunurong- members of the eastern Kulin Nations – and pay my respects to elders past present and emerging. I
wish to acknowledge our First Nations people and pay respects to them. I note further that these lands were
never ceded and are, and always will be, Aboriginal Lands.