Principal Report 

Dear families,

A somber start as we send our love to the people around Australia who have been battling extreme floods in their towns. We also send our condolences to those families who have lost loved ones, both here in the floods, and those families around the world in countries who are currently in conflict. We are so lucky to be getting our lives back on track in leafy Mooroolbark. 

Teaching and Learning

For those students that require support with reading our initiatives, LLI and MaqLit, are up and running. The next imitative is in-class tutoring by the class teachers. The students identified for this support range from those that need a push in reading, writing or maths to be at level or those that are at level and could be pushed to be above. Support will be in place for next week to allow teachers one hour of additional time to support a small group. Across the 2 weeks all teachers work with small groups, these are students who will receive a little more attention to help them achieve their goals. 

Mr. Smith and Mrs. Warner have also started Spotlight Literacy and Numeracy. If your child's data shows they are above level and need to be extended they will be invited to attend the sessions. Numeracy will focus on solving and creating escape rooms using maths. Literacy will focus on creative writing. 

All of these initiatives are reviewed regularly and students can come and go as required. Feel free to book some time to talk about them if you have any questions. 

Welcome picnic

Thank you to everyone who ventured out to join our welcome picnic for our new prep and our existing grade 1 & grade 2 families. It was a long 3-year wait for some families due to the interruptions over the last few years, but we got there. The grade 6 leaders provided us with their after school support to run our BBQ, drinks station and sports games. I would like to thank them and their families for their support. I would also like to thank the staff who attended and helped support the night in the background. It was very much appreciated. 

Getting to know you interviews 

Another late evening for our teachers to attend this week was our 'Getting to know you Interviews'. Speaking with teachers as they are conducting the sessions they are sharing that the information they find our about your children is really valuable in helping shape their teaching this year. I appreciate the time you have given to connect with them, as well as the time the teachers have shared to meet on Zoom. 

Funding secured - Shade Sail Grant

We have been successful in receiving a funding allocation of $25,ooo for a new outdoor shade sail. This must be used to create an outdoor learning space. We will be using the funding to create a shaded area as you enter the Boorai from Cheriton Drive. This is an image from another school with a similar size shade. I am hoping this will be in place for term 3 so our current prep and grade 1s get to use the space this year. 

We have not been successful in gaining a large cover for the Quad area. I will continue to lobby all political parties for funding and will be inviting them into the school so they can the see what we need. There is a clear need to provide a covered connection between the main building and the Boorai. It will also be extremely useful for hosting outdoor events and class spaces. See the images below for what we will be asking the government for. 

We have also completed the front gates, front of the school and the bike enclosure. We will need a little bit of help from families at the working bee to finish the covering in the bike enclosure as well as add some plants around the front. 

We have also resurrected the long/triple jump pit. Mrs. Layton insisted we needed to have a space that was suitable for children to practice these events, something she is very passionate (and skilled) about. I think the pit and the efforts I watched today are well worth the time and investment. 

Working Bee 

We would love to get as many parent and student helpers as we can for our upcoming working bee on Friday 18th March. After 2 years of no official working bees, we would love to give the place a good clean up. The wonderful support we received after the storm last year really helped make the work easy, showing that many hands make light work. 

Assembly - Friday 11th march

We will be hosting an assembly on Friday 11th March. Our first one together as a school. We will host the assembly outside on the Quad. Double vaccinated parents will be allowed to attend.

Wishing you a great weekend. 

Craig