Principal's Report

Curriculum Day Monday 1st August

Staff will be working with Colin Sloper (Grift Education) to continue our learnings on Professional Learning Communities and how collaborative practices lead to better student outcomes.  In the afternoon session Nadia Abdelal will be presenting to staff on problem solving in the classroom and how we can continue engaging students and helping students solve multistep and more complex mathematical problems. 

This professional learning is important to ensure our staff continue growing in their own practice and are better equipped to assist students at all levels. 

Team Kids are available for care on this day. 

COVID update 

Just a reminder to all parents that the isolation protocols still apply. If your child tests positive, they must isolate for 7 days, and we need you to ring the office to notify us for our reporting purposes. It is important that you ring us or email the school so we can collect the information needed for our attendance data. If you email us, we need your child’s name, the date they tested positive, if they have any symptoms and what kind of test you used.

Rapid antigen tests 

The Victorian Government is providing up to 3 further deliveries of rapid antigen tests (RATs) to schools in Terms 3 and 4, 2022. These have already been distributed to staff and students who require them and who are symptomatic or household contacts. 

Enrolment for 2023

By the mid-point of the academic year, our planning for the following year begins to really ‘ramp-up’. This includes reviewing our staffing model, reflecting on our budgeting processes and projecting our student enrolment. If you have a child you wish to enrol for 2023 (especially in Prep) please ensure these forms are presented to the office ASAP. 

Child Safe Standards 

The Victorian Government has announced new Child Safe Standards to further strengthen child safety across organisations, including schools. The new standards recognise the critical importance of families and the broader school community in maintaining and promoting child safety and wellbeing. 

Langwarrin PS has reviewed and updated our child safety policies and procedures to ensure they meet the requirements of the new standards. These are available to view on our school website.

We are committed to continuous improvement in our approach to child safety and wellbeing and welcome feedback from families and members of our school community on ways we can further strengthen our child safety policies, procedures and practices.

Staffing

It has been well documented in the media about the shortages of teachers (including relief teachers) across the state.  Mrs Pepper works from 6am (as our daily organiser) ensuring she contacts our CRT agency as early as possible to find replacements for ill teachers.  This year it has proven to be very difficult to fill all places.  This puts pressure on other programs across the school such as tutoring.   This may also mean your child’s grade is split more often than we would like. 

Please understand the school does everything in its power to try to fill teacher vacancies due to illness. 

Have a great fortnight, 

Mark Moorhouse

Principal