Dear Parents/Caregivers,
Last day for Students is Thursday 19th December – Happy Holidays!!!
We have completed our data analysis sessions. The results will be detailed in our annual report. This is a busy time with staff also doing reports and goal rating. Reports will be on Connect so make sure you access them.
The results overviewed support the consistent finding that our students make the highest level of accelerated progress at Kindergarten and Pre-Primary years. Once again, the Year 1 cohort have performed well across most areas and most have the critical skills that will help them as they transition to mainstream. Socially, if you compare the students on entry in kindy (where less than 20% have the social skills and pragmatics that would enable them to manage in a mainstream class) to exiting at Year 1, significant gains are made. Of the Year 1 cohort 80% are demonstrating age appropriate or close to age appropriate social skills and pragmatics and are well prepared for mainstream. Our Pre-Primary cohort have again improved in the area of code cracking (mapping sounds in words to print) linked to reading and to spelling, and on average are finishing the year higher than previous years. There is a significant spread with a group at the higher end close to or better than the Pre-Primary standard.
I would like to acknowledge and thank the dedicated professional and committed staff of all aspects of the Language Centre student program and outreach services. The collection and analysis of data occurs from the individual, class and cohort level and involves teachers, speech pathologists and leaders. The evaluated information informs the setting of focus areas for the following year as well as the ongoing development and implementation of specialist programs and interventions. These resources are then adapted for and shared with mainstream schools through our outreach services.
Transition information for parents (a short video) of exiting students is available on our web page. We wish all students who are leaving us all the best and know that the next phase of their school journey will be exciting. Thank you to the parents and caregivers for allowing us to have a key role in the early start of the school process.
I want to acknowledge and thank Catherine Regan for again acting in my position while I was on leave. Also thanks to Sarah Armstead and Karen Young for acting in the deputy role. The depth of leadership expertise that we have has enabled the management and leadership to be seamless.
Covid Update
As you know the state will be transitioning early next year into a new phase of living with the virus. All staff at all sites will be vaccinated as part of the mandate for Education staff. I will be sending a letter drafted by Central Office, however, the key message for parents include:
- It is not mandated for children to be vaccinated.
- Parents can drop off and pick up their children regardless of vaccination status (in fact we will not ask).
- If parents are onsite for volunteering or other activities on a regular basis (more than one a week at this stage), they will be required to show vaccination certificates.
As this is the final newsletter, I wish everyone a relaxing and restful holiday.
Ms Shelley Blakers
Principal