SCHOOL LEADERSHIP MESSAGE

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

COVID update

Cases are on the rise in our community with a number of students absent either with COVID or quarantining because someone in their household has COVID. We also have the largest number of staff we have had to date home for the same reasons. We are finding it increasingly difficult to staff the school and for that reason some staff who are household contacts have been granted an exemption to work, generally attending for essential duties only or where we have exhausted other options. My main message for the next two weeks until the end of term is to be kind and patient with each other. Our community may experience some delays as we have to prioritise duties because of staffing shortages. 

At the start of the year we knew we would face challenges, and this is one of them. The cost to schools remaining open is that we will be buffeted by rising cases, however, I believe most people would still agree that this is preferable to lockdowns. As always the best thing each and every one of us can do, and is in our power to control, is to wash or sanitise our hands regularly, wear masks, and to socially distance where we can. Although not mandated, masks potentially increase the time you can spend in the company of someone who is COVID positive without catching the virus.

NAPLAN

This week our students undertook the practice NAPLAN tests. We have been a pilot school for the online format of testing and have been doing this now for three years (although NAPLAN testing did not go ahead in 2020). All schools will be undertaking the tests online this year. There are several benefits to the online tests, one being that they are what we call adaptive. This means they respond to and change the questions based on the students’ answers making the tests much less stressful for students as they are pitched at the right level. The feedback over the past few years is that students also find these tests more engaging as they are well used to undertaking testing type activities online and have a high level of familiarity with online platforms which leads to higher levels of comfort. 

We use the results from the NAPLAN tests to do something which we call ‘triangulate’ the data. We compare a student’s results in NAPLAN to other data we have (at least three sources, hence the word triangulate). Students at KSC additionally complete Renaissance and ACER testing regularly. This data also helps decide a student’s placement in their English and Maths classes in Years 7-9.  If NAPLAN shows us something very different to the other data, we investigate to see if there is an issue with a particular skill. All these tests help us narrow down areas of strength and improvement in individuals, classes and cohorts of students. In other words, it is highly valuable. It helps guide our teaching programs. Parents and carers also receive a summary of their student’s results.

Several parents may be familiar with the MYLNs program (Middle Years Literacy and Numeracy). Students who perform in the bottom lowest two bands on the NAPLAN tests become eligible for extra tutoring via this program. Currently, this allows us to run a larger number of English and Maths classes than we might normally so that the students most in need of help, get it. In some classes, students may observe that they have two teachers, this is again to support those most in need. This is a significant resource and of benefit to those students who may have struggled with their Maths and English for some time.

For all these reasons we ask that parents encourage and support their children to undertake the NAPLAN tests. Over the past few years the media has negatively portrayed these tests which has led to increased anxiety for parents and students. As mentioned, students at KSC are used to taking a number of online tests, the NAPLAN is just part of our assessment program. We treat the testing days as any other day and like we always do, we encourage students to do their best without fear of judgement. We are proud of all our students and our focus is always on growth irrespective of where students start from. This is what we celebrate with our students.

Staffing for term 2

We are very pleased to have Ms Coleman back on deck at school and would like to recognise and thank Mr Mahoney for teaching her Year 12 class this term. In Term 2, Mr Mahoney will resume teaching his Year 8 Health class and his Year 10 Maths class (VET stream). Ms Coleman will resume teaching her Year 12 Maths class in Term 2.

We would also like to welcome Ms Deal who is taking a Maths/Science allotment of classes. We are excited to have her join the team at KSC. As previously mentioned, Ms Hill has also started at KSC and she is taking a Humanities/English allotment including taking over from Ms Dauphin whilst she is on long service leave. Mr Wilson will be Acting Principal in Term 2, and Ms Anthony Acting Assistant Principal.

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews are scheduled for Thursday evening, 7th April and will be held online over Teams. Parents can book these via our Compass portal. If you are having any problems accessing Compass, please contact the General Office on 5655 1566.

For new parents, we hold our Mentor 360 Interviews each term and all students meet with their mentor teacher. Parents are also welcome to attend. Over the past few years, these have been held either face to face or over Teams. 

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews are another opportunity to meet, specifically with your student’s subject teachers – these interviews are different to Mentor 360 Interviews where the student and/or parent/carer meet with the students mentor. Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews are most highly recommended for students in Years 10-12 although all parents/carers can book a Parent/Teacher/Student Interview. ALL students are expected to attend their Mentor 360 Interviews, parent attendance is encouraged at these but not expected.

A reminder to all our families that the last day of this term, Friday 8th April will be a Student Free Day to enable staff to move out of A wing offices/General Office. We will also be conducting some professional development on this day whilst the removalists move furniture. The General Office will also be closed for the day to enable their shift to the existing Careers Room in the centre of A wing.

Principal - Vaya Dauphin

Assistant Principal  -  John Wilson