Principal's Report

2024 Staffing announcements

With the provisional appointment period for the Leading Teacher now finished, I can announce that the teacher looking after Student Wellbeing and Inclusion was awarded to Sarah Laidlaw. She has a wealth of knowledge in this area and has already been like a caretaker in this role this year, as we were unable to secure a Mental Health Practitioner or Wellbeing Coordinator.

Planning for 2024

Some changes have already been implemented this year in order to address some of the concerns that staff have raised this year, but many of the changes are set to start in 2024.

In order to reduce the amount of time teachers are spending in meetings, the morning briefing meeting has been replaced with a weekly staff bulletin, summarising the week ahead, with any upcoming events and who is involved in them. This has been met favourably, with some staff commenting that it is a one stop shop for information and can be referred back to easily. The meeting schedule will also be adjusted next year, so that only the compulsory meetings run in an afterschool time and all other meetings will be held during school time.

Positions of responsibility is also another area that is currently being revamped. As teachers become more experienced, the Department expects these teachers to take on extra responsibilities to help with the running of the school. While less experienced teachers are also able to take on this opportunity to build other skills outside the classroom, and in a small school like ours, it is often necessary, it is important that all experienced teachers are sharing the load. While there will be minimal changes for this system for next year, some positions will be shared out amongst the staff.

Student free days for 2024 are currently being planned, with the first 2 days of the school year being set aside as student free. This is a change for us, as we normally only have the first day student free. I feel this extra time will help set the scene for our staff for the new year, as well as provide everyone with some much needed time on each day to get themselves set up on their new desks in the upgraded staffroom. The remaining student free days in the year are still being planned, but another change being considered is to move away from using a student free day for Conferences in Term 1 and moving this to after school sessions as per Term 3. Based on appointment attendance data, there are large parts of the day as it currently runs that are not being used by families to access teachers.

Lastly, having the opportunity to get our families into school is often that bit harder in the high school years, but is something that I want to increase where I can. Next year, we are holding a Welcome BBQ for all families in the first week of the new school year. Hopefully the majority of the teaching staff will be available so that families can meet and talk to them. A Compass event will be set up in the near future so that families can RSVP numbers attending to help with catering.

Dates for your 2024 Diary

Friday 26th January  - West Peak (Mountain Monk) Community Raffles - our turn.

Monday 29th January – Staff return. Student free day. 

NB: The office will be available limited hours this day.

Tuesday 30th January – Student free day. Teacher professional learning time and some time to continue getting ready.

Wednesday 31st January – Students return to school.

Thursday 1st February – Welcome BBQ for families, 5 – 7pm.