Principal's Message

The Issue Highlights

• The 2022 Student Attitudes to School Survey (ATtoSS) was completed by 95% of students in Years 4 to 12  between 2nd May and 24th June. The results from our students were extremely positive across students surveyed. 
• Thank you for parent/carer's participation in Student Support Group (SSGs) Parent-Teacher Meetings last week. Your child's Individual Learning Plan (ILP) will now be finalised and published to Xuno shortly. 
• We are asking families who usually drop-off or collect your child from school to complete this short survey to help us in making improvement to our processes. Thank you in advance for completing this survey: https://forms.office.com/r/EAHFYmH5Q2 
• COVID-19 Update: Face Masks Strongly Recommended, 6 Packs of RATs provided to students for Term 3, fourth Winter Booster.
• Victoria Police Proactive Policing Unit: Information on Bike Helmets and Vaping.
• New Optional Jackson Hoodie for Secondary Students - $50 through A Plus Schoowear (AGS)
• Thank you for parent/carer's participation with the DET August Census. We are continuing to collect information on whether your child is an NDIS participant. 
• Congratulations Jenelee (Lee) on being appointed OSHC Coordinator for TheirCare (OSHC). Lee with continue to work with Rameth and Aya to deliver our OSHC demonstration program.
• Student of the Week from our PBIS rewards system. 
• Showcase of students' learning from across the school in Primary and Secondary.
• For the most up-to-date calendar dates, always refer to the Xuno Calendar in your Parent Portal.

Dear Families,

We are looking forward to our Year 9-12 Formal tonight at school. This will be Hollywood themed complete with DJ and photo booth. No doubt our students will be dressed to impress!

Student Attitudes to School Survey Results

The 2022 Student Attitudes to School Survey (ATtoSS) was completed by 95% of students in Years 4 to 12  between 2nd May and 24th June. The AtoSS is an annual student survey offered by the Department of Education and Training to assist your child’s school to gain an understanding of students' perceptions and experience of school. Students were be asked about their thoughts and feelings in relation to their school, their learning, peer and family relationships, resilience, bullying, mental health and wellbeing, physical activity, and life in general. In addition to this we have recently conducted a student survey to better understand about student's friendships at school. The results from our students were extremely positive across students surveyed. Below are some highlights:

• My teacher helps me understand things - 89%
• My teacher helps me to do my best - 92%
• My teacher expects me and students to listen - 94%
• My teacher thinks I can do well at school - 91%
• My teacher looks after me - 90%
• I am good at learning - 83%
• I try again when I don't get things right* 80%
• I want to learn new things - 88%
• I try my best at school - 89%
• I am encouraged to share my ideas  80%
• My teacher makes sure I can join in class activities - 91%
• I feel safe at this school - 84%
• I know where to get help if someone hurts me or if I feel upset - 85%

The annual Parent / Carergiver / Guardian Opinion Survey (PCGOS) will be released to a random sample of families (83 parents/carers around 30%) between 15th August to 16th September 2022. 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. The online survey will be available in a range of languages other than English. These include: Arabic, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese, Chin (Hakha), Hindi, Japanese, Somali, Turkish, Punjabi and Greek. You will be contacted soon if you have been randomly selected to participate in the survey. Thank you in advance for your feedback and support.

We also collect feedback from our staff to gather their opinion on how the school is operating to improve student outcomes. We use all of this data collected to monitor our progress against our School Strategic Plan targets and Annual Implementation Plan. 

Student Support Group (SSGs) Parent-Teacher Meetings

Thank you to all families who participated in our termly Parent-Teacher Student Support Group (SSG) Meetings last week. The purpose of the SSGs are to establish a strong home-school relationship, complete your child's Individual Education Plan & Learner Profile and review progress against your child's “Long Term” goals. The Term 3 SSGs are also an opportunity to discuss your child' progress from the Semester 1 report and review your child's Individual Learning Plan Goals for Semester 2. Teachers have currently met with 72% of our families. We aim to have every child’s parent or carer meet with the classroom teacher to discuss the learning of each child.  Apologies that four teachers were absent on the day and unable to complete your SSGs as planned. If you have not yet had an opportunity to make an appointment to meet with your child's teacher, please contact them on SeeSaw to make a time.

Individual Learning Plans (ILPs)

Following your Term 3 SSG your child's teacher will finalise your child's Semester 2 Individual Learning Plan (ILP). These will be emailed to families once they are published and will also be available on Xuno for you to access anytime. An ILP outlines a modified educational program with  long term (annual) and short term goals (semester) are based upon the Victorian Curriculum (Prep-Year 10). These are informed from our current assessments of what your child can already do. For Year 11/12 students who are working towards achieving their ASDAN and VCAL outcomes, these will be reported to you in your end of Semester 2 reports. All students at Jackson receive reasonable adjustments to meet their individual learning needs. These include:  differentiated teaching and learning, supplementary adjustments (from our Allied Health and Wellbeing Teams) and other support strategies. 

Parent Morning Drop-off and Afternoon Pick-up Survey

We are seeking feedback from families who normal pick up their child from school. We have been consulting with Brimbank Council to reduce traffic congestion onto Mulhall Drive and Legana Street. Over the last few years our parent drop off and pick-up of students from school has doubled (up to 80 Families). Like most neighbourhood schools, we do not have adequate parking facilities for all staff, visitors and parents/carers. Our pick up and drop off zone can only allow for up to 18 parked cars. It is a traffic offence for cars to be parked over the public footpath and obstruct oncoming traffic any public road. We are looking at making improvements which will benefit the safety of the whole community. However, we do not have authority to change parking or traffic management systems around our school. 

We are asking families who usually drop-off or collect your child from school to complete this short survey to help us in making improvement to our processes. Thank you in advance for completing this survey: https://forms.office.com/r/EAHFYmH5Q2 

COVID-19 Update

Face Masks

The department is giving Victorian government schools an allocation of face masks for Term 3, 2022. Allocation is based on staff and student numbers.

Schools are receiving adult- and child-sized surgical masks for students and staff, and KN95 masks for staff. Additionally, specialist schools are receiving KN95 masks for students. Deliveries are expected to be completed by Monday 22 August 2022. We have a large supply of N95 masks available from the office if families would like some. Please collect from the office. Lawful exemptions continue to apply.

Face masks are strongly recommended for staff and students aged 8 and over when indoors, but are not required. Face masks are mandatory for those aged 8 and over who are household contacts and attending school. This is because wearing a mask is effective in reducing the transmission of COVID-19.

Schools are not sanctioning students or staff who do not wear masks but we have been asked to encourage students and families to understand the benefits of wearing a mask to protect themselves and their school community.

For more information, please visit: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/face-masks 

Rapid Antigen Testing (RATs) & Positive Cases

A reminder that it is recommended that rapid antigen tests are used by students and staff when symptomatic. Rapid antigen tests are also required to be used for five days if a student or staff member is an identified close contact of a confirmed case, and they are attending or working at a school onsite. From Tuesday 11th July, if you're re-exposed to a positive case after your isolation period end, you are now only exempt from testing and isolating for four weeks - reduced from 12 weeks. 

If you have not already received your child's termly pack of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) you can request your RATs from the office or through your child's class teacher. 

The ongoing supply of RATs to families in our school will ensure that parents and carers will have them should you need them if your child is a household contact or has symptoms. Families must continue to notify the Department of Health and the school if their child returns a positive RAT result. Additionally, you should inform us if any of your children are household contacts.

After doing the tests at home, if it is positive, you will need to:

1. let the school know on the via the Jackson COVID Hotline 03 9366 4322; Option 4 and/or dedicated email address covid@jacksons.vic.edu.au. There is a message bank on the phone for when the phone is unmanned by our rostered COVID Officer. Families are able to message the mobile number and/or email address 24 hours a day. Please note we will only be able to respond to messages and calls within office hours.
2. keep your child at home for 7 days 
3. contact the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form or call centre on 1800 675 398.

Students who test positive must isolate for 7 days and not attend school during that period.

For more information please visit: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/keeping-schools-free-rapid-antigen-tests 

Victoria Police Proactive Policing Unit: Bike Helmets & Vaping

Please see attached notice in regards to ‘wearing bike helmets’ as there has been a sudden increase in children/students in the area not wearing their bicycle helmets, this has been reported by many members of our community. This is a reminder that all users of bikes and scooters (including the motorised versions) MUST wear helmets unless exempt. Police can stop bike and scooter riders and issue a fine or a warning for not wearing an approved bicycle helmet. The current fine for this offence is $231. 

Younger people are using e-cigarettes or vapes more frequently (One in five people aged 18-24 years old who have never smoked before; have tried the devices. Short term adverse effects of exposure to e-cigarettes are usually mild and transient, and may include nausea, vomiting, mouth and airway irritation, chest pain, and palpitations. Vapes with nicotine is an Offence under Drugs Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Possession of a Schedule 4 Poison – prescription only) this is for children and adults. Intentionally or accidentally ingesting nicotine e-liquids can lead to poisoning and is fatal in some cases. Evidence suggests that nicotine exposure during adolescence, a time during which the brain undergoes rapid development, may have a long-term negative impact on higher cognitive function. The brain keeps developing until about the age 25. Even though most vapes don’t state that they contain Nicotine THEY DO. The amount of nicotine in each vape brand is unknown however the nicotine content in a vape can be equivalent to smoking a whole packet of cigarettes. It is illegal to sell e-cigarettes to minors, this includes adults or minors selling to minors.

If you are aware of any information in relation to stores selling to minors please forward this on to a member of staff in order for them to pass on to the Proactive Policing Unit at 221 Caroline Springs Boulevard, Caroline Springs 3023. Telephone: (03) 9361 4711.

New Optional Jackson Hoodie for Secondary Students

The Jackson Student Leadership Team (JSLT) meet regularly to provide feedback to School Council and the Leadership Team about how we can improve our school. Following a suggestion from the JSLT we are introducing a new optional Jackson Hoodie for our secondary students. This is a non-compulsory item of school uniform to try and reduce the amount of students wearing their own hoodies instead of our official Jackson School sweater/hoodie. These are a zip up hooded jacket with a simple Jackson logo but does not name the school. These are navy blue and are available in a range of different sizes. We will have samples available for parents/carers to view before you purchase. These are available from our normal uniform supplier A Plus Schoolwear (AGS) for $50. If you would like to purchase a new Jackson Hoodie for your child in Years 7-12 please print, complete and return the attached form to the office by Friday 26th August 2022 with full payment to be the Jackson School Office. Please note no orders will be accepted after due date. Payments can be cash, credit card or cheques (cheques to be made out to AGS Prints). We kindly ask in advance that students do not come to school in their own clothing and wear our school uniform, especially when out of the school on excursion.

Please note, it may take a little time to download this link. Thank you for those parents/carers who contacted the office to confirm.

DET August Census

Twice annually in February and August, the DET conducts a census in every school to support the development of the school budget (SRP). As part of the upcoming August Census, DET collects family occupation and education and Language other than English (LOTE) data which determines our Social Disadvantage equity funding.

Thank you to families for your participation in helping complete this census. We are continuing to collect information from families about whether your child is an NDIS participant. Thank you as always for cooperating with us.

Have a lovely weekend!

Anthony