Principal's Report
Jells Park Primary School
Principal: Kevin Oakey
Assistant Principal: Julie Hall
Assistant Principal: Scott Zachariassen
s.zachariassen@jpps.vic.edu.au
SILVER MEDAL - Danceaerobics Team
Our own superstar success story - the Level 5 Danceaerobics team (Anya, Ava, Aleena, Azariyah, Claudia, Hudson, Lexi and Yuna, plus injured team member Adelaide) attended the National School Championships in Adelaide and came away with a Silver Medal.
We are all incredibly proud of the team, and thank all the parents for their support and to the staff that attended, Mrs Wyllie and Ms Dakalakis.
National Schools Cross Country
Talking of proud - we are super proud of Maggie K who ran in the National Schools Cross Country this week in the Multi-class category. She finished 7th overall, but picked up a Bronze Medal in the Teams result. Huge thanks to classmate Mia, who ran as a guide to support Maggie - that is our school values on display!!
See the pictures and report later in the newsletter.
Parent Opinion Survey
Last few weeks - please complete if you can!!!
A reminder that the 2024 Parent Opinion Survey has been made available and is open for responses until 30 August. Currently I have had 14% of the community respond - I would love to get this to at least 30%.
We greatly value the input and opinions of parents about the school, whether positive or critical. This is the best way we can learn, improve and make changes for the benefit of your children.
Draft Changes to Reports and Parent Teacher Interviews
At the moment the school leadership, along with School Council and staff, are consulting and discussing some proposed changes to the School Reports and the Parent Teacher Interviews process. Issues for discussion are:
Reports - dropping the teacher comment box. This doesn't appear valued by parents, is difficult to write and often repetitive. Parents more value the progression points, the Effort & Behaviour assessment and the 'Can do' and 'Working towards' statements, as well as regular access to the Continuum Tracker.
Work Samples - parents seem to value more seeing work samples, especially if they can be compared over the year to show progress. We are looking at ways to do this within the scope of the assessment work teachers are already doing.
Parent-Teacher Interviews - proposing that these be moved to end Term 1 and end Term 3 to allow for earlier responses to student needs (Term 1) and opportunity to achieve targets later in the year (Term 3). With reports still going out at end of Term 2 and end of Term 4, along with possible 'Work Samples' four times a year and access to the Continuum Tracker, we are providing more, and a greater spread, of opportunities for parents to be informed of the children's progress.
This is a simplistic summary of the proposals. If any parent would like to view the discussion paper and contribute their thoughts and ideas, please send me an email and I will send it out.
Kevin Oakey
Principal
Farewell
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff, students and parents of Jells Park for giving me the privilege of working at this amazing school. The seven months have flown by and I have enjoyed every minute. This is a truly special place, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity.
Julie Hall
Assistant Principal
Student Attendance
As we near the halfway point of the school year, and delve into the middle of a Melbourne Winter, we would like to point out the crucial role that consistent school attendance plays in your child's academic success and overall development.
Why Attendance Matters:
- Academic Achievement: Regular attendance directly correlates with higher academic achievement. Each day a student misses means valuable learning opportunities are lost, impacting their understanding of key concepts and ability to keep up with their peers.
- Skill Development: School is not just about academics; it's also where children learn essential life skills such as time management, collaboration, and problem-solving. Consistent attendance fosters these skills by allowing students to engage fully in classroom activities and group projects.
- Building Relationships: Being present in school helps children form meaningful relationships with teachers and peers. These connections provide emotional support and encouragement, which are crucial for their social and emotional development.
- Preparation for the Future: Regular attendance instills discipline and responsibility—qualities that are indispensable as students progress through their educational journey and prepare for higher education or the workforce.
Tips for Promoting Good Attendance:
- Establish a Routine: Set regular bedtimes and morning routines to ensure your child is well-rested and ready for the school day.
- Communicate Early: Notify the school promptly if your child is unable to attend due to illness or other unavoidable circumstances.
- Allow enough time to arrive at school: Our school day begins at 9:00am and students can be on the school grounds from 8:30 am onwards. It’s important to allow enough time to get your child to school prior to the beginning of the day. Late arrivals have impacts on a child’s social and emotional learning time.
- Encourage Engagement: Take an interest in your child's school activities and encourage their participation in extracurriculars that enhance their overall school experience. Jells Park has an extensive extracurricular program, far beyond other schools in our area. It is important that your child is present at school to ensure they can participate in these programs.
In addition to regular school attendance, being at school on time is just as important.
One of the important decisions our school made to our curriculum a few years ago, was to implement a 25 minute Social and Emotional Learning Lesson at the beginning of every day. Not many other schools do this however we have seen the benefit of this over the years it has been implemented. Constant late arrivals to school impacts your child’s learning of these skills so arriving at school on time is extremely important.
Some information and flyers are attached with information regarding the importance of regular school attendance. If families are experiencing difficulties in regular school attendance for their child, please reach out to your classroom teacher or myself for support or advice.
We currently have over 150 students with unexplained absence days totalling more than 300. Can families please use the Parent Portal App to change these unexplained absences. It is important for our school records that these are rectified before the end of Term.
Thank you for your commitment and support with this and please contact us if you require extra assistance.
Scott Zachariassen
Assistant Principal