Newsletter Term 2 Week 9

Dear Families

Welcome to the cold weather that has come thick and fast!  There is still plenty going on as we race towards the school holidays.  Look out next week for Curriculum outlines (Monday) and Semester 1 Reports (Tuesday).  Remember that you access the reports through the SEQTA Engage App.  This is the next step with SEQTA and our first attempt at using it to engage with families.  If you do not receive the report on Tuesday, please contact the front office.

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
Last week we held our first meeting of our new School Board.  We thank all members for volunteering their time to make our school a better place.  For 2024 members have volunteered for the following portfolios:

• Chair – David Slovinec
• Vice-Chair - Kirsty McCulloch
• Finance - Nathan Foulis
• Education Committee - Elizabeth Sarris, Alana Dichiera
• OSHC Committee - Jess Superina
• MDC Committee – Amy Diggins
• P&F Rep - Emma Marsden
• Maintenance Committee - Jessica Rutkiewicz

APPROVAL TO ADD A NEW PUPIL FREE DAY IN 2025
Many schools have four of these days to accommodate the pressures of teacher work.  At our school we only have three.  In the case of teachers here at Star of the Sea School, just one of the areas that has grown enormously in my four years here is our work on the NCCD.  Four years ago, we supported 39 students with their learning with 7 ESOs.  Today we support 115 students with the help of 36 ESOs.  On average, this means every class in our school has four days a week of two adults in the classroom (however in reality it does not quite work out like this). 

Four years ago, the teacher workload in this area was manageable. This is no longer the case due to the large amount of paperwork and the building of a case for support for children takes many hours.  As the School Principal I have tried to make sure that we provide a large amount of staff meeting time to assist teachers with this work.  However, the last two years has meant that there is a growing number of hours that teachers are giving up in their own personal time to gain this support for students.  Interestingly, this new work that did not exist four years ago, has been added to teacher workload without anything being removed!  Given that our staff so generously give up so many extra hours for the education of your children it is time we give a little back.

From 2025, a new pupil free day will occur on the Friday of the March long weekend, where we will devote the day to working on the NCCD.  For 2025, this falls on Friday 7 March 2025.

PARKING
At our meeting, the School Board looked at a proposal for safety around our school at the drop off and pick up time.  We would like to remind everyone about the priority for student safety at this time, when many cars are moving around the school, especially at the student crossings.  We have noticed an increase in the number of parents who do not use the crossings because it is metres out of their way.  We would like those parents to consider what your actions are saying to your children and those children watching.  If everyone takes a little time to be safe and not rush around our school, at drop off and pickup, our school can be a very safe place.  For parking, you may not know that there are a number parking sports along the beach where you could have a 3 minute stroll to our school!

TERM 3 RECEPTION
Next term 37 students will be attending school for their first time in our two mid-year Reception classes.  We will be welcome teachers Ella Borlase, Ali Rebuli & Caterina Ferragamo.

NEW OSHC DIRECTOR
I am pleased to announce that Miffy Young has been appointed to this substantive position.  Miffy has worked in the child care industry for over 30 years and has many qualifications in this area.  She has been involved in OSHC programs at a number of schools, including the role of Director.  Miffy spent a few days as Assistant Director of our program before being elevated to Acting Director early this term. I am sure you will join me congratulating Miffy on her appointment.

LONG SERVICE LEAVE
As you are probably aware I am taking leave next term and will be touring the USA.  I am not sure if I am more excited about the touring or escaping winter for another summer!  The school will be in good hands with Annette Diassinas and Kelly Manera being elevated to acting positions of Principal and Deputy during this time.

CASUAL CLOTHES
As usual the last day of term is casual clothes, just for fun!

PUPIL FREE DAY
Just a reminder about day one of term 3, Monday 22 July will be a Pupil Free Day.

Enjoy the holidays
Damian Weeks

Dear Families,

Can you believe we are almost at the end of the term. It has been great to reflect on the term and see the wonderful learning and opportunities the students had.  There have been lots of excursions across the year levels and watching our new reception children transition to school ready to start next term.  I wish you all well for the school holiday break. 

YEAR LEVEL ASSEMBLIES
I have had the pleasure of attending a number of these over the past few weeks. I am always so impressed with how comfortable our students are at public speaking. Such an important lifelong skill to foster – as not everyone likes speaking in front of large audiences. The learning that has been showcased to parents and families has been most impressive and I thank all the teachers and students for their work in preparing these gatherings. The turnout from the community demonstrates how valued these events are.

LITTLE STARS
As one group of students move from this wonderful program, led by Tania Condelli, Kylie Casey and Tarnee Moray, another group of students will begin next term. This group of students will make up some of our 2025 Reception intake and we will be running one session on Wednesday. We warmly welcome our ‘Little Stars’ and their families to our school community.

ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING
As we move towards the first written report of the year being distributed in Week 10 of this term digitally via SEQTA Engage, we thought that it would be timely to re-share some information about the role Assessment and Reporting plays in our school. Staff spend many hours each week planning and refining teaching and learning programs to provide the best opportunities for each student to learn and showcase their knowledge, understandings and growth and a large part of this is using the information gathered from ongoing assessments to move learning forward.

At Star of the Sea School, assessment refers to how information and data are gathered, and the inferences staff make from these about student progress and achievement. Reporting refers to how this progress and achievement is shared with students and their families. It is an ongoing connected process and involves continually sharing this information in a variety of different mediums, not just a written report twice a year. This can be done through providing feedback to students and families, work samples, observations, photos, conferencing, learning conversations and many other ways. Assessments provide opportunity to report and give feedback to students and families about how they are going in their learning, what they have mastered and what they still need to master.

The Australian Curriculum defines the knowledge, understanding and skills that students are directed to learn each year. This information is contained in the achievement standard for each learning area. These standards are underpinned by the content descriptors and general capabilities, which provide the learning intentions and the success criteria that are used to plan with. Other curriculum documents that are used include the Child Protection Curriculum, Crossways Religious Education Curriculum and the MITIOG (Made in the Image of God) framework. If you have any questions about your child’s learning goals, please do not hesitate to speak to their teacher.

P&F – STARS NIGHT OUT
A big shout out to the dedicated P&F team who organised a very Successful Stars Night Out last Saturday.  Our parent community had a great time at the event and the P&F Team have received lots of messages in thanks for the fun night out – I am sure just what many of our parents needed. We are grateful to the P&F for all they do in continuing to build community in our school.  Next term the P&F will be organising a School Disco for our students which we know will be a wonderful event. 

With kindness
Annette Diassinas

Congratulations to the SAPSASA Airport District Netball Girls. Division 3 girls came 1st and Division 1 girls came equal 1st.

Also well done to the SAPSASA Airport District Netball Boys who participated last week.