Message From Richard Buckingham

Term 2 Week 8:

Dear families,

Today staff are engaged onsite in their Professional Practice Day. Whilst students are offsite, staff are busily working away on various teaching and learning professional learning, moderating student work, analysing data sets and writing reports to name a few tasks. We hope all families are looking forward to the long weekend (Monday is a public holiday – no-one will be onsite) as much as we all are.

In recent weeks, we have seen a significant increase in illness of both students and staff. We gently remind families that if your child is feeling unwell, has cold, flu or covid symptoms, please ensure they stay home until they are rested, and symptoms have ceased.

On the staffing front, as you will be aware, relief teachers are very few and far between at the moment. Whilst we do our best to secure a relief teacher for all absences there are frequently times when all relief teacher agencies notify us (up to a week in advance) that they have no teachers available for the coming week. I would like to thank families for their understanding when teachers are on leave from school for various reasons including illness, long service, carers leave etc. Department of Education staff operate under the Victorian Government Schools Agreement (VGSA) whereby such leave is part of their industrial agreement. If there are any parents/family members who hold 4-year teaching qualifications and current VIT registration and would be interested in causal, on-call, relief teaching work, please see Sarah Nobbs at the finance office.

Students across Years 4 to 6 have been participating in the annual Student Attitudes to School Survey. All schools must participate in the Attitudes to School Survey, providing the opportunity for students from Year 4 to Year 12 to complete the survey. The survey provides data that is invaluable in understanding our student’s perspective of our school and to improve the schooling experience. Data collected includes how students feel in relation to their school, their learning, peer relationships, resilience, bullying, health and wellbeing, physical activity, and life in general.

I would like to draw an area of concern, particularly around child safety, that is of concern. We are experiencing a steady number of parents using the staff carpark as a drop off and pick up zone at the start and end of the school day as well as before and after school care. Whilst we understand that this may be convenient, it poses several risks to student and staff safety as well as property damage. Our crossing supervisor in Station Road has reported several near misses in the last few weeks from cars entering and exiting the school car park. We unfortunately had a teacher’s car crashed into last week by a parent using the carpark for drop off also. We respectfully ask parents/carers to please utilise the school drop off/pick up zone in Station Road and please do not use the staff carpark.

On Wednesday this week, Ms Moodley and I were thrilled to present the work that WNPS has been undertaking in the implementation of the Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative at the Wyndham North and Wyndham South schools joint network meeting. Both Giorgia and Arlene co-presented with us, via video as well as we outlined how the new targeted mental health funding has supplemented and enhanced our already in place inclusion and health programs. It was fantastic to showcase the exemplary work that has been led by Shevani, Giorgia and Arlene and the practices that all staff have enthusiastically embraced this year.

On Friday next week, on behalf of the Hobsons Bay schools network, WNPS will be hosting numeracy learning specialists from all 24 schools within Hobsons Bay who are undertaking extensive network professional learning in Numeracy led by Dr. Margarita Breed. Dr. Breed is a highly regarded expert in the teaching of Numeracy and is working with middle leaders across the Western Melbourne Area. She will be guiding learning specialists on how to lead improvement in Numeracy teaching, by working through the developmental stages of concept development, assessment tools, teaching that addresses misconceptions and building leaders’ capacity to plan and deliver consistent curriculum and teaching pedagogy across our schools.

We hope everyone has a very restful, safe and enjoyable long weekend.

Road Safety & Riding Bikes to School

Just another reminder for all students and parents when riding their bike to school, make sure you stop at the lights or pedestrian crossing, get off your bike and walk your bike across. We have had several report of near misses at the junction where the train station is on a very young child that did not stop, kept riding her bike and nearly got hit by a car. Parents, please discuss with your child about how to cross safety at traffic lights and pedestrian crossings.

Message from School Councillors

Dear Willy Nth School Community

Earlier this month, the School Council had our second meeting of the year. We’re settling into the rhythm of the school year and feeling excited about what’s coming up for our school community.

The Principal’s update provided welcome news about the successful appointment of new teaching staff, with a big welcome to our newest grade 3 teacher Maggie Belbasis. It was also great to hear that our Prep information evening was well attended with most families new to our school community.

Everyone might have also noticed the ongoing upgrades and maintenance of our school buildings, and we’re sure many of the students will have appreciated the new ventilation in the student bathrooms.

There are a lot of activities underway for our 150th celebrations and we encourage you all to participate as much as you can. Anyone who has a love of planning, organizing and fundraising please let the school know as we always need more parent helpers! In particular, if anyone is keen on helping coordinate our school fete next year we’d love to hear from you. Fetes can be hugely successful fundraisers for schools but need a committee to help them come to life.

From an education perspective, there’s a lot happening over terms 2 and 3. The excursions and camps look like lots of fun while also being clearly integrated into each classes’ learning goals and focus areas.

Finally, we talked a lot about communication and engagement with the school community. The new class reps will be a key part of creating a sense of community and the trial of the new newsletter format seems to be a success so far.

Our next meeting is on 11th June and we’ll provide our last update for the term following it!

Look after yourselves and each other.

Martin and Laura, on behalf of your School Council

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