Leadership Report

Those who know me understand that I’m passionate about mathematics, and I can’t resist finding ways to talk about maths, as often as possible. So, let’s start with the fact that we’re nearly at the end of Term 3. If the school year was a fraction, we are now sitting at 3/4 with one final quarter still ahead of us. That’s plenty of time to add new learning, subtract distractions, and divide our energy wisely so we can multiply our successes before the year is done!

At our recent pupil free day, teachers were busy exercising their own maths brains.  One of the focus areas was problem solving and using the strategy “Draw a picture or diagram.” Just like sketching in art can reveal an image, drawing a picture in maths can reveal important information when working on a challenging problem. Teachers practiced this by solving multi-step word problems, proving that even adults need to “show their working out”. Teachers also examined school data including NAPLAN and reading results to inform future planning. In the afternoon, Mrs Teumohenga led valuable learning on developing student social skills through the Friendology program. Don’t forget that this program also has excellent online resources available for parents to use at home.

Have you noticed the new faces at the school crossings yet? For the past 12 months, our Year 6 students have done a fantastic job as school crossing monitors. Starting last week, it’s the Year 5s who have stepped up to take on the role and they’re already doing a terrific job! After attending training with SA Police, our new monitors are on duty, rain or shine, helping classmates and families cross the road safely. It’s a different kind of challenge to those faced in maths lessons, and they are already showing that, when it comes to safety, every little action adds up.

Meanwhile, the weather has been testing our patience. Sports Day has been postponed due to wet conditions. While the daytime rainfall didn't look like much, when you add up several nights of rain, the result is a slippery and unsafe oval. Safety comes first, so we’re all hoping for a sequence of dry days in the lead-up to next Wednesday when the big event is now scheduled. A shout out to Noah W from F3, who stayed positive and saw this an opportunity to keep practicing and improving his running skills. 

Next week, our Festival of Music choir will take to the stage at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. With 37 students in the Magill choir this year, they will join around 1,300 others from across South Australia on one massive stage. That’s more than just addition, it’s a reminder that when we come together, the result can be far greater than the sum of its parts. With rehearsals in full swing, and some singing in the corridors, we know our students will represent Magill well at this wonderful performance.

As we count down the final two weeks of Term 3, we start to see both students and staff starting to feel a little tired. Yet, like working through a long maths equation, the effort being used by all shows real determination to see things through. So, as we measure out the remaining days until the holidays, let’s keep aiming for learning, laughter, and plenty of maths along the way.

Warm regards,

Sonia Magon

Assistant Principal