Acting Principal's Report

COVID-19 Impact on Staffing

The media has been reporting news of 'staff shortages amid COVID-19 and flu outbreaks' and we too have been experiencing this challenge. On any given day so far in Term 2, we have a number of teaching and support staff on leave with illness (not only COVID-19, but also other general personal leave) or to look after unwell family members at home. 

Ms Soutar is working tirelessly behind the scenes trying to cover absences as soon as they are known and re-adjust timetables for the day ahead.  Casual replacement teachers have been very difficult to source due to the level of demand from schools and lack of supply of workers. 

We are so far meeting this staffing challenge thanks to the flexibility of our teaching and support staff who, day on day, step in to take classes and to take on roles to cover any gaps we have so far faced.  I personally want to thank all those staff.  Unfortunately this has impacted our tutor learning program, our LOTE program and our disability inclusion support. Also there are days where we still haven't been able to cover classes, which has resulted in us having to split classes, above and beyond what would be typical.

Thank you Bunnings - Carrum Downs

We received a generous donation of vegetable and herb seedlings.  It was great to see the Year 4 students down at the farm planting and watering our new seedlings.  If you are around the school at drop off or pick up, please wander down the fence line and see our veggies growing. 

National Simultaneous Storytime 2022

Yesterday our whole school participated in National Simultaneous Storytime at 9.15am.  Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools and childcare centres.  This year’s book was ‘Family Tree’ by Josh Pyke and Ronojoy Ghosh. Ms Soutar read the text over our PA and all the classes viewed it on their screens.  This event promotes the value of reading and literacy. Afterwards, it was lovely to see many classes discussing the text and completing some follow up activities.

Nicola Pepper

Acting Principal