Principals Message

Dear parents and carers,

As we come to the end of a very successful term I would like to acknowledge the work of the teaching staff. We have a strong team of office staff, education assistants and leadership members but in this message I would particularly like to celebrate the work of the teachers. 

Teaching is not just a job, it's a vocation, an act of service. Teaching requires commitment, passion, patience, lifelong learning and the desire to build authentic relationships with a large number of small and adult people. Sometimes it can suck the life out of you! But mostly it is so rewarding it feels like a privilege. 

Not all teachers are the same but here at SXG we have a dedicated bunch who truly care for the wellbeing and the learning of every child. From Kinder to Year 6 the shared responsibility and accountability is the same. 

This morning I sat in on a Professional Learning Team Meeting with the Year 3 and Year 4 staff, Mrs Shortis and Mrs Herden. We regularly look at data and today’s data was the Cold Write, just completed yesterday. We discussed each child’s piece of writing and graded them in order to work out what they need next to continue their progress.

Data is all about facts and figures but it did not take long to put the “faces on the data”. Soon we were discussing how far different students had come in their writing journey this year, we discussed their different little personalities and the things that make them each unique. One comment was,” I am so proud of how far this class has come in their writing from the beginning of the year.” This comment was made with genuine love and care. 

You may be able to imagine just how much work goes into a group of children, differentiating for their needs, guiding and supporting them until they achieve independence and finally then celebrating their growth. It’s hard work, but so satisfying. 

Teachers need feedback just as children do. They appreciate the little positive messages, the hellos, the quick funny stories and the kindness parents show to them. I am grateful for the wonderful people who teach at SXG, they put their heart and soul into helping every child be the best version of themselves they can be. 

Kind regards,

Jen