Principal's Message

Strengthening our practices with evidence-based teaching strategies

Our amazing teachers have continued to embrace the improvements we have been making to our literacy teaching and learning programs so far this year. I have been fortunate to have some students visit me this week to ‘perform’ their narratives and what a show they put on! We can’t wait to see how this translates to their writing.  

Launch Wellbeing Program 

Whilst taking a potential 2025 Prep family on a tour this week, I was explaining one of the student-led ways that we connect student wellbeing resources to our students.  The child’s mother’s reaction to this initiative was honestly heart warming (made me feel a little bit proud!) and I thought it might be worth explaining in more detail to our current families how this is working:

• Each fortnight our Prep – Year Six students complete a quick check in survey (3 or 4 questions) about how they are feeling.  Here are some examples of the questions:
  • How have you been feeling this week?
  • I ask for help when I need it…
  • I feel like I belong at my school
  • My school is a safe place for me
• Students respond to these statements on the computer/ipad, with possible responses being ‘never’, ‘rarely’, ‘sometimes’, ‘often’, ‘almost’ or ‘always’. 
• Students also have the opportunity to press a button ‘I’m struggling’, which alerts an adult of their choice (principal, inclusion leader, student welfare officer or their classroom teacher) that they need some extra support currently.
• Our wellbeing team then checks in with students who require support either individually or in a small group, depending on their need. 

One of our long term school goals is to have multiple ways that we systematically identify and support students who require additional wellbeing support. Other methods we will also look to improve shortly are methods in which parents can refer their child to our student wellbeing services.

Kayaking Success

Launch are winners!  What a successful kayaking season it was for our Year 5/6 students, with a big thank you to Mr D for organising such a great couple of events.  We had over 30 students participate in the optional kayaking on Lilydale Lake, backed up by 22 students participating in the optional  kayaking at Doon Reserve.   Some of the best participation rates seen by our school in years!

Excellent effort by our students and our parents who organised transport to and from the events.  A big congratulations to Jaxson F who took out 1st in the male’s river event and School Captain Clair S who came 2nd in the female competition.  Launch took out the competition overall, coming home with the trophy.  Well done team!

Dan Petro Visit

Last week we welcomed Dan Petro, behaviour analyst to our school to conduct some classroom observations.  Our goal being to continue to increase (percentage of students and degree of individuals) student engagement in learning.  Dan spent time in each classroom and later met with groups of teachers to discuss what he saw, provide feedback around student engagement and share additional strategies to add to our ‘practices’ suitcase. 

Dan has provided evidence-based professional services in over 200 Australian schools and organisations over the last decade.  He will return to our school a further three times this year, providing professional learning on two of those days and further observations on the other day, to complement our ongoing School Wide Positive Behaviour work, continue to emphasise the importance and the ‘how’ of strong teacher-relationships and provide individualised programs for students who require further adjustments/modifications to how we engage them in school and learning. 

Next Thursday Easter Hat Parade/Slime-fest

Our apologies that the flyer that was sent out this week had the wrong date displayed.  The Easter hat Parade will run next Thursday 28th March from 9am on the netball court.  Parents and families are encouraged to attend and generally sit up on the steps looking down at the netball court.  The Easter Raffle organised by Parents and Friends and the Slime-fest will follow.   Please remember that this is also the last day of term and hence we will finish at 2:30PM. 

Planning Days running in Week Nine

Next week all of our Year levels, other than our Preps (who have already had their planning day last week) will be having one day out of the classroom to ensure they are fully planned and organised for Term Two.  Specialist teachers and/or casual relief teachers will continue teaching programs in each grade

School Council 

On Monday evening we had our Annual General Meeting and first School Council meeting with our 2024 School Councillors.  Welcome to Beck V, who had joined council this year and our continuing parent members Annie T, Gemma W, Emma R, Mel J, and Jess S.  Our staff councillors are Brydie T, Katherine B, Audrey W and myself.

Some items discussed at Council this month included:

• Looking at Prep alphabet data.  Wow what great learning!
• Principal report including, hearing about our literacy teaching and learning priorities.
• Financial reporting 
• Parents and Friends Committee report, including approval for upcoming events and our fundraising project! 

Virtual Tour

See you around our place,

Laura Caddy

Principal