A Word from the Principal

School Review Update

Thank you so much to all of our families who have returned the survey for our school review.  I have been reading all of your comments with great interest and will collate all of your responses to share and use as a part of the review.

If you still have not responded, we would appreciate your thoughts by the end of this week.  Thanks in advance!

Attitudes to School Survey

We value student voice at Weeden Heights because it is a means to improving student engagement, wellbeing and quality instruction.  Students in years 4 to 6 are currently involved in completing a survey to find out what your child thinks of our school. The Attitudes to School survey is an annual student survey offered by the Department of Education and Training to assist schools in gaining an understanding of students' perceptions and experience of school. Our school will use the survey results to plan programs and activities to improve your child's schooling experience.

Our students will have completed the 45 minute survey by the end of this week.  The survey is completed online during school hours and all responses from each student are confidential.   

AGM

The Annual Report covers three major achievement areas: School Achievement, Engagement and Wellbeing.  We performed well in all areas and DET use the results of Naplan, Attitudes to School Survey, Parent Opinion Survey and the school’s finance data as a part of the report, hence everyone has input into our Annual Report.  Please find it attached below and it is available from our website.

From my principal report at the AGM….

Our Highlights for 2018…….

Student Learning

• Implementation of VOICES writing program  F- 6 with extensive professional learning for teaching staff
• Implementation of the whole school spelling program with a consistent teaching and learning focus.
• Ongoing commitment to five specialist subject areas for all students P- 6; Visual Arts, Performing Arts, STEAM, Physical Education and Language(French)
• Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program for years 3 – 6 (sixth specialist program offered)
• STEAM specialist program expanded to include ‘The Arts’. 
• Continued focus on Robotics and coding and design was featured through the STEAM specialist area
• Code.org, a self-paced program, implemented for all students
• Level inquiry investigations were comprehensively developed and enhanced in line with the Victorian Curriculum 
• The staff completed a full audit of units and investigations  against the Victorian Curriculum (F-6)
• Full implementation of Café Reading approach across the whole school and refinement of teaching skills
• Extension Mathematics provided to senior students by an external educator as a part of the Mathematics curriculum
• Maths Bags of essential core equipment used by child in the school
• Students participated in Maths Olympiad
• ICAS exams were offered in all subject areas
• More Net books leased for classrooms  and i-pads allocated to classrooms
• Public Speaking Competitions across the whole school
• Premiers Reading Challenge implemented and celebrated
• Deakin University Science students program
• Successful science Day
• School Choir performed in the regional concert held at Hamer Hall
• Christmas Concert
• Choir Performances at school events
• Professional Practice/Planning Days each term for staff
• Continuation of the Bridges reading support program
• Support for ‘At Risk’ students
• Level Teams planning to cater for all ability levels and student interests
• Hoop time for years 3 – 6
• House Sports Days – swimming, cross country, athletics
• Inter-school Sport for senior students
• Representation at the district swimming level
• Education Week celebrations
• Life Education Program implemented (Foundation – 6)
• Excursions and Incursions were conducted to further support student learning
• Opportunity to compete in the ICAS competition
• Offering of extension programs – Chess, Digimaker, Chinese Language
• Gifted Education; successful attendance at the Wiseones program for students tested to be gifted
• All 2018 preps tested by the Wiseones program – significant number of students qualified for inclusion in the program

Student Wellbeing and Engagement

• Successful Chaplaincy funding application which was used to employ a wellbeing officer to support students, staff and families
• Student’s house sporting events – swimming, cross country and athletics
• All classes implementing daily mindfulness activities with students
• Yoga classes as a whole school wellbeing day
• Swimming event for years 3 – 6 as a part of the Bright Beginnings program
• House lunches
• Celebrated Footy Day
• Buddy program Year 4 and pre-schoolers, including the Year 5 and foundation students
• Whole school speech competition
• F-6 Camping Program including outdoor education camps for years 3 -6, Yr 2 sleep over, Yr 1 late stay and a special breakfast for the Foundation students
• Lunchtime Programs  - Karate, student initiated competitions
• French Whole School Day
• School Magazine produced and sold
• Mad on Music Concert to the community
• Anzac Day and Remembrance Day service held by student leaders
• Whole Student Wellbeing Day – mixed age groups participating in a variety of activities and concluding in a whole school assembly
• Staff are all Level 2 First Aid trained

Pathways and Transitions

• Bright Beginnings Program updated for staff
• Whole School Transition program that occurs at the end of the current year and the first couple of weeks of the second year
• Allocated times to meet new class (for the next year)
• Designated student handovers from current teacher to new teacher for students
• Buddy Program for year 4 students and future preps and for the current Foundation students with the Year 5s
• Preschool list expanded and location details included
• Year 4 students visit preschools and involved in the Bright Beginnings K- P transition program
• Regular emailing of newsletter out to preschools
• Wellbeing Coordinator working with individua

Election Day BBQ

A massive thank you to our School Council who organised and ran the Election Day BBQ at our hall.  They made just over $800 which is a fabulous effort!  Council have many ideas for developing our grounds further and this money will go towards future developments. 

School Disco & PFA

Just a reminder that the PFA’s school disco is on this Friday night.  I can’t wait to see all of our students dressed up and dancing!  Thanks in advance to our fabulous PFA for organising a whole school event.

Also congratulations to the PFA who raised $1900 at the Bunnings BBQ and Cake Stall on the weekend.  FABULOUS effort!  The PFA are going to use these funds along with support from our local Lion’s Club to put towards a defibrillator for the school.  They were also keen to put some new books in our library as well.  THANK YOU!

Transition: Bright beginnings

Friday 14 June will be our first session of the transition program for our pre-schoolers.  It would be wonderful if you could remind anyone who has not yet enrolled to do so asap so that their child can take advantage of the transition program to school.  It really does make a difference when you see how settled our prep class is when they arrive in the following year.   Please make our new families welcome when you see them.

Until next time,

Ms Kylie Campbell

Principal

Futures are Bright at Weeden Heights!