Mrs Ryan's Fortnightly Reflections

We are deep in the learning pit here at St Mary’s, and our staff are working diligently on reporting and assessing your child. We are using the data available to us to best understand the progression and next steps in your child’s learning. We know parents value the diligence and effort our teachers put in to ensure an accurate learning plan for each child. 

The school is definitely observing the benefits of all Magnify initiatives. Multilit throughout the school has provided explicit phonemic foundations and solid reading and writing skills, taught in a predictable and explicit way. Our Ochre Numeracy and Literacy programs are seeing high volumes of repetition and re-hits to solidify learning and transfer understanding from short-term to long-term memory. The science of learning is underpinning all we do. Our learning environments are very aware of cognitive load on both the staff and the learners. Teachers are using routines and expectations to leverage learning, and we are seeing the learning stamina and growth of our community exceeding our expectations. This week, our learning leaders were well affirmed among all other Sandhurst Primary School colleagues regarding the competence and confidence our school has on this learning journey. 

It has been brilliant to see many families attending learning expos and gaining understanding of what is happening in our classrooms. We will continue to offer learning walks focused on a curriculum area next semester. This will allow families to experience and understand what is happening across all aspects of one curriculum area in the school. It will also give our families the opportunity to ask questions and gain a greater awareness of the curriculum trajectory St Mary’s is on. 

St Mary’s has recently concluded its primary enrolment phase, during which the leadership team has met with every learner and potential family in preparation for next year. These meetings always celebrate our strengths and the eagerness of families wanting what St Mary’s has to offer. If you know of families who missed our open day and evening, please encourage them to come and do a principal's tour with me and see St Mary’s. I always believe that you need to see and feel the energy of a school to make the most informed decision for your child. 

This week, many members of our leadership team participated in professional learning sessions in support of Magnify. Our leadership team also took part in the Classroom Mastery Leaders Day. Classroom mastery is an initiative that St Mary’s will commit to at the start of Semester Two. The theory behind classroom mastery is to teach explicit rules, routines, and behaviours within our school environment. A unified approach across the school will ensure all staff are consistent, and our students know what to expect in a repeated, safe, and predictable way. In the coming weeks, our entire staff will participate in training during our staff development day on Wednesday, 18 June. Following this training, I and the staff will begin to prepare our learners for the next semester. Thank you to all our families who are making alternative arrangements on this staff development day. 

I am currently at camp in Creswick, spending time with our Year 5 learners. They have been sensational in their behaviour away from home - caring for one another, trying unfamiliar tasks, and doing St Mary’s proud. The light show and evening experience at Sovereign Hill was fantastic, if not a little chilly! 

A reminder to everyone that we have a well-deserved long weekend ahead. I wish everyone a fabulous weekend with friends and family. We will see you all back at school on Tuesday, 10 June. 

Take care, and God Bless.  

Jasmine Ryan  

Principal