Principal's Desk 

Corinne Pupillo 

Remote and Flexible Learning 2.0

Lockdown 2.0 is a time to focus on reducing the movement around Melbourne in order to reduce the spread of the virus. It's important for all of us to develop new structures and routines that create calm and thoughtful work.   It's easy to frame our conversations around many things that we've lost in 2020.  During these intensely challenging times it's also important to not only acknowledge our lost opportunities but to remain calm and grounded as we develop new routines.  Change is enormously challenging for our students and our staff.  We work hard to create a calm, orderly and structured routine that students feel connected to and secure with. It's important to see this new challenge through a different lens - the health crisis is challenging us to see things through a different lens. 

The transition back to remote and flexible learning 2.0 has been executed somewhat calmly which reassures me that our dress rehearsal in Term 2 placed us well to revert back at short notice.  

We now have dedicated staff members that are utilising the school owned buses to courier contactless hard copy work to students and this has been welcomed by families during this period.   Thank you to Mona and Virginia for supporting the new courier system. 

During this time we've ensured that our school community is connected and that learning, health and wellbeing are always front of mind. Equity, Excellence and Wellbeing for every learner which includes a continued emphasis on school improvement and striving for;

• Equity - particularly for our most vulnerable and disadvantaged
• Wellbeing - calm, focused reassurance
• Excellence - student achievement

This time around, staff have been privileged to have the opportunity to engage in some staff development opportunities including the planned Curriculum Day on 17th August and an additional Pupil Free Day on Tuesday 18th August

Curriculum Day:  Monday 17th August 

Staff had a full day of activities planned that will support them in their day to day roles.  I would like to extend my thanks to the following staff for preparing and presenting the sessions over the two days.  Staff were highly engaged in the interactive and focused sessions. 

Thank you Daniel Moloney, Stephanie DiSalvo, Emmaleen Oakley, Richard Crawshaw, Denise Clarke, and Leila Homa Tehrani for your contributions.  

Activities, training and workshops included:

• Abilities Based Learning Education Support (ABLES) assessment for students (Teachers)
• Student Voice, Agency and Leadership (Teachers)
• Bus Training (All staff)
• Xuno Training (Teachers)
• Proactive Intervention Training (Education Support Staff)
• Anaphylaxis (Education Support Staff)

Pupil Free Day: Tuesday 18th August 

In response to the Global Pandemic and State of Disaster, School Council endorsed an additional pupil free day for staff to engage a focused collaboration to address the growing concerns from staff about their own health and well-being and the impact of remote and flexible learning has on assessing student growth.  

Being aware of what you are thinking, doing and saying during this time can help you become more grounded.  Here is a simple framework for families to use to help guide this practice. 

Self Care

It's widely understood that if you only have a limited amount of energy where fear, stress and anxiety are heightened then it's important to “Put on your own mask first, before YOU HELP others.”

Staff were grateful for the opportunity to spend the day recognising how they can ground themselves in times of change and uncertainty. 

School Council Meeting Cancelled

School Council Meeting scheduled for Thursday 3rd September has been cancelled.  Our next meeting will be held on Thursday 29th October. 

School Council Sub Committee Representatives

Finance Sub Committee Representative - Sharon Borg 

Building and Grounds Sub Committee Representative – Alisha Minns 

Fundraising Sub Committee Representative – Lisa Sette

School Council Representative on Student Representative Council (SRC) – Alisha Minns

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 Page or on the school's website. 

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https://www.facebook.com/JacanaSchoolforAutism