Principal's Message

Jackson School is a collaborative learning community for all. We aim to develop independence through safety, respect and responsibility. We aspire to offer authentic, quality educational experiences that develop futures, create opportunities and inspire student potential; enabling our students to be valued and contributing members of the wider community. We share and celebrate our successes and achievements.   

The Issue Highlights

• Next week the contractors will install a new fire service in the front car park. Over the course of the week sections of the car park will be out of use. Between the hours of 9:30am and 2pm the car park will be closed to visitors. Pedestrian access through the front of the school will still be available. We apologies for any inconvenienced caused.
• Classes are establishing clear expectations and routines to ensure a successful year ahead. 
• Visit from a "Chinese Dragon" for Lunar New Year
• Thank you to all of the families who were able to attend our inaugural Meet & Greet / Welcome BBQ on Monday.
• Parent-Teacher Interviews/SSGs will take place onsite on Tuesday 21st February between 3:30-7:30. 
• To develop a strong home-school partnership, Parents/Carers main point of contact for school communication should be your child's classroom teacher.
• New Basketball Court Canopy Frame Installed this week
• Visit to Rendine Modularity to see our new buildings in the factory
• Child Safe Standards: https://newsletters.naavi.com/i/pNpVrpM
• Annual Privacy Reminder: https://newsletters.naavi.com/i/aJEe36J 
• Meet The Team: Anthony & Robyn
• Students of the Week from our PBIS rewards system.
• Showcase of students' learning from across the school in Primary and Secondary.
• Allied Health and Wellbeing information to support you and your child.
• Community news including from Jackson OSHC provider TheirCare.
• School Dates -For the most up-to-date calendar dates, always refer to the Xuno Calendar in your Parent Portal.

Dear Families,

It has been a busy, but positive start to the school year and lovely to welcome our students and staff back to school. Classes are establishing clear expectations and routines to ensure a successful year ahead. We have made some minor changes to class placements to balance and meet individual student's needs.

Last Friday Prep to Year 10 classes took part in the Lunar New Year celebrations with a "Chinese Dragon" incursion, but unfortunately we had to hold our first whole school assembly online.

We are continuing to hold whole school assemblies in the first and last weeks of every term. Parents/carers are always welcome to join us. Primary classes will run online until classes embed classroom expectations and routines. Our secondary classes (Years 7-10) will continue run assemblies in the courtyard. Parent/carers are also more than welcome to attend. COVIDSafe guidelines remain strongly recommended for visitors onsite. 

Meet & Greet / Welcome BBQ

Thank you to all of the families who were able to attend our inaugural Meet & Greet BBQ on Monday. After the disconnection we all have faced over the last few years with COVID lockdowns and restrictions, this was to strengthen parent/carer engagement with the school. It was lovely to have the time to talk more casually with families about their children and holidays, as well as show families around our ever changing site. We will continue to hold more informal events throughout the year as we official open sections of our new school buildings, as well as community events to increase connections between our families and our school.

Parent Teacher Interviews / Student Support Groups (SSGs)

We look forward to welcoming all of you to our parent teacher interviews / student support groups (SSG). These will take place onsite on Tuesday 21st February between 3:30-7:30. We continue to encourage COVIDSafe practices. Please ensure you have made a time to meet your child's teacher and discuss their learning goals. If you would prefer a telephone or virtual SSG (Microsoft Teams), then please let your child's teacher know. There will also be an opportunity for IT support with Xuno (Parent Portal) and SeeSaw (Student Digital Learning Portfolio). 

Please return your preferred times to your class teacher by 10th February. 

Communication & Bus/Pick-up Changes

To develop a strong home-school partnership, Parents/Carers main point of contact for school communication should be your child's classroom teacher. This can be through SeeSaw, by phone (leave a message at the school office) or by appointment (SSGs can be booked through the school office. Whole School communication will continue to be sent out through Xuno email and SMS notifications. iNewsletter remains our official whole school communication tool with families for general information and notices in place of hardcopy letter. Please ensure you have let your child's teacher know if there are any daily bus, OSHC or parent pick-up changes through SeeSaw or by calling the school office directly on: 03 9366 4322. 

Basketball Canopy

On Monday this week the frame for our Basketball Canopy was delivered and installed onsite. Out students loved watching this take place throughout the day. The contractors will now measure and manufacture the waterproof canopy for the frame. This is due to be installed in the next few weeks. It will be great to hold assemblies, community events and group activities on wet or extremely hot days. More to come...

Rendine Modularity Visit

Myself, Robyn, Matt and Phil were able to join the construction team at the Rendine Modularity factory where our new modular buildings are being constructed. It was exciting to see the progress of our project and how modular buildings are made. In the photos above you can see one of the new Prep classrooms, toilet block, undercover decking, and the Therapy Centre. The concrete foundations for the Prep and Therapy Centre are being installed over the next week in readiness for the buildings arriving onsite  over the weekend of the 18th & 19th March. 

Next week the contractors will install a new fire service in the front car park. Over the course of the week sections of the car park will be out of use. Traffic management for student drop-off and collection may be affected at times. Between the hours of 9:30am and 2pm the car park will be closed to visitors. We encourage visitors during this time to park in the neighbouring streets. Pedestrian access through the front of the school will still be available. We apologies for any inconvenienced caused to the traffic flow and car parking available for families and visitors in the front car park whilst our fire service equipment is updated. Parking is a constant challenge for us at Jackson School of which we have little control over. We only have 60 car spaces for over 100 staff. We encourage as many families and visitors to park in neighbouring streets where possible, similar to other neighbourhood schools. 

School Council Nominations

Jackson School’s School Council is the voice of the parents on how we run our school. 

All government schools in Victoria have a School Council. School Council is the governing body of the school and plays an important role in our community. School Council has four main responsibilities:

1. Governance: establish the broad direction and vision for the school within the community. They oversee school buildings and grounds (facility hire, maintenance and improvements) as well as other contracts including: Out of School Hours Care (OSHC).
2. Strategic Planning: contributes to the finalisation of the School Strategic Plan and development of the Annual Implementation Plan and reports annually (Annual report) to the school community. 
3. Finance:  monitors school revenue and expenditure and approves school budgets including for parent voluntary contributions and camps and excursions.
4. Policy & Review: ratifies DE and school-level policy decisions (including child safe standards), participates in the school review pre-review evaluation and review panel.

Over the last 12 months, Jackson School Council have been heavily involved in our school building upgrade and school improvements. School Council have contributed school funds towards our capital works program, including our new Basketball Canopy. 

For more information please see: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/school-council-overview/overview or download the following fact sheet: 

We are looking for new members to join our school council, in the following categories:

• 6 Parent Members
• 4 DET Employees (including Principal/Executive Officer)
• 2 Optional Community Member
• 2 Elected Student Members (usually our School Captain and Vice-Captain)

Jackson School Council meet each 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm. Meetings are run very efficiently and usually take about 1 and a half hours. All members of the community are welcome to attend our Public Reporting Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday 21st March at 6:30pm onsite at Jackson School. 

If you would like to join our school council as a parent/community member, please complete the attached self-nomination and hand back to the school office or email: jackson.sch@education.vic.gov.au.

I hope you have a lovely weekend!

Anthony