From the Principal
Week 3 was a huge week. We survived an election and NAPLAN Online. However, the success of both is still to be determined. Our students who sat the online NAPLAN tests experienced a myriad of issues with connectivity and timing that leaves us concerned about the validity of the tests comparable to previous years. Most schools experienced some measure of interruption and some had managerial problems, however, our students were exceptional under challenging circumstances. Our students were patient, graceful and accepting of the problems we were facing. We commend them for their maturity and quiet patience, and the teachers who weathered the trials of conducting the tests. Only a few students are left to complete the makeup tests this week. Thank you to Mrs Thompson who had the unenviable task of administering the tests.
REPORT COMMENTS
After much research, discussions, phone calls and questioning we have decided to trial alternative modes of feedback to accompany the mandatory A-E reporting structures. The validity of the reports, the accuracy, the effectiveness and the effect on teaching and learning have been considered and we will offer a range of different possibilities to provide continuous and beneficial feedback to parents and teachers. The Google Classroom platform will host the bulk of secondary subject specific feedback providing access to assessments, rubrics and feedback for both parents and students as it is available throughout the year. There are possibilities of additional parent teacher opportunities and personal individualised contact through phone calls or meetings, in Primary especially. This, we hope, will allow parents to ask specific questions tailored to the individual needs and progress of each child that cannot be tapped in a 600 character limited comment. I have included another article from the ABC that details some very helpful information about pertinent questions to ask of teachers to get quality feedback. Please read if you have time!
ENROLMENT
Already we are busy planning for the coming year in terms of new enrolments, particularly in Kindergarten and Year 7 2020. The Catholic Education Office have standardised the enrolment information for all schools across the diocese and it now takes the form of an online enrolment process. If you login to our school website www.shcoota.nsw.edu.au in the top banner there is a link to Enrolment Information . There is a button to click on right at the bottom of the screen that will take you to the online enrolment system. If you know of anyone intending to enrol, or is even just looking, please send them our way as we would love to meet with them as soon as possible. We are in the process of finalising our dates for the Information sessions and hope to show intending new students all that our great school has to offer.
STAFF ABSENCES
As is very typical at this time of the year, there are considerable staff absences as they succumb to the different viruses that are shared around. Added onto this are the extra absences that we can never plan for but are part of normal staff life (eg Long Service leave, family demands etc). However of late, like every other school across the state, we are suffering from an acute shortage of casual teaching staff available to cover staff who are unavoidably away, as they are absorbed by blocks of work or have other demands on their time. This has stretched us to ensure that we do not compromise the teaching and learning and we have found it necessary to be creative to cover all classes. Please be confident that we are doing our very best to ensure continuity of the learning and that the needs of the students come first.
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
As the legalities of our lives increase so does the paperwork. If we look at it through the lens of “what is best for our kids” then we can put up with the extra demands and accountability that we are faced with. There has been some confusion over exactly what paperwork is required when conveying students in private cars, be they teachers or parents. It is a legal requirement that the school sights and keeps a record of current Registration papers, Drivers licence, Compulsory Third party (CTP) and WWCC details. These all need to be updated on our database as they are renewed each year. I appreciate that this means additional work but we are bound by legislation and the need to always ensure our student’s safety as much as is humanly possible. The legal responsibilities are not negated by “privately” arranging transport. Thank you for your support with this.
ATHLETICS CARNIVAL
A reminder that next Thursday 30 May is the annual school athletics carnival. Everyone is most welcome and it is always a delightful community day with the emphasis on participation, team spirit rather than winning and competitiveness. However this date also clashes with other events for some of our sporting students and it is unavoidable that we must persist with this date despite the clashes. More details about absent students qualifying for the next level will be provided in the next newsletter. If you are able to assist then we would love to hear from you.
SPECIAL MOMENTS
Today we had the opportunity to strengthen the bonds between our Secondary and Infants students. As obvious in the photos below our littlest students loved the opportunity to read their own writing to the big kids and to then, in turn, be read to by our Year 7 and 10 students. It was lovely to observe the positive and supportive interaction that went on between them all. It is indeed one of the blessings of our school structure.
In a world where you can be anything….be kind!
Go gently
Mrs Nicky Trinder
Principal
