From the Principal - Mr Simon Cobiac

Dear Families and Community of Blackfriars Priory School,

School Events to Conclude 2018

Parents are warmly invited to attend the following events to conclude the 2018 Academic Year:

Thursday 29 November @ 2:00pm:     Year 10-11 Awards Assembly (New event)

Thursday 6 December @ 10:00am:     Year 7-9 Awards Assembly (New Event)

Wednesday 5 December @ 6:00pm:   Primary Awards Night with Carols

Community Volunteers Recognition Evening

Invitations have recently been forwarded to parents and community members who have assisted Blackfriars in a voluntary capacity throughout 2018.

The purpose of this new event in the School Calendar is to express our appreciation to all volunteers who have contributed their time, skills and talents for the benefit of the Blackfriars community; enabling our School to provide an outstanding education and learning environment to our students.

I anticipate, however that even with our best efforts to record and contact all volunteers there may be some volunteers who have been overlooked. If this is the case, please contact Ms Angela Honner (Development Office) by email: ahonner@bps.sa.edu.au to register your attendance. RSVP by: Wednesday 28 November. 

Calendar 2019

Blackfriars Priory School provides an inclusive and progressive educational environment where boys [along with girls in the ELC] have every opportunity to find their pathway in the world.

Our vision is to deliver excellence in education through the provision of a transformative, vibrant and reflective learning community that equips and inspires our students to confidently and successfully participate in a rapidly changing world.

The dynamic and diverse nature of education, families and society require constant review of our processes and structures. Our current School Term dates have therefore been reviewed to ensure the needs of students are being met in an educationally responsible manner.

The areas identified for review in our current School Calendar were:

1. Half-day finishes to conclude School Terms
2. Dominican Formation Week for staff (Final week of Term 2)
3. Report Writing Day
4. Terms 2 and 3 delayed commencement for staff Professional Development days

The issues of concern regarding the current School Calendar focussed on:

1. Terms 2 and 3 half days and delayed commencement – creates child care issues for families
2. Half Days – responsible for significant absenteeism of students typically 30% of students
3. Dominican Formation Week - causes significant disruption to student learning with all staff engaged in off-site Dominican ethos reflection and professional learning
4. The high cost of providing relief teachers for Dominican Formation Week
5. Report Writing Day – this process is now redundant with the move to continuous online reporting that is available to parents through SEQTA.

Changes to the 2019 School Calendar

1. A Staff Professional Development Week in July has been created.

• The week is scheduled for Week 10 of Term 2
• This Professional Learning week for staff will provide continuity in Professional Learning for Dominican Formation, Pastoral Care and Wellbeing and Learning and Teaching.
• All student half days have been removed from the School calendar.

2. Terms 2, 3 and 4 will commence on the official South Australian Term dates. The 2019 School Terms are provided below:

Term 1  Tuesday 29 January - Friday 12 April

Note: ELC, R-8 and Year 12 commence Tuesday 29 January; Year 9-11 commence Wednesday 30 January

Term 2  Monday 29 April - Friday 28 June (3 week term break)

Term 3  Monday 22 July - Friday 27 September

Term 4  Monday 14 October - Thursday 5 December

Benefits of the Changes to the 2019 Calendar

1. No reduction in the teaching and learning time for students.
2. Better timing to maximise student participation and remove significant disruption to learning and teaching.
3. Educationally and fiscally responsible.
4. Reflects evidence-based research that identifies students’ school attendance and participation in learning is generally at the highest point at the start of the school year and wanes towards the end of the first semester.
5. Provides students with three weeks holiday during a time when sickness is higher.
6. Parents can organise a week block of OSHC (available at Blackfriars), if necessary.
7. Aligns Blackfriars with many other independent schools.
8. Provides staff with the opportunity for professional learning that is meaningful and continuous.

I trust that the parents/caregivers of our community are able to appreciate the identified benefits to the School, the student and the family logistical dynamics.

Announcement of Assistant Principal: Religious Identity and Mission

It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of Mr Matthew Crisanti to the position of Assistant Principal: Religious Identity and Mission (APRIM).

Mr Crisanti was originally appointed to the position of Religious Education Coordinator in August 2016. He has been in the Acting APRIM position in 2018.

I congratulate Mr Crisanti on his appointment to this role and trust that the Blackfriars community will join me in wishing him well and offering wholehearted support in this very important role within the School.

Looking forward to seeing many of you at the end of year events that are scheduled to take place over the coming weeks.

Yours sincerely

Mr Simon Cobiac

PRINCIPAL