Week 4, Term 4, 2020

Dear MOPS Families

Welcome to our Week 4 newsletter. Term 4 progresses rapidly with staff balancing the management of their classes throughout the remainder of the year as well as preparing for the new school year. Teachers are currently working on their end of year reports.

Last week I received the ‘preliminary’ 2020 school parent engagement survey results for our school. This survey was distributed to parents and carers over the period, 7 September to 25 September 2020. Parents were provided the opportunity to provide free-text comments in the survey. These comments will be provided in another report at a later date. This was the first time that a parent survey of this scale was coordinated centrally by the Department for Education. The high number of parents who took the opportunity to respond to the survey and provide feedback was encouraging and provides a solid foundation for continued engagement with our parents in the coming years. This was a new survey that aimed to collect information about how parents engage with their children’s learning. The report provides the survey data in response to each question from the parents and carers for our school. The data is intended to support and complement school improvement planning. In the coming months, the Department will undertake further work to analyse the data in detail and explore its relevance to school improvement. As a school team we will also look at the data and see what the implications are for our site. In reading an article about the survey in this week’s Sunday Mail, it appears that our results are fairly typical of schools across the state. One of the main issues that seemed to be highlighted was families wanting more assistance from schools in understanding the learning that their students are engaging in and strategies to assist them with this at home. This is something we will explore as a school as to how best we can support families in supporting their children’s learning. Our school had approximately sixty-five families participate in the survey; my thanks to those people for their input into this valuable exercise. A copy of the report can be made available to any families wanting to know more.

Just a reminder that next Friday, 13th November, is our last Student Free Day for the year. This day will be spent reviewing our site improvement agenda for this year and making the necessary changes and establishing goals and procedures for the 2021 school year. As part of our preparation for the new school year, we have begun looking at class configurations. They will be as follows;

· Reception x 2

· Year 1 x 2

· Year 2 x 2

· Year 3/4 x 2

· Year 4/5 x 2

· Year 5/6 x 1

· Year 6/7/ x 2

I now officially invite all families to submit their requests in regard to class placements for 2021. All requests will be given careful consideration based on the following criteria;

· Student learning needs

· Behaviour

· Gender balance

· Learning and social networks

· Social and emotional maturity

· Family situations e.g. twins, siblings

Families cannot make requests concerning a specific teacher.

As a school we will do our best to accommodate all requests, however the needs of the broader school community must be considered. I ask that all requests be submitted in writing and addressed to me as the principal with all relevant contact details. I ask that they be submitted to the front office by the close of business on Friday, 20th November. Requests submitted after this time will not be considered. Thank you for your cooperation with this process.

As part of the transition process for Year 7s moving to high school, the new Whyalla high school Principal, Trish Richman and Deputy Principal, Christina Scardelis have been visiting primary schools talking to Year 5/6/7 students. The aim of the visits is to start and make connections for students who will be attending the new school. Trish and Christina will be introducing themselves, sharing design plans as well as giving an update on the latest developments. Students will also have an opportunity to ask relevant questions. Trish and Christina will be visiting our school this coming Monday, 9th of November. We look forward to their visit and the information they will be sharing with us.

Two weeks ago, several of our students enjoyed a camping experience; some experiencing their first camp, others being more seasoned campers. Our Reception classes got their first taste of camp by attending a sleepover at Bunyarra Christian Centre and enjoying two days of fun filled activities. They were very brave during the thunderstorms that rolled through in the early hours of the Friday.

Students from Rooms 3, 15 and 16 spent a week at the Arbury Park Outdoor School. This was a wonderful experience for both staff and students who were kept busy during the day undertaking a variety of outdoor, environmentally-based activities. Students were tested on their abilities to solve problems and work as team through engaging in many practical challenges. They also got to learn more about the natural environment we live in and had hand-on experiences about how we can look after and preserve our environment for the next generation. Some of the highlights of the camp were the delicious food we were treated to throughout the day, and the riveting entertainment at night time. I had the privilege of attending this camp and can personally testify to the overall positive behaviour and attitudes displayed by our students whilst on camp. The staff at Arbury Park commented on numerous occasions about the quality of our students and the positive way in which they conducted themselves across the week. Room 11 and Room 21 students didn’t go on a camp, but enjoyed a day of beach activities last Thursday. They too had to endure some tricky weather. Most concerning of all was the fact that they experienced a blackout and therefore were unable to use the public barbecues at the foreshore. Fortunately, they experienced the amazing generosity and community spirit, exhibited by the staff at the Foreshore Café who came to the rescue and cooked the sausages for the students at no charge. On behalf of our school community I would like to express my deep gratitude to Nick and his staff for their incredible act of generosity. Next time you are down the foreshore, make sure you support them and thank them for the way they supported our school. I would like to acknowledge all the staff and parent helpers that attended these experiences. Their dedication and commitment to our students, the school and valuable excursion and camping programs, are a credit to them as individuals.

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending Room 2’s inquiry project expo. The students have been undertaking a research project (at the very request of Prime Minister, Scott Morrison) into one of Australia’s states and territories. It was exciting to experience the vast knowledge and understanding of our great country that students gained from this project and the way they were able to clearly articulate their individual learning. I would like to thank and acknowledge Miss Peden for facilitating this valuable learning experience for her students, as well as the many families that attended to encourage their children in their learning.

In staffing news, I would like to congratulate Payten Todd and Jess Botcheon who have been successful in gaining conversion to permanency. I thank and acknowledge Jess and Payten for their solid teaching, and their commitment to both our school and Whyalla. Congratulations also to Peta Milne who has been successful in winning a leadership position at Fisk Street Primary, where she will be taking on the Numeracy Coordinator role there for at least the next twelve months.

We wish Peta all the best in her new role. Congratulations also to Mr John who got married last weekend. I especially thank him for cutting his honeymoon short so he could get back to Whyalla in time to teach our students. Dedication!!!!!

Finally, it is always exciting to see one of our students demonstrate community spirit and go above and beyond for the service of others and be acknowledged for their efforts. Year 6 student, Georgia Cartwright was recently awarded a Minister for Education Award as part of the Children's Week celebration held recently. These awards are offered for children who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in any endeavour including academic, community service, sport, arts and personal challenge. Georgia was awarded a citation in recognition of her devotion to less fortunate children, through organising, collecting, and inspiring others in school and community to collect plastic lids for the charity Lids for Kids, which provides lids for conversion to prosthetic limbs. Congratulations Georgia, your MOPS family is extremely proud of you!

Brett

Week 5

Matthew Kirk, Cooper Fabricius, Corey Cameron.

Week 6 

Mackenzie Ervine, Cailin Laherstorpher, Sam Stuart.