Happy Holidays:
We’ve all worked so hard together across 2022. On behalf of the school, I’d like to wish our students, their families, and our broader community a safe and happy holiday. We hope that everyone gets a chance to get quality time in with family and friends.
Massive Thanks to Our P&C:
We have had a very busy year of achievements in 2022. Our P&C have raised amazing funds for the school to reinvest into our students’ learning and wellbeing. This year we also had our first working bee in such a long time…this community event was one of the highlights of the year. And of course, the wonderful Colour Run. Another great initiative that is an annual highlight. We are so blessed to have such an active group of parents who work tirelessly for the students and staff at our school. In 2023, we hope that more parents and carers can join the cause to sustain the great things being achieved.
Teacher Farewells and Changes:
Our 2022 team has been outstanding! As a Principal, and as a parent of students at our school, I couldn’t ask for a better collection of committed professionals. Unfortunately, championship teams can’t always stay together in the following season, and we are saying goodbye the following teachers:
· Mrs Carlson: Rural Experience Program 2023 12-month placement at Palinyewah Public School
· Mr Low: Promotion as Assistant Principal at The Junction Public School (congratulations Mr Low)
· Mr Choo: Heading across on loan to Pelican Flat Public School
· Ms Sutcliffe: Moving to Muswellbrook to Pacific Brook Christian School (permanent position)
· Mr Hellier: Taking leave for 2023
We also want to congratulate Mrs Gilbert for securing a permanent position at our school through merit selection. Mrs Gilbert was the successful candidate from a highly contested field and is thoroughly deserving of her appointment. Mrs Gilbert’s permanent appointment commences officially in 2023.
THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2023:
Specialist PDHPE Program:
Mr Hartnett will be replacing Mr Andrews in 2023, heading up our specialist PDHPE Program. Every class will continue to receive 2 hours per week of specialist PDHPE coaching and skill development, on top of their allocated sport each week. Mr Hartnett will be commencing a ‘Masters in philosophy by research’, focussing on assessment in PDHPE, with the aim to develop programs to meet the needs of all students. We are very excited about the expertise and the contemporary knowledge around PDHPE assessment and skill development Mr Hartnett will be bringing to our school.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) Program:
Our STEM Program continues to grow across the school with a STEM Class in Stage 2 and two STEM Classes in Stage3. This will mean all students in Years 5 and 6 will have access to 1-to-1 laptops to support their learning and build skills that will serve them well as they enter high school. Mr Andrews and Mr Dornan will be heading up Stage 3 STEM. With the loss of Mr Low, we will be recruiting a replacement STEM teacher for the Stage 2 class across the holiday break. We can’t wait for 2023 to start because the first project the students are working on, is designing our $150,000 playground upgrade!
$150,000 Playground Upgrade:
In 2023 our students will be helping us design our new playground thanks to a $150,000 grant secured by Mrs Clack. We anticipate the construction of the playground is likely to be in the latter half of 2023. We can’t wait for our playground to land for our deserving students and the community.
Building a Restorative School:
We are continuing our journey in ‘Building a Restorative School’ in 2023. We are proud of our achievements to date and remain committed to our focus on authentic relationships as partners in learning. In 2023 we will be running community workshops on Restorative Practice, so we hope our families can join our exciting journey in becoming restorative together. Excitingly, Swansea High School is also embarking on a ‘Building a Restorative School’ journey in 2023. We can’t wait to partner with them in their restorative quest!
Galgabba Aboriginal Consultant and Educator (ACE):
The Galgabba Community of Schools has pooled funds to continue our shared leadership position across the Galgabba network of schools in 2023. Sue Stewart, our Galgabba Aboriginal Consultant and Educator (ACE) role has been instrumental in leading Aboriginal Education programs across our 7 local public schools. The Galgabba Community of Schools secured a $25,000 grant to support the great work we’ve started in 2022, and we look forward to strengthened connections and initiatives in 2023.
High Potential and Gifted Education:
In 2023 we are employing an SLSO (School Learning Support Officer) to work with our high performing students to further extend their academic achievement. We continue to perform well above our SSSG (Statistically Similar School Groups), but we’re not done yet as we ‘Strive to do well’ in academic excellence.
FINAL WORDS:
Congratulations to Our Students in 2022:
This year has been a challenge, but all our students have stepped up and lived our values of:
· Being Safe and Responsible
· Being Respectful, and
· Being Active Learners
While I’m looking forward to the holidays, I am also very much looking forward to another great year ahead in 2023. One cohort who we will certainly miss though in 2023 is our graduating Year 6. Our Year 6 students have grown throughout the year, leaving us as amazing all-round wonderful people. We wish them all the very best as they head off to Swansea High School in 2023. Do us proud young legends!
Thank You to Our Staff:
Our staff were outstanding this year, maintaining high expectations in learning, wellbeing, and service delivery. Every staff member contributed to the collective successes we shared this year, and I could not have asked for anything more. Thank you all for your hard work, your collective commitment, and your resilience throughout 2022. Enjoy the break champions!
Mr Brett Carr
Principal
