Principal's News Flash
Corinne Pupillo
2025 SCHOOL THEME: EMBEDDING INCLUSIVE PRACTICES TO ENHANCE LEARNING AND WELLBEING.
When we implement inclusive practices, students feel welcomed, supported, valued and will also empower parent/carer voice and collaboration.
Dear parents, carers and friends of the school community,
I'd like to take this opportunity to highlight the wonderful secondary and senior secondary programs at JSA, in particular the strong focus on career pathways for all our students. Having a career pathway that meets the needs of all our students is critical for them to build resilience and a lifelong learning passion, enabling them to be active participants in family and community life.
The range of senior secondary curriculum and programs include:
- Victorian Foundations Pathways Certificate (VPC)
- Certificate of Individual Achievement (CIA)
- Vocational Education and Training (VET)
- School Based Apprenticeship & Traineeships (SBAT)
- Head Start Work-Based Apprenticeships
- Work Experience Programs (Brite Industries, Enable, Endeavour and Brunswick Industries)
Specialist programs provide students with the opportunities to explore and learn in the areas of:
- The Arts: Visual Arts and Performing Arts (Music and Dance)
- Hands On Learning: Build and Café Programs
- Health & Physical Education
Programs in action
Denise and I love purchasing our coffee / hot chocolate and treat from the Cafe Program on Wednesdays. This week happened to be Pyjama Day and we both felt very well looked after by the students making the hot drinks and treats. Shout out to Solomon from Room 23 for agreeing to take the photo for us.
Careers Expo
A special thank you to the following providers for attending our Careers Expo and sharing your services and programs with our students, families and staff.
Providers that attended this years Careers Expo included a range of service providers: including;
- Distinctive Options
- Carer Gateway
- Project Growth
- NDIS
- Jigsaw
- Wise Employment
- Melbourne Polytechnic
- Capability Care
- SJOC
- Endeavour
- Catalyst
- Kangan TAFE
Student Absence Line - change to process
When families text the student absence phone, a member of the admin team would have replied. From Monday 18 August the new process will change and there will no longer be a response from the school.
From Monday 18 August when a parent / carer send TXT or calls the Student Absence Notification Line –there will be no response sent back to the family member/carer.
If parents / carers need to discuss any other issues, they must call the office 9309 6258 from 8:00am - 4:30pm.
We have also streamlined the way we communicate student absences to the classroom team so this is more manageable for admin staff and teaching teams.
Student absence line: 0439 114 197
Staffing Update
Ashleigh Hecker (Room 21) and Cassy Wang will be moving on from JSA. On behalf of the school community, I'd like to thank Ashleigh and Cassy for their contributions to JSA and wish them both well for the future. We will recruit to fill these two vacancies as well as continue to advertise for a Primary Sub School Leader and a classroom teacher for Room 26.
Communication with Staff Policy
Jacana School for Autism understands the importance of providing helpful and timely responses to common enquiries from parents and carers. To ensure that members of our school community are directed to the most appropriate person to assist them, the information below outlines key contacts for common queries:
to report a student absence, please text the Absence Line on 0439 114 197
to report any urgent issues relating to a student on a particular day, please contact the general office on 9309 6258
to discuss a student’s academic progress, health or wellbeing, please contact your child’s classroom teacher/ sub school leader.
Primary Sub School Leader: Daniel Moloney
- Middle Years Sub School Leader: Amelia Frantz amelia.frantz@education.vic.gov.au
- Secondary Sub School Leader; Stefania Mantinioti stefania.mantinioti@education.vic.gov.au
- Senior Secondary Sub School Leader: Sean Procko sean.procko@education.vic.gov.au
for enquiries regarding camps and excursions, please contact your child’s classroom teacher.
to make a complaint, please contact the Principal/Assistant Principals on
9309 6258.
Principal:
Corinne Pupillo | corinne.pupillo@education.vic.gov.au
Assistant Principal [Inclusion and Wellbeing] :
Daniel Moloney | daniel.moloney@education.vic.gov.au
- Assistant Principal [Teaching and Learning]:
- Ellen Paterson | ellen.paterson@education.vic.gov.au
Please also refer to our Complaints Policy, available on the school website
https://www.jacanaschoolforautism.vic.edu.au/policies/management/
to report a potential hazard or incident on the school site, please contact:
OHS Manager Nominee
Mary Boutros on 9309 6258 or mary.boutros@education.vic.gov.au
for parent payments, please contact the general office on 9309 6258
for all other enquiries, please contact our Office on 9309 6258
School staff will do their best to respond to general queries as soon as possible and ask that you allow us 2 – 3 working days to provide you with a detailed response. We will endeavour to respond to urgent matters within 24 hours where possible.
School Council
Our School Council meeting was held last night and the following Policies were endorsed and available from the office if you would like a copy.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Policy 2025
External Providers Policy 2025
Joint Community Use Policy 2025 - Hire and Lease Agreement
Parent Carer Policy 2026
Photography Filming & Recording of Staff and other Adult Policy 2025
Photography Filming & Recording of Students Policy 2025
Smoke Vape and Alcohol Free School Policy 2025
| MEMBER | POSITION |
| Corinne Pupillo | Executive Officer (Principal) /corinne.pupillo@education.vic.gov.au |
| Lisa Sette | Community Representative & President / lisa.sette@education.vic.gov.au |
| VACANCY | Community Representative |
| Paul Malavisi | Parent Representative |
| Mark Mansfield | Parent Representative |
| Chris Ernst | Parent Representative |
| Savana Bahjat | Parent Representative |
| Andrew McDonough | Parent Representative |
| Abdul Qadir Amir Memon | Parent Representative |
| Mary Boutros | DE Representative |
| Daniel Moloney | DE Representative |
School Council Sub-Committee Representatives
Finance Sub Committee Representative - Mark Mansfield
School Infrastructure Sub Committee Representative – Mary Boutros
Fundraising Sub Committee Representative – Fiona Micelotta
Unwell students
If your child is presenting with cold and flu like symptoms we kindly ask families to keep your child at home if they are experiencing symptoms.
Each morning when students are getting ready for school, I ask that you be mindful of how your child is presenting. If they/he/she is feeling/looking/acting unusual or is complaining of being unwell please take them to the doctor. Minimising the cross-infection will assist in reducing the risk of spreading bugs and viruses.
All student absences can be made through the dedicated student absence notification number. Text the student's name, room number and reason for absence.
Make sure you have the student absence notification number saved in your contacts:
Student absence line: 0439 114 197
Reminder: Our newsletter is published each fortnight and will provide you with important information about the school and events that may be of interest to you. I encourage you to read the newsletter that will be sent home via your home email, on the school's Facebook and Instagram Page, Seesaw or on the school's website.
JSA also has a Facebook and Instagram Page. Please like and follow our pages.
https://www.facebook.com/JacanaSchoolforAutism
https://www.instagram.com/jacana.school/
School Website