Highvale Happenings

Leadership Report

Thursday 25 May 2023

 

Dear Parents, Students and Friends,

Student Events, Activities and Programs

There is always plenty happening at Highvale P.S.  During the past few weeks, our students have been busily participating in or preparing for a range of events, activities and programs.  Some of them are listed below.  Readers are encouraged to check the other Highvale Happenings menus to stay informed.

  • Education Week
  • School Dental Van
  • School Photo Day
  • Choir
  • Celebrating the Cheung Chan Bun Festival
  • Table Tennis Clinic
  • John Monash Science School 
  • Math Olympiad
  • Student Representative Council – Dance Off
  • VHAP English
  • Leadership And Multicultural Program (LAMP)
  • Instrumental Music

Student Voice – Our New Senior Playground is Coming

In Term 1, our student leaders began the process of sharing their thoughts and ideas for our new senior playground. Our student leaders looked at a range of different playgrounds from different companies and considered the features that they wanted most in a new playground. Students from Year 3-5 were also surveyed to find out what they wanted. Providing an opportunity for Student Voice was a very important part of the process. 

The most popular features were listed in the communications with the playground companies and they designed five different playgrounds. These included:

  • Activity Cube
  • Monkey Bars
  • Bridges
  • Incorporate a ‘circuit’ where students can move around in different directions.
  • Speakers
  • Slide

These proposals were taken to the student leaders who voted on their preferred playground. The final choice received 36 votes with the next highest receiving 6 votes. It would be fair to say that the Year 6s overwhelming selected this playground with input from all students from Years 3-6. 

 

The School Improvement Team and the School Council were also consulted before making the final decision and undertaking the procurement process. 

 

Therefore, we are pleased to announce the final choice of our playground – see the images attached. We believe it will take 8-12 weeks to build so our student leaders who have worked hard on the project will have the opportunity to enjoy it! It’s another great example of student voice at Highvale Primary School.

School Review – Community Feedback

This term, our school community are provided with opportunities to provide feedback about our school’s performance during the current School Strategic Plan period 202-2023. This information is used to inform the Pre School Review Evaluation (PRSE) which is prepared by the School Improvement Team (SIT) and then assessed by the School Review Panel. The panel includes an independent School Reviewer, School Council President, two external principals, a DET bureaucrat, Principal, Assistant Principal and teacher representatives.  A summary of some of the opportunities provided for community input are described below.

 

Students

On Tuesday, groups of students from Year Prep – 2 and Year 3 – 6, participated in some focus group discussions with Mr Crozier, Mrs Fegan and Mr Smith. The focus was on student perceptions of student empowerment at Highvale P.S. with specific emphasis on student voice, agency and leadership. These all support effective learning, wellbeing and engagement. The information collected will be used to inform our evaluation of this area of our work, together with a range of student surveys. 

 

Parents

Thank you to the many parents and carers who have already responded to our recent surveys. 

 

We received 17 submissions to our ‘Preschool to Prep Transition Program’ survey which will assist with planning for next year’s Prep students. Thank you, 2023 prep parents.

 

The ‘Out of Hours School Care Survey’ closes next Monday 29th May.  We have received 34 submissions so far. We welcome your input if your child uses or has used the Academy For Kids program.

 

Our ‘School Review Parent & Carer Survey’ – closes on Friday 2nd June. This survey is for all parents and carers of students who attend Highvale P.S.  We hope you can provide your feedback to assist us with evaluating our work and planning for the next four years. We have received 33 submissions so far.

 

Survey results, focussed on Learning, Wellbeing and Engagement will be shared and discussed at School Council and with the School Improvement Team as part of the School Review process.  These will inform the PRSE.

 

Where possible, a summary of results will also be shared to the school community through the school newsletter.

 

Staff

Throughout the next fortnight, staff will be involved in a number of forums and focus groups to assist with the evaluation of our current School Strategic Plan Goals.  These are focussed on Learning, Wellbeing and Engagement.

 

Staff will review and reflect upon the 2022 Annual Implementation Plan evaluation and make recommendations for future planning.  As well, staff will review the Framework for Improving School Outcomes (FISO 2.0) ‘similar school data’.  This enables us to look closely at how our school has performed against similar schools during the past there years.   

 

School Council

On Tuesday 13th June, our School Council members will reflect upon an overview of school and system data as well as community input. This will enable members to reflect upon the big picture and context of our school. Some key questions will include:

  • What is working well and what changes might be considered?
  • If we make this e changes what are the possible implications? 

Online Child Safety! - ThinkUKnow Parent/Carers and Student Presentation

As part of our commitment to student safety and wellbeing we encourage all parents, carers and members of the school community to attend our ThinkUKnow presentation. It will be held in the MPC on Wednesday 21st June at 7.30pm. It will be run by police officers who will share tips and strategies to help you keep your child safe when they are online. Given the increasing use of technology, it has never been more important to attend such sessions. We encourage all families to send a representative on the evening. Please note, this is not suitable for students given the topics covered.

 

The parent and carer ThinkUknow session will be followed up with a student session on the final day of the term, Friday 23rd June. This will provide Victorian Curriculum aligned age-appropriate information, to all students from Preps – Year 6. This supports the curriculum being taught in classrooms.

https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/

Celebrating the Cheung Chan Bun Festival

A group of our English as an Additional Language (EAL) students had a great time making bun towers with Mrs Sinclair, Mrs Luk and Mrs Tan on Monday morning! Mrs Luk and Mrs Tan even made real buns and students all got to sample them which was really lovely.  Thank you!

 

Our students also composed procedures explaining how to make bun towers.  This week, each class will be given an A3 copy of the text along with an example of a completed bun. 

Student Representative Council (SRC) – ‘Just Dance Off’

We are having a whole school JUST DANCE OFF! This is an exciting Student Representative Council initiative and a further example of student voice. Classes are busy choosing their song options, making sure that each class has a different song for their dance.

 

Dances will be performed at the end of term and we hope parents can attend to join in the fun.  Teachers will send further information home through School Stream so keep an eye out. 

Lost Property

Parents are requested to check with their child for missing belongings including school uniforms and food and drink containers. The Lost Property cupboard is already overflowing with items after just four weeks of term. 

Organisation and Responsibility

It is important for your child/ren to build organisational skills and take responsibility for their items. This is always a focus at school. One way to monitor commonly misplaced items such as flasks, lunch boxes and uniform apparel is to make a simple chart at home. 

 

At home, take a photograph of the items you expect your child to bring home each day and make a chart for your child. Items might include your child’s Home Reading book, laptop, school windcheater or jacket, flask, lunch box etcetera.  Have your child unpack their bag when they arrive home and place a tick next to the item. 

 

Acknowledge success! Praise and encourage. When something goes missing, discuss this with your child. Have them take responsibility and follow up at school. Where an item is not recovered, how might your child contribute to a replacement? Especially by Year 3 or 4.

Education Week

Last week we celebrated Education Week.  Below are some photographs capturing some of the Education Week theme – ‘Active Learners: Move, Make, Motivate’.  Thank you for sharing Year 3 and 4 students.

School Policy Consultation and Updates

Highvale Primary School regularly reviews and updates our policies and procedures to ensure they meet Department standards. These are available to view in our newsletter (see Policies section) and on our school website.

 

We are committed to continuous improvement in all of our approaches and welcome feedback from families and members of our school community on policies, procedures and practices. 

 

Policies currently under consultation and/or review can be found in the School Policy Consultation and Update section of the newsletter.

 

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions, please contact our school office on 9877 8000 to be directed to the appropriate staff member.

School Tours and 2024 Enrolments

School Tours for Prep 2024 and new Year 1-6 students are provided on Wednesday mornings between 9.30-10.45am. Due to very high demand, tours must be booked through the school office (9887 8000). If you have friends, family or neighbours with school age children, especially those commencing Prep in 2023 please encourage them to book a tour to find out more about our wonderful school and community.

 

The virtual tour is available at https://highvaleps.vic.edu.au/

 

I look forward to seeing you around our school.

 

Steve Richardson

Principal