Middle SS News

Term 1, Week 1

A huge congratulations to everyone on a successful start to the school year. For many it has been a period of trepidation, facing the unknown and stepping into an unfamiliar environment, whether this be a new classroom, catering for new students and/or working alongside a new team. Thank you for the ‘grit’ you have shown in the weeks leading up to 2024. It is going to be crucial we continue to prioritise open communication and demonstrate commitment to being solution-focused as we work together to facilitate a calm and supportive environment in MSS.

As we continue to navigate new information, changes, routines, I can very much appreciate the trepidation that comes with this, however my hope is that with each day this subsides. As I check in with you all it is positive to hear all of those little wins of the day which although small are something to celebrate. The small changes that you are making each day to tweak your classroom have a significant impact on the building of a positive climate and culture for your students.

As we move forward, we will continue to prioritise communication, listening, and understanding in our interactions within our classroom teams and as a collective in order to find our ‘new normal’ in 2024.

Please see below for a recap of some of the key organisation points detailed on Monday. Hopefully, after what was an information packed day, this summary helps to remind you of some of the key discussion or communication points.

PLC’s & Professional Practice Sessions

PLC’s will take place on Mondays with the exception of SSG weeks which are weeks 2-4. It is an expectation that all teachers working on this day attend. The Middle Sub School PLC will take place in Room 15 from 3:30pm.

Professional practice sessions too will continue to run weekly with the exception of SSG weeks, run by various staff members on topics of interest. These sessions are targeted at both teachers and education support staff, and are opt in.

This Thursday 1st February in the CLH, the Sub School Leaders will be delivering a professional development session centred around administration delving into the basics of SharePoint, Xuno and all things admin at JSA. This session will be extremely beneficial particularly for new staff, or for anyone wanting a refresher on how to access key documentation, or those just wanting to participate in a ‘how to’ or ‘where to find’ hotspot.

SSG’s

These will take place in week 2, 3 and 4. It is up to teacher discretion as to when these take place within the 3 week allotment. You may choose to spread them out, or you may choose to complete them in week 4 after spending some quality time with your students. 

Notes will go home to parents this week. After this, Xuno will be open for bookings.

Should you need to block out any times due to being unavailable, you can do this via Xuno. If you need help with this please come and see me. SSG documentation will be sent shortly.

 Mobile Phones

A reminder to only use mobile phones for work related purposes, e.g. while managing an emergency situation, reading a text about a playground unavailable, etc. 

Punctuality

Education Support Staff must be in their classrooms by 8:45am. This helps to ensure all staff members are adequately prepared for the day ahead, resulting in a well organised and effective learning environment for students as they enter each morning.

Sun Smart

Please continue to use sunscreen in the classroom, and encourage students to wear hats, even while the weather is mild. The UV can still be harmful on these days.

Assembly

Thank you for providing insight into your thoughts around the MSS assembly. Whilst we will continue to record the assembly, we will also host a fortnightly viewing in the CLH.

Please see below for the Term 1 assembly partnerships. Please decide amongst yourself as to who will complete which elements of the assembly. The assembly video is due on Thursday morning, providing adequate time for me to compress the file and upload individually to each rooms Seesaw account.

Week 2: Rooms 16 - 18

Week 4: Rooms 14 & 15

Week 6: Room 11 & 13

Week 8: Rooms 10 & 12

The MSS assembly viewing will take place from 11:30am on Fridays. The CLH has been booked.

Classroom Meetings

These will take place during break times as per the roster. I have sent a calendar invitation however I will not be attending every meeting each week. The distribution of the therapy team amongst meetings are still yet to occur, and will follow a slightly different process in 2024. Keep an eye out for an email from Lydia regarding this.

Please ensure classroom meeting minutes are uploaded to SharePoint to ensure these are accessible and actions are able to be followed up in a timely manner. Due to CRT’s filling classrooms, the need for clear communication is going to continue to be a priority.

Curriculum

Please utilise SharePoint to access curriculum resources in order to complete your planning or work program. If you are not yet able to access this please let me know so that I can support you in ensuring you’re organised and feeling ready to implement your learning and wellbeing program. 

Teaching and learning programs must be uploaded to SharePoint every Monday morning no later than 8:30am.

Kitchen & Garden

Classrooms are welcome to visit the garden to look at what has grown and do some watering next week. Please remember to be sun smart while visiting the garden.

Playground Roster

The playground roster has been updated and emailed. I ask that you consider routines that can be put in place and communicated to staff to allow for smooth transition and implementation of this. For example, hosting an information session regarding a specific student listed as 1-1 with those that will be primarily supporting them during break times. You may also like to coordinate a meet up prior, to familiarise the student with the staff member.  

Check In’s

Check in’s will continue to be a valued part of the morning routine. At some stage throughout the morning, I will touch base to gauge how you are feeling heading into the day. This will assist me in ascertaining what supports we can put in place for the day, and hopefully alleviate, or prevent any anticipated challenges. Clear communication is key, so please where possible continue to share with me how I can support you, and of course your students, in having a positive day. I intend on arriving at school bright and early, and so, if you are concerned about staffing or the day ahead, and I am aware, it is very likely that I am already attempting to rectify the issue. At times, I won’t be able to solve these instantaneously as further information is needed regarding student numbers and so, so I ask that you remain patient, flag the concern and together we can develop a plan.

I’d like to thank you for your openness to share your thoughts and feelings with me- good or bad, as well as your ability to identify your own needs from those around you which we know, differs from person to person. It is extremely helpful in knowing how we can support each other and what sorts of goals we each have when coming to work. 

Check in’s will continue to be a way we can connect, communicate and build a sense of community. 

And lastly, I wanted to remind you- the students in your classroom, although in your care, are not your individual responsibility. Please never feel that your challenges are isolated to your classroom or to your team. We are here collectively to utilise each other to support every child. Share your knowledge, skills, strategies- we know that one size does not fit all, and with that in mind as part of a wider sub school it is our collective responsibility to ensure the growth and development of our students. We are a team- if you need anything, please share your thoughts, ask questions and let’s help each other. 

Collective staff efficacy, that is, a shared belief that the we can have a positive impact on student achievement, is greater than three times more powerful and predictive of student achievement than socioeconomic status. It is more than double the effect of prior achievement and more than triple the effect of home environment and parental involvement. It is also greater than three times more predictive of student achievement than student motivation and concentration, persistence, and engagement. Our ability to work together is one of our most powerful tools. 

As always, please reach out if you need anything. If I cannot assist directly I will always support you in navigating and providing a solution. 

Have a wonderful Week 1!