Principal's Report 

In our classrooms

It’s been wonderful to witness the continued smooth return of students to school over the first part of the term. Across the past fortnight, we’ve seen classrooms operating with well-established routines and procedures setting a strong foundation for student learning. Our teachers' investment in setting up their classrooms, routines, and practices has paid off, ensuring a calm, productive, and orderly environment as students transition from our Flying Start program to their curriculum programs.

Our new Proud Port Points system has been a significant part of this success. It's been fantastic to see these points being distributed by staff and valued by students. With literally thousands of points already awarded, this is a testament to the engagement and behaviour of our students.

In our staffroom

Congratulations to Stephanie Crandell from our Year 1 team, who is expecting her second child later this year. Steph plans to remain with us until the end of Term 2. We will communicate the filling of Steph's role once it's finalised. Given widespread teacher shortages, we decided last year to build our workforce plan to include several staff members returning from leave who are surplus to our workforce needs. As a result, I expect we’ll be able to fill Ms Stephanie's role with a returning staff member or a job-sharing pair, which is a great outcome.

We've recently added a new “Our Team” section to our website for better clarity and transparency. This page gives information about our staff and how our school is organised. You'll find details about each member of the principal team and charts that show the members of each of the other teams across the school. We think this will make it easier for everyone to know who's who, understand the different roles across the school, and help our community better connect with our dedicated team.

In our community

We've shifted the timing of our fortnightly assemblies to the final session of the school day to reclaim valuable morning time for learning. It was wonderful to see many parents at our last assembly, and we anticipate even more will join us on Monday as we present leadership badges. We'll continue to refine the timing of this assembly to strike a balance between convenience and allowing time for students to collect their bags at the end of the day.

Reminders

With the sunny weather, a reminder about the importance of hats: they must be worn in the yard and during outdoor activities. Students without a hat will be instructed to play in the shade. 

Helmets are also a must for students riding to and from school, as riding without one is both illegal and dangerous. We encourage parents to discuss this with their children, especially as we prepare for our upcoming Ride to School Day.

Finally, a reminder for all community members: riding bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc., on school grounds, especially during pickup and drop-off times, is not allowed. This includes parents! It's important that we all set a good example and ensure the safety of everyone in our community.

Thank you everyone for your ongoing engagement and support.