Concord Connect

Principal's Report 

Term 3

Welcome back to Term 3! It has been fantastic to see our students return to school refreshed and already diving into their learning. We have our new MILE room installation ready for classes to use this semester with an under the sea themed space to focus on the Discovery unit of Environmental Sustainability.

 

This term is filled with fantastic events, with students participating in Book Week, Footy Day, the Secondary 7/8 Spectacular and the Year 11 Presentation Ball. We can’t wait!

 

I would also like to highlight again that there has been an increase in staff and student absences due to illness. To assist with communication if your child’s teacher is absent for an extended period, please remember to ‘cc’ in the Section Leader so they can support with communication.

Our Updated School Values: Belong, Connect, Grow

We are excited to share that our work on refreshing our school values is almost complete. After consultation with students, staff and our school community, we have finalised three core values that will guide the way we learn and work together:

  • Belong – Everyone is accepted, valued, and can be themselves.
  • Connect – Positive relationships are central to how we learn and grow together.
  • Grow – Learning and growth are ongoing, celebrated and supported throughout all stages of development.

These values will shape our daily interactions, our approach to teaching and learning, and the culture we continue to build at Concord School. We are still finalising our Reflective Statements for each of these values and will be able to share these soon.

 

Our new values will also underpin the work we are undertaking on refreshing our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) framework across the school, including our focus on our school wide expectations of being Responsible, Safe, Respectful and a Learner. 

Student Attendance and Absences

Student attendance is a key priority at Concord School to ensure the learning and wellbeing needs of all students can be met. For all absences where there is not an approved exemption from attendance or alternate enrolment in place, parents/carers must provide an explanation on each occasion to the school.  This is to be completed on Compass.

 

After the morning roll marking, if a student is absent and the parent/carer has not notified the school to explain why, this will be marked as an unexplained absence which will generate an automatic Compass message to parents/carers after 9:30am. 

 

If your child arrives to school after 9:15am, they must be signed in at the Compass Kiosk in the Office. This is the same process for both the Bundoora and Watsonia campuses.

 

It is a Department of Education requirement that schools record and monitor attendance and absences. Teachers, Section Leaders and the Assistant Principal for Student Wellbeing and Engagement may contact you if there are continued periods of unexplained absences.

 

Please ensure that all student absences are reported to the school. This can be done by:

  • Logging via Compass and add an attendance note. 
  • Calling the school.   
    • Bundoora Campus: 9467 3972
    • Watsonia Campus: 9432 7978

For further information, refer to the Concord School Attendance Policy on our website.

 

Finishing the Day Strong – 3:00pm Pick-Up

We love seeing our students finish their school day feeling proud of what they’ve achieved. The last part of the day is often when classes reflect, celebrate successes, and prepare for the next day of learning.

 

When students are picked up early on a regular basis, they can miss these important moments, and it can also interrupt the flow of the class. We understand that sometimes early pickups are unavoidable but keeping them to a minimum helps your child – and their classmates – finish the day strong.

Principal's Award  - Amelia- UPB

Amelia consistently demonstrates our school expectations by being a respectful, responsible, and a safe member of the learning community. She approaches every task with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn, showing persistence and curiosity as a learner. Amelia takes responsibility for her actions, follows routines independently, and helps others when needed. She treats her peers and teachers with kindness and respect and always makes safe choices in both the classroom and the playground. 

 

Amelia is a valued role model in Upper Primary.

 

Congratulations on your award, Amelia.

 

Matthew Di Domenica

Principal