Principal's Report

 Principal’s Report 27th October

2024 Prep Transitions

Currently, prep transition activities are going on in our school, in readiness for 2024. Our new transition system has worked beautifully with our new 2024 prep students enjoying a calm and fun introduction to our prep classrooms. I heard one of the students as she was leaving the school saying to her mum, “That was so much fun!” That’s the best endorsement we could have hoped for. 

Staffing 2024

We are in the midst of staffing for 2024, at the moment, with a number of positions to be finalised over the coming weeks. This is always a difficult time, especially for our contract staff. Whilst there is a dramatic teacher shortage across Australia, we are confident that we will, once again, be able to staff our school with high-quality practitioners to keep our classrooms buzzing.

Classes for 2024

Already, there have been parents making enquiries as to which teachers will be in what grades or roles next year so that they can make requests for particular teachers. Please know that it is a firm policy NOT to take requests for particular teachers. Certainly, there are a very small number of children who may have particular social or academic needs and these will be considered when deciding on grade placements. These requests should be submitted to me in writing when we are allocating children to grades. 

Please also note that we do not have confirmed grade allocations for teachers until at least early December so don’t start asking teachers which grade they’ll have next year. They probably won’t know and are not allowed to tell you anyway! Factors such as the employment of new teachers, mean that there may even be uncertainties about grade allocations during the Christmas holidays. 

The placement of children in grades is a complex task, taking into account the academic and social characteristics of each child, friendship groups, grade arrangements and special circumstances. A change of grade after they have been allocated is normally difficult and rarely accommodated. Please understand that allocations are arranged with the best interests of each child in mind. This may or may not coincide with your personal preferences as a parent.

World Teachers Day, 27th October! 

This year, World Teachers’ Day is on Friday 27 October. It is an opportunity to say thank you for the incredible contributions teachers make to our community. We will recognise the passion teachers have, and how teaching has extended beyond the classroom to maintain connections through flexible learning. We will be celebrating World Teachers’ Day at school with our fabulous teachers.

You can get involved by sending a message of thanks to a teacher who is making, or has made, an impact on your life using #thanksvicteachers on social media. Don’t forget to tag the Department of Education and Training (the department) so we can see all your messages. 

If you’re not into social media, you could send a quick message to your child’s teacher saying, “Thanks!” I know they’d really appreciate it!

I would like to thank our teachers, who continue to show great dedication and resilience during continuing challenging staffing times, all so they can give our students the best future possible. 

Casey Principal’s Network Conference

Last week the Assistant Principals and I attended the Casey Network Conference. We were fortunate to have some of the most respected and innovative thinkers in education present to us on 21st-century issues and how we can navigate them with an optimistic and positive attitude and narrative. Conferences like this also provide opportunities to converse with Principals from all over the Casey/Cardinia area so that we can continue to learn from each other to keep making our schools the best they can be.

Our students' talents shone brightly at the State Schools Spectacular, where they participated with passion and dedication. I attended this event for the first time and was thrilled to witness the incredible talent we have in our state primary and secondary schools. The professionalism, skill and talent were phenomenal to say the least! 

Camps

Grade 4 Camp Rumbug: Our Grade 4 students had a fantastic time at Camp Rumbug, where they honed their teamwork and leadership skills while exploring the great outdoors. Lots of fun and personal growth was experienced by all students and I know they will have made many lasting new memories that will continue to make a lasting impact. 

Grade 5 Camp Woorabinda: Our Grade 5 students experienced an adventure at Camp Woorabinda. This camp experience proved to be a transformative one, filled with learning, growth, and unforgettable memories.  I was lucky enough to spend a day at Woorabinda and experience firsthand the benefits of camp. It really made my heart sing to watch students captivated with a butterfly on the ground, excited by finding birds in the bush with binoculars, being in awe of a lace monitor sunning itself in the sun and then putting on a show and running up a tree. I was also pleased to watch a particular student, who at times finds it difficult to form connections with others, at the top of the rope course singing the Woorabinda camp song and having the whole group participate with singing back to him as he called outlines of the song. 

We extend our gratitude to the staff and volunteers who are dedicated to making our camps fun and enjoyable and ensuring the safety and well-being of our students during our school camps.

Short Week Next Week –Pupil Free Day and Melbourne Cup Day

Don’t forget it’s a short week in Week 6 with a reporting and assessment pupil free day on Monday 6th November and a holiday on Tuesday 7th November for Melbourne Cup Day. 

Nicky Walker

Principal