Principal's Message

Leaders fly to Adelaide

Last week Miss Ballouk, Mrs Mellish and I went to a leadership conference in Adelaide. This was part of our work with The Connection, about building excellence and equity in education. The conference theme was Educating the whole person - learning, growing and wellbeing. We heard from guest speakers, networked with other schools and shared some of our good practice too.  A few key themes stood out for me:

• Culture matters. We spent some time exploring culture, identity, belonging and connections. I know that we try to deeply know every learner in our school and we can do better at making visible who we are and what matters to each of us;
• "A mind once stretched by a new idea - never returns to its original dimensions" This quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes reminds me of new learning - constantly being open to new ideas, new ways of doing things and listening to the voices of our learners.
• The health and wellbeing of our young people needs to come from a strengths-based approach. We need to also keep in mind the skills, knowledge, dispositions and talents of our students - and celebrate their successes.
• And schools need to be joyful places! We learn and relate better when we laugh and feel energised. We'll be looking for ways to increase the joy of learning!

Kindy Transition Program

What a successful program we have on offer - 6 weeks of deeply getting to know the school, the Kindy program and each other! We have 37 enrolments for Kindy 2025 - which is looking like 2 Kindy classes next year. I'm really impressed with the students who are coming each week - all the research says that the more you come - the better your transition to Big School is!

Every minute counts!

Students are still learning and will continue to - right up until the last day. Lessons are happening every day inside classrooms and many lessons occur outside classrooms too. The following photos show a range of learning: Stage 2 are focused on reading  - reading for pleasure, as well as reading for deeper learning. And Kindy students have been focusing on artworks each Friday - here are some collages. Look at Stage 1 students making old-fashioned lemonade to give out at lunchtime!

Planning for 2025 has begun!

We are in the process of balancing new enrolments and planning classes for next year. If you are moving - please let the front office know.

Next week we have the Year 5 speeches to nominate themselves for a spot on the 2025 leadership team! I know how nervous they might be - but I'm looking forward to hearing their pitches.

I am also rewarding the students with a Universe award (there are 5 of them!)... they will become Principal for a Day! Next Wednesday and Thursday I will have 2 or 3 students work with me for the day to lead the school. They will come to meetings with me, visit classrooms, do gate duty, have lunch in the staffroom and have an experience of being principal. I'm looking forward to it and I hope they are too!

What's Coming Up?