From the AAssistant Principal

INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

On 11 November, I met members of our school network interested in furthering the Marrung Aboriginal Education Plan (link attached) at the Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT) in Federation Square.   This was jointly led by Stephanie Briggs, our Koorie Education Support Officer, and Rachel George, our Senior Education Improvement Leader.  As a network we received the opportunity to tour the facilities that have three floors of artifacts, (the feather flowers and the wooden artwork made with pyrography were personal favourites).  The discussion revolved around the progress of schools using the Self-Determination Framework, (pictured below).  I highly recommend the KHT as a destination for wonder and reflection for our families in school holidays.

PREP TRANSITION

On Tuesday our newest community members will begin their school journey with the first of three Prep Orientation sessions.  The incoming Preps will get a name sticker upon arrival at the front of the school, and will then be escorted with their parent/carer by a Year 5 student to one of our Prep classrooms.  Once settled, parents/carers will join us in the staff room for a presentation.  The incoming Preps will spend an hour getting to know the teachers, their peers and our school.  These sessions fall on three consecutive Tuesdays and culminate on the same day as our whole-school transition day.  We are looking forward to meeting everyone next week.

STUDENT SUPPORT GROUP (SSG) MEETINGS

Weeks 7, 8 and 9 this term are peppered with SSGs whose participants can include classroom teachers, Education Support, families and students.  SSGs are required for certain cohorts of students: student in out-of-home care; Koorie students; student supported under the PSD or Disability Inclusion; students in youth justice; and students in re-engagement programs under contract with another school or provider.  You will notice these SSGs have not only started to include students, but the student agency in SSGs has increased.  Currently we ask students about their likes/interests at school and what, or who, helps them at school.  They attend their SSG for at least the first five minutes and then choose to stay for the remainder of the SSG, as appropriate.  This process will evolve as students begin to feel comfortable discussing themselves in a room of adults who are especially there to support them.  These self-advocacy skills take time to build so we want to ensure we give them lots of practice to get good at this process over time. We do this so by the time a student is in high school, and if they are practiced at these self-advocacy skills, they can be supported to lead their SSGs.  They can then be able to discuss what their reasonable adjustments are for learning.  This starts small and builds over time.  Trish and I appreciate your support in this change to include students in SSGs this year to make sure we don’t make choices without their voice involved.

YEAR 6 UNIFORMS

Our Year 6 students have a few short weeks left in the school year.  If you have a year 6, please consider donating your uniforms once you no longer have need of them.  Our second-hand uniforms stall would greatly appreciate your donation/s as we often have need of larger sizes.

SKINNERS ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND

Please see the attached flier for more information on this local opportunity.

Regards,

Sam Smrekar Thompson

Assistant Principal

P-2 Welfare and Wellbeing