Hello
This year our school has been focussed on a framework for curriculum planning and implementation that reduces students' barriers to learning. This continues to be our “Explicit Improvement Agenda" over the next two years. This Framework is called “Universal Design for Learning". Our Teachers and Teacher Aides have spent the past six months developing their understanding. This will continue into next year as we continue our professional reading, accessing online learning and face to face sessions with experts. When we have the appropriate knowledge we will be constructing supporting processes to help with its implementation into the classroom. If you are particularly interested in this Framework I encourage you to Google “UDL" and have a read.
Our school continues to invest in digital technologies with the recent addition of 60 laptop computers. We also received some good news that we have successfully gained some additional funding to start replacing our very old boundary fence. Unfortunately costs associated with this work will only see part of the fence replaced.
We have started work on costs associated with swimming lessons next year. In an attempt to reduce costs we have reduced the number of lessons from six to five and reduced the number of instructors by one. This however will have limited effect on the overall price as students are being charged gate entry as well as being charged to hire three lanes of the pool. These pool charges along with bus costs are still being calculated. As in the past, the school's core budget will fund ten thousand dollars and we have applied through submissions for additional funding. We hope to have a close to final cost before the end of the year, pending the submissions.
As we head towards December our teachers often introduce Christmas activities to keep the students interest once assessments have been completed. Should you not want your child participating in these activities please email your child's teacher so they can organise an alternative activity.
Looking toward next year we are planning on similar staffing arrangements. Nineteen or maybe twenty class teachers, five specialist teachers and six special education teachers. Our student numbers are predicted to be similar to this year with a slight growth totalling approximately 475 students. We will start working on class composition in the next few weeks. At this stage of the year I often receive queries around composite classes. Composite classes are generally created due to the Department's policies regarding the number of students in classes; this being a maximum of 25 students from Prep to Year 3 and a maximum of 28 students from Year 4 to Year 6. Should your child be placed in a composite class they are not disadvantaged. Teachers work closely with our Head of Department (Curriculum) to ensure students receive learning opportunities at their year level. Due to the complexity involved in creating classes and the many changes that take place between now and the end of the year students will know their roll class, teacher and classroom at the end of the year.
The year 6 graduation ceremony will be held on Tuesday 5th of December at 6pm. This year we will provide basic finger food and there will be no cost for you or your child to attend.
Wayne