Dear Parents/Carers,

School Improvement Based on Parent Feedback This Year

In my first address to the staff, I emphasised that our school's growth and success cannot rest solely on my shoulders; it is a shared responsibility among all stakeholders. Meaningful school improvement requires the valuable input and feedback from everyone involved. Thanks to the invaluable feedback from many parents, we have achieved several significant milestones this year. I want to reaffirm that I am always ready to listen to feedback to continue our journey towards excellence together.

1. School Advisory Council (SAC): The SAC focuses on providing feedback on school policy and learning and teaching improvements initiatives. This year It has been instrumental in implementing new policies, launching educational programs, and ensuring that our teaching methods are up-to-date and effective. Some of the successful initiatives that has been implemented as a result of parent feedback from the SAC this year has been:

Development of a New Homework Policy: developed a policy that better supports student learning and family time.
Introduction of a Maths Enrichment Program: advocated for a Maths program to challenge and engage students in mathematics.
Implementation of a Synthetics Phonics program: advocated for a program to enhance reading, writing, and spelling instruction based upon best practice.
Assembly Schedule: suggested that assemblies be moved to Friday’s afternoon to minimise the impact on Monday morning learning time.
Enrolment Maximisation Team: formed a team focused on promoting our school and improving our brand.

2. Parents and Friends of OLHC (PFOL): This group provides feedback on social opportunities for families to engage with each other, build community relationships, and forge friendships across different levels. PFOL is key in fundraising efforts and initiating projects that enhance the school environment and student experience. Some of the successful initiatives that has been implemented from parent feedback from the SAC this year has been:

Playground Furniture: purchased new furniture to enhance student play areas based upon feedback from parents
School ground improvements: provided suggestions on how we can improve the school grounds
Lunchtime Clubs: developed various clubs to engage students in different activities during lunch breaks.
Celebration of the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians: introduced a new format for celebrating this important event.

3. Enrolment Maximisation Team (EMT): This team has provided feedback on how the school can promote itself and improve its brand. The EMT has developed strategies to enhance our social media presence, improve our website, and engage with local kindergartens to foster community relationships and attract new enrolments. Some of the successful initiatives that has been implemented from parent feedback from the SAC this year has been:

Social Media Campaign: developed an improved social media strategy to enhance our school's online presence.
New Website: commissioned a new school website, set to be completed by mid-August, to provide better information and resources for current and prospective families.
Prep-2 Blogs: advocated for the introduction of class blogs for junior school families, which will be launched next week, to keep parents informed about classroom activities.
Google Listing: helped with indexing our website to improve its visibility in search results.
Kindergarten Engagement: provided feedback, ideas and plans on how to engage local kindergartens, with four kindergartens already set to collaborate with OLHC in Term 3
Updated Signage: recommended the removal of outdated signage on Dudley Street to improve the school's street view.

These achievements are a testament to the power of parent feedback and collaboration. I extend my heartfelt thanks to all those in our community who have taken the time to meet with me after hours at SAC, PFOL and EMT meetings to provide feedback and share ideas. Your contributions have been vital in making OLHC a better place for our students. My door is always open to discuss ideas for improvement, but I encourage you to join one of these groups to make an even greater impact on our school community.

Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to OLHC. Together, we continue to create a nurturing and thriving environment for our students.

Parent Teacher Conversations:

On the subject of feedback this is a reminder that parent teacher interviews provide an opportunity for teachers to provide feedback to parents about their child’s learning and for Parents to provide feedback to their child's teacher about concerns they may be having.

Parent-Teacher Conversations will take place on Wednesday, June 26, from 1:50 PM to 7:00 PM.

Kind regards

Rudy Vail

Principal

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