Principal's Report
A slim newsletter this time reflecting the realities of lock down.
Restart post lockdown 5
It is wonderful to have students and teachers back onsite for the momentum of learning to continue. The Head Space website outlines the advantages of onsite and online learning, and I wanted to highlight the benefits of learning at school:
- You'll be able to concentrate harder on your learning because there’ll be less distraction than if you were at home.
- You can gain greater understanding, stories and real-world examples from teachers and other students
- You have a greater chance of completing your course successfully by doing it in a classroom situation. (Completion rate of teacher-led classes is almost 5x higher than that of on line learning)
- You may feel more comfortable and learn more easily in a familiar, traditional classroom situation.
- You can access more information and richer understanding through teacher and other students’ body language and voice.
- You have the opportunity to connect with, problem-solve, and network with other students from a wide range of backgrounds.
A further advantage for students on site is the opportunity to show the Positive Learning Behaviours which provide the ‘how’ of learning. These behaviours enhance each student’s capability in improving and achieving their best every lesson, every day at school. Teachers are monitoring the Positive Learning Behaviours of students and will report on them this term.
https://headspace.org.au/young-people/face-to-face-vs-online-learning/
Post lockdown 5 and there are new guidelines that schools promote and follow to keep everyone safe. These guidelines are based off the health advice from our Chief Health Officer. Mask wearing is mandatory on public transport, inside and outside the school grounds and hand sanitiser is available in each class and at entry points to buildings. If students are feeling unwell, they should stay home and get a covid test and return after a negative result. Good hygiene practices are so important: wash hands regularly, do not share food, sneeze or cough into elbows. Our aim is to prevent the virus permeating into our community and affecting healthy and vulnerable populations.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
New furniture
New tables and chairs in G Block certainly improve the learning environment. There is a concerted effort to beautify this area so that it is an attractive and functional space for teaching and learning. Lockdown has meant that this task was achieved without interruption to the timetable.
2021 Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey
WE WANT OUR PARENTS/CAREGIVERS/GUARDIANS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK!
Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents and carers think of our school. The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is conducted amongst a sample of randomly selected parents/caregivers/guardians (previously known as the Parent Opinion Survey). It is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, student engagement and experiences of remote and flexible learning. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies. Approximately 30 per cent of parents will be invited to participate in this year’s survey. All responses to the survey are anonymous. This year, the Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey will be conducted from Monday 2nd August to Sunday 22nd August.
The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the fieldwork period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones.
Eleni Stathatos - Principal