A Warm Welcome to our Weeden Heights Community

Welcome to our community

The countdown is on until the end of the year! I am sure that everyone is ready for a well-earned rest and catch up with families and friends over the holiday period. We all deserve a bright and happy 2023 full of fun.

2022 Whole School Structure and the Bright Beginnings Program

Today and next Tuesday, students participate in our whole school transition sessions. They have had the opportunity today to meet with their new classroom teacher as a part of the Bright Beginnings Program. The whole school transition program at Weeden Heights is outstanding and by starting the year before, our students are well ahead and beginning to develop solid relationships to be ready for learning at the start of the year.

Students were also able to meet some of the new students who are starting at Weeden Heights PS who will be a part of their class next year. As a result, I am now able to release the structure for 2023.

The 2023 structure for Weeden Heights is as follows:

Classroom Teachers

Prep: Mrs Melinda Michalski– Room 5
Grade 1: TBA – Room 10
Grade 2:– Miss Samantha Walls Room 11
Grade 3: – Mr Joshua Goldsmith Room 6
Grade 4: Ms Sarah Crookes - Room 7
Grade 5/6A : Mrs Aarti Arya– Room 8
Grade 5/6S : Mr David Saville– Room 9

Specialist Teaching Program (Prep – Year 6)

Extension and Enrichment /Tutoring – Mrs Anne Lee and Mrs Leah Maarse -Davidson
Physical Education and Mathematics: Mrs Solange Nancarrow
Performing Arts and Visual Arts: Mrs Anne Lee
STEAM and Kitchen/Garden specialist: Mrs Leah Maarse -Davidson
Language (French): Mrs Delphine Todd

As you are already aware Mrs Watts has decided to retire and Miss Davis will be taking leave for the whole year. Exciting news Jenny and Belinda and we wish you all the very best!

Class Structure and Considerations for 2023

Considerable planning has gone into creating a structure for 2023. My priorities for our school are:

To introduce a Mathematics specialist teacher position to work with classroom teachers and support the extension of the Mathematics curriculum across the school
To keep all class sizes as low as possible across the whole school (not just Prep to year 2) so that our students can all have greater tracking of their learning and of their individual learning goals. Our senior classes have around 25 rather than up to 30 students

Each year I also like to remind our families about multi-aged classrooms as we have always operated this way, not just due to our size but for the philosophical belief of the school

Weeden Heights operates with multi-aged classrooms. We do not have ‘composite’ classes. They are two completely different approaches and I explain this on school tours. Our approach at WHPS is ‘personalised learning’ so students are tested to find out what they already know and understand and then students have programs and approaches developed for them based around their next learning stage.

Composite grades only teach to the level curriculum of the grade so only two curriculum levels are taught in that classroom. If we only taught to a specific grade level, students would never be able to achieve results beyond their year level because we simply would not teach that curriculum.
Personal learning in a multi-aged classroom allows us to teach a child above or below the expected level of the curriculum. It is irrelevant what grade a child is in however grades simply group students who are roughly around the same age and stage in development. We have many year 6 students who are completing secondary school curriculum but this would not be possible if we only taught to the year 6 curriculum. There are many prep students who will receive results well beyond their expected level. This is only possible with our personal approach to learning. We should never have to say to a child that they are ‘only in grade 2 so you only get grade 2 work’. In a composite grade the two year levels are only given work of the year level.

At Weeden Heights our programs are based on student’s achievement levels which is how our students achieve the results that they do.

Grade construction takes hours. Students are asked about their choices for best learning partners and friends. Parent are consulted and requests considered as they are based on personal, social, physical or academic grounds. Grades are balanced between boys and girls and academic and social needs. Teachers also have requests and professional needs that need to be considered. We have to manage their roles in the school along with the grade they are allocated. There are so many considerations and this process involved the whole staff so it is not taken lightly. Every student is guaranteed at least one of their choices so it is difficult to hear from a parent that their child has no friends when they have received at least one person they named.

Please always be reassured that extensive thought goes into school structures and placements. Our focus is our students at all times and it is paramount that we work with you at home to ensure that we all cater for the learning needs of each learner in our school and not a ‘grade’.

Camping Program: Prep Breakfast and Year 1 & 2 Late Stay

A massive thank you to Mrs Michalski, Miss Walls, Mrs Lee and Emma for making the Prep and Year 1 & 2 camping program happen this year. Our preps started off the WHPS camping program with a breakfast last Friday and it was followed up on the same night with the grade 1 late stay and the year 2 sleepover.

It was terrific to be able to have these events happen as they do prepare the students for the years 3- 6 The activities on the oval looked brilliant and I’m sure that your child came home with many stories and smiles after the event.

Year 6 Graduation

Good luck to our year 6’s as they head towards their graduation next Wednesday. They have been extremely busy preparing for this very special night. I would also like to especially thank Mrs Alter for overseeing the ceremony and thank the team of parents/guardians who have worked behind the scenes to make this a worthy event for 2022. For the first time, due to a smaller group exiting, the event will be held off site. It is always a very special event and I look forward to seeing you there.

Christmas and Awards Night Celebration

Our Christmas Concert is being held on Thursday 15 December at 6pm (next week) on the school oval! This will be our first major Christmas event back on site as in the previous two years, the Christmas concert was held remotely. So please bring along your picnic dinner and enjoy!

I would especially like to thank all the staff for putting together their class performance and thanks also to Miss Davis for coordinating the whole concert.

The senior leadership team for 2023 will be announced and be ready for some exciting twists! There are also a few awards including our highly respected Eroll Linke Award and a few year 5’s will have the opportunity to join the leadership ranks as house captains. It is exciting!

Reminder: Professional Practice Day – Monday 19 December

Please remember that students are not required to attend school next Monday. Teachers will be using their professional practice day to plan for a great start to 2023 and term 1. It will also offer an opportunity to support the new staff that are joining our team next year.

Final Assembly

The school will hold a final assembly in the hall on Tuesday 20 December. We will say a final farewell to our exiting year 6 students and wish everyone a happy holiday break.

If you are not available to pick up your child at that time then you will need to book them into the OSHC program for the afternoon.

I always thank our community on the final assembly for their incredible work and support over the year. If I don’t catch up with you before the end of the year, I would like to wish you all a safe and happy holiday break. Enjoy spending time with your family and friends. Merry Christmas!

I look forward to seeing you all back again next year!

Until next time……

Kylie Campbell

Principal

Futures are Bright at Weeden Heights!

FRENCH

The Swiss village where I am today, as you read this newsletter