Principal's Page
From Christian's desk....
Education Week Tours for Current Families
On Monday I am inviting our current families to tour the school with me to launch Education Week. If you are interested in hearing more about the school and how it may have evolved since you last walked through our campus, please meet me at the school office at either 9:15am or 2:45pm.
No Recess? Only 30 minutes of Lunch? More Learning Time? WAIT! WHAT?
This week, Year 3 persuasive writing ignited some passionate discussion after they were told by their teachers that I was considering reducing their break time in favour of more learning time.
Despite the students’ arguments and passionate pleas for break time to enjoy fresh air, move and play I stood firm, stating that our educators are paid to focus on students for all but 30 minutes of each day! Further passionate arguments were raised, including my favourites: ‘letting the staff spend more time with their friends’ and ‘the students doing additional learning on Saturday’! The latter led me to contact the Minster for Education [sic]! We finally agreed that the usual 40-minute recess and 40-minute lunch breaks would stay if the educators promised to keep working hard!
Thank you to the Year 3 team for planning and facilitating such a fun and engaging way of teaching the power of persuasive language.
Stereotypes at Croydon Hills Primary School and Your Role in Helping us Buck the Trend.
At Croydon Hills Primary School we proudly promote equality, student voice and agency. This is evident through both our everyday learning programs and our extracurricular opportunities we offer. Read more in our Parent Information Book HERE.
Despite some great examples of targeted approaches to breaking gender stereotypes, eg: Girls AFL, Robo Girls (STEM) and Boys Netball, the school has identified some trends that we believe can be combatted through collective encouragement. Namely, the promotion of boys in leadership (read more about these opportunities in our Student Leadership Policy), boys' participation in some of the Performing Arts (eg Dance Club, Wakakirri and Choir) and a lack of female representation in Chess Club.
At home, we invite you to (continue to) have conversations and model behaviours promoting and supporting concepts such as:
- There aren’t sports that are just for boys or girls.
- Leadership presents in a variety of ways; quiet leaders can often be the most influential!
- Science, Politics, and Performing Arts in the public have gender imbalances – let’s challenge that together!
School Council – Wednesday 17th May
Next Wednesday 17th May School Council is meeting in the staffroom at 7:30pm. Amongst other discussions, the school’s Confirmed Budget will be tabled by the Finance Committee, and the Education Committee will present the school’s reviewed Homework Policy and Attendance Policy.
All members of the community are welcome to attend School Council. Guests are required to announce their intention to attend by emailing School Council President Sian Jamison or me via our personal emails or directly to the school’s croydon.hills.ps@education.vic.gov.au
Christian Holdsworth - Principal