PRINCIPAL'S NEWS

Welcome to Murputja Staff Bulletin Number 8

Thank You!

As it is almost the end of term it is the perfect opportunity to reflect on what an amazing term we have shared together. Although for a significant portion of the term we were impacted by reduced student numbers, we have managed to achieve an enormous amount together. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their tremendous hard work throughout the term. I hope that you all have a well earned break over the holidays and that you take the opportunity to catch-up with family and friends whist also enjoying some downtime relaxing. 

The review of our Site Improvement Plan 100 Day Action Plan during last week's staff meeting really demonstrated the enormous progress that, collectively, we have already made. It is important to remember, that as a small school we do not have the large group of staff to action these improvement efforts. So well done everyone and thank you all very much; it really is appreciated!

T2 Governing Council Meeting

I am very pleased to say that last week's Governing Council meeting went very well, with 10 community members and 3 staff members in attendance. A significant portion of the discussions during the meeting centered around sharing the planning work that we have progressed throughout the term and seeking the feedback and input of the Governing Council. I shared in detail the work that we have been doing in reviewing and developing a draft revised Site Improvement Plan. Feedback from the community regarding our intensive focus on reading improvement was very warmly received with the Governing Council strongly endorsing our revised Site Improvement Plan and with many community members expressing their appreciation of our work in improving reading outcomes for their children. This highlights to me just how important this work is and we should be encouraged by the fact that our community also appreciates the importance of our work in improving students' outcomes through reading improvement.  

Murputja Anangu School Vision Statement

I am very pleased to say that Governing Council fully endorsed both our revised Site Improvement Plan and supported our draft Vision Statement. It is wonderful to know that, as a community, we are all committed to a shared focus on improving reading. 

This is our collective moral imperative!

Whole School Timetable T3

Thank you to everyone for their collaborative efforts to develop a whole school timetable focused on providing intensive support to during our daily literacy block. 

This is an important aspect of our improvement efforts. 

As discussed at staff meeting, a carefully considered timetable focused on the intensive and intentional teaching of literacy and numeracy is critical to improving student learning outcomes. Our trial the attached timetable will run during weeks 1-5 of term 3 with adjustments made as necessary.

The key benefits of the timetable include:

• daily literacy & numeracy blocks
• additional in class support with 'all hands on deck' during literacy block
• daily 1:1 reading intervention support
• entry assessment processes for new students
• weekly collaborative planning options for staff
• thematic/collaborative teaching

Can teachers please make sure that the timetable is printed and displayed in the classroom by the end of term.

Walk Throughs and Feedback

As you are aware, I love spending as much time as possible in the classrooms and as an instructional leader a vital component of my role is working alongside teachers in the classroom observing, supporting and providing feedback. 

I have structured my timetable to enable me to spend as much time as I can in the classrooms either observing or supporting with instruction and reading intervention. 

Walk-throughs are an observation and feedback process which I will perform on a regular basis to monitor the teaching and learning occurring in classrooms. My goal is to provide written feedback to teachers on a weekly basis with the feedback largely focused on your planning and teaching in the SIP priority areas of reading and numeracy.

Staff Norms Development

During this week's staff meeting we begun the process of drafting 'agreed staff norms'. 

Whilst this may seem 'a little pointless' developing agreed staff norms when we all get along and work together so well, it is important that we invest the time now so that we continue to work in this manner. 

Documenting our agreed norms now ensures that these 'valued behaviours' are embedded into our culture now and promoted as 'the way we operate at Murputja' as the staff make-up  inevitably evolves over time. 

Attached below are the 'valued behaviours' that we identified during the course of our conversation and a statement linking these behaviours together. This document will be shared at an AEs meeting this week with feedback and contributions sought. Hopefully the draft document can be finalised early next term. Please feel free to share any feedback with me.

Near Miss and Injury Reporting

Please note that information outlining Near Miss and Injury reporting have been added to the Induction/Staff Handbook tab of the Staff Bulletin. Please read this information carefully and be mindful that as DfE employees we are required to report all 'near misses' and injuries to both adults and students.

Student Learning Portfolio

As discussed over the past few weeks we have agreed to trial the use of 'Student Learning Portfolios' to support our reporting processes during Semester 2. Student Learning Portfolios will provide both students and parents regular work samples which highlight both the learning being undertaken within the classes, but more importantly the child's ongoing development of skills and abilities. 

Attached below is a template which has been developed to ensure a consistent approach/format throughout the school. 

Teachers are reminded to update the Student Learning Portfolio each week by adding a minimum of two work samples with the attached proforma which outlines the task, learning intention, success criteria and feedback/teacher's comment. 

End of Term Expectations

Heading into the final half week, it is important that we utilise the remaining time available  to ensure that we are prepared for a successful start to term 3.

As discussed at last week's staff meeting:

Prior to departing at the end of T2: 

Have classrooms prepared and setup in readiness for Term 3 ie.

• Tables and benchtops thoroughly cleaned
• Floors vacuumed/mopped (including under/behind furniture where practical)
• Whiteboards/TV screens thoroughly cleaned
• Furniture setup ready for day 1
• Stationery sets sorted/restocked
• Bins emptied
• Clutter eliminated
• Random bits’n’pieces binned
• Class library updated with new reading material
• Classroom displays updated to indicate ‘the learning ahead’ ie Temperature,
• A Whole-School cross curricular thematic unit plan developed for weeks 1-5
• Create classroom display based on  T3 theme/learning, 'Alphabetic Code', Timetable and laminated Learning Intention Display
• Create Student Learning Portfolio folders for students expected to return in T3.

Prior to the start of Term 3

• Teaching programme for weeks 1-5 in literacy/ numeracy (with daily lesson learning intentions and success criteria from the AC)
• Teaching programme for weeks 6-10 in literacy/numeracy (with daily lesson learning intentions and success criteria from the AC)

Classroom Displays

What do your classroom displays say about the learning and teaching going on in your classroom? 

As discussed at staff meeting last week, during my regular 'walk throughs' in your classroom, I look at the classroom displays to get a sense of the learning which is occurring in the classroom. I ask you to look at the learning displays in your classroom and ask 

'What do your classroom displays say about the learning and teaching going on in your classroom?'

I would expect that anyone visiting your classroom should be able to look at your classroom displays and be able to clearly see the learning that is occurring and the specific skills and understandings that are being taught.  This is a very key component of becoming a proficient teacher and something that I ask all teachers to invest time and energy into on an ongoing basis. Even if you only have one or two students, the intended learning should be clearly evident, with student samples regularly updated and added to. 

As a leader I am modelling this with the development of the reading intervention room as a space for me to display the learning that we are undertaking as a school. This will be further expanded next term as our new teacher preparation space is created in our current store room. 

Prior to the end of term, I ask that you please invest significant time in creating multiple (2-3) visually engaging classroom displays which highlight term 3's intended learning.

 COVID-19 Advice to Employees

Please read the attached COVID-19 advice carefully.

Mobile Phone Policy

The attached Mobile Phone Policy was endorsed at last week's Governing Council meeting. Essentially this means that any students with a mobile phone are required to hand the phone into the front office at the start of each day, where it will be stored in the school safe. The phone can then be collected at the end of the school day.

Blue Light Disco

A special thank you this week to both Astrid and Glenn for their work in preparing and facilitating the end of term Blue Light Disco. They are both to be commended for their work in preparing this special community event for our students and the communities of Nyapari and Kanpi. Thanks so much.

10-Year Early Learning Strategy Announced

The new Early Learning Strategy will deliver support for child development, parent engagement in learning, responsive local services and increased participation in early childhood settings. It also aims to support all our preschools to be world class, with a focus on leadership, teaching and learning, and system support.

Cadbury Award Winner

Congratulations to Anthony, last week's winner of the staff 'Cadbury Award'. Anthony was nominated for his commitment (planning on Sunday's), for keeping an open mind to the teaching of reading and for 'Staying on the Lands'.  Thanks Anthony!!