Principal's Report 

Friday Public Holiday

Please enjoy a sleep in and relaxing day this Friday, as a Victorian Public Holiday - no school or OSHC.

Parent Opinion Survey 

WE WANT OUR PARENTS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK! 

Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents think of our school. The Parent Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training. It is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of parents’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, student engagement and experiences of remote and flexible learning. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies. 

All parents will be invited to participate in this year’s survey. All responses to the survey are anonymous. This year, the Parent Opinion Survey will be conducted from Monday 19th October to Friday 13th November.

The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the fieldwork period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. 

Last year we used the survey results to plan for our new School Strategic Plan 2020-2023, and this year's results will assist us in establishing our new school expansion site with students onboard, set up for success. Please speak to your child’s teacher if you would like more information.

Here is the Parent Opinion Survey link for 2020:  https://www.orima.com.au/parent

Here is the Passcode to access the Miners Rest Primary School survey:  233477

I urge you to all provide feedback, it would be truly appreciated and valued. 

Staggered start & end of the day to conclude

Assuming we remain on our current trajectory of COVID-19 cases, I intend concluding the staggered morning drop off and end of day pick ups for families.  With this in mind, parents & carers will still be required to remain off-site and exercise social distancing.

I anticipate we will return to a normal 8:45-9:00am drop off and 3:20 pick up from week 5 of term (Monday 2 November).

I will confirm this in next week's newsletter.

School Photos

We have received DET advice this week, that we will be able to proceed with School Photos, as planned, on Friday 13 November.  Further information will be provided in the coming weeks.

2021 Student placements

It is coming up to that time of the year again when we begin to work on class lists for 2021.  

For transparency purposes, I thought I would outline for you our process for placing students in classes.  Our school is held in high regard for our process, and although difficult to get 100% correct, we do our best to support all students and staff each year.

Our priorities lie in considering the social, emotional and academic needs of each student. While friendships are also taken into consideration, we acknowledge that class time is primarily a time for working and that students have other opportunities throughout the day to socialise and play with friends.  Students are remarkably adept at making new friends too!

We also take into consideration the special needs of students. If you think that you need to make me aware of ‘special’ considerations we are not already aware of, please make an appointment via our Office staff. 

Classroom teaching staff, should not be approached, regarding 2021 Classroom Placements.  As such, they will encourage you to make an appointment with me.

I ask that parents refrain from requesting specific teachers. I believe that all of our teachers are highly professional and demonstrate a high level of commitment to the students they teach. The unique style of each individual teacher means that each of them will offer something different to their students.

We invest many hours into the development of a class list that we believe is the best choice for all of our students. The process we use to develop class lists is as follows:

1. Teachers use their current class list to develop a profile of each student which includes social, emotional and academic needs as well as friendships and those students who do not work so well together.  Again, friendships are considered but class time is primarily work time not play-time. If students are not in class with their best friends, they will get to see them at play times and may in fact spread their circle of friends by making new friendships in their class;

2. Teachers and PLC Leaders group students according to the above criteria while also taking into account that there is a balance of social and academic needs within classes;

3. PLC Leaders and I cross check the lists, making any necessary changes;

4. We leave these lists for a short period of time, and then check them again with the advantage of ‘fresh eyes’;

5. Classroom teachers make a final check;

6. Class lists come to me for a final check. I then discuss any further changes with teachers, whilst considering any confidentiality issues; and

7. Class lists are published and disclosed at the National Transition Day (Tuesday 8 December)

This process is lengthy as well as thorough, and while decisions are made, in what we believe are the best interests of each student, there are approximately 380 students to be considered.

Roads, Paths, Car parks & Bike shed

Thanks to everyone for their ongoing care around our roads & pathways.

Unfortunately, from time to time it is still reported we have a minority of adults & students who make poor choices, on occasions.

Please remain kind, respectful and thoughtful of others, their needs and their requirements.

We are all role-models for our next generation of youth and leaders - please demonstrate law-abiding decisions and even discuss it with your children, so we are all in a better place moving forward.

I acknowledge the First People of the Wathaurong, who are the traditional custodians of the land and waters on which I work and live, and pay my respects to the Elders of the past, present and emerging.