Dear Families and Friends of St Joseph’s,

At today’s PB4L Assembly we talked to students about our ‘Be Safe’ rule. It is important for students to recognise that this rule applies, not just to physical activities such as running on the walkways, but also to emotions. Every child has the right to come to school feeling safe and happy. I have challenged the students this week to intentionally think about what they do and say that may negatively impact others. It would be very worthwhile to have a discussion at home about the importance of safety and care for others in our community.

Last week I was privileged to be a part of the Diocesan Leadership Conference where the 29 Principals and executive leadership team gathered to not only learn, though to also contribute to the future direction of the Diocese.  There were three guest presenters, Professor John Fischetti, Dr Stephanie MacMahon and Andrew Douch.  All three presenters focussed on learning in an age of innovation and what it means for educational leadership. There were some key deliverables from the conference that really caught my attention.  The importance of collective teacher efficacy, having students at the centre of all the decisions we make and how the use of emerging technologies can help teachers to amplify student engagement and learning outcomes. These served both as a great reflection point and surety regarding the direction our School is setting for the students of St Joseph’s as they succeed into the future.

Collective teacher efficacy (CTE) refers to a staff's shared belief that through their collective action, they can positively influence student outcomes, including those who are disengaged and/or disadvantaged.

As staff members of St Joseph’s Parish School, we work together as a professional learning community (PLC). Like students, we also, are on a learning journey, always looking for improved ways in which to provide our students with the best learning opportunities. We do this through robust discussions and ongoing critical interrogation of our teaching practices. We research the very latest in professional practice and adapt our programs and pedagogy to ensure that we, as teaching professionals are creating a culture of high academic success. We share and collaborate and use each other’s strengths to best provide for the individual needs of our students. As Professor John Hattie puts it, “Our staffroom is a professional community of scholars working together to maximise each other’s success.”

Over the last few weeks we have been busy updating our data wall with a range of diagnostic assessment data to get an accurate understanding of where our students are sitting individually and as cohorts in their reading development.  We our now analysing this data to understand our student strengths and weaknesses and to ensure that our teaching programs are targeting the right areas for maximum growth and success.

Coming up at the end of this term, there will be the opportunity for parents to formally meet with teachers in parent/teacher interviews.  This will be a perfect opportunity to get an understanding of how your child is progressing and the targets for them moving forward.  Further information will be shared regarding booking a time in the coming weeks.

Student Safety Just a reminder to parents around the arrival and departure times for school. We have had several students arriving to school well before 8:00am. This should not be occurring. Staff commence supervision duty at 8:15am. The School accepts no responsibility for children who arrive to school prior to this time. Students who arrive at this time or earlier must sit in the eating area until the teacher arrives on duty. If early arrival (before 8:00am) is necessary, please see the Office for details of how to access before school care services.

Routines – encouraging kids to be independent and to follow instructions

Every family has its own unique routines and rituals, which support families to be organised and spend time together. From getting ready for school and work in the morning, bedtime rituals in the evening or spending time with friends and family on the weekends, routines are important to help children feel safe and have a sense of predictability within their home environment. A good example of this, for younger children is reading a story together before bed. As parents and carers, you are your child’s first and most important teacher. Every day you are helping your child to learn new information, skills and ways of behaving. Encouraging independence will help your child to develop essential life skills and feel self-confident. New skills can take time to develop, here are some tips to help support this process.

• Discuss with your child what the routine will look like and set time frames (e.g. what time is bedtime), as well as time limits (e.g. TV or technology time).
• Give clear instructions, getting your child’s attention before you start. Turn off the TV and reduce any other noise or interruptions. To increase your instructions effectiveness, try the ‘when…then’ approach e.g. When you have brushed you teach, then I will read you a book in bed. When we have finished reading, then it will be time to sleep. When you eat your vegetables, then you can have dessert. When you have put your uniform on, then you can have breakfast. This approach helps motivate, especially when the first direction isn’t overly appealing. Model how and what you want your child to do step by step. Remember it may take time to get it right, and sometimes you may need to hold their hand to accomplish it to begin with.
• For younger children you may choose to use a poster to remind about the steps to complete (e.g. for brushing their teeth).
• Give praise and encouragement for all your child’s efforts.
• Consider if your child is physically able and mature enough to complete certain tasks (e.g. getting dressed, stacking the dishwasher) and consider what will help them to grow in their independence and ability to learn new skills.

Have a great rest of the week.

God Bless,

Megan