Principal's Message
Staffing Appointments
I am pleased to announce two additional appointments to our staffing for 2024.
Meg Doyle-Cox impressed our selection panel at interview giving specific examples of how she ‘knows’ each student and the strong relationships she has built with students in her current classroom teaching role in a school just outside Geelong. Having grown up close to the Valley, she is very excited to return to our area and teach our wonderful students.
Chandra Exon also wowed us at interview. Having taught at a larger school in the Knox area, she possesses a good understanding of teaching and learning and could talk about how she plans these experiences for students, using the information she has collected about their current abilities.
We welcome Meg and Chandra to Launch!
Classroom Teacher Announcements
An exciting time for Launch PS as we increase from having 7 classes in 2023 to 9 classes in 2024. Given that we now have a better idea of our workforce moving into 2024 I am very proud to share with you our classroom teacher superstars below:
Prep A – Ashleigh Bence
Prep B – Katherine Bolton
Year 1/2 C– Marissa Tomlinson
Year 2 D – Meg Doyle-Cox
Year 3/4 E – Brydie Tatterson
Year 3/4 F – Chandra Exon
Year 5/6 G – Bonnie Ratten
Year 5/6 H – Kiri Briggs
Year 5/6 I – Jessica Freeman
Please note that our Year 5/6 teachers will each be part time staff in 2024, working four days per week. Consequently, an additional teacher will be added to the Year 5/6 team who will work at least three days per week to teach these classes. This additional teacher will also attend the team planning to ensure consistency and a continued focus on quality teaching and learning for our students. All other teaching staff Prep to Year Four will work full time.
Our Specialist and Education Support teams will be confirmed in our next newsletter.
Class lists detailing which students are in each of our classes have been completed and will be shared with students as they attend their ‘Meet the Teacher’ Day on Tuesday 12th December.
Feedback and ideas for 2024
School Council are collecting some basic feedback about what parents and students perceive to be the strengths and areas for improvement at our school. We are also hoping to receive some ideas about how we could spend some of the funds raised by our brilliant Parents and Friends group. Check out the link to send us some feedback: https://tinyurl.com/launch3139
Grounds Maintenance
Thanks to the first few parents who were quick to get in with their feedback around grounds maintenance using the above link. Consequently we have decided to put some additional funds towards this in 2024, with whole school mowing/edging and clean up occurring more regularly in order to keep our grounds fresh and tidy. We hope this change improves things and welcome any further feedback.
Dr. Paul’s Bike Hospital
Our fantastic Dr. Paul will be seeing patients (bicycles) in the big green shed beginning Monday 4th December. Bring your bikes along to school to have them safety checked, tyre pressures, brakes etc ready for our Warburton Bike Ride Day (Year Three – Six students) on Friday 8th December. Continue with your bike ride training and practice in the lead up to the event to make sure your legs (and bottom!) are prepared for the big ride!
Launch Christmas Concert
Don’t forget - Thursday 7th December is Christmas Concert night. We are thrilled that we can again host this wonderful community event. Please see the flyer below for more information. We hoping to see everyone there.
What a school, What a community!
We had a ridiculous amount of parents attend the Melbourne Zoo excursion last week. Supervision ratios were about 1 adult to 4 students, with our students having an absolute ball. How lovely it was to have you all come along and enjoy the day with us. Chatting with Audrey I see we also have a big list of helpers for the Warby Bike ride next Friday. Thank you so much!
We will be holding a ‘Volunteers - Thank you Morning Tea’ on Wednesday 13th December. If you have helped out this year, come along and have a tea/coffee, something yummy to eat and a chat with other volunteers and our staff.
Prep Information Evening
We had a super turn out to the Information evening last Thursday night. It was great to see lots of the same faces again and some new ones to talk through what our 2024 Preps and their families can expect next year. If you have a 2024 Prep student and still have any questions or things for us to note please get in touch ASAP.
Virtual Tour
See you around our place,
Laura Caddy
Principal