Principal's Report

Dear Parents,

Our school rules are;

Be safe
Be respectful
Be a good learner

This week I have reinforced the expectation that all members of our school community are respectful of each other. Our school progresses best when parents, teachers and students work together in a respectful environment.

Respect for ourselves and others ensures that we do not discriminate others and we treat each other as equals.

Monday was International Women's Day.

IWD 2021 campaign theme: #ChooseToChallenge

A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions - all day, every day.

We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.

Our P&C meets on Wednesday 17 March at 7pm for its 2021 AGM. I encourage parents to attend P&C meetings and be involved in the school parent body.

This Thursday most of our Year 6 students completed the Selective High School Test. This is a high stakes test and very competitive. The Selective High School Placement Test changes in 2021 for placement in 2022. The new test has a greater emphasis on thinking skills, mathematical reasoning and problem solving. It also adjusts and balances the weighting given to mathematics, reading and thinking skills test components. These changes are in response to the findings of the 2018 Review of Selective Education Access report, commissioned by the NSW Department of Education.

Each year, approximately 15,000 Year 6 students across the state of New South Wales optionally undertake the Selective High Schools Test to seek one of the 3,600 places offered for first-year entry into selective high schools.

The Selective High School Test is one pathway for students to follow in their academic learning. Parents and students should look for alternative pathways to achieve their goals if they are not successful in the SHS test. Our local high schools have excellent programs and results. Many doctors, lawyers, and highly successful corporate leaders have graduated from our local high schools. There are alternatives to the SHS test available to all students.

This week the NRL begins for 2021. Go the Eels and good luck to your team!

Enjoy the weekend everyone,

G. Walker

The Girraween Gazette

Issue 3 · 11 Mar 2021

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