Acting Principal's
News Flash
Dan Moloney
Dan Moloney
Hi everyone!
We have now entered Week 4 of Term 2.
For the last 3 weeks, our students have been engaging in our Annual Swimming Program to consolidate their skills in the water, personal care and travel training, at the Broadmeadows Aquatic Centre. The vast majority of our feedback from the community has been positive. Thank you to those families that supported their children and other students at the pool this year.
Our Therapy Team have also been implementing updated Tier 1 communication practices in all classrooms. The team have provided high tech communication devices to staff to model requests, comments to our students to support their ongoing needs.
Over the last fortnight, Stephanie, Ellen and I were fortunate enough to have attended 2 of our annual principal conferences:
Hume Merribek Conference @ The RACV Resort, Creswick (29th April-1st May)
Principals' Association of Special Schools (PASS) Conference @ The Silverwater Resort, San Remo (6th-8th May)
Both conferences provides a range of professional learning workshops for principal class teams.
Hume Merribek's focus this year was on the schoolwide implementation of 'Responsive Teaching' & the 'Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0' (Bronwyn Ryrie-Jones) and supporting leaders to manage complex issues in our school comunities (Frank Handy). Other inspirational speakers, including Jacqui Cooper (Winter Olympics Gold Medalist), discussed their experiences and motivations to achieve great things, who were a hit. All workshops were well delivered in a delightful, country resort setting, not far out of Ballarat.
PASS' Conference theme was 'Building Skills for Life'. Speakers addressed topics including student career pathways (Dr Ann Southall - LaTrobe University and Phil Hayes-Brown), leadership health and wellbeing (Dr Jodi Richardson and Jules Allen) and developing positive school cultures (Deborah Patterson).
On the final day, I was honoured to present our school journey implementing Secondary Curriculum Pathways since 2013. It was a great opportunity to share our successes in implementing our work-based learning programs including SBAT, VET, Trade Tasters and work experience programs for our senior students.
2026 School Council
Mark Mansfield has recently stood down as our School Councillor. We acknowledge and are grateful for his extended time in working with our council since March, 2023. Thank you, Mark!
In saying so, we remind the community that we have several outstanding 'vacant' positions for parents and community members (non-parent/non Department-employed community members).
If you are interested, please visit Julie or Kay in our admin area to collect a nomination form for you to complete and submit to us.
| MEMBER | POSITION |
| Daniel Moloney | Executive Officer (Acting Principal) daniel.moloney@education.vic.gov.au |
| Ellen Paterson | DE Representative |
| Mary Boutros | DE Representative |
| Andrew McDonough | Parent Representative |
| Paul Malavisi | Parent Representative |
| CASUAL VACANCY from March 2026 to March 2027 | Parent Representative |
| Chris Ernst | Parent Representative |
| Savana Bahjat | Parent Representative |
| VACANCY | Parent Representative |
| VACANCY | Community Member Representative |
| VACANCY | Community Member Representative |
Communication with Staff Policy (Revised 12 December for 2026)
Jacana School for Autism understands the importance of providing helpful and timely responses to common enquiries from parents and carers. To ensure that members of our school community are directed to the most appropriate person to assist them, the information below outlines key contacts for common queries:
to report a student absence, please text the Student Absence Line on 0439 114 197
to report any urgent issues relating to a student on a particular day, please contact the general office on 9309 6258
to discuss a student’s academic progress, health or wellbeing, please contact your child’s classroom teacher/ sub school leader.
Primary Sub School Leader: Zoe Pirotta | zoe.pirotta2@education.vic.gov.au
- Middle Years Sub School Leader: Stefania Mantinioti | stefania.mantinioti@education.vic.gov.au
- Secondary Sub School Leader: Amelia Frantz | amelia.frantz@education.vic.gov.au
- Senior Secondary Sub School Leader: Sean Procko | sean.procko@education.vic.gov.au
For enquiries regarding camps and excursions, please contact your child’s classroom teacher.
to make a complaint, please contact the Acting Principal/Assistant Principals on
9309 6258.
Acting Principal:
Daniel Moloney | daniel.moloney@education.vic.gov.au
Assistant Principal [Inclusion and Wellbeing] :
Stephanie Torchia | stephanie.torchia@education.vic.gov.au
- Assistant Principal [Teaching and Learning]:
- Ellen Paterson | ellen.paterson@education.vic.gov.au
Please also refer to our Complaints Policy, available on the school website:
https://www.jacanaschoolforautism.vic.edu.au/policies/management/
to report a potential hazard or incident on the school site, please contact:
OHS Manager Nominee
Mary Boutros on 9309 6258 or mary.boutros@education.vic.gov.au
for parent payments, please contact the general office on 9309 6258
for all other enquiries, please contact our Office on 9309 6258
School staff will do their best to respond to general queries as soon as possible and ask that you allow us 2-3 working days to provide you with a detailed response. We will endeavour to respond to urgent matters within 24 hours where possible.
Unwell students
If your child is presenting with cold and flu like symptoms we kindly ask families to keep your child at home if they are experiencing symptoms.
Each morning when students are getting ready for school, I ask that you be mindful of how your child is presenting. If they/he/she is feeling/looking/acting unusual or is complaining of being unwell please take them to the doctor. Minimising the cross-infection will assist in reducing the risk of spreading bugs and viruses.
All student absences can be made through the dedicated student absence notification number. Text the student's name, room number and reason for absence.
Make sure you have the student absence notification number saved in your contacts:
Student Absence Line: 0439 114 197
Reminder: Our newsletter is published each fortnight and will provide you with important information about the school and events that may be of interest to you. I encourage you to read the newsletter that will be sent home via your home email, on the school's Facebook and Instagram Page, Seesaw or on the school's website.
JSA also has a Facebook and Instagram Page. Please like and follow our pages.
https://www.facebook.com/JacanaSchoolforAutism
https://www.instagram.com/jacana.school/
School Website