Principals Report

Our first 2024 student-led school assembly was held last Friday. It was pleasing to see our new leaders discuss their roles within the school. Each student spoke about the initiatives they would like to add to the school's routine and provided clear actions to address. With a large parent turnout, this assembly set a powerful tone for the year ahead, emphasising the importance of leadership, academic excellence, and community spirit within our school.

Beginning this Thursday evening, educators and school staff members from all eight Northern Plains HUB schools will immerse themselves in a spiritually enriching environment and engage with renowned keynote speakers who will guide them through insightful discussions. These speakers will provide valuable perspectives, igniting conversations that resonate with the essence of our Catholic identity in education.

This Staff Spirituality Day is not only a chance for personal growth but also a celebration of our shared commitment to the Catholic ethos. The ripple effect of this collective experience will be felt in each of our schools, impacting both staff and students alike. As we absorb the teachings and insights from the day, we will carry them back to our respective schools, enriching the educational environment with a profound understanding of our Catholic identity.  

Last Thursday, the 52 school principals of Sandhurst Dioceses attended their first briefing for the year. With Kate Fogarty as the new CES Ltd director, it was great to hear her speak of her personal interests, aspirations, reflections and work to be done. A very determined, intelligent, and strategic individual, Ms Fogarty spoke of the importance of paying attention to the new literature around neuroscience and how we can maximise our health, therefore increasing the best version of ourselves at work and leading to improved student outcomes. A theme Kate will incorporate into the dioceses is ‘being present’. Multitasking has been proven to be ineffective, and the research states we are not as effective as we may think we are. Being present means, we limit ourselves from distractions and focus on the now. Ms Forgarty reiterated the research findings suggest we can only be in a creative space if we focus on the now without distractions.

This leads me to discuss the latest research out of the American Medical Association (Jama) Pediatrics, which is in the news this week. The study found that Australian toddlers are tuning out on family conversations due to screen time. The results showed young children were missing over 1,000 words a day, impacting their language development. To counteract this concerning trend and actively contribute to our children's language development, parents play a pivotal role. By prioritising face-to-face interactions, we can provide a setting for our children to absorb new words and expressions. Furthermore, incorporating activities that stimulate language acquisition into daily routines can make a significant difference. We can support our young children by:

• Reading aloud, even from a young age, has been proven to expose them to a broader vocabulary and enhance their language skills.
• Establishing a regular reading routine not only promotes bonding but also cultivates a love for language and storytelling.
• Engaging in open-ended conversations with children encourages them to express their thoughts and feelings, fostering language development. Parents can ask thought-provoking questions, listen actively, and respond with enthusiasm, creating an environment where children feel valued and encouraged to communicate.
• Introducing age-appropriate educational apps or interactive games that focus on language skills can be a balanced way to incorporate technology while still promoting language development.

Kind Regards,