Principal's Report

Exciting news, this week I received notification that our new Strategic Plan has been approved by the Department of Education. For our new families last year the school went through the school review process which is completed for all Government schools every four years. It was a new school review model for all Victorian schools.

 

‘The school review helps a school community by identifying goals and targets to improve student outcomes in the school’s next four-year Strategic Plan. The new school review model is designed to reflect the significance of review outcomes for school leadership, professional practice, curriculum content, student voice, and school culture. The new school review model supports each school to differentiate its improvement journey by building on its current strengths and assisting it to respond to its challenges.’ (Department of Education &Training)

 

From the review, we now have our new Strategic Plan (2019-2023) which I have uploaded onto the school website for you. There is a strong familiarity between schools regarding goals as we are governed by the Department of Education.

 

In summary, the goals and key improvement strategies are:

 

Goal 1:  To improve student outcomes in Literacy

Key Improvement Strategy 1a: Build teacher capability to utilise data and a range of assessment strategies to teach to each child’s point of learning.

Key Improvement Strategy 1b: Develop the whole school Instructional Models that promote high-quality teaching and learning in literacy and numeracy.

 

Goal 2:  To improve levels of student engagement in the learning process.

Key Improvement Strategy 2a: Incorporate the use of student voice and agency in all aspects of their learning.

Key Improvement Strategy 2b: Develop the capabilities of staff and students to use a range of feedback processes to support improved teaching and learning.

 

Goal 3:  Improve student outcomes in Numeracy.

Key Improvement Strategy 3a: Embed whole school evidence-based instructional practice in numeracy.

Key Improvement Strategy 3b: Develop a comprehensive curriculum in all key learning areas.

Key Improvement Strategy 3c: Build a collaborative professional learning community with strong instructional leadership and regular feedback and reflection.

 

We are currently working on the Annual Implementation Plan which sets out in more detail our focus for 2020 based on the Strategic Plan. This document will also be available once completed and approved in the very near future.

 

A Few Reminders for our New (& Old) SSPS Families

Each year we are required to remind our community of some important information. Even if you have read this before, please take some time to review as the details may have changed.

 

Everyday Counts - Student Attendance & Absence Notes

Daily school attendance is an important success factor for all children and young people to ensure they don’t fall behind both socially or academically. It is important to develop habits of regular attendance at an early age as this maximises life opportunities for children and young people by providing them with education and support networks. Please ensure your child is in attendance each school day unless they are ill and require rest.

 

If your child is absent from school for any reason, you should either:

1. Login to COMPASS at any time before the absence and add an attendance note/approval for the entire day (preferred method). You can do this via a web browser or via the mobile phone app.

2.   Call the school office on the morning of the absence before 9.15am to inform us.

3.  Send an email to the school – syndal.south.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

4.  Inform your child’s classroom teacher – either verbally, on the phone, or via email.

 

Please note: staff are only able to accept explanations for absences from parents or guardians (not students). It's DET policy now that parents will receive an email from the school if their child is absent and the school has not been notified.

 

School Lateness

School lateness can also impede a student’s progress, however, it may not be as obvious. When students are late to school they require time from teachers to have the morning activities individually relayed to them. Other students will have already commenced work and the late student does not reap the benefit of hearing the introduction to a lesson, topic, concept or other student’s responses. They often experience feelings of shyness and embarrassment at walking in late and can feel unsettled. Teachers do their best to alleviate these feelings, but they are natural and often accentuated in children.

 

With this in mind, we are therefore asking you to review your morning routines to ensure that your child or children are not placed in this situation. All students should be ready to proceed to their classroom when the bell goes at 8.50 am. We greatly appreciate that the majority of our families are conscientious with this issue.

 

Students who are late or required to leave early from school must be signed in/out at the school office by a parent, guardian or approved adult. Please inform the office prior if a friend or relative is going to be picking up your child from school early for you one day. After completing sign out parents are required to pick up their child from the classroom.

 

Student Safety Outside of School Hours

Both our junior and senior playground areas are supervised before and after school from 8.35am - 8.50am and then again from 3.30 – 3.45pm. Students are not to be at school before 8:35am, unless a parent/guardian is supervising them. At 3.40pm an announcement is made to ensure all students who are still in the yard are with a parent or guardian. If they are not, students are asked to make their way to the office to be collected.  If you are going to be late to pick-up for unavoidable causes, please phone the school and speak to a staff member. Do not send an email to the student’s teacher, as they do not always have time to check emails before the end of the school day. Students who are walking home should leave the school grounds once dismissed to ensure they are walking home with the majority of the families who leave at this time, rather than leaving later when the streets are deserted. We know that a lot of families love to catch up with each other after school in the playground, which you are most welcome to do.

 

Accident Insurance for Students

If your child is injured, we need to remind you that The Department of Education and Training (DET) does not provide personal accident insurance for students. Parents and guardians are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatmen