Dear Families,

It seems surreal that we are already past the halfway point of Term 1. Students have achieved so much already which you can clearly see from the evidence of learning they have shared on their Seesaw Digital Portfolios. As we reach the end of this learning cycle, we prepare to celebrate and set new learning goals which will be shared with families at our upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences. These are scheduled for Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th of April. It is expected that a family member will attend a conference for each of their children. This year, we are also requesting that the student also attends the conference with their teacher. This is important as transition toward a conference meeting that celebrates students achievements but also opens the conversation between the student, the teacher and the parent to develop a shared understanding of their next goals. This is the next step toward strengthening our partnership between the home and school.

Please book your interview with your child’s teachers on Compass. A notification will be sent to families when this is available. If you have any difficulties booking an interview time, please see the office staff.

Teacher Excellence Program

It is with great pride that I extend my congratulations to two of our staff members on behalf of the Albanvale PS community. Last week, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Ibrahim were invited to the inaugural conference for the Teaching Excellence Program hosted by the Victorian Teaching and Learning Academy (VTLA). Teachers from across the state were nominated by their Principals to take part in this special course which streams the best teachers from each curriculum area together. Of the 5000 teachers only 10% were selected and I am proud to share Mr. Taylor was selected for his work in Literacy and Mr. Ibrahim was selected in Numeracy. This is an amazing recognition for their work and our schools as we continue to improve student learning. We wish them the best of luck in the year-long course and look forward to seeing their continued learning having an impact at our school.

Uniform

At Albanvale Primary School, all students are expected to wear the approved uniform reviewed and ratified by the school council. A shared uniform supports a sense of cohesion across the school and drives a sense of connectedness among students. Our success in achieving this is evident in our annual Student Attitude to School Survey data where 98% of students stated they feel a sense of connectedness whilst at school. This is significantly higher than the state average of 78%.

To maintain our positive climate we need your help to ensure your child is in full school uniform every day. A list of our uniform can be found on our website and orders can be placed through PSW. Lost Property is also located at the front office with uncollected, unnamed items offered to families after 21 days. If you need further support with uniform or have any queries, please get in touch with our office.

Student Attendance

Did you know that in 2022, students at our school on average missed 25 days of learning? That is equivalent to 5 school weeks or 150 hours of learning. Attendance at school is vitally important. Students won't learn if they are not at school. Families are asked to utilise the school breaks for holidays and avoid taking time off during the school term. If your child is sick, you will need to log their absence on Compass and provide the school with a medical certificate. Our Attendance Officer monitors daily attendance and will organise meetings with families to discuss students' attendance if their attendance at school begins to fall. Every day at school counts and we thank our students and families for doing their best to be here each day.

Student Free Day- Friday 10th March (Curriculum Day)

The staff will be having a Curriculum Day on Friday 11thth of March where teachers will be engaged in

professional learning. Professional learning enables staff to develop the skills and knowledge they need to improve their practice and is central to improving student learning. Our focus for this Curriculum Day will be to continue our work on Explicitly Teaching Writing. Teachers will unpack genre-specific content and plan engaging units of learning as we prepare students for their next level of learning.

Students are not required to attend school on this day.

Student Free Day- Monday 14th March (Labour Day)

Monday the 14th of March is the Labour Day Public Holiday and students are not required at school on this day.

School Council Elections

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the parents and family members who were nominated for our school council in 2023. The nomination period is now closed and the election to the school council is to be finalised in the next week. We will announce our elected members officially at our upcoming meeting.

Free Camp

Children Aged 10 - 12