PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS
Thank you for coming along to meet with the teachers for Parent Teacher Interviews this week. It was great to see everyone engaged in discussion about the strengths and areas for focus for their children.
We will gather feedback from parents regarding the reporting and parent teacher interview process next term.
FANTASTIC TERM
We have had a busy term with some fantastic events and activities for everyone to be involved in!
Prep's had a light and sound incursion and our Xenica Community went to Scienceworks. We held our ANZAC Day ceremony, Mother's Day stall and celebrated Reconciliation Week. Our students participated in Cross Country, we had our school photos, an AFL clinic with Essendon Football Club and started Park Run!
Congratulation to Red House: Don Bradman, for winning our inaugural Athletics Day! We had a fantastic day and it was great to see everyone involved! Special thank you to our parents who volunteered to run some of our events.
TERM 3
Term 3 will see some exciting additions to our school! Our canteen will begin operation, which I'm sure all families are looking forward to! Construction of our playgrounds will begin, which we anticipate will be ready for early Spring! Basketball rings will also be installed on the outside basketball courts.
We have some new staff joining the Ulysses team of teachers, we welcome Trent as a classroom teacher and Chloe as one of our support staff. We look forward to meeting them next term!
Next term our school will begin being part of the Departments initiative, School Wide Positive Behaviour Support.
SWPBS assists schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for children and young people.
When SWPBS is implemented well, teachers and students have more time to focus on relationships and classroom instruction. Students and staff benefit from:
- increased respectful and positive behaviour
- increased time focused on instruction
- improved social-emotional wellbeing
- positive and respectful relationships among students and staff
- increased adoption of evidence-based instructional practices
- a predictable learning environment with improved perceptions of safety and increased attendance
We will send a team of staff from our school to participate in professional learning about the initiative for the next three years.
LANGUAGE SURVEY
In 2020, our students will begin learning a Language, we would like your input into which Language we choose as a school. All year levels will be involved in learning the Language and we see it as a great opportunity for our students.
A survey link will go out to parents next term. Once we finalise the survey results, we will hire someone to start our Language classes in Term 1 2020.
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT UPDATE
Thank you for your support and understanding with the traffic management for our school.
Below is an update based on information received from our local council:
- 40 zone now in place between 8 - 9:30am and 2:30pm - 4pm
- morning & afternoon parking zones have been installed
- provision for school crossing is now in place
- crossing supervisors has started
- please follow the parking signs and do not park on or near the crossing area
- local council has advised that no part of a car's tyres can be on the nature strip. 2 wheels can be on the concrete gutter but not the nature strip. Some families have already been fined for this.
- future school traffic is expected to use the Council’s sporting precinct car park to the south, construction is due to start later this year.
In the interests of pedestrian safety, please use the footpath to enter the school rather than walking through the car park. Please refrain from parking on the grass as this is illegal and may result in a council penalty notice. Can we also remind families not to park in or drive into the drive way or staff car parks.
We thank you for your understanding and for ensuring our students are safe.
CRAIGIEBURN PARK RUN
Park Run is a worldwide event held each Saturday morning at 8am, participants walk/run for 5ks. Each week times are recorded and available on the website. Park Run was designed to get people to be more active and involved with their local community. We would love families to come along and join us.
As a school, we will be present on the last Saturday of each month, so please come along and join us!
Max in the Argus community is running in this year's Run Melbourne. He's running for 5ks and raising money for Foodbank. If you'd like to donate or find out more, please see the link below.
Good luck Max and well done for contributing to such a good cause!
June 29 July 27 August 31 September 28 October 26 November 30
For registration click here: https://www.parkrun.com.au/register/form/
More information: https://www.parkrun.com.au/highlands/
SOFTBALL CENTRE
Below is the concept plan for the Softball Centre behind our school. The centre will include a playground and barbecue area, sports field, dog park, seating and walking paths. The Centre is being developed by Stockland and Hume Council. There is also a car park which will have paths to enter our school from.
The project should be completed by Summer 2020, possibly sooner. Stockland will be conducting earthworks to prepare the site over the next 3 months. During this time, machinery will not be used during pick up and drop off school times.
I have attached a copy of the plan as well as the Highlands master plan which outlines future work for this area.
This area will be a fantastic inclusion for our community and will become a well utilised area for our students and families.
