Principal's Report

Manuela Watson

Special Edition Newsletter

Dear Parents and Carers,

This is a Special Edition newsletter to inform you of some of the exciting changes in Curriculum, Staffing and School organisation for St Fidelis School in 2020.

Curriculum

As a Principal who believes in education through authentic hands on experiences and opportunities combined with Inquiry Learning, I am excited to announce that the students will now be able to participate in the specialist subjects of Visual Arts, Physical Education and Italian every week for the full year. This will allow for a better coverage of the curriculum, more exposure to each subject area and for more opportunities for students who have a preference or talent for these subjects to engage and learn.

Music will remain as a semester subject for 2020. This means the students will have music for one semester (two terms) per year however, for Years 3 - 6 all students have the opportunity to join the school choir as an additional extra-curricula subject during school hours or join the combined Schools Choir, which have rehearsals after school.

I am excited to announce that a new initiative that will be introduced at St Fidelis for our students in 202O. The introduction of a STEM - INNOVATION LEARNING SPACE. STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines –Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. We received a grant of $20,000 from the Australian Government Local School Grant because they saw the merit of this exciting initiative STEM Innovation Learning Space.  

The purpose of STEM is to create a learning experience for all students that encourages lifelong dispositions such as: curiosity, persistence, questioning, reflection and self-motivation.  STEM make creators, thinkers, problem solvers, doers, collaborators, innovators and inventors. These as are all areas of learning that our students need to be comfortable with to excel in the future. As research has shown, STEM skills does matter and will play a role in 75% of future jobs.

Please spend some time reading the website by the department of Education about the benefits of STEM education.

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/learningdev/vicstem/Pages/about.aspx

The plan for St Fidelis STEM innovation Learning Space is the refurbishment of our under utilized current library space and to create two distinct complimentary areas:

Space One:  Library transformation to create and inviting learning space for students to dream, explore and enjoy reading

Space Two: STEM innovation Learning Space for hands on project based learning  allowing students to explore their project based learning and find solutions to problems in an imaginative, creative and collaborative way.

As you can appreciate, a refurbishment of any space requires some time. This project will commence during the Christmas holidays and into early Term One 2020.  It is expected that by Term Two all classes will be able to utilize the STEM Space with the support of a specialized STEM teacher and their classroom teachers, so that the learning is not seen as isolated but integrated into other learning areas.  Our vision is that through this engaging approach to learning our students’ enthusiasm, knowledge and interest will increase in the skills required of Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics.  (STEM) There will be more information in the coming year.

Staffing 2020

In next week’s newsletter, I will be able to announce the full list of our 2020 staff however, I would like to inform you of some key staff that Father Cartwright and I have employed for 2020.  It is not always easy to employ key staff with passion and expertise in certain curriculum areas however, next year we have employed a Deputy Principal/ Literacy Leader who has a passion and expertise in leading Literacy F- 6.

We have also employed a Numeracy Leader for two days; she will be involved in building teachers capacity and knowledge in the teaching of numeracy. Her specialty is intervention for students at risk! This highly respected expert works as a consultant for three days a week in various schools across Melbourne and has worked for CEM (Catholic Education Melbourne) in the past in the Numeracy department. Our students are so fortunate to have this expert to support our teachers in planning and evaluating our Numeracy curriculum.

Inquiry Learning is a passion of mine and I have been lucky enough to employ Kath Murdoch as a consultant in Inquiry for our teachers and students for 2020. Kath is an experienced teacher, author, university lecturer and popular consultant throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, America and Europe and yet another sought after curriculum expert. We look forward to St Fidelis reconnecting with Kath and forming a partnership with her next year and beyond in continuing to develop our inquiry program and practice.

Employing staff is a bit like an AFL draft. Key signings (as they would say in football) can be pivotal to a successful or not so successful team. The employment of a Literacy and Numeracy Leader will ensure that our fantastic results in these two areas continue at St Fidelis and that Inquiry Learning (what most students say is their favorite because they can explore their own questions and wonderings) continues to be strengthened by professional dialogue and planning with Kath Murdoch.

School Organisation

“All staff seek to meet the needs of all learners so that every student experiences success. While all educators have this goal, Catholic educators see each student as a sacred creation –

‘made in the image of God’ (Genesis 1:27)”

(Horizons Of Hope –learning Diversity 2017)

“With adequate support, all children, irrespective of their different needs, should be able to learn together in mainstream classrooms in their local communities."

(UNESCO 2015, p. 101) (HOH, CEM 2017)

At St Fidelis, we educate the whole child; Academically, Physically, Spiritually, Socially and Emotionally. At St Fidelis we acknowledge that there are some students  who require extra time and teaching to develop their social and emotional skills. Therefore, a restructuring of resources both human and material in 2020 will be put in place to ensure that we provide a safe and happy place for learning, friendships and community building for all.

In 2020, the time allocation for our Learning Diversity Leader has been increased to three days in order for someone to be more readily accessible to teachers, parents and students. Again, we have a passionate teacher in t