PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

2020 has been a year like no other, the challenges everyone faced were truly unimaginable as we witnessed one of the most significant shifts in the history of our education system, the move to remote teaching and learning. Throughout all of these disruptions, school staff remained dedicated to supporting students and providing the best possible education.

We know that it was not easy for students, particularly not being able to connect with their friends and we are grateful to parents, often juggling their own work commitments with home schooling. We should all be congratulated for our strength and resilience. I want to take this opportunity of acknowledging and thanking all my staff for their creativity and for having kids at the heart. I want to particularly mention the support of Matthew Vines, my assistant principal and Christine Priddle, our amazing business manager to ensure that South Melbourne Park is a place where children love to be. With our very first School Strategic Plan in hand, I look forward to nurturing the new generation of curious minds and cultivating joy in learning in 2021.

SCHOOL REVIEW FINDINGS

Every four years’ schools undergo a review process to evaluate the effectiveness of their School Strategic Plan (SSP). In our case as a new school, the review panel focused on assessing our Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) goals as we did not have a SSP. It was a rigorous process involving an independent review consultant, the Senior Improvement Education Leader (SEIL) from Bayside Peninsula (Department representative), two challenge partners, principal from Princess Hill PS and a professor from Melbourne University, our school council president (representing the parent body), learning specialist Paul Dobney, Matt Vines and myself. The review panel spent three days looking at our achievements and highlights, talking to key stakeholders such as parents, students, teachers and education support officers. The review panel also observed teachers and students at work in the classroom. It was a very rewarding experience to be given feedback and acknowledgment of the hard work of our teachers and leadership team. Below are the key findings of this review and key directions for our first ever School Strategic Plan.

SUMMARY OF KEY REVIEW FINDINGS

Context

The Panel noted that as the school’s founding year was 2019, a School Strategic Plan (SSP) had not yet been formulated. As such, for this section of the review, the Panel focused on assessing existing goals in the school’s Annual Implementation Plan (AIP).

AIP Goal 1:

The Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) for South Melbourne Park Primary School set a goal to develop shared values and a strong vision of a brand-new school that nurtures student belonging and connectedness.

The Panel found the school partially met this goal, with four targets assessed as met and two targets assessed as not met.

AIP Goal 2:

The second AIP goal aimed to improve literacy outcomes for all students

The Panel found the school met this goal, with both targets assessed as met.

Findings against the Terms of Reference Focus Questions

Terms of Reference Focus Question 1:

To what extent does the school differentiate the curriculum to support the individual learning needs of all students?

The Panel found that teachers knew their students well and utilised data to differentiate the curriculum, particularly in the areas of literacy and numeracy. The Panel concluded that the school needed to further develop teacher capacity in order to build effective data/assessment literacy practices, thereby informing teaching and supporting the individual learning needs of all students.

Terms of Reference Focus Question 2:

To what extent does the school nurture curious minds?

The Panel noted that the school had a clear vision to inspire curious student minds.

The Panel found however, that opportunities existed within the school’s teaching and learning framework to further develop and enhance the students’ thinking and growth mindsets as outlined in the school’s learning philosophy.

The Panel concluded that the development of an agreed whole school pedagogical model was the next step in building a consistent whole school approach in nurturing curious student minds.

SUMMARY OF KEY DIRECTIONS FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL STRATEGIC PLAN

The School Review Panel recommends the following key directions for the next School Strategic Plan:

Agreed whole school pedagogical model
Student voice and agency
Building leadership capacity
Data literacy

As a result of the above key directions, our goals for the 2021-2024 School Strategic Plan is outlined below. Each year the Annual Implementation Plan specifies key improvement strategies directed to achieving the SSP goals. At the end of four years, we begin the review process again and evaluate our work and targets.

To improve literacy and numeracy outcomes for all students.
To empower students to develop curious minds, self-belief and thinking mindsets in their learning.
To improve the wellbeing of all students.

NEW STAFF TO SOUTH MELBOURNE PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

It gives me great pleasure to introduce our new staff:

Kate Rhind (transferring from Glen Huntly PS) – Prep R

Andrew Beattie (transferring from Blackburn PS) – 1/2 A

Brianna Stephens – Year 3-6

Anne MacKelvie (transferring from Saltwater P-9 College) – LOTE Spanish (Working Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)

Jesse Teichelman (transferring from University High) -Integration Aide

Magda Tiemens – Office Administration (working Tuesday)

STAFF LEAVING SOUTH MELBOURNE PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Sadly, we said goodbye to Jenni Bradley-Cahalan last week, we thank her for her contribution and for making a positive difference with the students that were in her care. She was an outstanding integration aide and will be dearly missed.

GRADUATING CLASS 2020

Last week we celebrated the achievements of our 2020 graduating class with a special assembly. I would like to wish our Year 6 students, Indiana, Dylan, Abcedy, Durarte, Declan, Inaya and Geordan all the very best as they venture onto secondary schooling. We congratulate the following Year 6 Award Recipients:

Duarte Monteiro Da Silva Albert Park Rotary Club Award

Inaya Syeda Josh Burns Macnamara STEM Award

Indiana Donnelly SSV Academic and Sporting Achievement Medal

BUILDING FUND AND PLAYGROUND PROJECT UPDATE- 2019 & 2020

Over the past two years, the school has raised $21,458.00 for playground equipment and $24,253.00 for the Kitchen Classroom project. Unfortunately, we cannot join these two amounts as the Kitchen Classroom project funds are directly from the Building Fund and must be used for the purpose of buildings. The playground project is an accumulation of parent voluntary contributions and fundraising over the last two years.

MINOR CAPITAL WORKS FUND

Regretfully our school was not successful in gaining funds from DET for the purpose of play equipment. We will of course pursue other grant opportunities when they arise and continue fundraising efforts for this project. I am sure that 2021 will be a prosperous year of fundraising.

THANK YOU TO FAMILIES & FRIENDS

Thank you to Families and Friends, especially Claudette Llapitan our president. In amidst a global pandemic, lock downs and parents ‘doing it tough’ they still managed to raise approximately $3000, this is a fantastic achievement. This figure will increase as we add sales of the cookbook.

THANK YOU TO SCHOOL COUNCIL

I would like to thank School Council for their work in 2020, especially the work of our subcommittees. I want to acknowledge and thank Freya Owen our school council president for stepping up and leading school council during this difficult time. I have truly appreciated school council’s support in what has been an unprecedented year.

2021 STAFF LIST

For your reference I have included our 2021 staff members.

Prep Team

Prep S Noha Soulibe Team Leader

Prep R Kate Rhind

Prep H Hasnaa Hamid

Prep W David Webb

Year 1/2 Team

1/2 V Laura Vallance (Nee Edwards) Team Leader

1/2 K Emily Kurts Team Leader

1/2 Y Naomi Yamashiro

1/2 P Tiffany Pantano

1/2 L Nick Lovett

1/2 A Andrew Beattie

1/2 B Cate Bain-Lowry

Team Multi-age

Year 3-6 D Paul Dobney Team Leader/Learning Specialist

Year 3-6 H Bruce Huynh

Year 3-6 S Brianna Stephens

Specialist Team

Visual Arts Lena Cirillo

Performing Art Lisa Paech

PE Jarn Osman

STEM Vy Vu

LOTE – Spanish Anne MacKelvie

Literacy Support Natalie Brass

Tutor Lisa Breen

Education Support Team

Integration Aide Ahlam Elakkoumi

Integration Aide Sarah Atkins

Integration Aide Guilia Bruno

Integration Aide Jesse Teichelman

Administration Team

Library Technician Lisa Breen

Business Manager Christine Priddle

Office Admin Kym Dolan

Office Admin Magda Tiemens

Principal Class

Assistant Principal Matt Vines

Principal Rosemary Cosentino

Maintenance Graeme Halas

Tech Support Colin Mountney

Have a wonderful festive session and a Happy New Year.

Rosemary Cosentino

Next newsletter Thursday 04 Feb 2021

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Thursday 04 Feb 2021