Principal

To Our School Community, 

Last Tuesday evening, we held our Annual General Meeting at Our Lady of La Vang. A very big thank you to the parents who attended, and we would also like to thank Belinda Muscat and Sue Knight as they continue to be our parent representatives from St Patrick's Special School.

Below is part of the Principal Report that was presented for the 2024 school year.

School Facilities and Infrastructure

Following the 2023 school playground audit, both schools undertook improvements to school facilities in 2024. Play areas were upgraded to provide safer environments for students, with play spaces designed in consultation with Allied Health teams to support students' diverse needs.

Both school sites completed their Master Plans in collaboration with Studio 9 Architects at the end of 2024, with the approval process set to commence in early 2025. These developments ensure that future infrastructure projects align with the needs of students and staff.

School Improvement and Teaching & Learning Initiatives

The School Improvement Plan identified key focus areas for 2024, including Positive Behaviour Intervention Strategies (PBIS), Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), SEQTA implementation, and curriculum planning.

PBIS efforts have enhanced staff capacity building, defined school-wide expectations, and developed a tiered behaviour response system. AAC implementation was further strengthened through targeted professional development and speech pathologist support.

SEQTA was used across both schools, ensuring a consistent approach to pastoral care, reporting, and lesson planning. Curriculum development remained a priority, aligning with the Australian Curriculum and focusing on personalised learning, emergent writing strategies, and professional development in literacy. Data-driven planning was embedded into teaching practices to ensure targeted student support and meaningful learning experiences.

Staff members have been actively pursuing their Graduate Certificate in Catholic Studies, further reinforcing the school's Catholic identity. Additionally, all staff successfully completed the Disability Standards for Education training through the NCCD platform.

At St Patrick’s Special School, specialised training in feeding and medication administration was completed by selected staff members to enhance student care and wellbeing. Engagement with Jane Farrell on Comprehensive Literacy has continued, with plans for ongoing focus at both school sites in the future.

Professional learning is embedded in staff meetings, with administrative matters addressed through weekly briefings and daily operational updates.

Leadership and Governance

Leadership transition took place in early 2024 with the appointment of a new principal for Catholic Special Schools. While daily operations continued seamlessly, preparations were made for a revised leadership structure for the 2025 school year.

Community Partnerships

Collaboration between Our Lady of La Vang Special School and Nazareth Catholic College continued in 2024, supporting two students and their families through shared enrolments. One Year 9 student transitioned full-time to La Vang, while a Year 6 student prepared for entry into Nazareth for Year 7. Additionally, Nazareth provided kitchen facilities for La Vang’s senior students and supported Sports Day with the participation of their Year 12 PE students.

St Patrick’s Special School staff attended the Eastern Region Conference, Empowering Minds - Shaping Futures, which focused on student agency. Staff gained valuable insights from internationally recognised speakers Lee Crockett and Louka Parry, with overwhelmingly positive feedback and enthusiasm for implementing new engagement strategies.

The St Patrick’s Allied Health team facilitated professional development for Education Support Officers (ESOs) through the Empowering Education Support; Enhancing Student Learning and Wellbeing program. Attended by 80 ESOs from across the region, this session covered emotional regulation, communication, and student profiling.

Staff engagement with Catholic Education South Australia (CESA) continued, with participation in initiatives such as ABLES and professional development programs. 

Strategic Planning and Future Directions

Progress was made in key strategic areas during the second half of 2024, including the continuation of the cultural alignment strategy, the development of a marketing and communications plan, and updates to standing committees.

The cultural alignment strategy focused on assessing current practices, identifying gaps, and implementing initiatives to foster a unified school culture. Enrolment guidelines were streamlined, with work beginning on an outward-facing enrolment document to improve accessibility for families.

Teaching and learning initiatives continued to evolve, with curriculum development remaining a central focus. The School Performance and Quality Teaching (SPQT) teams collaborated to review and enhance the curriculum.

Kind regards

Shannon Correll

Principal