Principal's Report

Dear Families,

At St Joseph’s School, Mernda, we are committed to continually strengthening teaching practice to improve learning outcomes for all students. As part of this commitment, staff are continuing their 2026 Professional Practice Cycle across the school.

This year, our focus areas differ across year levels to best support student learning and development. In Prep to Year Two, staff are focusing on the implementation of Read Write Inc. to strengthen early literacy instruction and support students in developing strong foundational reading and writing skills. In Years Three to Six, the focus is on Mathematics, with particular attention to the teaching practices of Checking for Understanding and Cold Calling.

These approaches align closely with the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) Vision for Instruction, which emphasises explicit teaching, purposeful questioning and active student engagement in every classroom.

To support this work, staff are using MACS WalkThrus. WalkThrus are evidence-informed teaching practices that help teachers reflect on and strengthen classroom instruction. Importantly, WalkThrus are not about evaluating individual teachers. Instead, they provide opportunities for staff to gather evidence about what is happening in classrooms, reflect on their practice, and continue improving teaching and learning across the school.

One of the Mathematics focus areas in Years Three to Six is Checking for Understanding. This involves teachers regularly checking what students know, understand and can do throughout a lesson. This helps teachers decide whether they need to re-teach concepts, address misconceptions, provide additional practice or move learning forward. By continually monitoring student understanding, teachers can better respond to the needs of all learners.

Another key strategy is Cold Calling. In a supportive and structured way, teachers invite a range of students to share their thinking, rather than relying only on students who volunteer by raising their hands. Students are always given time to think before responding and are encouraged to explain their ideas clearly. This approach helps all students stay engaged, think more deeply and be prepared to contribute to classroom discussions.

As part of this work, teachers are also creating or reviewing A/B learning partners to support student discussion, collaboration and participation during lessons. These partnerships encourage all students to actively engage in thinking and learning conversations.

Throughout the Professional Practice Cycle, staff will practise these strategies in their classrooms and record a short section of their teaching to support reflection and professional learning. We reassure families that this process is used solely for teacher learning and reflection as part of our ongoing commitment to high-quality teaching practice.

We also take this opportunity to remind families about the importance of child safety within our school community. If any concerns or issues arise, parents and carers are asked to first make contact with their child’s classroom teacher so that matters can be addressed appropriately and promptly. We ask that parents do not approach other children or adults on the school yard. This ensures that all interactions remain safe, respectful and in line with our child safety policies and procedures.

We are proud of the dedication our staff continue to show in refining their practice and working collaboratively to provide engaging, effective and evidence-informed learning experiences for every student at St Joseph’s School, Mernda.

We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to all families who took the time to complete the Family Communication Survey. We greatly appreciate the thoughtful feedback provided. The responses have been very positive and will play an important role in helping us further strengthen and refine the way we communicate between school and families. This feedback is invaluable in ensuring our communication practices remain clear, timely, and responsive to the needs of our community. 

Kind regards,

Julie McDougall

Principal