Principal's Report

As we move to the second half of this term, we look forward to the many engaging and hectic days and weeks ahead as we complete the myriad of tasks for 2023, but also prepare for 2024. We continue to progress our magnificent school through a range of experiences that enrich our school curriculum. In recent times we have had the Circus Skills experience, a presentation for our Year 4 about the importance of Bees, a Preparatory excursion to Chesterfield Farm, Japanese Day across the entire school, our Junior School Council inspired Disney Day and significant preparations in the Arts area for our upcoming Grand Fair. Ahead we are also looking forward to cooking experiences for Years 3-6 and therein the promotion of our Kitchen Garden; a Year 6 Basketball Tournament and not the least, the Year 3 and 4 Camp to Arrabri Lodge, East Warburton. Again, all these experiences enrich the experience of our students and add considerable dimensions to their burgeoning achievements across a range of areas.

The exceptional experience of our Disney Day which was inspired and supported by our Junior School Council and Ms Kirwan was highly successful. Apart from the extraordinary fun of being in the Disney parade our Junior School Councillors led a magnificent song and dance and covered events over recent decades. This seems highly in order given the 100 Years of Walt Disney in 2023.

Perhaps what is most extraordinary is the level of engagement, representations and advocacy by our students at Years 5 & 6. The leadership, organisation, problem-solving and communication that goes with their work is the best I have ever seen in a primary school. These events, whilst at times they can place additional burdens and challenges on families, also provide scope for truly authentic and life learning lessons. This level of engagement and voice from our students is so well presented and done so through strong advocacy. Recently we had a number of students expressing a proposal for soccer/football posts. This involved a persuasive text with PowerPoints and reasoning, and in the end, a serious liaison with a Sales Representative from Ross Haywood Sports to provide quotes and options. These are being considered. This is but one example. Another was a deputation of Year 5 students about some thoughtful options for Year 6 in 2024. These experiences and opportunities give profound life and context to our commitment to student voice and leadership.

Curriculum Review and Development Preparatory to Year 6

Currently teaching staff are reviewing and well ahead of developments in relation to the new Victorian Curriculum Version 2.0. Over the last few weeks my staff together with senior officers of the Department of Education have been immersed in professional learning in relation to Mathematics. The new Victorian Curriculum has morphed into six strands as opposed to three including Number, Algebra, Measurement, Space, Statistics and Probability. The content descriptors at each level and in each strand are greatly improved being quite specific and more easily deciphered to ensure a more accurate scope and sequence for each strand and sub strand. During 2024 these new developments will be reflected in our Mathematics planning at each level and in time, in the assessment and student reporting made available to parents. It is expected that this new Mathematics Curriculum will be in place by 2025 in all schools. We are expecting to adopt this in full in 2024.

Whilst this has been occurring, we are also engaged in an audit of our Mathematics equipment and resources at the Preparatory to Year 2 area. The purpose is to identify the resources we have; arrange for them to be effectively organised for greater access and readily establish what further resources we need. We will also be in a better position to ensure all classrooms have a core supply of key resources consistent with year levels to conveniently and readily access. Again, we are progressing this significant task with the assistance of some staff and parents. Please contact Mr Zac Barry at Zachary.Barry@education.vic.gov.au if you are able to assist with this important task.

Similarly, we are expecting the English version 2.0 to be released by the end of 2023, with full implementation by 2025. Again, I look forward to reviewing this area in early 2024. Currently we are in the process of reviewing the new phonics guidelines established by the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority for Preparatory to Year 2. To this end we will be incorporating ‘Little Learners Love Literacy’ in Preparatory and Year 1 in 2024. This will add a new dimension to our English program at this level. Meantime we have over 1,400 new readers to cover and prepare for implementation in 2024. We are appreciative of some of our parents and grandparents who have come forward to already embark on assisting in this regard. Please contact Ms Kirstie Briggs at Kirstie.Briggs@education.vic.gov.au if you could assist with this huge but important task.

Class and Specialist Structures for 2024

Typically, this is the time of the year when we undertake a range of complex considerations regarding class and specialist structures for 2024. This involves review of school funding provisions, the considerations of the Victorian Curriculum, the provisions of industrial agreements and a plethora of other matters, all being considered against the overriding matter of what on balance is best for our students. We expect that we will continue our commitment to the Specialist areas of Japanese, Music, Physical Education and Sport, and Visual Arts for all year levels in 2024. I expect that once we finalise student numbers, we will confirm the structure and associated staffing in early December 2023.

Please be advised that we have one class of Preparatory students for 2024 and have long closed enrolments. Only those who fall in our existing zone over the vacation will be accepted. Others will be placed on a waiting list in the possible eventuality that a space becomes available. We may however take more students at some levels if indeed such a decision is prudent.

Despite the chronic shortage of teachers across Victoria at all levels and in all sectors, I am pleased to advise that at this stage we are confident of our staffing provision for 2024. Subsequently, once we have determined our class structure across the school, we will commence the thoughtful and time-consuming task of forming class grouping. This will be done by our staff in a collective consultation as a group and each staff member will bring their high level of professional knowledge and judgment to their decisions in this regard. As part of this process, we usually enable students to identify a small number of friends they would prefer to be placed with. This of course is considered by my staff along with other prevailing matters. Once this arduous and important task is completed by staff, I will review the arrangements and make the announcements usually some time in the last week of Term 4. Rarely, after such expansive deliberations can we afford to make changes, and I will do so only in the most extreme of circumstances.

Grand Fair – Saturday 25th November 2025

At the present time we are merely two weeks away from the Grand Fair and the work, intensity, anticipation and energy generated is profound. Together with this newsletter is an update for the Grand Fair and the many opportunities provided. In the coming days there will be a heightened sense of planning and excitement as we get ready for our wonderful day on Saturday 25th November. Please visit our school website for further updates as they are added.

Year 3 & 4 Camp to Arrabri Lodge, East Warburton – Monday 20th – Wednesday 22nd November 2023

We are looking forward to our Year 3 & 4 students venturing to Arrabri Lodge for next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Our 90 campers will be joined by Mr Tim Clarke, Mr Sam Norris, Ms Cathy Townsend, Ms Anne Geddes, Mr Peter Manning, Ms Hannah Spivak, Ms Shaina Webb, Ms Georgina Kirwan and myself. This will be a magnificent experience with students enjoying and braving their first time away in many cases and immersed in a range of daily activities including the giant swing, the flying fox, archery, a sensory trail, mini golf, a climbing wall, orienteering, damper cooking, ropes course, a night walk and various indoor games. The notion of packing belongings, caring for them, setting up a bed, and taking care of personal hygiene adds another dimension to this worthwhile experience. We look forward to our excited campers leaving school early next Monday. Mr Clarke has provided a further update for all campers and their parents, which I would ask you to peruse along with the list of clothing and associated items required. Please be advised that I will not be in contact with emails during this period, except those that are clearly urgent.

Mr Zac Barry will deputise in the absence of Ms Kirwan and myself.

Year 6 Arrangements for December 2023

On Wednesday this week all parents of Year 6 will have received a comprehensive communication about Year 6 arrangements for the last week of Term 4. Mr Zac Barry and Mr Rafael Fernandez have put an enormous amount into these arrangements with forensic detail provided. On Monday 18th December 2023 we will be conducting our Year 6 Graduation ceremony, which will formally commence at 4:30pm and proceed through to 8:00pm. This will be followed up on Tuesday, with what we refer to as the ‘Big Day Out’, which will involve outdoor activities at Gardiner Park, followed by a pizza lunch and some energetic bouncing at Bounce in Glen Iris. For our last day of school, the day will commence with a breakfast in our School Amphitheatre at the front of the school. This will be followed by a series of traditional activities culminating in a final assembly from 12:30pm on the last day. Our students will then leave school for the year at 1:30pm on Wednesday 20th December 2023.

Kitchen Garden Cooking 

It has been wonderful to witness the enthusiasm and enjoyment the experience of cooking has been for Years 3, 5 and 6 this week. The experience of each year level visiting the Kitchen Garden, learning about the vegetables involved in cooking and then preparing a healthy meal based on these materials and others was truly remarkable. It could not of course be done without the drive and leadership by Ms Belinda Dalton, Ms Katie Barnett and Ms Miranda Talbot and the other volunteers who made themselves available. It was also wonderful to witness the enthusiasm of our teaching and non-teaching staff for this opportunity. As a first experience with the new Kitchen Garden area this was a resounding success and gave us a positive and motivating sense of how we can adapt and progress this area in 2024.

Fishing Rods for Students in Year 5

These are being distributed to all schools for students at Year 5 to receive. This action is part of a Government Election promise. Whilst we applaud the opportunities that Angling provides to students and their families, we are also mindful that these items can involve some safety risks to students if they are not adequately prepared to use them. The fishing rods provided by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) are a wonderful way to introduce children to fishing. The kit provided includes a rod, reel, tackle box (including hooks) and information on how to use them.

On Wednesday 15th November I communicated to parents of Year 5 students to establish if they would like their child to receive a fishing rod. If they choose for their child to obtain a fishing rod, they will indicate via a school email. A suitable time will then be made available for a parent to collect their child’s fishing rod. Again, for those seeking to obtain a fishing rod I strongly advise parents to acquaint themselves and their child with the kit  and refer to the resources provided by the Victorian Fisheries Authority.

Again, we look forward to communicating with you about the magnificent experiences ahead at our school in the coming five weeks.

Christopher Cotching

Principal