Principal's Message

Jackson School is a collaborative learning community for all. We aim to develop independence through safety, respect and responsibility. We aspire to offer authentic, quality educational experiences that develop futures, create opportunities and inspire student potential; enabling our students to be valued and contributing members of the wider community. We share and celebrate our successes and achievements.   

Dear Parents/Carers,

We look forward to welcoming you back to a new school year on Wednesday 31st January 2024. I would also like to welcome our new families to the Jackson School Community. I hope you've been able to spend some quality time as a family over the holiday period. Happy New Year and Happy Lunar New Year (Tết for our Vietnamese community). Vietnamese New Year is the most important festival of the year in Vietnam, celebrating love, the start of spring, and the best of hopes for the new year. It is observed on the first day of the first month of the Vietnamese Lunar Calendar and ranges between late January and mid-February on the Gregorian calendar.  Lunar year 2024 is the year of the Dragon on the Vietnamese zodiac, from February 8th, 2024 to February 14th, 2024. Dragon is the fifth sign in Vietnamese Zodiac. 

School Council have agreed on our Pupil Free Days (Curriculum Days and Common Professional Practice Days) for 2024. These are:

• Monday 29th January - Day 1 Term 1 (Welcome New Staff / AIP & School Review)
• Tuesday 30th January - Day 2 Term 1 (School Operations & Disability Inclusion)
• Monday 15th April - Day 1 Term 2 (Staff Medical Training)
• Monday 4th November - Melbourne Cup Eve (Assessment & Reporting)
• Thursday 19th December (Student Transition & Christmas Lunch/Goodbyes)

As listed above, the 29th January and 30th January will be Curriculum Days to prepare for the start of the year. The first day for students in 2024 is Wednesday 31st January. On these days, staff undertake professional learning, received health, safety and medical training and prepare classrooms for students to return.

Despite the many staffing and recruitment challenges continued to be faced across the state, I am proud that all classes are starting the 2024 academic year with a teacher and education support staff. We are continuing to recruit staff to ensure that we are able to run the school at full capacity to ensure our students the very best learning opportunities. 

On behalf of the Jackson School Community, I would like to officially welcome our new staff for 2024. 

Teachers: Jessica R., Julianne P., Maddison B., Yaqi Y., Rohan W., Tori B., Ethel M-W., Dash A., Louise B.

ES Staff: Donna E., Faye C.

To view the staff list on our website, please click here: https://www.jacksons.vic.edu.au/our-school/our-staff/ 

OSHC

Our Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) program will also restart on Wednesday 31st January 2024. Thank you to all the TheirCare staff for your work with our students over January. 

Students who attended the holiday program during the January holidays had a blast! They took part in activities onsite at school and went of lots of excursions each week and had all sorts of incursions at school.

SDTP Buses

For exisiting families and students, the Department's Student Disability Transport Program (SDTP) Buses will operate as normal when students return to school. 

Jackson School’s DTA is changing in 2024. This is due to the opening of a new Specialist School (Mild to Profound Intellectual Disability) opening in Aintree (Dharra School). I am working with the Principal (Lizzie Tout) to manage future enrolments. Students who have been enrolled at Jackson School prior to 2024 will be able to continue to access the Caroline Springs, Hillside and Taylor’s Hill bus services until the student graduates/leave the school/moves house. If this is applicable to you and your family, your child is able to remain at Jackson School and continue to access these bus services. To view Jackson School's new DTA, use the Department's new Transport Area Map by clicking below:

Student Disability Transport Program - Bus Expectations

The DE Student Disability Transport Program (SDTP) is operated by two bus companies: Skylight and Transit Systems. Jackson School is responsible for the communication (with students and families) about SDTP, managing eligibility/service planning, emergency management including student behaviour. Upon enrolment in the SDTP, parents/carers will have signed an application for travel assistance to and from school. 

To ensure the safety of all passengers on school buses, students MUST:

• Be at the pick-up or drop-off point 5 minutes before the departure time
• Wait at the bus stop safely and do not approach the vehicle until it has stopped 
• Listen and follow the rules and instructions
• Walk (to, from and on the bus)
• Be where you’re supposed to be (stay in allocated seat and not move around the bus when it is moving)
• Not put their bodies or objects out of windows or doors
• Keep hands feet and objects to themselves
• Respect other's feelings
• Use a quiet voice
• Use your manners
• Use equipment properly (wear seatbelt)
• Not throw any object within or from a vehicle 
• Not eat food or drink on the bus
• Respect other's space
• Respect the privacy of others (not video or take photos of others)
• Use OK words
• Tell an adult if there is a problem
• Keep the bus clean and tidy

Students must operate within current DE and school policy guidelines, particularly in relation to Mobile Phone use by Students and Smoking and Vaping. In line with DE Policy Guidelines, students may use devices to and from school. However, the must not video or take photos on the bus.  https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/students-using-mobile-phones/policy

Responsibilities of Parents/Carers:

• Parent/carer's behaviour should mirror students conditions of travel
• Parents/carers should ensure their child is at the pick-up point at least five minutes prior to the departure 
• Parents/carers are responsible for transporting their children to and from authorised stops and for their safety whilst at the stop while waiting for a service 
• Parents/carers should ensure they are waiting for their child at the drop-off point at least five minutes prior to the arrival time unless the student’s has written permission to travel home or to your vehicle independently from the drop-off point
• Parents/carers waiting for students at stops should wait on the same side of the road as the transport service to prevent students from crossing the road unassisted
• Parents/carers must communicate directly with the school and not bus operators, except in the following circumstances: in the event of absence of their child from the morning bus run or in the event of an emergency

Please note that the bus is only able to wait at the bus stop for 2 minutes. Transport assistance is a privilege and not a right and consequences will follow a breach of these conditions. The Respectful Behaviours within the School Community Policy above is also extended to bus drivers and bus supervisors and violence and aggression.

In emergencies, parents can contact their children through the school office. Mobile phones are permitted when travelling to and from school. However, SDTP Bus Supervisors must report any inappropriate use of or behaviour in relation to mobile phone use by students (inappropriate context, videoing other students, taking photos on the bus). Thank you for your ongoing support. 

For more information, please visit: https://www.vic.gov.au/mobile-phones-schools 

To download the SDTP Independent Travel Form, please click here: 

Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) 2024

Our 2024 AIP has now been endorsed by the Department and School Council. For the first time in the last four-years, this will be based upon FISO 2.0 and our 2020-2024 SSP. We had the choice to not follow the state-directed priority goals as we have done so since COVID-19 in 2020. The AIP documents the annual plan for school improvement priorities and provides purpose for all members of the school community as they work towards the goals set out in the four-year School Strategic Plan (SSP). The AIP is developed and monitored by the school leadership teams in consultation with staff. Schools use the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) 2.0 improvement cycle to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate AIP.

To download the AIP one/two page Snapshots click here: 

To view the full version of the 2024 AIP please click here: 

We have been notified by the School Review Unit that our 2024 School Review is scheduled to take place in Term 3, 2024.

School Structure

Aligned with the work of our School Strategic Plan (SSP), we have structured our school and leadership team to deliver our Annual Implementation Plan (AIP).

With the completion of our $12 million school upgrade, our school is now structured into three learning communities: Junior School (Prep - Year 4), Middle School (Year 3-8) and Senior School (Year 7-Year 12). Within these communities, staff and classes work in smaller collaborative Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) led by an Assistant Learning Specialist (PLT Leader). For 2024 these are:

Junior School Leadership

• Julie La Bouchardiere (Leading Teacher)
• Belinda Farrington - PLT Leader, Foundation (Prep-2)
• Justin Amato - PLT Leader, Lower Primary (Years 3-4)

Middle School Leadership

• Michelle Zammit (Leading Teacher)
• Uzer Coskuner - PLT Leader, Upper Primary (Years 5-6)
• Aaron Le - PLT Leader, Lower Secondary (Years 7-8)

Senior School Leadership

• Helena McAloon (Leading Teacher)
• Gabrielle Riddle-MacArthur (PLT Leader), Upper Secondary (Years 9-10)
• Jo Portelli - PLT Leader (ASDAN)
• Vu Nguyen (Jobs Skills Pathways Coordinator) & Kathy Berrill (VPC Coordination)
   
• Ben Everson - PLT Leader, Specialists (Prep-Year 12)

To develop a strong home-school partnership, Parents/Carers main point of contact for school communication should be your child's classroom teacher. This can be through SeeSaw, by phone (leave a message at the school office), or by appointment (SSGs can be booked through the school office. The whole school's communication will continue to be sent out through Xuno email and SMS notifications. Our staff and students are supported by many learning and wellbeing staff who work outside of the classroom. Each learning community has a Leading Teacher who supports teachers with the day-to-day student coorindation and is the second point of contact for families regarding your child's learning and wellbeing. 

Leadership Team

The senior leadership team is responsible for managing the daily operations within the school and leading our annual implementation plan (AIP) actions focused on learning and wellbeing.

• Bernadette O’Sullivan - Leading Teacher (Transitions & Partnerships)
• Kelly Sherrard - Leading Teacher (Curriculum & Assessment)
• Gabrielle Maher - Learning Specialist (Professional Learning)
• Jaclyn Hartzema - Learning Specialist (Teaching & Learning - Numeracy)
• Sarah Brens - Learning Specialist (Teaching & Learning - Literacy)
• Julie La Bouchardiere - Leading Teacher (Disability Inclusion)
• Michelle Zammit - Leading Teacher (Mental Health & Wellbeing)
• Helena McAloon - Leading Teacher (Community Engagement)
• Alex Baynes - Social Worker (Child Safety Officer)
• Jessica Richards - Inclusion Outreach Coach (1 day at Jackson School / 3 days Maintream Outreach)

I would like to welcome the newest members of our leadership team: Jaclyn, Sarah and Jessica. We look forward to working with you in your new roles. 

Principal Team

The principal team is the executive leadership team responsible for the overall management of the school, delivering DE and School Council policy decisions, and leading our school strategic plan (SSP) to improve student outcomes.

• Anthony Jackson - Principal & Executive Officer of School Council 
• Robyn Procak - Assistant Principal
• Matt Gravatt - Business & Operations Manager

Robyn is currently on personal leave. In Robyn's absence we will advertise for an Assistant Principal to back fill her role. We wish Robyn a speedy recovery.

Please do not hesitate to contact one of of the leadership team if we can be of assistance to you and your family. The office staff may also forward any queries to a member of our leadership team who has a range of differing responsibilities in leading our school community.

Family Handbook (A to Z)

We have developed an updated online Family Handbook (A to Z) with key information about school operations at Jackson School. This is in addition to information publicly available on our website. Please note our policies and proceedures are continually updated in line with the Department's policy and legal guidance. Therefore, the Family Handbook is subject to change without prior notice. 

We want your feedback. If there is something that doesn't make sense or if there is something that is missing that you would like added, please email us at jackson.sch@education.vic.gov.au

To view our updated Family Handbook (A to Z), please click on the link below:

Essential Information

To support families with the start of the 2024 school year, our administration team have compiled essential information in the pages in this issue, which provides you with all the necessary information to start the year. This includes:

• Key 2024 Term 1 Dates
• Xuno & SeeSaw Information
• 2024 Photographing, Filming and Recording Students Information
• 2024 Parent/Carer Payment Arrangements Charges
• Other Essential Information
• Respectful Behaviour within the Community

Should you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us on 

(03) 9366 4322 or email us at jackson.sch@education.vic.gov.au.

Thank you for your continued support. I look forward to welcoming our staff, students and families back to school.

Anthony Jackson

Principal