Principals Message

Dear parents and carers,

Welcome to the 2024 school year. We are off to a flying start and have already ticked off some big events.

This morning we participated in a very special Mass as a K to 12 Learning Community with St Mary’s College. It was a lovely way to open the new school year, especially as today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. The children were blessed with the Sign of the Cross in ashes, hence the black mark you might see on their foreheads at hometime. Our students were outstanding in their reverence and respect right through from Kinder to Year 6. 

Last Friday our swimming carnival went off smoothly with the great assistance of a good number of parents and grandparents. We were lucky with the weather and being ahead of time the children were able to enjoy some free time with their friends in the water. A strong team of 28 students will represent us at the Diocesan Carnival and we wish them all the best. 

The teachers were really happy to see the parents who attended the grade sessions last week. It was great for those parents to hear about their child's day to day responsibilities. Thanks for supporting us. 

The classrooms are buzzing with learning and the children are settling into their new spaces. New staff and students are starting to feel at home. There is a positive vibe all round. 

The one thing I would like all parents and carers to keep in mind this year is that we are all on the same team! There is nothing we can’t solve with respectful conversation. We have such a high regard for the little people in our care and we want them to be the best version of themselves possible. We want them to feel safe, valued, respected and cared for and to be able to learn. 

As you might understand not every child develops at the same pace as another. Young children are at different levels emotionally and their problem solving skills vary greatly. We are here to support, guide and monitor. Sometimes children engage in unproductive behaviour. It might be unsafe or disrespectful behaviour that we need to address. We have a very clear policy and procedure for these matters and our focus is on redirecting, following up, asking children to describe what they need to do in the future. Sometimes a child will need some time out to calm down and regroup. Punishment rarely helps a child grow emotionally but constant support to make better choices does make a difference. 

Each morning the leadership team meets to review any new reports of unproductive behaviour, attendance concerns or wellbeing concerns. We then allocate each adult to a child or a few children and we touch base with them regarding the nature of the concern. It is a positive, supportive interaction and it lets the students know that someone is interested and aware. It also allows us to track repeated behaviours or concerns and act further on them. 

PLEASE contact us with any concerns as soon as you become worried or if you have a question. We should be your first point of contact not another child’s parent. We are off to such a positive start to the year and we look forward to catching up with you during the year.

Kind regards,

Jen

SAFETY CONCERN

Parents have been made aware that the gates to the school now do not open until 8am. Between 8am and 8.30am the children sit outside their rooms and wait for the bell to go. Due to the design of our school we can see all the students to make sure they are being safe and respectful, as sitting in one spot for half an hour is a big ask for some little people. 

Prior to 8am the students who sit on the fence or sit outside the office are not in our care and they need a parent or carer with them. I would encourage parents to sit in the Kiss and Drop line with their children and as soon as the gate is opened the children can immediately enter the school and parents can leave.