Principal Report
Our school is located on the land of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.
National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) 2023 Reporting
There are some important updates to the way NAPLAN results will be reported this year. On Friday 10 February, Education Ministers agreed to proceed with a set of reforms for NAPLAN 2023.
NAPLAN is administered by the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (ACARA).
A set of four achievement levels (proficiency standards) will be introduced to replace the existing 10 bands and the National Minimum Standard used for NAPLAN reporting between 2008 and 2022.
This change will provide schools, parents, and carers with clearer information that details student achievement against new proficiency standards. The standards for NAPLAN 2023 and for all testing moving forward are as follows:
· Exceeding
· Strong
· Developing
· Needs additional support.
These standards will represent a challenging but reasonable expectation of what students at each year level know and can do at the time of NAPLAN testing.
Why are proficiency standards being introduced?
Ministers agreed in 2019 through the National School Reform Agreement to introduce proficiency standards for NAPLAN. With the transition to online testing completed last year, it is now possible to proceed with implementing these reporting changes.
From 2023, NAPLAN reports will more accurately reflect the personalised (adaptive) online tests that students undertake, and will facilitate the provision of timely, more precise reporting on the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy.
The new standards will provide simple and clear information for parents and carers about whether their child is where they need to be in relation to the development of their literacy and numeracy skills, and if not, they will indicate to the school that interventions and learning supports may need to be put in place for those students who may be at risk of falling behind.
The new standards and reporting design were developed with input from all education authorities and sectors, as well as parents, through independent focus groups and national peak parent organisations.
How will NAPLAN results be provided to schools?
As in previous years, Victorian schools will receive access to the VCAA Data Service to view their NAPLAN school summary and item level reports.
How will NAPLAN results be provided to students, parents, and carers?
Hard copies of student reports will continue to be distributed to all students who completed the NAPLAN 2023 tests. The individual reports will incorporate the four new proficiency standards, along with instructions for how to interpret the new achievement scale and student performance. The report will continue to show the national average and the range of achievement for the middle 60 per cent of students in their year level, allowing comparison of a child’s achievement against these measures.
Keeping NAPLAN in perspective - resource from the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (ACARA) regarding NAPLAN.
Mother's Day Dinner
Thank you to Linda, Sammie and Yana for their fabulous work in putting together the Mother's Day Dinner. Be sure to look at their page in this newsletter to read all about the event.
Mother's Day Stall
Thank you to Doan, Rania and Cheryl for organizing the stall. A special thanks to the parents who volunteered to be part of the stall last week. They were Moni, Lisa, Su Kim, Jing, Jay Lai, Melissa, Grace, Kerri, Carmen, Mailen and Joy. We cannot run these occasions for our students without parent support.
Yard supervision
I thought I would take this opportunity to outline our yard duty arrangements before and after school.
As part of providing a safe and suitable school environment, we are always mindful of considerations such as:
- Minimising hazards and risks that might cause injury
- Providing supervision to students (including before and after school hours)
- Ensuring any visitors to school grounds are recorded and adhere to the Child Safe Standards, and
- Maintaining the security of school grounds.
Each morning and afternoon staff supervision is provided in the school grounds between 8.45 -9.00am and 3.30-3.45pm. These are busy times and parents are asked to please keep drop offs and pick-ups short to allow the students to enter and exit during these supervised times.
Parents can also support us by avoiding talking to teachers about student progress when they are supervising entry and exit areas. Parents and carers can call, message or email to arrange a time for these types of discussions.
School staff are entirely focused on providing the best possible learning environment for students during school hours, so if you do want to speak to a staff member, please call us on 9857-5157 and we will happily arrange a suitable time.
A reminder that Government schools are not public places, and to maintain the security of the school grounds, it’s important that staff know which adults are authorised to be on school grounds during school hours. All visitors must sign into Passtab at the office.
Thanks for your cooperation in helping to ensure that Boroondara Park PS is a safe, respectful and supportive environment for our students.
Cybersafety Trial
We are excited to let you know our school has been invited to participate in a Cybersafety trial which will involve each year level participating in a one hour session which will be delivered by Life Education Victoria. This trial will be run over 3 days next week.
The overview of modules is set out below:
Foundation
Learning Intentions: We are learning about how to manage our emotions when using technology
Success Criteria:
-Identify how situations in life can affect emotions
-Name some emotions that someone might feel when they are online
-Make a commitment to a positive behaviour change
Grade One
Learning Intentions: We are learning about how to be responsible communicators online
Success Criteria:
-Display effective communication strategies
-Identify how people communicate online
-Identify how to deal with online meanness
-Identify appropriate ways to communicate positively with others when online
-Make a commitment to a positive behaviour change
Grade Two
Learning Intentions: Lay the foundations to create a safe digital community
Success Criteria:
-Identify how to safely communicate with known and unknown people online
-Demonstrate an understanding of how people can connect on the internet
-Compare connections in the real world and online
-Make a commitment to a positive behaviour change
Grade Three
Learning Intentions: To build an awareness of safety online
Success Criteria:
-Identify possible internet dangers
-Demonstrate an understanding of what steps to take to remain safe on the internet
-Identify the difference between personal and private information
Grade 4
Learning Intentions: We are learning how to keep digital friendships safe and respectful
Success Criteria:
-Describe the positives and negatives of digital friendships
-Name some ways to handle trolls and griefers
-Make a commitment to a positive behaviour change
Grade 5
Learning Intentions: We are learning to develop skills to question what we see, hear and share online
Success Criteria:
-Identify the difference between personal and private information
-Learn how to minimise the risk of phishing
-Make a commitment to a positive behaviour change
Grade 6
Learning Intentions: We are developing our skills to further question what we see, hear and share online
Success Criteria:
-Differentiate between private, personal and public information
-Learn how to minimise the risk of identity theft through phishing
-Make a commitment to a positive behaviour change
Senior School Athletics and District Cross Country
Congratulations to Phil Wickham on his first Senior School Athletics event. The rain did not stop the effort for our students, staff and the large group of parents who attended to assist and watch the events.
Phil has also celebrated the success of our students at the District Cross Country with ten students qualifying for Divisional Cross Country.
We are proud of the amazing effort by all students. When sharing the news with staff Phil noted the great viewing of the Under 11 Boys category with 5 of the 15 fastest in that race coming from BPPS!
Whole School Production
It has been great to see our students participating in rehearsals. Thank you to the parents who are supporting the production by making props and helping with costumes.
I would like to acknowledge all of the hard work of Emma Thomas to get us to this stage. We cannot wait to see the show!
Open Day May 18th
This week is Education Week and our school celebrated with our Open Day today - May 18th, with tours taking place at 9.15am, 11.15am and 2.00pm.
It was great to show off our fabulous school and all of the programs and opportunities we offer at Boroondara Park Primary School.
There were lots of great questions about our learning programs, about parent involvement and about what makes Boroondara Park unique.
A special mention to Jane (one of our parents) who was able to support our tours, sharing her experience as a parent and interpreting when needed.
State Schools Relief
State Schools Relief is an organisation unique to Victoria. It has been in existence since 1930. It is a not for profit organization who supports disadvantage government school students. Please see brochure attached. Reach out if you think they could assist you.
BPPS Facebook and Instagram
Don't forget to follow our social media accounts and see what is happening at school each day. Boroondara Park Primary School Facebook
Search @BoroondaraPark on Instagram to follow the school.
Susanne Lowe
Principal