Welcome back to our final term for 2022. It has been so lovely seeing our students back at school and engaging well with school routines again. Term 4 is always a fabulous term where we are able to reflect and celebrate our successes as a school community and identify strategies to improve those areas that weren’t so successful. Each week I will share some of our planning for 2023 ideas with you as well as share our next five year School Improvement Plan now that we have our Validation Report back. 

School Leadership Team

Over the last term and going into this term, we have trialled having an additional member join our Leadership Team to work specifically in the area of Pastoral Care. Over the course of the trial, we have identified many ways we can improve student wellbeing and support students with social emotional regulation by having the person in this role work with specific children, small groups or even class groups. Mrs Rhylie Matthiesen is going to continue in this role full time next year and we look forward to being able to develop processes and strategies that support the building of student resilience and confidence.

Also joining our Benny’s Leadership Team will be Mrs Laura King who is currently on extended leave travelling with her family. Mrs King will work closely with Mrs Herron, leading our Inclusive Education initiatives working with families, teachers and students.

As a team, we are spending a couple of days off-site to strategically plan how this will all work and how we can best communicate with our community. Our goal is to be accessible, proactive and responsive to our school community needs.

Staff News

Congratulations to Tayla Bolton and her partner Phil who welcomed baby Hugo to their family who will be a little brother for Ivie. Congratulations also to Cienna Jewell and her new husband Karl who were married over the holidays. We wish each family many happy blessings for the years ahead.

PEACE Stickers 

Has your child come home with a sticker on their collar? This PEACE sticker has special importance in our school and is given to children when they are demonstrating elements of our Way of Peace- Persistence, Empathy, Accountability, Caring for Community and Engagement. These are particularly important skills and characteristics that contribute to a positive community and students are recognised for this by being sent to the leadership team or the leadership team being invited to share in the acknowledgement. These acknowledgements are generally quite timely (and will grow to be more so) and students can receive more than one per week. If your child comes home with a PEACE sticker or tells you they received one, please engage with them as a celebration of their attitude and efforts. These are more than just the ‘Well done’ or 'Good work’ type stickers students receive from class teachers, they are considered to be an acknowledgement of a much higher level of school celebration. If you see children you know with PEACE stickers, be sure to acknowledge and celebrate it with them. 

Swimming

Next week our Prep and Year 1 students start swimming lessons, followed by Year 2 students in Week 2. Students in Year 3-6 will have their lessons in Week 7. Swimming lessons will be held at Kylie’s Swim School which is attached to Strand Fitness in Woolcock St. Lessons will be with qualified swimming instructors and provided on a 1:8 students ratio. Teachers and School Officers will supervise students during travel and  throughout swimming lessons. Students will change into their swimming gear before they go (either in classrooms or in the toilets) and will only take their towel with them (less opportunity for lost property that way). We do need students to wear footwear though and generally thongs are preferred. In Response to feedback, we have reduced the number of lessons to five per student as many children were simply not coping with the added excitement over the two week period. Please stay in touch with class teachers regarding any concerns you may have regarding swimming lessons for your children.

Please have a lovely weekend.

Cheers

Penny

Curriculum Review Days & Planning Days - The New Australian Curriculum

Over the next term teachers will be released from class to participate in Curriculum Review Days and Planning Days. During these days we will:

• Reflect on 2021
• Familiriase ourselves with the new Australian Curriculum Version 9
• Plan a Yearly Overview for 2023
• Begin planning for 2023

Did you know there is a new Australian Curriculum - version 9? This was recently released to schools, and teachers will be familiarising themselves with this new curriculum during ‘Curriculum Review Days.’ The Australian Curriculum (new and old version) is designed to teach students what it takes to be confident and creative individuals and become active and informed citizens. It sets the goal for what students should learn as they progress through their whole school life - wherever they live in Australia and whatever school they attend (The Australian Curriculum: An Overview for Parents). Our teachers use the Australian Curriculum to plan for students' needs, and will respond and differentiate to ensure all our students progress in their learning. 

I look forward to spending this valuable time with our teachers to review, reflect, and plan for our students' education. 

Yours in Learning, 

Aleesha Rockemer

(Learning and Teaching Adviser)