School Advisory Council

Meeting Report

Tuesday 9 May, 2023

At our meeting on 9 May, the SAC was joined by Ange Crowe, our Literacy Leader, to share the Pedagogical Framework that we use to teach Literacy at St John's. Literacy is key to all areas of learning.

Teaching and Learning

Literacy

-          Covers: reading, writing, speaking and listening

-          Focus: analyse, understand and effectively communicate throughout the school day

-          Purpose: to appreciate and enjoy communication and efficiently use of language

-          Curriculum: the English Curriculum is governed by the Victorian Curriculum

-          Catholic Education Lens: Catholic schools are different from the state system with a focus on Horizons of Hope. Our students are knowledgeable, educated, or skillful in a particular field with a big emphasis on professional learning for all teachers. 

-          Reading: Pedagogical Framework for Reading includes tuning in, explicit teaching, guided and independent practice, reviewing and summarising at the conclusion of a lesson

-          Writing: includes different genres such as informative, instructional, and persuasive

-          Speaking and Listening: provides students with opportunities to talk, build complex sentences, vocabulary knowledge, debate, presentation skills, etc.

Assessment

Start-of-the-year assessment allows for teachers to highlight students’ strengths and areas of need.

Ongoing assessments are conducted throughout the year to provide additional support or required intervention or extension.

Support Strategic Direction & Operations

School Improvement Plan 2022 - 2026

Based on the feedback from our School Review in 2022, we have created a new School Improvement Plan, which will help us prioritise our goals and our actions over the next four years. We will start to investigate the need for a new Masterplan, to invclude minor refurbishments.

Partner and Advise

Growth initiatives

• Some of the initiatives to attract prospective students are a ‘Kinder Pack’ which includes a school uniform and a book pack to sent to each kinder. 
• School fees will be published on the website.
• Consideration of further media education, through our Digital Technology Program to include movie making, podcasts and blogs.

School Governance and Reports

The New Child-safety posters are up in reception, in a visible and colourful format.

The School Leadership Team will undertake investigate, formaulate and implement a Mobile Phone and Smartwatch policy.

Please contact Verona Gridley if you have any further questions.

Trang Dang - SAC Member

Gratitude Column 

We are grateful for the effort of all of the families who came and helped on Sunday at the Working bee. The school gardens are looking amazing.

We are also very grateful to Donna Inglese, who organsied the whole Mother's Day Stall and Breakfast last week. Your generosity of time and energy is greatly appreciated.