Principal's Desk 

Corinne Pupillo 

Dear parents, carers and friends of the school community,

Welcome back, everyone!   I hope that our families enjoyed the school holidays and spending time with family and friends. 

I would like to acknowledge and thank all of those who are diligently working behind the scenes to provide the rich educational experience our students deserve.   I would also like to make a special mention of the teaching teams who have been completing formative and summative assessments which inform your child's Personalised Learning Support Plan which was sent home to parents and carers at the end of the last term. 

Vale: Brock Worcester 

It's with a heavy heart that I inform our school community of the passing of one of our 2019 Graduates.  Brock was spontaneous and mischievous but staff and students connected with him because of his caring and gentle nature.  This photo was taken during Education Week in 2019 when all the Emergency Services visited the school. Brock was a student that was engaging, curious and inquisitive.  This is what we loved most about Brock during his learning journey at Jacana School for Autism.    

Our sincere condolences to the family during this very sad time.  

Rest In Peace 

Eid Mubarak! (Happy Eid!)

Eid al-Fitr - which means 'festival of the breaking of the fast - is celebrated at the end of Ramadan, a month when many adult Muslims fast.  It was lovely to see students and staff celebrating or acknowledging this important event on the calendar.

Important curriculum day changes to note 

As you know from the previous newsletter I noted the change of date for the Term 2 curriculum day,  Monday 9th May.  No students are required at school on this day. 

All staff will be participating in the Level One Protective Intervention Training. 

The Protective Intervention training courses equip individuals with a wide range of de-escalation strategies to deal with challenging behaviour and encourage positive relationships in their working environment. Training is delivered by experienced instructors and tailored to the specific needs of those taking part. It has been specifically developed for the Victorian Department of Education and Training.

Additional Pupil Free Day - Friday 10th June 

The department recently reached an in-principle agreement with unions, as bargaining representatives of employees in the Victorian Teaching Service, on a proposed replacement enterprise agreement that will apply to teaching service employees (eligible employees). School Councillors endorsed an additional pupil free day so teachers can participate in a common professional practice day which will also alleviate the workforce pressures.   Parent/carers have been advised of the additional pupil free day and a reminder text will be sent to all families prior to the day. 

Program for Students with a Disability - Year 6 / 7 Reviews

There are currently 10 students undergoing the Year 6/7 Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) Review process. As part of this process, each student has undergone a Vineland and Speech Assessment.  Thank you to Natalie Conboy for your support with this process.   

Mother's Day 

Wishing all our Mums a very special Mother's Day on Sunday.  I hope you all manage to celebrate this special day and received a gift from our Mother's Day stall!  

Term 2 Student Support Group Meetings 

The term Student Support Group (SSG) meetings are a vital way to support students learning and well-being development.  SSG meetings will be conducted after school again this term. The aims of the Student Support Group are to: 

• ensure that those with the most knowledge of, and responsibility for the student, work together to establish shared goals for the student's educational future; 
• plan reasonable adjustments for the student to access the curriculum; 
• provide educational planning that is ongoing throughout the student's life; 
• and monitor the progress of the student. 

Parents/carers will be given the opportunity to meet from 3.30 pm - 4.30 pm in weeks 4, 5 and 6 (Monday 16th May – Thursday 2nd June). Staff are also looking forward to continuing to build positive relationships with families in order to best meet the needs of your child/ren.   

Education Support Staff Day – 16th May

Every day, education support staff work to keep our schools running, support our students to learn and our teachers to teach.

On 16 May each year, we join unions across the world to celebrate hardworking Education Support Personnel (ESP).

The focus of the international ESP Day is to let Education Support Staff know how much they are appreciated, highlight the value of their work and most importantly seek to improve their working conditions and wages.  I encourage you to reach out to our Education Support Staff to thank them for their contributions and care. 

Staffing Update 

A warm welcome to our new staff,  it's great to have you all on board.  

• Amelia Frantz - Classroom Teacher in Room 4 
• Daniel Keane - Classroom Teacher in Room 16
• Travis Witten - Classroom Teacher in Room 26 
• Katharine Tutnjevic - Learning Specialist

Unwell Students 

Each morning when students are getting ready for school, I ask that you be mindful of how your child is presenting.  If they/he/she is feeling/looking/ acting unusual or is complaining of being unwell please take them to the doctor. Minimising the cross-infection will assist in reducing the risk of spreading the winter bugs and viruses.

All student absences can be made through the dedicated student absence notification number. Text the student's name, room number and reason for absence.

Make sure you have the student absence notification number saved in your contacts: 

0439 114 197

Aerial View - Jacana School for Autism

This aerial photography has captured our school from above to complement our school's Virtual School Tour.    Please take a look and see how wonderful the facilities look from above.  

School Council 

School Council Meeting 

The next meeting of the School Council will occur Thursday,  19th of May at 5.30 pm.

School Council Sub Committee Representatives

• Finance Sub Committee Representative - Mark Mansfield 
• Building and Grounds Sub Committee Representative – Denise Clarke
• Fundraising Sub Committee Representative – Lisa Sette
• School Council Representative on Student Representative Council (SRC) –TBC 

Reminder: Our newsletter is published each fortnight and will provide you with important information about the school and events that may be of interest to you. I encourage you to read the newsletter that will be sent home via your home email, on the school's Facebook Page or on the school's website. 

JSA also has a Facebook Page administered by the leadership team.  Please like and follow our page.