Welcome to Week 5. It seems as though the term is flying past at a rate of knots. I have to say I have been very impressed with the focus the children have had during these last two weeks as we return to ‘the new normal’ in classrooms. By and large the teaching and learning program is running smoothly as teachers and students alike make an adjustment back to face to face teaching modes and I expect this will continue as routines become more settled again.
At the beginning of the year we talked to you about the Eastern Star project which is a two year plan designed with the focus of improving teaching and learning outcomes for all students in the Eastern region of Catholic schools. A lot of time and effort has been invested in the appointment of a project leader to oversee a range of processes for development in the literacy, numeracy and wellbeing of all students in the region. At St Francis we have appointed a coach, along with a host of professional consultants to engage with staff and set goals for key performance indicators across these three areas. We did hit a small hurdle as we commenced this project with the onset of COVID-19 and the impact on schools but we are now back on track with our professional learning processes for staff.
As you know, at the beginning of the year we set aside some Student Free Days for staff PD to enable some of the goals of the Eastern Star project to be targeted. I do understand that with the forced extra time at home for many students families are possibly not so keen on more student free days. However, from a staff perspective these days are critical for learning and are always well used and valued greatly by our staff. As example, we are commencing learning in the area of Assessment and Moderation, a highly accredited course being undertaken by all five parish primary schools in the region over the next 18 months. Friday June 5th is the first day set aside for this project, with days booked to continue this work at the beginning of Term 4 and 3 dates in 2021 to complete this course.
Where possible PD days are booked to coincide with a long weekend or at the beginning of the term to keep disruptions to a minimum for families. Your ongoing support with these days will directly benefit your child into the future as teaching staff upskill their knowledge and expertise in assessment practices. Like any form of improvement, we can’t just expect it to occur without input or learning and quality time to give to improving outcomes. I thank you in anticipation of your support of these days over the next 18 months. The OSHC program will be open to provide care for any child who needs it on these days.
Over the next few weeks teachers are conducting assessments in order to provide a written report for each child. We have had to push the date for distribution back to the end of Term 2 as there has been some disruption to the regular learning processes over the last few weeks. Every child will receive their regular A-E graded report at the end of the term as part of our commitment to the ongoing learning of all students.
As we move toward the long weekend I encourage you if you are able to take a couple of days quality time to share with your family, do something together and support our local economy where possible now that we can all get out and about a little more. Go well and enjoy your week.
James Meiksans
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