A GREAT START

I’m pleased to report that we’ve had a really smooth start to the year. Our Preps are being supported to adapt to a new environment and new routines and are doing a wonderful job! Our new staff have been absolutely amazing and I feel very fortunate to be working with such a professional team. Having Sam Smrekar Thompson join our leadership team as a leading teacher, has provided much needed support in the area of student wellbeing. The intervention and inclusion team, led by Trish Wan, has been facilitating professional learning and conversations around Goal 2 of our Annual Implementation Plan (AIP): Developing a Safe and Orderly Learning Environment. Staff have been focusing on setting up their learning spaces to support all students to engage in the learning. They have been unpacking the school values and establishing classroom agreements. Transitioning safely and respectfully within and between learning spaces has also been a focus. Trish and Sam will be providing updates to our community about our learning and progress in this space, through the newsletter.

The curriculum team of Johanne Abbott (learning specialist 3-6), Melanie Davis (learning specialist P-2) and myself will be supporting staff to gain a professional understanding of the Science of Reading in 2024. This is Goal 1 in our AIP and focuses on developing teacher knowledge and strategies that support students to decode and recognise words, and to combine this with the building of language comprehension, so that reading comprehension is the product. This work will see us investigating the ‘Big 6’ – phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, oral language, vocabulary and comprehension, along with an emphasis on background knowledge. We are currently engaged with La Trobe University who are providing quality training in the Science of Reading for our leaders. It is exciting work! Our two learning specialists will provide information and updates through the school newsletter.

Our Annual Implementation Plan will be endorsed by School Council in late March and then shared with the community.

CAMPS

Camps are a wonderful way for our children to build independence and resilience while engaging in incredible outdoor experiences such as canoeing, archery, orienteering, zip lining and so much more. When our staff go on camp, they work over 12 hours days and continue to be on duty or on call during the night. Appropriately, Teachers and Education Support staff need to be compensated for this work, in line with the 2022 Victorian Government Schools Agreement. The Department provides some financial support to compensate staff. With this in mind, we would like to move to a schedule that sees our year 4s and 6s go to separate school camps each year. This year, however, we only have one class of year 6s and as such, have decided to send our year 5s with them, as a ‘one off’.

Camp dates for 2024:

Years 5 & 6 – Camp Log Cabin in Creswick, 15th - 17th April

Year 4 – Camp Sunnystones in Merrimu (near Bacchus Marsh), 20th - 22nd November

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX

As you would have noticed, preparations for the Australian Grand Prix (AGP) are well underway, with grandstands already being erected. Having experienced the AGP once now, I feel better prepared in terms of knowing what’s to come and what we need. I have met with the AGP to discuss our experience in 2023, in the hope to improve communication and preparedness for any impacts on our school this year. When I am informed of up-coming impacts, such as changes to parking, I’ll communicate them to you. During race week, we feel that the interruption to learning requires us to be offsite. As such, we spend Thursday, 21st March on excursions and hold a curriculum day on Friday, 22nd March (no students required). On the 21st March, all students will be heading to excursions, some of which require drop off and pick up at alternative schools or locations. This is because our school precinct, including lakeside carpark will be in ‘lockout’. Please read the information on Compass really carefully so that you drop and collect your child at the right location and at the right time. Promptness will be critical on the day. I am very thankful to my colleagues at Middle Park Primary and Albert Park Primary, who are accommodating our needs on excursion day.

SAFETY

One of the safety concerns I have is the lack of supervisor on the pedestrian crossing on Aughtie Drive, between Lakeside carpark and the school. I have expressed my concerns to Port Philip Council and Parks Victoria. I have also engaged the Department to support both parties to find a solution, particularly with semi-trailers transporting AGP infrastructure at present. The Department will be sending out traffic assessors next Tuesday morning and afternoon, to assess the conditions.

THANK YOU

This year we say thank you to our out-going members of School Council:

Freya Owen

Freya was on the Interim School Council in 2018, helping to shape SMPPS and has been on Council ever since. She became President in 2020 and Vice President in 2021. Freya has served on the Wellbeing Sub-committee and has been a huge supporter of our community and events, including the design of our beautiful school uniform. Thank you, Freya for your positivity, kindness, care and support. You have been a wonderful member of school council, over so many years, and we sincerely thank you!

Langford Sue

Langford has been on School Council since 2020. He has led the Environment and Facilities sub-committee for the last 4 years, supporting the development of our playground, sustainability initiatives, boom gate negotiations (that continue!) and AGP. I’m so pleased that the shade sail, which has been on our agenda for a long time, is finally in!! Langford, thank you for your calm, measured leadership and for giving your time over the past 4 years.

SCHOOL COUNCIL NOMINATIONS

School Council is comprised of seven elected parent representatives, three elected DE employee representatives, one (optional) community member and the school principal (executive officer). In 2024, School Council nominations are invited for vacancies in the elected parent category. All elected representatives are elected for a two-year period with overlapping tenure, so that not all positions are declared vacant in any one year. For 2024, we have three elected parent positions vacant. The need to co-opt an additional community member will be discussed and agreed upon with the newly formed council.

If you are an enthusiastic parent interested in getting more involved in the school by representing the school community or know someone who is, we would love to hear from you. Each councillor is also a member of one of the following sub-committees: Wellbeing, Events and Fundraising, Finance, Environment and Facilities. Effective councils have a broad range of experience, skills, and expertise. Face-to-face and online training is also available to help councillors develop the skills and knowledge for the job. Parents find their involvement satisfying and may find that their children feel a greater sense of belonging.

For more information on what is involved, see: School Council Information for Parents In calling for nominations for the vacancies, please note that the appropriate nomination form is available, on request, from the school office or on our school website. Parents can self-nominate using School Council Parent Self-Nomination Form or you can nominate a parent using School Council Parent Nomination Form. If we receive more nominations than vacancies, a ballot will be conducted over a two-week period.

PLEASE NOTE THAT NOMINATION FORMS MUST BE LODGED BY 4:00PM FRIDAY 8TH MARCH.

Nicole Arnold

Principal

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