Speers Point Public School

Over the last few weeks we have been trialing alternatives to our fortnightly newsletter. From feedback and analytics, information was showing that only a small percentage of our community was engaging with the newsletter. We quietly took it away and have replaced it with other means and so far I don’t think too many people noticed. This is a trial, as we continually make improvements to our school and communication avenues.

You may have noticed that on Sundays a ‘What’s On This Week” bulletin comes out via electronic means. This is a great bite sized summary of the week ahead. We have continued to issue notes, alerts and reminders as we normally would have. Going into Term 3, we will continue this trial for a time, and then ask for feedback on these new methods. If you would like to see the newsletter return, or prefer our new methods, be sure to let us know when our survey appears mid next term. 

Student Semester 1 reports were issued on Wednesday 29th with students. Our Semester 1 report is a summary of progress and learning over Terms 1 and 2. There have been a number of improvements to our reports this semester and we are hopeful it gives you a greater account of your child’s progress.

The new or improved features include:

• Attitudes to Learning – these have been aligned to our PBL expectations of Safe, Respectful, Responsible, Achievers.
• Subject areas of Science, History & Geography and PD/H/PE show achievement against two strands of skills and knowledge and understanding.
• Personal goals are reported on.
• Where a student receives Intervention, a comment has been included by the Interventionist teacher.

Please take the time to read and understand the two scales on the front page, for both achievement and effort. The achievement scale is the state-wide standard which is anchored on the concept that “sound” means that a student is achieving at their appropriate level. This scale is different for Kindergarten and our Support classes. The effort scale is our school wide understand of a student’s effort towards their learning.

In Term 3 we will schedule student conferences where student goals can be updated for their Semester 2 learning. I encourage all parents to take the opportunity to meet with their child’s teacher when this becomes available. 

This week I had the opportunity to present for feedback and ideas, the proposed structure for Student Leaders in 2023 to Years 4 and 5. Very early next term a full overview of the proposed Student Leadership structure will come through for our whole community to view and respond. We had some great community responses to our earlier survey this term which have helped build this new model.

At this point our model structures around a Year 5 Student Leadership Certificate, where Year 5 students record a variety of activities they do over the year (such has represent the school, or help at Brekkie Club) to build their evidence of leadership qualities. Students who complete the certificate are eligible to stand in one of the leadership positions.

As the school is growing, we are also looking to increase the opportunities for leaders and look at changing the structure of 4 school captains and 4 prefects, with a clear role description for the 8 leaders. It will also include 2 Sports House Captains (Year 6) with 1 Junior House Captain (year 5).

There is a lot more information to come – be on the look-out next term for the full details and your opportunity to respond and shape our student leadership.    

Sadly, which ever decision we made for our Athletics carnival was going to be the wrong one. Based on all the information available to us we made the payne-ful decision to postpayne* the Athletics Carnival until next term.

Knowing that our community like to re-schedule work commitments to be able to attend these events, we made the decision earlier rather than later, based on all forecasts.  

A modified carnival will be held on school grounds on Friday the 22nd July (Friday of Week 1). Payments made for the carnival have been automatically credited to student accounts which can be used on future excursions, school events or uniform purchases.

* Due to the number of events I have had to reschedule this semester due to weather, high level staff / student absences, etc staff have widely been using the term “postpayne” any time an event is changed. I’m not sure if I like it but they’re sticking to it. 

Term 3 Return

Term 3 begins for all students on Tuesday 19th July. Staff return on Monday 18th for their Staff Development Day. I sincerely wish everyone a very happy and very safe school holidays. I look forward to our students returning with their stories of grand holiday adventures.

Chris Payne

Principal