Principal's Message

Anthony Jackson (Principal)

Jackson School is a collaborative learning community for all. We aim to develop independence through safety, respect and responsibility. We aspire to offer authentic, quality educational experiences that develop futures, create opportunities and inspire student potential; enabling our students to be valued and contributing members of the wider community. We share and celebrate our successes and achievements.

Dear Parents/Carers,

Welcome back to a new school year. I would also like to welcome our new families to the Jackson School Community. Happy New Year and Happy Lunar New Year (Tết for our Vietnamese community). Vietnamese New Year is the most important festival of the year in Vietnam, celebrating love, the start of spring, and the best of hopes for the new year. It is observed on the first day of the first month of the Vietnamese Lunar Calendar and ranges between late January and mid-February on the Gregorian calendar. Lunar year 2023 is a year of the Cat on the Vietnamese zodiac, from January 22nd, 2023 to February 9th, 2024. Cat is the fourth sign in Vietnamese Zodiac, taking place of the Rabbit in Chinese Zodiac. I hope you've been able to spend some quality time as a family over the holiday period.

School Council have agreed on our Curriculum Days for 2023. In Term 1 the 27th January and 30th January will be Curriculum Days to prepare for the start of the year. The first day for students in 2023 is Tuesday 31st January. On these days staff to undertake professional learning, received health, safety and medical training and prepare classroom for students to return next week.

Despite the many staffing and recruitment challenges faced across the state, I am proud that we are starting the 2023 academic year with all classes with a teacher and education support staff. We will continue to recruit staff throughout the year to ensure that we are able to run the school at full capacity to ensure our students the very best learning opportunities.

On behalf of the Jackson School Community, I would like to officially welcome our new staff for 2023. Teachers: Chloe, Sue M, Thai, Michael, Taleisha. Education Support Staff: Manu, Kate, Isabella, Kristen, Tori and Laura.

To view the staff list on our website, please click here: https://www.jacksons.vic.edu.au/our-school/our-staff/

Our $12 million School Building Upgrade has Begun!

It has been a busy January at Jackson School. Rendine Modularity have now begun our school building upgrade. Contractors over the holiday period have been demolishing sections of the admin building (Library, Food Technology, Fitness Room, Performing Arts, First Aid Room, Photocopy Room, Staff Toilets); preparing for our first modular Prep-Year 1 classrooms and Therapy Centre to be delivered in February; and clearing the rear of the site for our new ten classroom Years 5-8 building. These spaces will be out of bounds during construction to staff, students and families. Hoarding has been erected to ensure the safety of our students during construction. It would be useful for you to share these photos with them prior to next week to prepare them for the changes to the school. Students will be shown the building works by staff on their return with social stories as required. The project is due to be completed around Term 4 2023.

We are also waiting for our large basketball shade sail to be completed in Term 1. This construction has unfortunately been delayed. The materials will be delivered onsite next week. This will provide an undercover learning space for classes, physical education lessons, community events and staff meetings/professional learnings.

For more information, please visit: https://www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/jackson-school

Department of Education Name Change

As of Sunday 1 January 2023, Jackson School is now apart of the newly named Department of Education (DE). This replaces the Department of Education and Training (DET).

From Sunday 1st January 2023, the Higher Education and Skills group, TAFE, Victorian Skills Authority, ACFE Board and the VET Development Centre transfer to the new Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR).

To view the Department's Parent Page: https://www.vic.gov.au/education-information-parents

COVID-19 Advice

We are now entering the forth year of us living with COVID-19. There are still lots of cases within our community. Our school will continue to adhere to the Department of Health’s recommendations to ensure that our school remains a safe environment for our staff and students.

The Department of Health strongly recommends that students and school staff stay home if you're unwell and reduce the spread of the virus. Click Here for the Department of Health's checklist on what to do if you test positive to COVID-19 or if you've been told you are a contact: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-cases

Look after your health and check if you're eligible for treatment
Isolate and tell your contacts (for at least 5 days or until you don't have symptoms)
Report your result (online or call 1800 675 398).
Ending isolation and recovering (if not symptomatic)

Parents and carers are recommended to continue to report their child having COVID-19 to both the school and the Department of Health. We ask parents and carers to continue to remain vigilant in preventing COVID-19 transmission. Any student who is unwell should continue to remain at home. This is about keeping students healthy and well in our school and reducing the spread of both COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.

We still have some free rapid antigen tests are available at the school for those who need them. Parents and carers will be contacted if their child shows symptoms while at school. Students who wish to wear a mask should continue to do so.

After doing the tests at home, if it is positive, you will need to:

let the school know on the via the Student Absent Hotline 03 9366 4322; Option 1 Please note we will only be able to respond to messages and calls within office hours.
keep your child at home for at least 5 days and until there are no more symptoms
contact the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form or call centre on 1800 675 398.

For current Department of Education policy guidance please visit: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/covid-19-school-operations/advice

OSHC

Our Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) program will also restart on Tuesday 31st January 2023. Thank you to all the TheirCare staff for your work with our students over January.

Students who attended the holiday program during the January holidays had a blast! They took part in activities onsite at school and went of lots of excursions each week, including: the zoo, movies, bowling and had all sorts of incursions at school.

SDTP Buses

DE Student Disability Transport Buses (SDTP) will also operate as normal when students return to school. Staggered drop-off and pick-up times will no longer be running.

Caroline Springs Line: Nerida has now returned as the Bus Supervisor on the Caroline Springs bus.

Student Disability Transport Program - Bus Expectations

The DE Student Disability Transport Program (SDTP) is operated by two bus companies: Skylight and Transit Systems. Jackson School is responsible for the communication (with students and families) about SDTP, managing eligibility/service planning, emergency management including student behaviour. Upon enrolment in the SDTP, parents/carers will have signed an application for travel assistance to and from school.

To ensure the safety of all passengers on school buses, students MUST:

Be at the pick-up or drop-off point 5 minutes before the departure time
Wait at the bus stop safely and do not approach the vehicle until it has stopped
Listen and follow the rules and instructions
Walk (to, from and on the bus)
Be where you’re supposed to be (stay in allocated seat and not move around the bus when it is moving)
Not put their bodies or objects out of windows or doors
Keep hands feet and objects to themselves
Respect other's feelings
Use a quiet voice
Use your manners
Use equipment properly (wear seatbelt)
Not throw any object within or from a vehicle
Not eat food or drink on the bus
Respect other's space
Respect the privacy of others (not video or take photos of others)
Use OK words
Tell an adult if there is a problem
Keep the bus clean and tidy

Students must operate within current DE and school policy guidelines, particularly in relation to Mobile Phone use by Students and Smoking and Vaping. In line with DE Policy Guidelines, students may use devices to and from school. However, the must not video or take photos on the bus. https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/students-using-mobile-phones/policy

Responsibilities of Parents/Carers:

Parent/carer's behaviour should mirror students conditions of travel
Parents/carers should ensure their child is at the pick-up point at least five minutes prior to the departure
Parents/carers are responsible for transporting their children to and from authorised stops and for their safety whilst at the stop while waiting for a service
Parents/carers should ensure they are waiting for their child at the drop-off point at least five minutes prior to the arrival time unless the student’s has written permission to travel home or to your vehicle independently from the drop-off point
Parents/carers waiting for students at stops should wait on the same side of the road as the transport service to prevent students from crossing the road unassisted
Parents/carers must communicate directly with the school and not bus operators, except in the following circumstances: in the event of absence of their child from the morning bus run or in the event of an emergency

Please note that the bus is only able to wait at the bus stop for 2 minutes. Transport assistance is a privilege and not a right and consequences will follow a breach of these conditions. The Respectful Behaviours within the School Community Policy above is also extended to bus drivers and bus supervisors and violence and aggression.

In emergencies, parents can contact their children through the school office. Mobile phones are permitted when travelling to and from school. However, SDTP Bus Supervisors must report any inappropriate use of or behaviour in relation to mobile phone use by students (inappropriate context, videoing other students, taking photos on the bus). Thank you for your ongoing support.

For more information, please visit: https://www.vic.gov.au/mobile-phones-schools

To download the SDTP Independent Travel Form, please click here:

SDTP Independent Travel Form

Please note that during construction all students who are dropped off by car will now enter the school through the gate to the left-hand-side of the school office.

Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) 2023

Our 2023 AIP has now been endorsed by the Department and School Council. The AIP documents the annual plan for school improvement priorities and provides purpose for all members of the school community as they work towards the goals set out in the four-year School Strategic Plan (SSP). The AIP is developed and monitored by the school leadership teams in consultation with staff. Schools use the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) 2.0 improvement cycle to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate AIP.

As part of our COVID-19 recovery, the 2023 AIP is focused around the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes and DE priorities of:

Learning – Support both those who need extra support and those who have thrived to continue to extend their learning
Wellbeing – Effectively mobilise available resources to support students’ wellbeing and mental health, especially the most vulnerable

To download a one-page snapshot of the SSP & 2023 AIP please click here:

SSP & AIP Snapshot 2023

To view the full version of the 2023 AIP please click here:

Download Full 2023 AIP

School Structure

Aligned to the work of our School Strategic Plan (SSP) we have structured our school and leadership team to deliver our Annual Implementation Plan (AIP).

Our school is structured into two learning communities: Primary (Prep-Year 6) and Secondary (Year 7-Year 12). Within these communities staff and classes work in smaller collaborative Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) lead by an Assistant Learning Specialist (PLT Leader):

Primary Community Leadership

Foundation (Prep-2) - Jaclyn Hartzema (PLT Leader)
Lower Primary (Years 3-4) - Gabi Maher (PLT Leader & Learning Specialist)
Upper Primary (Years 5-6) - Uzer Coskuner (PLT Leader)
Specialists (Prep-Year 12) - Ben Everson (PLT Leader)

Secondary Community Leadership

Lower Secondary (Years 7-8) - Eva Collins (PLT Leader)
Upper Secondary (Years 9-10) - Gabrielle Riddle-MacArthur (PLT Leader)
Senior Secondary (VCAL) - Vu Nguyen (PLT Leader / Jobs, Skills & Pathways)
Senior Secondary (ASDAN) - Jo Portelli (PLT Leader)

To develop a strong home-school partnership, Parents/Carers main point of contact for school communication should be your child's classroom teacher. This can be through SeeSaw, by phone (leave a message at the school office) or by appointment (SSGs can be booked through the school office. Whole School communication will continue to be sent out through Xuno email and SMS notifications. Our staff and students are supported by many learning and wellbeing staff who work outside of the classroom.

Leadership Team

The senior leadership team are responsible for managing the daily operations within the school and leading our annual implementation plan (AIP) actions focused around Learning and Wellbeing.

Bernadette O’Sullivan - Leading Teacher (Transitions & Partnerships)
Kelly Sherrard - Leading Teacher (Curriculum & Assessment)
Gabrielle Maher - Learning Specialist (Professional Learning)
Julie La Bouchardiere - Leading Teacher (Disability Inclusion)
Michelle Zammit - Leading Teacher (Mental Health & Wellbeing)
Helena McAloon - Leading Teacher (Community Engagement)
Alex Baynes - Social Worker (Child Safety Officer)

Principal Team

The principal team is the executive leadership team responsible for the overall management of the school, delivering DET and School Council policy decisions, and leading our school strategic plan (SSP) to improve student outcomes.

Anthony Jackson - Principal & Executive Officer of School Council
Robyn Procak - Assistant Principal
Matt Gravatt - Business & Operations Manager

Please do not hesitate to contact one of us if we can be of assistance to you and your family. The office staff may also forward any queries to a member of our leadership team who have a range of differing responsibilities in leading our school community.

Family Handbook (A to Z)

We have developed an updated, online Family Handbook (A to Z) with key information about school operations at Jackson School. This is addition to information publicly available on our website.

We want your feedback. If there is something that doesn't make sense or if there is something that is missing that you would like added, please email us on: jackson.sch@education.vic.gov.au

To view our updated 2023 Family Handbook (A to Z) please click on the link below:

2023 Family Handbook (A-Z)

Essential Information

To support families with the start of the 2023 school year, our administration team have compiled essential information in the pages in this issue which provides you with all the necessary information to start the year. This includes:

Should you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us on

(03) 9366 4322 or email us at jackson.sch@education.vic.gov.au.

Thank you for your continued support as always. I look forward to welcoming our staff, students and families back to school next week.

Anthony Jackson

Principal