Dear Parents and Guardians, 

Welcome to Week 10. It is hard to believe that we are at the end of Term One and what a busy Term it has been. The students have all worked extremely hard and know doubt will be looking forward to the holidays and Easter.

NCCD - Nationally Consistent Collection of Data

The NCCD is an annual collection of information from all Australian schools on the numbers of students with disability and the adjustments they receive. All Teachers at St. Joseph’s School will be expected to understand their obligations to students with disability under the DDA and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 and consistently collect and provide evidence which is recorded on ENGAGE.

Over the last few weeks the teachers have been in the process of writing Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs). Personalised learning is a process that supports a wide range of students with additional learning and support needs. This includes students who may require support in one or more of the following areas: learning (including high potential learners), behaviour, social/emotional, cultural/language (including international students, boarders and learners of English as an Additional Language or Dialect) and those who have educational support needs arising from disability.  

Teachers, with the support of the Leader of Diversity, and in consultation with parents, collaboratively decide which adjustments and/or goals are to be targeted and determine appropriate strategies and supports to be implemented. It is the teacher’s responsibility to implement these planned strategies in order to support students to meet their goals.  

Teachers will direct School Officer support and plan for adjustments on a weekly basis. Teachers communicate weekly with School Officers regarding student progress and make adjustments as needed.  

Evidence is collected regularly and uploaded to ENGAGE. PLP meetings are set 6 monthly and will determine if current goals have been achieved before setting further goals. The teachers will have meet with Parents of PLP students in Week 8/9 and 10 of this Term. If you have not been able to see your child’s teacher this Term, please contact them early next Term for a meeting.

SEL Celebration with Snacks

This Term in SEL in the Seconds Steps Program we have focused on the following four areas:

1. Skills for Learning: Students gain skills to help themselves learn, including how to focus their attention, listen carefully, use self talk to stay on task, and be assertive when asking for help with schoolwork.

2. Empathy: Students learn to identify and understand their own and others’ feelings. Students also learn how to take another’s perspective and how to show compassion.

3. Emotion Management: Students learn specific skills for calming down when experiencing strong feelings, such as anxiety or anger.

4. Problem Solving: Students learn a process for solving problems with others in a positive way.

To celebrate the students hard work in Prep – Year 6 we are having a SEL Celebration with Snacks. On Friday the 4^th of April will be watching the movie Inside Out, a PG rated Movie that focuses on these topics. The children may bring in some kind of snack to munch on while watching the movie. Please complete the Parent Slip if you would like you child/children to participate in this activity.

I would like to take this time to wish you all a very Happy Easter and I hope you enjoy some quality and relaxing time with your family. I look forward to seeing you all in Term 2.

If you have any questions, please feel free to make contact with myself at a convenient time that suits. My email address is   mturner@cns.catholic.edu.au

Kind Regards,  

Melanie Turner.