Principal's
Message
An Update from Mrs Cosentino
Q & A With The Principal
As a school that inspires a new generation of curious minds, it is important that we engage our families to cultivate a genuine sense of connectedness. We know from research that a strong partnership between home and school delivers the best schooling experience for the students, parents and teachers.
With this in mind I am introducing parent forums: “Q & A with the Principal”. Our first forum is on Wednesday 27 November at 7pm; this is an opportunity to hear about the school's direction and for parents to ask questions. I have invited Tania Quick (parent and School Council member) to provide an update from School Council on the topic of future planning developments with key stakeholders, in particular Parks Victoria.
In order for us to ensure we are able to answer your questions we ask that you submit any questions you may have prior to the night through the link below, or by hand delivering your question to the Office by 4pm on 26 November.
To assist us with seating we ask that you RSVP by Tuesday 26 November (via the link below).
Martin Foley MP Visit - Friday 22 November
We would like to let parents know that Martin Foley MP – Member for Albert Park, is visiting South Melbourne Park Primary School and will be addressing the students at our assembly. You are most welcome to attend.
Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) Report
The School Improvement Team reviewed the 2019 Annual Implementation plan and began identifying priorities and key improvement strategies for 2020. Next year we will develop our very first School Strategic Plan which will guide us for the next four years. Below is a summary of the "2019 AIP End of Year Assessment". We will be presenting our work to the Senior Education Improvement leader (SEIL) Coralee Pratt next week. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my amazing staff for all their work.
2019 ANNUAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN – END OF YEAR ASSESSMENT
Key Improvement Strategy 1: Vision, values and culture
To develop and promote school vision and shared values with the students, staff and community
WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED
- As a staff we have developed general norms and protocols but these then need to be refined further to capture the behaviours, specifically we need to articulate "what these norms look like in action"
- Need to develop Meeting Protocols across a range of meeting areas that specifically outline what a meeting looks like
- As a staff we are well on the way with "living the brand", all our staff are using the language and it is evident in some planners (the unit of inquiry planner). "Kids at Heart", "Where Children Love to Be", "Play as a Team" and "Learning Doesn't Just Happen at School" are strongly understood/enacted
- Some parent engagement/information has been explored (Information nights, and imparting of information) and refinement of communication processes etc.
- All staff have been trained in Professional Learning Communities (PLC), all staff are engaged in the inquiry cycles and have been observed by PLC Regional Leader
- Noticing the use of Habits of Mind (HOM) language with the teachers and the students
- Habits of Mind is being used in planners and in the success criteria, individual HoM are being explicitly taught and it is also visible in specialist classes
- Circle Time is now scheduled into weekly planner, Zones of Regulation is being used inside and outside the classroom, this is modelled with the students
- Leadership is using the brand language with community and students and in emails
- Have not really engaged with teacher feedback cycles.
FUTURE PLANNING
- Refine the staff wide norms and expectations
- Develop and unpack "elaboration" for what each of the norms/behaviours looks like
- Develop explicit meeting protocols for School Improvement Team (SIT)
- Develop explicit meeting protocols for Staff Meetings/Professional Learning /Professional Learning Communities (PLC) etc.
- The value of "a step ahead" is definitely something that we need fully articulate and focus on in the future
- "Learning Doesn't Just Happen at School" is a value that we need to build. A culture where the parents feel valued as the first teachers, establish parent forums to explore what is parent engagement and what this looks like
- Training of new staff in PLC, Habits of Mind, Zones, Circles etc. for next year and ensuring consistency of understanding