A number of people have been asking me whether my new position next year at the Catholic Education Office will require me to leave Port Fairy. I am very glad to let you know that I will be working from the Warrnambool office of the CEO, so I won’t have to move and will still be part of the Port Fairy community.
Staffing and classes 2020
There will be a number of changes to staff and staff allocations for next year:
I will be leaving to take up a position at the Catholic Education Office
Liam Murphy has resigned to pursue his artistic career
Clare Farley has resigned her part-time position but will still be here as a CRT and to do some LSL replacements
Jen Coffey will be cutting back to 3 days per week
Tommy Greene will be cutting back to 3 days per week
Sam Kenna will be returning 1 day per week
Anne Robertson will increase her time to 4 days per week - 2 days Japanese and 2 days classroom
Andrea Lane will be out of the classroom doing boost teaching across all classes, specialist teaching and Learning Diversity
Josh Dwyer has been appointed as our new trainee
As my appointment to the new position has come so late in the year, the Principal role next year will be an acting position for 12 months. We are just waiting for Fr John Fitzgerald, who is currently on holidays, to approve the Acting Principal appointment before we can announce it to the school community. This may then change staffing roles further but I am confident that class teachers will remain as detailed below.
Due to numbers in various year levels, some of our class structures will also change for next year.
Class arrangements and classroom teaching staff allocation for next year will therefore be as follows:
F/1 - Fraser Paton
F/1 - Emily Dwyer
1/2 - Monique McCartney
1/2 - Jen Coffey / Anne Robertson
3/4 - Abby Lee/Michelle Malone
3/4 - Hannah Williams
3/4 - Leanne Mahney
5/6 - Antonia Balmer
5/6 - To be appointed
5/6 - Annie Forrest
Interviews for the vacant Yr 5/6 position will take place next week.
The staff are presently in the process of considering class allocations for students for 2020. Often at this time of year parents become anxious about their child’s placement for the ensuing year and will have their own perceptions of what class or teacher will be best for their child. I think it is important to remember that throughout a child’s life at school, there will be some teachers that they get on very well with, and others with whom they feel less at ease. Our experience would suggest that children do adapt quite readily to different teachers and different teaching styles. Please be assured that when allocating children to classes, we spend a large amount of time considering the social, behavioural, emotional and learning needs of each child, as well as ensuring there is a good mix of learning abilities and a reasonable gender balance.
School Advisory Council (SAC)
Our SAC met last night with the following items on the agenda:
● SWPBS
● School fees 2020
● SAC members’ tenure
● DOBCEL meeting feedback
● Policy reviews and ratification‑ Enrolment policy, Parent code of conduct, Environmental Management and Sustainability policy
Sincere thanks to Clare Leddin, our SAC Chairperson, Nerrida Prosser, our Deputy Chairperson and Kate Winnen our P&F rep, who finish their terms on the SAC at the end of this year. Kate has served on the SAC for six years, firstly as an elected member and then as the P&F rep and Clare and Nerrida have served on the SAC for the last four years. We thank them all sincerely for their dedicated service over this time.
With the completion of Clare and Nerrida’s terms, we now have two vacancies on our SAC. Kate’s replacement will be elected by the P&F. The SAC meets on the first Tuesday of each month (2 meetings per term) and offers parents the opportunity to contribute to the management of the school. If you are interested in nominating, please email me at principal@spportfairy.catholic.edu.au or contact me in person.
Adventure Film Festival
All students will be attending the Port Fairy Adventure Film Festival screening at 12.30pm on Thursday. We will be leaving school at 12.10pm to walk to the Reardon Theatre.
Foundation 2020 Transition
Our new Foundation students for 2020 were made to feel very welcome last Monday. They all settled in well and enjoyed their first formal experience of school. Further sessions occur on November 11th and 25th. An information night for 2020 Foundation parents will be on Monday November 25th at 7.00pm in the F/1 rooms.
Remembrance Day
Our student leaders will be representing our school at the Port Fairy Remembrance Day service at the war memorial on Monday at 11.00am.
Mulch spreading
We are having some mulch delivered on Thursday morning for our front garden. Helpers are needed to spread the mulch from 1pm. Any assistance from this time would be greatly appreciated and qualifies for volunteer points. Please bring along shovels and wheelbarrows.
Kind regards,
Sue Paulka
Principal
