From the Principal, Diana Ellis
Carslruhe Fair
Wow, wow and wow!!!!!!
As communicated by our Carlsruhe Committee we are overwhelmed by the support we received from so many people to make this carnival so successful, the support from the weather gods and the overwhelming result.
I cannot express my gratitude enough for being able to be part of the organising committee and the opportunity to work with such a committed, focussed team. Right from the beginning the team had a clear vision and goals and they worked collectively to pull it off. Behind the scenes there was an ongoing hive of activity that included support from friends and family, the local community and local businesses. I would also like to thank the overwhelming generosity of people with the donations of goods and sponsorship.
The purpose of the fair is to showcase our Carlsruhe Campus, build community and raise funds and we successfully achieved those goals.
Staffing
After many interviews over the last few weeks I am pleased to announce that we have been able to re appoint Miss Quinn, Miss Harrap, Miss Bronchinetti, Mrs. Meggs and Mrs. Marsh.
I would like to thank the staff that were on the selection panels and for the time invested in reading all of the applications, short listing applicants, interviewing and then choosing the most suitable applicants.
I would also like to congratulate Mr. Chamerski on his appointment as substantive Leading Teacher and again thank the selection panel for their work.
Class structures for 2019
Each year we are challenged with the task of forming class structures. People often form a number of beliefs about how we determine class structure. The absolute only factors in the equation are the number of enrolled students and the budget allocated by DET per student, directly relating to how many staff we can afford. I am sure you can appreciate that this is not an easy task and each year there is a fine balance of being able to keep staff and the most efficient use of our budget with the best interests of our students always at the core of everything we do.
Parents often seem to worry about class sizes, composite classes, teachers and friends. We can assure you that all of these factors are taken into consideration. There is absolutely no research that says a straight grade is better than a composite class, as in each class there is a normal spread of students below, at and above expected levels and teachers practice ensures that work is planned to provide support and extension for all students.
Although smaller class sizes are preferable, the research of John Hattie says that class size has little or no impact and it is more about the quality of the teaching.
Our structure for next year is:
Prep/1 Mrs Debbie Thompson (Leader)
Prep/1 Mrs Alison Meggs
Prep/1 Miss Sally Quinn
Prep/1 Mrs Zoe Sutherland ( 3days) and ???? (2 days)
Year 2 Mrs Joanna Marsh (Leader)
Year 2 Miss Zoe Bronchinetti
Year 2 Mrs Louise Safstrom/Miss Sandra Mann
Year 3 Miss Felicity Radziminski (Leader)
Year 3 Miss Geer
Year 3 Mrs Sam Spiers
Year 4 Mrs Ann Ireland (Leader)
Year 4 Mr Nathan Spilsted
Year 4 Mrs Gayle Sutton/Mrs Emma Beaumont
Year 5/6 Mr Jordan Chamerski (Leader)
Year 5/6 Miss Katherine Harrap
Year 5/6 Mr Condon
Year 5/6 Mrs Kylie Minchew
Student placement
Over the last few weeks teachers have been collaborating in their teams and with the other teams of teachers to place students for 2020. All students are given the opportunity to write down 4 friends they would like and we endeavour to have every child with a friend. As you can imagine, creating combinations for over 400 students is a challenging task.
I ask parents to appreciate that part of life is making new friendships and most of the socialising is done out in the yard, with the classroom a place for learning. Due to the fact that students are placed in ability groupings, this means that students have limited time sitting with their friends. Often students ask to be with a friend but seating those students together can disrupt their learning as they are more interested in socialising. We thank you for your understanding and respecting the professional choices of our staff.
Transition
Next week On Tuesday December 10th we have our whole school transition morning. All students will go to their 2020 teachers and classroom, during the morning session.
Year 5 Urban camp
Last week I had the pleasure of attending camp with our Year 5 students. The itinerary was non stop and the students had some great experiences at the MCG, National Gallery, Cook’s Cottage, the museum and State Library, Metro tunnel headquarters and the Victoria market.
At the MCG the students were able to go on the ground, visit the MCC and the Long room and also go down into the Richmond dressing rooms and media area. At the National Gallery the students were interested to learn about the Suffragettes movement in the quest for equality and of course they loved the water window. At Cook’s Cottage they enjoyed dressing up and playing old fashioned quoits. The museum was a favourite with Pharlap, the dinosaurs and a history of Melbourne. At the State Library the students were lucky enough to see The Ashes and Ned Kelly’s armour.
Although the students were on and off trams and trains and dealing with the hustle and bustle of the city crowds, our students never faltered in their exemplary behaviour and demonstrating our school values. They were a pleasure to be with.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Finn Slechten in Year 6 who was presented with a $600 music scholarship this week from Sacred Heart College.
Year 4 Camp
This week our Year 4 students are on camp at Philip Island. Although sadly I did not get the opportunity to attend this camp again, I look forward to hearing the many stories on their return.