Altona Green Primary School Newsletter

A Message from David

It has been such a joy to have the whole school back together again. We are again so impressed with the way that the students have settled back into the routines of onsite schooling and have loved seeing the students being back with their friends again. Our staff have worked hard to balance the wide range of learning and wellbeing needs of our students as they have returned and have prioritised reconnecting with the school and peers, re-establishing routines and structures, opportunities for collaboration and having some fun. We cannot believe that there are only 5 weeks left of the school year and we want to make the most of every day together.  

2022 Class Structures

As per previous years, we have spent considerable time discussing and analysing possible organisational structures for the upcoming year to maximise the learning opportunities for all of our students. We consider the needs of all of our individuals, both academic and social/emotional, and strategise over possible combinations and structures that will set all students up for success in 2021. 

 

For 2022 we have decided that the class structure will remain the same as 2021, namely:

  • 3x Prep Classes
  • 3x Year 1 Classes
  • 5x Years 2/3 Classes
  • 4x Years 4/5 Classes
  • 2x Year 6 Classes

We are also highly aware of the interruptions to learning for the second consecutive year for all of our students and see the above model as the most effective in supporting all students and addressing any learning gaps that may have occurred due to the interruptions. 

 

We would like to ensure all parents and carers that we have a focus on growth for all students at Altona Green and our teachers work hard in their teaching teams to ensure that their teaching and learning programs are carefully designed and implemented and each student's progress is carefully monitored.

2022 Specialist Subjects

Our 2022 Specialist classes for P-6 will remain the same as 2021, namely:

  • the Arts (including Visual Arts and Performing Arts)
  • STEM  (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)
  • Physical Education
  • Languages (Italian)

We will also be continuing with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program.

2022 Staffing

We are very pleased to announce that Sarah Martin will be joining Altona Green in 2022. Sarah is a highly skilled and enthusiastic teacher who is a very welcome addition to our teaching team. 

 

We are in the process of assigning teachers to classes and this will be communicated to our school community on our final Step-Up Day on Tuesday 7th December and via a future newsletter.

End of Term Events

With only a few weeks remaining, there is still so much happening at AGPS! Here are some of the upcoming events:

  • We will be holding the prep information night (remotely) for the 2022 preps on the 1st December
  • We have more transition sessions planned (internal step-up days and 2022 prep transition)
  • Grade 6s have their graduation evening on the 9th of December
  • We are also really excited to have been able to plan a Year 6 excursion and sleepover at school on the 2nd December AND the Year 6s are going to Adventure Park on the 15th!
  • And we are going to have a whole school fun day/Xmas day on the 13th of December. This will include a modified Christmas concert and lots of fun activities for the students (including DUNK THE TEACHER!!). Details of the event will be published via Compass in the near future.

COVID Update

Whilst restrictions have eased in the community, we are adopting a cautious approach as the virus is still very prevalent in our community. We thank everyone for their support in implementing the changes to support the safety of our community.

  • At this stage, we will continue with the staggered finish times and allocated gates as we aim to minimise adults on the school grounds.
  • Parents and carers are still asked to not enter the school buildings. The only exception to this is the main office where you must sign in using the QR code and wear a face mask.
  • We are balancing our commitment to our Term 4 events whilst minimising the chance of a COVID case within our community. Specific information about each event will be communicated as needed.

As always, if your child is feeling even a little unwell, please keep them home and get them tested. 

Parent & Carer Vaccine Requirements

Parents and carers who enter school buildings must have had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and must have had two doses of COVID-19 vaccine by 29 November 2021 or have a valid medical exception with the following limited exceptions:

  • when attending to administer medical treatment to their own child when the treatment cannot be administered by the school
  • when attending to collect their child who is unwell and cannot leave the school building unaccompanied by their parent/carer.
  • when attending for a momentary period that does not involve any sustained contact with staff or students, for example, to collect a completed art project or similar.

Parents and carers attending school sites for drop off and pick up who do not enter school buildings do not need to comply with vaccination requirements.

Staff Appreciation

This week is Staff Appreciation Week at Altona Green. It is a great opportunity to recognise and celebrate our wonderful staff for all that they do. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of our staff throughout this year. I am constantly amazed at the positivity, enthusiasm and creativity of our staff and this was certainly highlighted through the challenges of this year. I am so proud of all of their contributions to making AGPS such a special place and the amazing level of care and support that they provide for all of our students - THANK YOU! 

 

And thank you to all the families that showed their appreciation on Thursday with kind words, gifts, cards and other goodies. The staff certainly felt appreciated!

Transition

On Thursday next week we are having our first step-up day. This is an opportunity for all of our students to experience a taste of what the next year level will be like and to work with a range of other children in the school. It is also an opportunity for the staff to see how combinations of students work together as we work towards creating class lists for 2022.

 

Please note that the class that your child is in during this step-up session is not their 2022 class and the teacher they have is not their 2022 classroom teacher. We are still organising class lists and teacher placements and will continue to do so over the next couple of weeks. We are aiming to get this information out to everyone in the 2nd last week of school.

Thank you for all of your support in adapting and adjusting to the changes over the past few weeks. The whole community has been incredibly supportive which has helped to ensure the smooth transition that we have had. I look forward to an action-packed end of year filled with lots of fun and excitement.

 

Take care,

 

David