From the Principal
Carmel McGrath
Parent Teacher Information Sessions
Thank you to all parents and carers for attending last week’s parent-teacher information sessions. For those who were unable to attend, your class teacher can provide the presentation document for your perusal. Each term in week 1 you will receive the year level Term Curriculum Overview. Our main method of communication is class and school DOJO so please respond to the invitation and watch for messages from your teachers.
Enrolment Census – Day 4 & Day 8
We have now finalised our student enrolment for 2021 with 531 students in total. As expected, we have not grown this year due to a lack of regular mobility among states and from overseas. We have retained our 23 class teachers with no further changes needed post Day 8.
Excursions and Incursions
Attached for your reference is an overview of the terms 1-4 events for all classes. There are costs associated with these activities but we make an effort to keep costs to a minimum for our families. Permissions and payments are required for participation. If families are experiencing any financial hardship, please contact our Business Manager Elena Anderson admin@newfarmss.eq.edu.au and attention: Elena.
Term 1 P&C Meetings
Last night P&C members held a brief general meeting. The group discuss the feasibility of holding a school fete in 2021. Unfortunately, due to the uncertainty of possible restrictions due to COVID, the decision was not to hold the fete this year.
We will discuss other fundraising events at further meetings. We welcome all parents and staff to attend P&C meetings, held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. P&C is one way for parents to be involved and support our school.
Cross Cultural Training
This fortnight all staff will participate in a cross-cultural workshop presented by the Education Queensland Indigenous EAL/D Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Service. Staff explored non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal Languages and ways to embed Indigenous Perspectives into their teaching practices. The visiting advisors engaged the staff and shared their knowledge of pre-contact in Australia. It was a very worthwhile experience and we all learned a great deal.
Health
Just a reminder that anyone who is unwell should stay home until recovered before returning to school. If your child becomes unwell at school and is presenting with cold or flu-like symptoms, headache or temperature, you will be contacted to collect your child and seek medical attention.
Our 2020-23 Strategic Priorities include:
- Innovation
- Inclusion
- Well-Being
- Curriculum
Our 2021 Explicit Improvement Agenda is improving educational outcomes for all students in Reading and Writing. Our work in this area is responsive to student needs and aligned with our school and regional targets. In each year level team, teachers will work together to know their student reading levels and develop high quality consistent practices.
In Prep – Year 3 staff continue to implement the Read Write Inc Sythetic Phonics program. Sandy Chambers is currently supporting new staff with the program and Judy Loudon is supporting teachers with the modification of planning aimed at ensuring curriculum is inclusive of every student. Sandy has already held one parent information session on the newly introduced approach to ‘reading’ and I thank the many parents who were able to attend.
In Year 4-6 teachers are focusing on the implementation of Comprehension strategies in our New Farm SS Reading Program. Melinda Norman has inserviced teachers in this program, which explicitly teaches a range of strategies that help student gain a deeper understanding of various text types. On Tuesday 16- Friday 19th February, we are hosting a professional development Tutor Training course in functional grammar and writing, with all teachers in Year 5&6 attending. Melinda Norman, Judy Loudon and I will attend to support the program implementation across the upper school.