Principal's Report
From the Principal...
It is amazing to think we are currently in Week 6 of Term One.
The school review and capital works projects continue to occupy much time but in a productive and collaborative manner. On Monday we had our final review day where the reviewer and panel presented their findings to our leadership team. From there, we were able to agree on goals and targets for the next strategic plan. I want to thank all staff, students and community members for their time and efforts to provide input in to the process.
Particular mention needs to go to Lorrie Dell for her comprehensive work on the VRQA requirements, Kit Vati for attending the validation day and giving up time from her busy work schedule, our two challenge partners – Chris Chant from Caulfield Junior College and Richard Lloyd from Westall PS. Other mentions are Sally Berryman and Courtney Mason who are our current learning specialists and their roles will certainly be instrumental in leading whole school change in the near future. Our SEIL (Senior Education Instructional Leader) also attended and Stuart Andrews had extensive input in to the final outcomes. Behind the scenes, Brodie and Jan from the front office kept the panel nourished with food, soft drink and fruit platters. The panel really appreciated their efforts.
In a nutshell, the school has developed goals that address the priority areas of the school in relation to learning and teaching. The goals may appear broad in nature, but it is up to the school to now develop the actions that will ensure these goals and targets are achieved. Ormond PS had much to celebrate as we analysed trend data over the last few years, particularly in the areas of Spelling and Mathematics. Our intensive focus on Writing in 2018 is yet to be truly apparent in panorama reports or data sets. This should be more evident in 2019, so we are looking forward to seeing how we tracked. The students at Ormond PS indicated how much they thrive when they are challenged and when they have choice and ownership over their learning. This has become the focus for 2019 and beyond and therefore the panel has recommended the following priority areas:
- To continue to improve Literacy outcomes across the school with a stronger emphasis on Reading, whilst still ensuring there is a rigorous approach to the teaching of Writing.
- To empower our students through student voice and agency, building intellectual engagement and self-awareness relating to learning and educational outcomes. This will in turn help to better prepare our students for transition from primary to secondary locations and beyond.
Facilities and Grounds
Unfortunately, our regular maintenance staff member has been unable to work as scheduled at our school and although we have sourced other temporary alternatives – the school has a number of items needing addressing. The lighting in the student toilet block has been corrected and no longer can students turn on/off the switches which has led to darkness. The toilet lights are now fully operational on a sensor system.
The facilities sub-committee is looking at a range of more modern seating arrangements to upgrade our existing outdoor furniture. More information around this will be communicated after the next facilities meeting.
Staffing News
As the community knows, Jade Zajonc will be taking maternity leave to have her first baby. We are naturally delighted for her and her family. The handover to Kim Stewart will be comprehensive and will involve significant crossover time so that both teachers can discuss where every child is at with their learning and any additional information as well.
The students all know Kim Stewart which will make this transition as seamless as possible. Jade will continue in a support role across the school working with students or with teaching teams to maximise planning and peer observation opportunities. She will be highly valued in this role across the school.
School Elections and AGM’s
Last night I convened the AGM for the Parent and Friend’s Association which involved nominating people for the office bearing positions of President, Treasurer and Secretary plus other roles including Class Representative Co-ordinator and Communications Officer. It was wonderful to see new faces at this meeting and again I thank the P&F for all they do across the school and the partnership they have with staff and the school council.
These are the confirmed office bearers for 2019:
- President: Rachel Marsden
- Vice President: Heather Hosken
- Secretary: Kathy Litaridis
- Treasurer: Kath Spencer & Maggie Lu
- Class Rep Co-ordinator: Debbie Hammon
- Communications: Anouk Sherman
- Trybooking co-ordinator: Deb Dalidakis
Nominations are also still open for School Council and as we have a number of members who are stepping away, we urge you all to consider a role on this governing body. Training occurs early on to help support members and to outline their roles and responsibilities. There are many positive outcomes from being on a school council and your influence and input is highly valued. Parents work alongside staff and school leaders to ensure the school remains viable and accountable for future learners and families. I am happy to answer questions if any parent is considering joining our team both in the short and long term.
If you wish to nominate for school council please complete the form below or pick up one from Brodie in the office. Nominations will close on Friday 8th March. All nominees are welcome to attend next week's AGM and School Council Meeting,
A couple of safety matters were discussed by staff this week. Could families please remember that students should not be dropped at school too early each morning. This includes days where our senior students are training for interschool sport as the staff working with the senior teams are focused on their activities.
There is also a concern around the amount of balls and sporting equipment these students are working with that could come in to contact with younger students who are unattended. We have staff members on duty each morning from 8:45am and we do have a before care program which is fully supervised for students requiring early morning care.
Bike and traffic safety continues to also be mentioned by staff, neighbours and the students themselves. Could all families remind their children about the need to travel safely to and from school paying extra attention to problem areas, such as the roundabout on Wheatley Road. Child safety is an absolute priority for the entire Ormond PS community and we need to work together to model appropriate behaviours and educate our students.
Last week Lorrie Dell and I attended the South East Victorian Principal Conference which was focused on student voice and agency. The timing of this professional learning opportunity was ideal as it links perfectly in with our new direction for the school. Much of the conference was facilitated by students which enabled Principals to see the possibilities for growth and empowerment of students in their own schools. Overall, the workshops were enlightening and well aligned for the journey our school is on.
This week a number of students participated in the district swimming competition and on their return, I spoke with many about their successes at the pool and the way they positively represented our school. Well done to all who competed on the day. This Friday, we will be giving out our Junior School Council badges to those elected from Years 3 to 6. These students will undertake a number of leadership roles throughout 2019 and lead whole school special events.
Finally, just a friendly reminder that next Monday is a public holiday on March 11th and I wish everyone of you happy times with family and friends.
Out of School Hours
The April School Holiday Program will be available in the coming weeks.
Please watch Compass and the Newsletter for more information.