Principals Message
Dear Trafalgar Primary School Community,
It has been a challenging yet exciting few weeks at Trafalgar Primary School!
Our students have been busy with school camps, a public speaking competition, visits from an Olympian, interschool sports (including a grand final win!), Dress Up Days, and an Ice Bucket Challenge fundraiser for MND research and much, much more. I encourage you to check out the student news in this and future editions of the newsletter to see all the wonderful activities our students have been involved in.
As we settle into another action-packed term, I want to provide an update on our current staffing situation and how we are managing the challenges ahead.
Staffing Update:
In the last edition of the newsletter, I announced the appointment of several new Education Support staff to our team. These staff have now commenced and are already making a significant impact in our classrooms. Additionally, we are pleased to introduce Mr. Robert Williams, who has joined our team this term. We look forward to introducing our new staff to you in greater detail in coming editions of the newsletter.
We are still seeking qualified teachers to fill vacancies in our Foundation and Year 1/2 classes. If you know anyone who might be interested in joining our school, please direct them to the positions listed on Recruitment Online, the Government's recruitment platform or encourage them to contact the school.
In other staffing news, Miss Taylor from Foundation will be taking some well-deserved long service leave during the last three weeks of this term. We are thrilled that Mr. Kevin Graham will be able to step in to cover her absence. Mr. Graham is well-known to our students, having worked consistently as a casual relief teacher this year, including with the students in LA5. We are grateful for his increased availability during this time.
Unfortunately, staffing shortages continue to impact our school, particularly with the recent wave of illnesses. Relief teacher agencies have informed us that due to widespread illness, including Influenza A, no relief teachers will be available for at least the next two weeks. Some of our students have even been hospitalised, and we wish them a speedy recovery. We urge parents to monitor their children closely for symptoms and to keep unwell students at home to help prevent further spread.
How We’re Coping:
Despite these challenges, we are managing better than many other schools facing similar shortages. Here are some of the key factors that have helped us stay on track:
Team Planning: All of our teachers work in teams to plan lessons, ensuring that students across the same year level engage with the same content. This approach allows us to move students between classes with minimal disruption, enabling continuous learning.
Our shared planning system means we can pick up where teachers left off, and with all planning accessible online, Casual Relief Teachers (CRTs) can follow along easily to keep the program going.
Professional Development: Earlier this year, we provided our CRTs with professional development in our teaching methods, including explicit literacy instruction with a focus on phonics, morphology using the Orton-Gillingham approach, and Explicit Direct Instruction practices. This has ensured consistency in teaching practices, even when classes are led by relief staff.
Classroom Organisation: Our classrooms are strategically located by year level, allowing teachers to easily group students and share resources without disrupting the learning environment. This also means that all students in a year level have access to support staff and educational services without leaving their normal classroom spaces.
Technology Integration: Our Chromebook program has been invaluable, enabling students who are well enough to engage in their studies from home via their Google Classroom and continue their learning online, even if they are too ill to attend school in person.
Principal Team Support: The Principal Team has been stepping into classrooms to teach, ensuring that student learning continues uninterrupted. While the Principal Team has enjoyed spending more time in classrooms, reconnecting with students and our teaching roots, it has meant that our email inboxes are filling up. We appreciate your patience and understanding, and if you have urgent matters, we ask that you contact the general office directly.
Looking Ahead:
We acknowledge that the staffing shortages are not a problem that will be resolved quickly. While we hope the winter bugs will start to subside as the warmer weather approaches, the ongoing shortage of qualified teachers and housing in our community to accommodate new staff remains a significant, long-term issue.
Thank you all for your continued support and understanding as we navigate these challenges together. We remain committed to providing the best possible education for your children, and we appreciate your partnership in making this possible.
Sincerely,
Cameron Nicholls
PRINCIPAL
Trafalgar Primary School