From the Principal
Dear Families
School vision: Together we support each other… so far this year we have had phone calls, conversations and family meetings to start the year in supporting each other. The role of educating children has not become easier and more than ever, teachers need families and families need teachers to continually support each other with the common goal - your child! We genuinely want your children to succeed and at times we require your help. Please see these opportunities to engage with staff as a positive and know we are supporting your child.
Facilities: Yesterday Kristy, Anna, Lara and myself participated in a training session that is designed to help schools manage facilities over a 5 year plan. Schools receive some funding for priority areas such as roof leaks and annual planned maintenance funding that the new program helps us manage. Lots of new learning for all of us. It’s fascinating to see the funding and how it MUST be spent to complete various jobs. We have no ability to reallocate funding from here to other areas of the school such as teaching staff or resources.
Professional learning: How many books were read to you before you turned 5? How many books have you read to your children before they turned 5? Last night Kerryn McKeon led staff through a rich language learning session. We learnt more about the three tiers of language and how important it is to expose young children to as much vocabulary as possible. Our staff will be trying to introduce new words to your children and hopefully these words will move from their short term memory into their longer term memory and be used in their writing and communications. I wonder what new words you have learnt recently? Perhaps you can help us out too and have a family discussion around some new words and we can enrich our student’s vocabulary together.
NAPLAN: Not long now until the national assessments take place. It’s a little earlier than usual but hopefully we receive the data back sooner so we can act accordingly. We wish all the participants the best and we know that these tests do not define you as a person or dictate what you can do in life. This is a snapshot of where you are at personally and helps us teachers know what to work on with you next. Wouldn’t it be great if NAPLAN included the Arts, PE, STEM, LOTE etc and also captured the human element of our students. Families, help your child prepare, get some good sleep patterns in, chat positively about the tests and be ready to celebrate whatever their achievements are.
Photos: A busy start on Monday with our new photography company Leading Image. The processes they had in place were well used with well over 120 families engaging in the family photo option and the majority of families purchasing photos. Thanks to Jen and Anna for your efforts coordinating the day and making it run smoothly.
Staff & Families: This week we farewell Hollie Stewart and Jessie Clarke and wish them both all the very best as they leave to expand their families. We hope Hollie and Jessie get a little rest in before their new arrivals! Thanks for your work this term in Year 5, Hollie and Jessie! We also wish Damien Horbury and wife Sami, all the very best, as their second arrives soon too. Mr H will be around a little bit at the major sporting events to ensure Mr Hughes hasn’t forgotten how to run them and will be back for term 2 in PE!
Ride To School Day: Ms King has been planning RTSD again and will have more information in the newsletter. Let’s see if we can keep up the amazing efforts of the last few years and have as many people as possible ride/scoot/skate to school on this day. Don’t forget to wear your helmets!!! Keep your eyes out for where Ms King says the year levels can park their wheels!
Parent helpers: Thanks to Ann, Kerryn and Kristy for hosting the parent helpers training today. Great to see loads of last year’s parents in the refresher session and then some newbies for the rest of the session. As you know, we need your help in our roles and value your work when at school and home. Thanks to everyone involved. Don’t forget to look over the materials that the team discussed with you and we keep in line with the Child Safe Standards too.
Policies: We have a large number of policies that are frequently updated and we encourage families to read and offer feedback or improvements. Sometimes the feedback will go back to DET if it is a Department policy but we can adjust local policies with ratification from School Council or sometimes just the Principal. Our website (http://www.ogps.vic.edu.au/index.php/policies/policies) houses the that have recently been reviewed and will be ratified at School Council next week. Please send any suggestions to the school email: ocean.grove.ps@education.vic.gov.au
International Women’s Day: I hope we can all take a few moments to recognise the women in our lives, celebrate them today and take this great opportunity to thank them for their various contributions and impact they have had on us. Have a fantastic International Women’s Day!
Have a great week everyone.
Scott McCumber
Principal
