Principal's Report

Annual Implementation Plan (AIP): Mid-Cycle Review

At the last School Council meeting, I presented an update on the school’s achievements this year in relation to our AIP goals. When I was presenting to councillors, it made me realise that there is so much work happening behind the scenes which parents might not be aware of. The results of our recent Parent Opinion Survey also highlighted that there are opportunities for us to share more of our successes.

All government schools base their work on the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO). FISO’s core outcomes are to improve student learning and wellbeing – this is achieved through effective practice in leadership, teaching and learning, assessment, engagement, and resources.

In past newsletters you will have read articles from our leadership team that explain our work in the areas of numeracy, literacy and wellbeing. I will use my piece this week to summarise our main achievements to date in 2024.

Literacy – 2024 Achievements

• Embedding the implementation of an explicit phonics program in the early years, using Little Learners Love Literacy as a resource. This implementation has been supported through the purchase of decodable readers and literacy games for the classroom and to take home.
• A structured approach to the teaching of spelling using Sound Waves as a resource in Years 2 to 6.
• Embedding our updated approach to moderating students’ writing using an agreed rubric based on the Victorian Curriculum.
• Binh Hoang (Literacy Specialist) supporting teachers through professional learning, modelling lessons and attending planning.

Numeracy – 2024 Achievements

• Continued implementation of non-routine/problem solving tasks to increase student engagement and to develop the proficiencies of fluency, problem solving, reasoning and understanding. This approach has been supported through visits from a Maths consultant who has led professional development, modelled lessons and facilitated our professional learning community meetings. 
• Preparation for the launch of next year’s Maths Victorian Curriculum 2.0. This included updating our whole-school sequence of learning in preparation of this.
• Updated approaches to teaching number and ‘non-number’ units in intensive blocks.
• Our Maths School Improvement Team developed a whole-school moderation task to develop staff’s assessment skills in relation to the maths proficiencies.

Wellbeing – 2024 Achievements

• The appointment of three wellbeing leaders (Foundation to Year 2 - Grace Clark; Years 3&4 - Cathy Turner, Years 5&6 - Prue Middleton). The leaders have supported teachers in the classroom and have worked alongside students (and their families) who require additional wellbeing support.
• The school has embarked upon its Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)  journey. This has involved professional learning from a coach, development of an SWPBS staff team, and development of a drafted matrix of expected values and behaviours throughout the school.
• Transitioning to the Disability Inclusion model (information can be found in previous newsletters).
• Increase in lunchtime club offerings, including the Chill Zone.
• Staff professional development including; supporting students with anxiety and depression, protective training for incidents of concern.

These achievements might not be instantly visible to students and families, however everyday staff strive to achieve the goals of our AIP through the way that we plan, teach and learn together.

Gates Open at 8.45am

A reminder that the school gates open at 8.45am. There has been an increase in the number of students arriving without parents before this time, meaning that they are unsupervised. We kindly remind families that unaccompanied students should not be at school before 8.45am and if you need care prior to this time, TeamKids is available.

Science Week Activities

Congratulations to our Science teacher Mariah for coordinating Science Week. Students took part in a range of activities aligned with this year’s theme of ‘Species Survival’. In the junior years students learnt about life cycles through the story of ‘The Hungry Caterpillar’. Senior students learnt about species’ diversity and habitats as they created their very own bug hotels.

You can see the lessons that the students took part in here: 

Thank you to Mariah, the STEM Committee and the students who helped put these lessons together. 

Trivia Night Thanks

Our 2024 Trivia Night didn’t disappoint. Thornbury Theatre was packed with elite athletes from a range of events; equestrian riders, synchronised swimmers, shuttlecocks, weightlifters, bobsleighers, and athletes from every track and field event possible. The scene was resplendent thanks to the stage props, music, lights, costumes and of course our very own parent band Double Denim, who passed the baton onto our new parent band – Northside Hustle.

There are so many people to thank who helped with all aspects of the event. Parents were there from 10am on the Saturday morning, and also cleaning up on the Sunday. Thank you to everyone who assisted with tasks including the entertainment, AV, ticket sales, silent auction, set-up, pack-up and much more besides.

• Chelsea Rogerson, event organiser
• Michael Nunan, trivia master and MC
• Todd Rogerson, AV
• Mike Pascoe, AV
• Dave McNab, scoring
• Belinda Robinson, silent auction 
• Maree Nowak, silent auction
• Paul Agius, DJ
• Sarah Moody, everything else!
• Both bands; Double Denim and Northside Hustle

I look forward to sharing the amount raised from this event which will go towards our Performing Arts program.

Read a wrap-up of the event in this week’s newsletter.

Book Week Celebrations

So just as we celebrated Science Week and Trivia Night, this week is all about the books! On Thursday we will be hosting our Book Parade where we look forward to coming face to face with many fantastical and intriguing characters from the wonderful world of books. 

Principal’s Morning Tea

Unfortunately, I will need to cancel this term’s Principal Morning Tea. I am unable to make the scheduled date this Friday, and the following two Fridays are busy due to the Father’s Day & Special Person’s Breakfast and then our mid-term assembly (in preparation for ART FOR ALL). Look out for the morning tea in term four.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

~ Paul Wallace, Principal