Acting Principal's
News Flash
Dan Moloney
Dan Moloney
Hello everyone!
Being Week 6, the buzz around JSA is apparent. Your children continue to settle into their classroom routines at school. Our teachers have been assessing each students' progress to inform the selection of goals for their Semester 1 Individual Learning Plan. Our Wellbeing Team have reintroduced the much-loved Canine Comprehension Animal Assistance program supporting a large number of students across each sub school.
It is very pleasing that our playground project is nearing its completion date - we cannot wait until our students are due to access Playgrounds 3 and 4. It should not be too far away, we promise you. Mary Boutros, our Safe and Well Leader, will keep you suitably up to date with this project.
This year's school theme is:
'Sustaining inclusive practices to enhance learning and wellbeing'
We believe that we can achieve this for your child by 'strengthening our evidence based practices, where your children will be engaged and thriving in their learning.'
2026 marks the final year of our 4-year strategic plan. We endeavour to prioritise the key systems of practice that impact your children's learning: a positive learning environment, access to explicit teaching and planned adjustments for all of our children with an ASD diagnosis. After all, these specialised practices are what we, as a school for autism, are renowned for and insist upon.
2026 School Council Elections
Starting Friday, 20th February, our JSA School Election will commence. We will be calling for nominations for 4 parent representatives and 2 community representatives. Nominations closed yesterday, on Thursday 5th March 2026.
We are pleased to announce the following parent representatives nominated for 2026-2028:
Chris Ernst
Mark Mansfield
Savana Bahjat
If required, the Election ballot will open on Friday 6th March 2026 and close on Thursday 19th March 2026. Please ensure that your completed nominations are submitted to the admin office by this date.
| MEMBER | POSITION |
| Daniel Moloney | Executive Officer (Acting Principal) daniel.moloney@education.vic.gov.au |
| Ellen Paterson | DE Representative |
| Mary Boutros | DE Representative |
| Andrew McDonough | Parent Representative |
| Paul Malavisi | Parent Representative |
| CASUAL VACANCY from March 2026 to March 2027 | Parent Representative |
| Chris Ernst | Parent Representative |
| Mark Mansfield | Parent Representative |
| Savana Bahjat | Parent Representative |
| VACANCY | Community Member Representative |
| VACANCY | Community Member Representative |
Communication with Staff Policy (Revised 12 December for 2026)
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 text the Student 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: Zoe Pirotta | zoe.pirotta2@education.vic.gov.au
- Middle Years Sub School Leader: Stefania Mantinioti | stefania.mantinioti@education.vic.gov.au
- Secondary Sub School Leader: Amelia Frantz | amelia.frantz@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 Acting Principal/Assistant Principals on
9309 6258.
Acting Principal:
Daniel Moloney | daniel.moloney@education.vic.gov.au
Assistant Principal [Inclusion and Wellbeing] :
Stephanie Torchia | stephanie.torchia@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.
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