Aitken College Newsletter

 

Principal's Message

                                                                     Mrs Josie Crisara

Welcome Back

Welcome back to an exciting new year! Excited students, excited staff and excited parents. It was a real pleasure to greet students and parents on their first days at school. Our focus for learning this year will be on:

  • Relationships
  • Learning in the classroom
  • Wellbeing (and in particular Learning Resilience)

I encourage students to participate in all aspects of school life. There are sports, performing arts, clubs and other co-curricular activities in which students can participate and look at for developing their interests and passions. 

 

Parents can do the following things to support their children:

  • Be interested
  • Be involved
  • Be supportive regarding expectations
  • Be in communication
  • Establish clear expectations
  • Help students be excited about learning and not worried about failing (these can be teachable moments)
  • Learn to listen and not try to “fix” the problem

Share our values: Compassion, Honesty, Integrity, Kindness and Respect.

Capital Works

Some major capital works were started over the holidays:

  • Dunhelen undercover basketball court, Dunhelen field and passive spaces (which are nearing completion)
  • Landscaping around Cumberland Village
  • Cumberland playground (supported by Parents and Friends Association)
  • Improved fencing and security around the College
  • Outdoor teaching spaces around the Food Studies and Kitchen Garden building

We will shortly commence Stage 1 of the Primary School Building, incorporating 12 classroom spaces and 4 indoor and outdoor learning commons catering for students in Years 3 to 6 as well as specialist spaces for Visual Arts, Technology and Performing Arts to cater for Prep to Year 6 students. Later in the year, we look forward to the State Government announced signalisation of the College intersection and associated works on Mickleham Road.

New Staff

This week we also welcomed the following new staff who will be working part time with students this year:

  • Ms Phoebe Oti - DET Literacy tutor – Years 7-9
  • Ms Gabby Plummer - DET Numeracy tutor - Years 7 and 9
  • Mrs Maria Moscatelli - Counsellor (NSCP)