A warm welcome to our community

The countdown is on until the end of the year! I am sure that everyone is ready for a well-earned rest and catch up with families and friends over the holiday period. We all deserve a bright and happy 2025 full of fun. Last year I wrote that “it will be wonderful to have our building back in 2024 and see the finish of the capital works project”. Well we have moved in but we are still in defects mode. I’m really hoping that by the time we return to school next year, it really will be all over.

The school is looking amazing and thanks to our parents, fundraising and very good budgeting over the last 6-7 years, we have been able to add to the capital works. Thanks to the parents who pay their fees as they have contributed to:

Installation of sails in the outdoor learning space so we can sit outside in the new outdoor learning space
Building a storage shed at the back of the oval to compensate for losing our under-school storage
Resurfacing the concrete at the front of the school because of all the patches and cuts left
Re-carpeting the hallways to fill in the gaps that were left from the build
Re-establishing the library with new shelving and books
Replacing drinking stations that were removed
Installing new artificial turf at the front of the school as it was destroyed and dangerous
Providing new student tables throughout the whole school.

Mural is now finished!

I am incredibly excited as our mural is now completed. Thank you to the artist, Kyle Brightside who created and designed an original piece of artwork especially for our school. It features the beautiful birds that live in our school and the local flora. The students in years 4 and 5 worked with Kyle to paint this massive wall. It looks incredible and will stand the test of time, creating along with recording our history at this beautiful school. It is a great way for the students to connect to their school and I really hope that in the future years, they visit and will be able to share the piece of wall that they contributed to. The wall also features our school values and they are also represented in the images. The wall is stunning! Please come and take a look when you are up at school.

Front door Mural

Our gorgeous mural at our front door is now finished as well. It feels like it is all happening at school! Our very own Delphine is the creater and designer for this original piece of work. She has captured all the colours in the playground and painted an absolutely stunning piece that will stand the test of time in a sheltered location. We plan to add pots of plants and a seat in this space. It will be a lovely place for parents to wait for their children or a quiet space at play and lunch for the students. Thank you Delphine .... you are an absolute talent.

Now speaking of Delphine...

School Magazine

Our annual school magazine will be coming home soon. Delphine has worked with the students and staff to create another incredible magazine. If you did not purchase a copy, then you need to get in quick as there are only a limited amount of copies available.

Chance to go in the draw to win a PFA book pack

I hope everyone saw the COMPASS announcement this week about your chance to win the entire contents of a book back for your child if you place your order on or before this Friday, 13 December 2024. You’ve got to be in it to win it!

2024 - 25 Whole School Structure and the Bright Beginnings Program

Last Thursday and on Tuesday, students participated in the whole school transition sessions. They had the opportunity to meet with their new classroom teacher as part of the Bright Beginnings Transition Program. The whole school transition program at Weeden Heights is outstanding and by starting the year before, our students are well ahead and beginning to develop solid relationships to be ready for learning at the start of the year.

Students were also able to meet some of the new students who are starting at Weeden Heights PS and who will be a part of their class next year. I have thought long and hard about the structure for next year to ensure the best learning outcomes for every student and maintain our high expectations. The structure involves multi aged classes again next year (please note these are not composite classes as our students have personal learning plans and working well beyond the year levels of the grade they are actually in) so that students continue to socialise and be challenged.

The 2025 structure for Weeden Heights is as follows:

Classroom Teachers

Prep: Mrs Melinda Michalski– Room 3
Grade1/ 2: Miss Shannon Lloyd- Owens Room 4
Grade 2/3: Mr David Saville Room 6
Grade 3/4 C: - Ms Charlotte Pile Room 7
Grade 5/6 A: Mrs Aarti Arya– Room 8
Grade 5/6 S:– Ms Sarah Crookes Room 9

Specialist Teaching Program (Prep – Year 6)

STEAM and Kitchen/Garden specialist: Mrs Caitlin Filby
Extension: Mrs Caitlin Filby
Physical Education – Mrs Solange Nancarrow
Performing Arts and Visual Arts: Ms Kate Phillips
Language (French): Mrs Delphine Todd

Other Support Staff

Wellbeing Officer – Mrs Marika Smith
Inclusion Co-ordinator – Mrs Solange Nancarrow
EAL support - Mrs Emma Harper
Integration Aides – Mrs Emma Harper, Mrs Cindy Cameron, Mrs Delphine Todd
Business Manager – Mrs Kerryn Cheetham
Office Assistant - TBA

As I write this you will now be aware that we are saying a fond farewell to a few teachers at the end of the year:

Mrs Anne Lee- I am so incredibly proud of this amazing teacher who will be heading off to work as a full time Art teacher at a special school. Anne joined our team in her very first year of teaching in 2019 (our first lock down year). Anne has an incredible knowledge and appreciation for each and every one of the students in her class. Anne looks after all our reporting system so everyone will have experienced her work. She started as our own Arts teacher and put on an incredible production and art show last year. This year, she has strengthened my middle school team and she leaves to fill her passion of fulltime art teaching. Good luck Anne!

Miss Samantha Walls – Sam, joined the team in 2020 in her first year of teaching. It has been an honour to watch her enthusiasm (and passion for performing and endless facts) capture the minds of our students. Sam is taking a year to ‘travel the world’! Hard work pays off and in between holidays and travelling, we hope to see her back at Weeden Heights PS as a replacement teacher. Enjoy every moment Sam as this is a chance in a lifetime!

Miss Keira Knight (or now Mrs Keira McLaughlin!) has also started her career at WHPS this year. She has built solid relationships across the entire school as our PE teacher and tutor. She is kind-hearted and her quiet approach has given her a ‘gift’ when working with staff and students. Keira will be working part time next year as a replacement teacher so we hopefully see her back at WHPS soon. Don’t forget us Keira and you will be welcome back to our school anytime!

This week I let you know via COMPASS that we are also saying farewell to Ms Cindy Lim who has a pivotal role in our administration team and front office. Cindy is one of the nicest people you can meet as she makes everyone feel welcome (speaks Mandarin as well!) and does an excellent job managing our newsletter, attendance, sickbay, library, book fairs etc. She is the first person that greets visitors and speaks on the phone. Cindy is taking long service leave as of this Friday and will be moving on to work part time at her church in an administrative role. Cindy has assured me that she won’t be leaving us for too long and plans to spend some of her days off at WHPS volunteering. Cindy, we all wish you the best and hope this new role is just what you want it to be….otherwise, come back to us! Good luck and have a wonderful time on your long service leave when you head off overseas.

We wish our staff all the very best in their new positions and I am very proud as a ‘system leader‘ to promote excellent teachers in our government education system. Weeden Heights is a wonderful place to teach and work as we have a strong community committed to learning and the best students ever!

Multi-age Classes

Each year I also like to remind our families about multi-aged classrooms as we have always operated this way, not just due to our size but for the philosophical belief of the school.

Weeden Heights operates with multi-aged classrooms. We do not have ‘composite’ classes. They are two completely different approaches and I explain this on school tours. Our approach at WHPS is ‘personalised learning’ so students are tested to find out what they already know and understand and then students have programs and approaches developed for them based around their next learning stage.

Composite grades only teach to the level curriculum of the grade so only two curriculum levels are taught in that classroom. If we only taught to a specific grade level, students would never be able to achieve results beyond their year level because we simply would not teach that curriculum.
Personal learning in a multi-aged classroom allows us to teach a child above or below the expected level of the curriculum. It is irrelevant what grade a child is in however grades simply group students who are roughly around the same age and stage in development. We have many year 6 students who are completing secondary school curriculum but this would not be possible if we only taught to the year 6 curriculum. There are many prep students who will receive results well beyond their expected level. This is only possible with our personal approach to learning. We should never have to say to a child that they are ‘only in grade 2 so you only get grade 2 work’. In a composite grade the two year levels are only given work of the year level.

At Weeden Heights our programs are based on student’s achievement levels which is how our students achieve the results that they do.

Grade construction takes hours. Students are asked about their choices for best learning partners and friends. Parent are consulted and requests considered as they are based on personal, social, physical or academic grounds. Grades are balanced between boys and girls and academic and social needs. Teachers also have requests and professional needs that need to be considered. We have to manage their roles in the school along with the grade they are allocated. There are so many considerations and this process involved the whole staff so it is not taken lightly. Every student is guaranteed at least one of their choices so it is difficult to hear from a parent that their child has no friends when they have received at least one person they named.

Please always be reassured that extensive thought goes into school structures and placements. Our focus is our students at all times and it is paramount that we work with you at home to ensure that we all cater for the learning needs of each learner in our school and not a ‘grade’.

Stunning Mural

Our mural on the wall of year 5.6 A (room 9) is nearly finished. I hope everyone will take a look on the Christmas concert night. It looks spectacular. A huge thanks to Kyle Brightside who is the talented artist and our wonderful year 4 and 5 students. Incredible and such a legacy from the students and a reminder of the stunning birds and flora at our school.

Year 6 Graduation

Good luck to our year 6’s as they head towards their graduation next Tuesday. They have been extremely busy preparing for this very special night. I would also like to especially thank Mr Saville and Mrs Arya for overseeing the ceremony and thank the team of parents/guardians who have worked behind the scenes to make this a worthy event for 2024. It is always an honourable event and I look forward to seeing you there.

Student Reports

Just a reminder that student reports will be sent home via COMPASS on the last day of school. I have read them all....you will be very proud of your children!

Christmas and Awards Night Celebration

Our Christmas Concert was held last night. Thank you for attending and I would especially like to thank all the staff for putting together their class performance and thanks also to Mrs Phillips and the events team for coordinating the whole concert.

Final Assembly

The school will hold a final assembly in the hall on Friday 20 December at 12.50pm and parents are welcome. We will say a final farewell to our exiting year 6 students and wish everyone a happy holiday break. We have heard that many families are finishing early but we would like the opportunity to wish our students all the best and say goodbye to the exiting year 6’s.

The finish time on that Friday is 1.30pm. If you are not available to pick up your child at that time then you will need to book them into the OSHC program for the afternoon as the school will close straight away.

I always thank our community on the final assembly for their incredible work and support over the year. If I don’t catch up with you before the end of the year, I would like to wish you all a safe and happy holiday break. Enjoy spending time with your family and friends. Merry Christmas!

I look forward to seeing you all back again next year!

Until next time……

Kylie Campbell

Proud Principal

Community

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