Dear Parents and Carers,
It is hard to believe the midway point of Term 1 is already here. Students throughout the school have settled into the routines associated with their new year level incredibly well. Each morning I spend time greeting students as they arrive at school and have been impressed with how organised and positive they are. When visiting classrooms, I see highly engaged learners employing critical thinking skills, adhering to the established norms within the classroom. Teachers are delivering content explicitly, cleverly interweaving hands-on learning experiences with plenty of movement breaks. I have observed Daily Reviews in action, where students revisit previously taught content, helping to shift this knowledge from short to long-term memory.
As our staff continue to enhance their already outstanding skill sets, a number of teachers have embarked on a new learning journey, working closely with Jared Bussell and Jordan O’Sullivan from Shaping Minds. This highly-tailored professional learning journey will see teachers develop their knowledge of cognitive load theory, contemporary evidence-based practice, and promote deep reflection. The teachers at Glengarry PS have shown amazing commitment already, with Jared approaching me, following his visit on Monday 28 February, to highlight the exemplary practice he had observed. As we continue down this pathway, you may like to ask your child whether they have been using mini-whiteboards during Daily Reviews, they may be able to show you how they ‘hover’ their boards before ‘chinning’ their response. The level of individual accountability is high during such reviews, with teachers regularly checking for understanding and discretely differentiating content along the way.
None of this amazing teaching and learning would be possible without the support of our school community, particularly in relation to recent COVID safety measures. I have been impressed with the overwhelmingly positive response to the changes this term and appreciate your ongoing flexibility. We will continue managing this developing situation in line with WA Health and DoE guidelines and aim to share updates only when necessary, as we are aware of the amount of communication coming your way recently.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge everyone who has voted in our School Board election process, which commenced earlier this week. We have five outstanding candidates who have kindly put up their hand to be involved, each bringing their own unique skill sets and experience. I look forward to sharing the results of the election with you and encourage you to cast your vote if you are yet to do so.
Matt Pinkard
Principal
