Rolling Hills Primary School Newsletter

Principal Report 

Dear families,

 

As we arrive at the end of 2020 I would like to express my gratitude for the continued support by all members of the school community in what has been a ‘most unusual’ year for us all. It would be easy to focus on the negatives, the sacrifices everyone has made, and the things we have all missed out on, especially the children.

 

What I want to do is focus on the good this year……

 

We end the year with a school community coming together at last. I feel that everyone is really grateful for the connections we have with each other. Although it feels like the whole of the world is limping to the end of 2020 it is nice to feel that we are connected again in Victoria and soon across Australia. 

 

Maybe we had gotten used to how good we had life and we may have taken things for granted. The pause in everyday life has taught us how lucky we are to have one another and that our shared purpose is the children at Rolling Hills. 

 

Our children have really stepped up. I feel they have gone beyond showing 'resilience' and have shown a real 'fortitude' to continue their learning this year. They have worked hard to improve their learning with you in the background supporting them. I can see that they have improved in their communication, ICT, and organisation skills. We will work hard on keeping that level up! 

 

As a family, you have connected more with our teachers and staff than in a normal year. Drop off and pick up has been on the hour via Zoom rather than the morning rush and afternoon dash we often see. This has been a great experience for us and one we wish to continue into 2021. 

 

I am looking forward to closing some aspects of 2020 off while being mindful of what we would like to continue to keep from our new way of being ‘normal’ this year.

 

On behalf of all the staff, I want to wish you a happy, safe, and restful holiday period. You all deserve it!

 

Best wishes,

Craig Bradley

 

PS - Most of you will be pleased to know that you are not your child's teacher next year ; )

 

Around the school news:

  • We will have 18 grades next year and between 380-385 students, this means we will use the Performing Arts room as a classroom in 2021. It is the school's coolest and warmest room. PA will happen in the OSH care building with production rehearsal in the gym. Yes, that is right, grade 3-6 will be putting on a school production led by Mrs. Warner and the PA Captains.  
  • We will have a 34 teacher hired by the time you read this newsletter - details will be shared with the families in that class by the end of Wednesday 
  • We say goodbye to Miss Saffin and Mrs Harrison who start parental leave. We also say goodbye to Miss Pauer in our library area. Some of the new faces in the ES support team will also say goodbye this term, Miss Davis, Miss Wright, and Miss Cornwall. I want to say thank you and wish those staff members all the best in the future. 
  • We welcome Miss Stait (Prep), Mr. Pedley (G2), Mrs. Munnecke (56), and Mrs. Murcott (56), and have a few faces continuing with us into 2021 and beyond, Miss Peirce, Miss Mccandlish, Mrs. Creed, and Miss Hartrick (who completed her registration last week - congrats!)
  • We also received a grant for our Chaplain Angel to continue into 2021 which is great news. 
  • We do have three proposals on the horizon for new play equipment. We will share them in the new year, open up discussions with families, then choose one and book it in. Get behind the P&F next year and make it a great year for them. The support for them for the Christmas stall is much appreciated. 
  • Leadership Team - I would like to congratulate Mr. Smith (Numeracy), Mrs. Cripps (Literacy), and sharing a role will be Ms. Minton/Miss  Hodgett (Instructional Practice) on their appointment to leadership positions in 2021. They join me, Mary (Curriculum), and Emily Murcott (Wellbeing Literacy) as the school improvement team.
  • Our main focus next year will be on catching-up, stretching, or shining a spotlight on those children that are academically talented.  We will be making sure we have happy children and that we continue to build on the strong connections from this year with have built with our communities. These are areas we feel we are already making great progress with. 
  • ES team will be adapting their ES support model in 2021 with a team approach to those children that require support. We aim for this to be more equitable and efficient as support is directed to the point of need when concerns arise. 
  • The tutor program has been big news in the press. We started tutoring children this term and will continue next year. I can share that all of our children have made gains in term 4 in the stretch program. Ms. McCann will be leading the tutoring in the lower primary with teacher release offered in the classes that have children for grades 3-6. We will share more on the specific approaches in 2021 when we return. 
  • I am pleased to share that we had over 40 pieces of writing for our first writer's anthology. This is a book we will have published over the holidays and shared with the families of the children participating. We plan to continue this into next year for those students who love (or need a push) writing. 

And lastly.....GOODBYE GRADE 6 STUDENTS AND THOSE DEPARTING FAMILIES. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!

 

LEGACY 2020

FUN IN THE SUN