Assistant Principal Update

Welcome to Term 4 Week 6. 

I hope families were able to spend some time connecting over the weekend and the Melbourne Cup Holiday. With a long term ahead of us, a mini break at this mid-point hopefully will recharge us for the final 6 weeks ahead.

Curriculum Day – Monday 6 November

As Melissa mentioned, staff undertook professional learning as part of our Curriculum Day working collaboratively in mixed year level teams to analyse our recently released NAPLAN and Attitudes to School Survey (AtoSS) data. Looking for trends from the recently released data we identified some key whole school focus areas that will support the development of our 2024 Annual Improvement Plan (AIP). 

The second session of the day focussed upon ‘Putting Faces on the Data’ and unpacking the 4-year academic targets set following our recent school review and the completion of our 2023-2027 School Strategic Plan. The goal of the session was to take each of the long-term targets and start to understand what these mean in terms of the individuals and groups of students over the year. Keeping in mind that the 2027 target for Year 3 students relates to our 2024 Preps who have yet to start school.

By 2027 increase the percentage of Year 3 students achieving NAPLAN proficiency levels as follows:

• Exceeding in Writing from 16% (2023) to 25%
• Exceeding and Strong in Numeracy from 88% (2023) to 90%

By 2027 increase the percentage of Year 5 students achieving NAPLAN proficiency levels as follows:

• Exceeding in Reading from 50% (2023) to 55%
• Exceeding and Strong in Writing from 88% (2023) to 90%
• Exceeding and Strong in Numeracy from 83% (2023) to 87%

Staff analysed our various student data sets and identified an appropriate target for students aligned to the updated NAPLAN bands. (Needs additional support, Developing, Strong, Exceeding) and set a realistic target for those students in years P-4 based upon their current levels of achievement. As a school we can set learning goals for these students in the specific learning areas to target our teaching across the curriculum. This ensures we are appropriately challenging all students at their point of need, with consideration to the overall improvement of our school in relation to the teaching of literacy and numeracy, and the 4-year strategic targets.

Prep/1 Concert – It’s Elemental

Last Thursday evening the Prep and Year One students performed their concert at Thornbury High School. The Production - It’s Elemental - was a celebration of the elements; water, fire, air and earth through songs, dance, and skits. All the students did an amazing job, and it was a pleasure to be part of the enjoyment and excitement backstage. A massive thanks to Christy and Megan for leading the production and the Prep/1 teachers for their support on the evening. Congratulations also to our School Leaders - Mahir and Georgie as the Masters of Ceremonies for the evening.

Art Show & Writers Festival 

Our Annual Art Show and Writers Festival will be held on Wednesday 22 November onsite from 3:45-5:45pm. Families are invited to come along and join in the fun. Students writing will be displayed in classrooms in the Main Administration Building and The Three Level Learning Centre. A map of the display locations will be included in the festival program.  This year we are looking at minimising paper by making the program digitally via a QR code.

The library will also be open for families to visit on the afternoon of the event. 

There will be a Scavenger Hunt through the Writing and Art Displays. With your scavenger hunt clue sheet, a visit to each year level will find the answer to each of the questions. Families with correctly answered scavenger hunts will go into the draw for some Writing & Art prizes.

Learning Dispositions – Determination

This week we open our learner disposition toolbox and get out ’determination’. Students will continue working in their class to explore how they can practise being determined as a learner and what benefits it has. We often see that some students can be particularly determined in one area of the curriculum but may find it difficult when experiencing challenges in other areas of the curriculum. We want to teach students how they can transfer the positive ‘determined’ mindset from one aspect of their life to another. 

Using my basketball analogy… I have been determined to be better at three-point shooting, setting the goal that 3 or 4 out of 10 is realistic. But it requires significant practise – hundreds of shots, and you have stretches where you will miss 10 in a row. But you learn from those mistakes, and you persist and will get on a run of 5 or 6 in a row. Which leads to that pride of accomplishment. 

A key learning is to then apply that level of determination in other aspects of my life, those that might not bring me as much joy but are still valuable in terms of accomplishment.

Remembrance Day 

During Friday’s assembly we will acknowledge Remembrance Day. At 11:00am prior to recess all classes will also observe a minute’s silence to commemorate Remembrance Day. Staff will take some time prior to the minute silence to talk with students about the meaning of Remembrance Day. The Year 5 students will also be going to each class on Thursday and Friday selling Remembrance Day badges. Badges are priced from $2-$10.

Enjoy your week.

Shane Wilkie

Assistant Principal