Principal News

Dear Parent/Carer

Welcome to our first Parent Newsletter of Term Two. Despite the slightly staggered and extended start to the Term we have had an action packed 3 weeks as you will see in this edition of the Newsletter.

Stand out events from a whole school perspective include NAPLAN week, our recent Curriculum Day and the launch of the findmyschool website.

School Zones and capacity

In April DET completed a review of school zones and launched the findmyschool.vic.gov.au

website, as a result;

All parents are able to identify our school’s zone using the Department’s new findmyschool.vic.gov.au website.

This website is the single source of truth for all Victorian school zones and hosts the most up-to-date information.

It highlights the choice of public schools available to the Victorian community.

Our school can use this website to support families seeking enrolment, and have fair, transparent conversations about how enrolments at our school are managed using the Placement Policy.

Findmyschool.vic.gov.au is designed to complement the information our school received at the end of Term 1 about using capacity information to better support enrolment decision making.

As part of this process the school’s zones remain broadly unchanged.

Curriculum Day 26th April

Our last Curriculum Day saw the launch of a major new Annual Improvement Plan (AIP) initiative.

The Day was facilitated by Sophie Murphy and Luke Mandouit from Melbourne University. Sophie and Luke are knowledgeable and engaging presenters with a track record of supporting schools to accelerate student outcomes. I know that our long term collaboration with them as lead learners will build on our collective efficacy and take it to the next level.

NAPLAN Week

NAPLAN week has now concluded. We again chose to sit the paper tests due to concerns regarding the online testing; the correct decision considering problems experienced with the online tests in some schools.

The testing environment at the College has been calm and supportive. Once again very few students were exempt of withdrawn; reflecting our philosophy that no student should feel they are excluded from testing.

Child Safety

On a different note the College remains committed to ensuring the safety of all our children.

Brookside College: Commitment to Child Safety

Brookside College is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This will be the primary focus of our care and decision-making.

Brookside College has zero tolerance for child abuse.

Brookside College is committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Particular attention will be paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability.

Every person involved in Brookside College has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role he/she plays individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

The Brookside College Statement of Commitment to Child Safety is underpinned by the following principles for child safety adapted from Our Community (2016) Child Protection Toolkit: What every not-for-profit organisation must do now. “In its planning, decision-making and operations Brookside College will;

1. Take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety,

2. Value and empower children to participate in decisions which affect their lives,

3. Foster a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks of harm to children,

4. Respect diversity in cultures and child rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount,

5. Provide written guidance on appropriate conduct and behaviour towards children,

6. Engage only the most suitable people to work with children and have high quality staff and volunteer supervision and professional development,

7. Ensure children know who to talk with if they are worried or are feeling unsafe, and that they are comfortable and encouraged to raise such issues,

8. Report suspected abuse, neglect or mistreatment promptly to the appropriate authorities,

9. Share information appropriately and lawfully with other organisations where the safety and wellbeing of children is at risk; and

10. Value the input of and communicate regularly with families and carers.”

Kind regards

Simon Sherlock - Principal