From the Assistant Principal
Grade Prep and Year 7 2020
Thank you to those Arlington families who have attended a tour at the Primary and Secondary Schools. In order to confirm enrolments for Arlington children in to the 5s (Prep) and Year 7 at Blackhall Kalimna in 2020 we will be seeking confirmations as soon as possible, before the end of term, so we know exactly how many places we can offer to parents seeking enrolment at Preshil. Please contact Nerel Ezra, Marilyn Smith or me to let us know your intentions.
NAPLAN
The government mandated National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is scheduled to be administered at Preshil on 14, 15, and 16 May 2019 for Years 3 & 5.
These tests assess some aspects of student knowledge and skills in Numeracy, Writing, Reading and Language Conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation). It is compulsory for all schools to administer the tests and the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) encourages all parents to support this program.
Preshil has been one of many educational voices that has repeatedly criticised the simplistic ways these tests have been used by politicians, media and some schools to promote them as a public measure of a school’s worth in crude leagues tables. This in turn has led to the regrettable practice of teachers being pressured to drill children in ways to ‘beat the tests’ and get the best scores they can to promote their school.
This aside, the tests do produce a range of data that has real value for teachers and schools. From the aggregated data we can evaluate some aspects of our program and the overall progress of each class from one period of testing to the next. We can identify areas of learning that are especially effective and other areas that need to be strengthened; this was the purpose of the tests in the first place.
At Preshil we don’t ‘teach to the tests’.
Parents are entitled to have the NAPLAN data for their child’s performance and we encourage them to read these results in the richer context of their child’s overall progress, capacities and success as a learner in all fields of learning.
However, parents also have the right to decide to withdraw their son or daughter from this program or sections of the program if they so desire and Preshil supports this right. This is a matter for consideration by parents and carers.
If you decide to withdraw your child/children from all or parts of the NAPLAN tests you must do so in writing. Please indicate if this is your intention by emailing a request to withdraw your Years 3 or 5 child to Prue. An individualised Student Withdrawal form will then be generated, to be signed and returned to Preshil.
Your signed authority to withdraw a child from the test program needs to be returned to the school by Friday 3 May. We must retain these written requests/authorities for withdrawal so that the school may fulfill its accountability responsibilities to the state and federal government authorities. All children are expected to attend school on the test days.
Quizzys
We have our annual fundraiser 'Quizzys' coming up on Thursday 16 May. This event will be held at Arlington in the Kevin Borland Hall and is organised by a group of parents led by Troy Wass, classroom rep in the 10s & 11s along with the music staff. It would be lovely to see many families attend. You can find further information in this newsletter on the Quizzy's page.
Arriving Late? Leaving Early?
Late arrival and early departure registers are located at Arlington reception. Any students arriving after 9am or needing to leave prior to 3.30pm must be signed in/out by parents or caregivers.
Natalie Jensen
Assistant Principal K-12