Principal's Report

Regional support

Our two School Improvement Consultants, Pam Thibou-Martin and Anne Klock have been busy visiting and getting to know our school. These external consultants, who are retired principals, are continually impressed with our school and how special it is. It makes me extremely proud of our students and staff when they make comments such as “pretty impressive”, “always has a nice feel” and “active teaching and students working well in classes”. They have noticed that students show a sense of belonging at our school, and seem comfortable when travelling between or after classes, seeming to feel at home and confident to say hello to them and other staff. Sometimes, we get comfortable where we are and it takes an outsider to remind us all of just how great our school is!

The new Caf feature

A huge thank you is owed to the Timewell family (their daughter was an ex-graduate of Mount Beauty SC) for donating a piano to the school! Belle Hungerford, our music teacher had been speaking with students and suggested that the piano be housed in the Caf for students to play at break times.

Now, there is barely a quiet moment, with the ivories being tinkled by a range of students, with various tunes (or parts of). It is pleasing to see that all the students have all been respectful of the piano and the noise levels and mostly restricting to its use during breaks. To ensure the best sound possible, the piano was tuned on the day it arrived and is a creative and delightful new addition to this student space.

Facilities upgrade – Toilets

Thanks to the parents that attended our last school council meeting to raise their concerns about the toilets. The concerns raised need to be addressed; while the school has applied for a Department “minor works capital grant” (the same one that led to the roof repairs and skylight upgrades), the outcome of this application will not be known until December this year, far too long to wait for us to be able to help improve the toilet situation.

Since that meeting, some initial responses were put in place immediately, and making plans for an internally funded, smaller upgrade in the interim, have begun. All plans will be supported by wide consultation, to ensure any upgrades best meet the needs of our students and staff.

All spaces in school must be safe for our students and behaviour like vaping on school property, including the grounds, is illegal within 4m of the school buildings (like smoking). Any students caught participating in illegal or anti-social behaviours will face consequences.

Reminder: Parent/Caregiver Opinion Survey - DET

The DET parent/caregiver opinion survey is open until Friday 8th September. Thanks to the 16% (20 people) who have responded to date, but we hope to hear from more voices (aiming for at least 50%). A reminder with the login details will be sent out today.

Notice of School Council Meeting

A reminder that we have a school council meeting this Wednesday in Room 9 at 6pm. All community members welcome to attend as observers. At this week’s meeting, I will be presenting information about planning that will be getting underway for 2024 staffing and structure

Asbestos Removal