Principal's News Flash

Corinne Pupillo

2025 SCHOOL THEME: EMBEDDING INCLUSIVE PRACTICES TO ENHANCE LEARNING AND WELLBEING.

When we implement inclusive practices, students feel welcomed, supported, valued and will also empower parent/carer voice and collaboration.

Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) & School Wide Positive Behaviour Support

Dear parents, carers and friends of the school community

At Jacana School for Autism we value the diversity of culture, ethnicity, and faith of all our students. We are proud of our diversity, and everyone is welcome at our school.

Celebrating the diversity of our community makes us stronger, kinder and more innovative. We are committed to making sure that students from all backgrounds feel accepted, supported and able to learn.

We teach all students according to our school values and teach the respectful relationships framework. This includes education around diversity and inclusion.

To achieve our values and aims, everyone at Jacana School for Autism plays an important role.

We consistently remind students of our values of Respect, Inclusion and Empathy and the importance of using these in everything we do. Specifically teaching the school expected behaviours of :

Look after self
Look after others
Look after property

To help us make Jacana School for Autism a place where everyone feels welcome, respected and supported, we encourage you to also speak to your child about these values, as well as the importance of:

understanding that we celebrate diversity and multicultural inclusion
understanding the importance of everyone at school being treated with respect.

For more information, please see Racism: talking with children and teens, Raising Children Network.

We expect families to also display our school values when dealing with other members of our school community.

During the Weekly PBS Ticket Draw, I was delighted to win a Hoyts movie ticket Prize. I felt very special and acknowledged when I was given a Positive Behaviour Ticket from Michael (Room 18) for Looking after others. Thank you Michael for your contribution to the Student Leadership Team and commitment to School Wide Positive Behaviour Support.

Celebrating Positive Behaviour Support - Gold Award

At the Hume Merri-bek Principal Network Meeting on Wednesday 18 June, Jacana School for Autism received the Gold Award Certificate for sustained implementation of Tier 1 School-wide Positive Behaviour Support features including the establishment of Positive Classroom Management Strategies. Well done to the Student Engagement Team and Student Leaders for leading this important work, I'm very proud of our school.

Staffing Update

A warm welcome to our new Occupational Therapist Kevin Loo.

We also say farewell to Teacher Aide Liz Torcasio who will be retiring at the end of Term 2. Liz commenced at Northern School for Autism - Jacana Campus back in February 2009 and remained with the new Jacana School for Autism in 2013. Liz has been a significant presence at JSA, particularly in her role as the Staff Wellbeing co-ordinator where she worked along side - Elise Robson, designing many wonderful events for staff. These events were always popular and loved by everyone. Thank you Liz for your many years of service to public education and our school community.

Communication with Staff Policy

Jacana School for Autism understands the importance of providing helpful and timely responses to common enquiries from parents and carers. To ensure that members of our school community are directed to the most appropriate person to assist them, the information below outlines key contacts for common queries:

to report a student absence, please contact Absence Line on 0439 114 197
to report any urgent issues relating to a student on a particular day, please contact the general office on 9309 6258
to discuss a student’s academic progress, health or wellbeing, please contact your child’s classroom teacher/ sub school leader.
Primary Sub School Leader: Daniel Moloney |daniel.moloney@education.vic.gov.au
Middle Years Sub School Leader: Amelia Frantz | amelia.frantz@education.vic.gov.au
Secondary Sub School Leader:
Stefania Mantinioti | stefania.mantinioti@education.vic.gov.au
Senior Secondary Sub School Leader:
Sean Procko | sean.procko@education.vic.gov.au
for enquiries regarding camps and excursions, please contact your child’s classroom teacher.
to make a complaint, please contact the Principal/Assistant Principals on 9309 6258.
- Principal:
  Corinne Pupillo | corinne.pupillo@education.vic.gov.au
- Assistant Principal [Inclusion and Wellbeing] :
  Daniel Moloney | daniel.moloney@education.vic.gov.au
- Assistant Principal [Teaching and Learning]:
- Ellen Paterson | ellen.paterson@education.vic.gov.au

Please also refer to our Complaints Policy, available on the school website

https://www.jacanaschoolforautism.vic.edu.au/policies/management/

to report a potential hazard or incident on the school site, please contact:
OHS Manager Nominee
Mary Boutros on 9309 6258 or mary.boutros@education.vic.gov.au
for parent payments, please contact the general office on 9309 6258
for all other enquiries, please contact our Office on 9309 6258

School staff will do their best to respond to general queries as soon as possible and ask that you allow us 2 – 3 working days to provide you with a detailed response. We will endeavour to respond to urgent matters within 24 hours where possible.

School Council

Our next School Council meeting will be on Thursday, 14 August 2025

MEMBER	POSITION
Corinne Pupillo	Executive Officer (Principal) /corinne.pupillo@education.vic.gov.au
Lisa Sette	Community Representative & President / lisa.sette@education.vic.gov.au
VACANCY	Community Representative
Paul Malavisi	Parent Representative
Mark Mansfield	Parent Representative
Chris Ernst	Parent Representative
Savana Bahjat	Parent Representative
Andrew McDonough	Parent Representative
Abdul Qadir Amir Memon	Parent Representative
Mary Boutros	DE Representative
Daniel Moloney	DE Representative

School Council Sub-Committee Representatives

Finance Sub Committee Representative - Mark Mansfield
School Infrastructure Sub Committee Representative – Mary Boutros
Fundraising Sub Committee Representative – Fiona Micelotta

Unwell students

If your child is presenting with cold and flu like symptoms we kindly ask families to keep your child at home if they are experiencing symptoms.

Each morning when students are getting ready for school, I ask that you be mindful of how your child is presenting. If they/he/she is feeling/looking/acting unusual or is complaining of being unwell please take them to the doctor. Minimising the cross-infection will assist in reducing the risk of spreading bugs and viruses.

All student absences can be made through the dedicated student absence notification number. Text the student's name, room number and reason for absence.

Make sure you have the student absence notification number saved in your contacts:

Student absence line: 0439 114 197

Reminder: Our newsletter is published each fortnight and will provide you with important information about the school and events that may be of interest to you. I encourage you to read the newsletter that will be sent home via your home email, on the school's Facebook and Instagram Page, Seesaw or on the school's website.

JSA also has a Facebook and Instagram Page. Please like and follow our pages.

https://www.facebook.com/JacanaSchoolforAutism

https://www.instagram.com/jacana.school/

School Website

https://www.jacanaschoolforautism.vic.edu.au/