Parent Engagement

Dear Parents and Friends,

Thank you to those parents who braved the particularly cold weather last week to attend our second parent forum. We were able to prioritise the number of topics, and have some fruitful discussions. Feedback from the sessions will be used for future planning, with more opportunities for parents to be involved.

Parent Forum #2 2022

Key Goals

To re-engage parents in the operational matters and strategic direction of the school.
To build upon our communication and PR with parents and the broader community.
Respond to common factors raised through climate surveys and address the impacts of covid.

Forum #2

Focus Area #1: Play Spaces/ Playground Improvement/ Undercover Areas

School input- what currently exists
- Finalising quotes from a landscape architect to work with
- Basketball court and under shelter area budgeted to be resurfaced this year, currently finalising quotes
- Playground equipment is budgeted to be replaced this year
- Shade Sail Grant successful
What are we aiming for?
- Sustainability
- Nature Play
- Disability Access for All Areas
- Risk-taking/ tree climbing
- Aboriginal focus eg. fire pit
- Sensory gardens
- Inclusive spaces- calm spaces to cater for students with diverse needs
- Use of ‘screens’
- Undercover/ hall area
- Old hospital grounds access, the importance of grass space
- Engage ‘stuff’ for all ages, spans the whole school
- Common space to attract parents/ community eg. pizza oven/ bbq
- Utilising height to maximise space in the playground

Focus Area #2: Student Enrolments

School input- what currently exists
- A strong relationship with the kinder
- Use of school Facebook page
- The entrance is warm and welcoming
- Little Joey’s
- Year 5 buddy kinder visit term one
- Students representing the school well eg. manners, school uniform
- Increased public profile
What are we aiming for?
- Increased use of community Facebook page
- Student leadership eg. tours
- Kinder Open Day at school early in the year
- Continue to increase the public profile
- Connections to the Maternal Health Centre
Considerations:
- How are we identifying/ sharing our history/ culture?
- How does the school ‘make you feel?'
- How are we reaching out/ connecting/ welcoming a broader/ more diverse community?
- How are we sharing the message you don’t have to be Catholic?
- How are we sharing messages around support with financial constraints?
- How are we sharing enrolment information with the broader community?

Forum #1

Focus Area #1: Play Spaces/ Playground Improvement/ Undercover Areas

School input- what currently exists
- Finalising quotes from a landscape architect to work with
- Basketball court and under shelter area budgeted to be resurfaced this year, currently finalising quotes
- Playground equipment is budgeted to be replaced this year
- Shade Sail Grant successful
What are we aiming for?
- Shaded areas
  - Utilise levels
  - Stimulating
  - For all needs
  - Outdoor learning
  - Play/ physically active
  - Parent/ community engagement
  - Functions
- Sport/ green space
- Creative space
- Playground/ sandpit undercover
  - Playground to be aligned with both physical, emotional, and spiritual needs
- Productive veggie gardens
- Spiritual space eg. round circle, fire pit
- Accessibility/ safety
- Cultural gardens- sensory, attractive

Focus Area # 2: Learning Spaces

School input- what currently exists
- Grants applied to refurbish the upper-level corridor classes
- Master plan for all areas of the school
- Includes a discussion on the location and an updated portable
What are we aiming for?
- Flexibility/ adaptive in spaces
  - Student choice
  - Areas
  - Furniture
- Supervision
- Light
- Utilize views
- Stimulating/ engaging learning environment
- Spaces for children to self regulate
- Outdoor & indoor spaces must meet learning and learning approach
- Address heating & cooling issues
- Heritage requirements
- Sense of beauty
- Safe protective space
- Teachers like it and feel comfortable
- Aligns to pedagogy
- Ability to change through time and trends

Upcoming Events:

Tuesday 21st June we will celebrate all things winter with a celebration at school for families. Soups, sausage rolls and lantern walks. Watch this space for more information.

A Trivia night is being planned for term 3 for parents.

Please contact the office if you would like to be involved in helping out with either of these events.