Our Explicit Improvement Agenda

Student Voice and Agency

Planning for Improved Student Learning - key focus in Mathematics

Celebrations of Community

There is an air of excitement in our school community as our students prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day this Sunday 12th May.  Congratulations to our Year 6 student leaders on running the Mother’s Day Stall yesterday.  Students also had the option to purchase gifts today from the office. 

We are very much looking forward to our annual Mother’s Day Breakfast tomorrow - Friday 10th May beginning at 8.00 am - 8.40 am.  Our breakfast will be followed by time in the classrooms and then assembly at 9.00 am.  We look forward to celebrating this very special event in appreciation of all our mums, grandmothers and very special people in our school community.

Student feedback

Each week as a school community, we stop to reflect on the amazing things our students are collectively doing in their classroom and on the playground.  Here is this week’s feedback . . .

• Congratulations to the student in 3AB on the way he thanked and acknowledged Avril (grandmother who has contributed to our poppy display with knitted poppies, wreath and fence posters).  The kindness, thoughtful words and noticing others demonstrated by the student in 3AB is an exceptional quality to have, a credit to his family and to our school community.  
• Well done to our Year 6 student leaders on the way they demonstrate leadership in our school community.  We are most appreciative of the way they set up and ran the Mother’s Day Stall so all students had the opportunity to purchase gifts for Mother’s Day.
• Thank you to all students on the thoughtful way you decorated your Mother’s Day gift bags and taking the time to show your appreciation for all the many wonderful things our mums do for us.

Critical Teacher Shortage

As you are aware from media reports, there is a significant teacher shortage across all schools in our State.  From time to time, when our teachers are sick, attending Professional Learning or attending to school commitments, they are replaced with Casual Relief Teachers from Teacher Agencies.  Our school liaises with four agencies to fill our school teacher vacancies.  Unfortunately, Teacher Agencies are also significantly impacted by teacher shortages. 

On two occasions this week, the Teacher Agencies cancelled multiple teacher bookings and we were required to change specialist classes and our school timetable to ensure every class had a teacher.  A big thank you to our staff for their adaptability and flexibility and for our specialist teachers for being so accommodating in stepping into classes for the day, our ESO staff for working extra hours/days to support students and our part-time teaching staff for working extra days.  Where possible, we strive to ensure our students have familiar teachers and we aim to avoid displanning students to other classes. 

We are aware that many schools do not attempt to make up missed classes and we are in a fortunate position that both teacher release, student specialist classes and anything that may be missed due to changes, are made up. 

A big thank you to Lize Privitera for her expert organisation in the busyness of our school days most of which is done at 6.30 am in the morning and late into the evenings. Thank you also, to our parent community for their understanding in these very trying times of a critical teacher shortage.

Catholic Education Week 

Catholic Education Week 2024 will be celebrated in the Diocese of Sale from Friday May 17 - May 24.  This year's theme is 'I am making all things new' (Revelations 21:5)

Our warmest congratulations to Lize Privitera on being awarded the Spirit of Catholic Education Award - Inspiring Faith.  Lize will be presented with her award at the Catholic Education Week ceremony next Friday 17 May.  We are most appreciative of Lize’s dedication, guidance and commitment to Catholic Education and for ensuring our Catholic Identity is alive and visible to all.  Lize, through her words and actions, demonstrates living as witness, specialist and moderator in spreading the Good News and in all her interactions, in our school community, Parish and Diocese.  Well done Lize!

Keep an eye out for the interesting events that are scheduled during Catholic Education Week such as the following - we look forward to celebrating this very special week with you:

• Student Lead Fundraisers
• Open classroom afternoon
• Whole School Mass celebration