KINGSCLIFF PUBLIC SCHOOL
Staff Bulletin Week 2 Term 1 2016
WINS
New Staff Induction and Exec. Support Day - Thank you for your collaboration, engagement and professional learning!
Interesting 'targets' communicated for the Department of Education moving towards 2019 ... information follows below from Dr Michelle Bruniges .... aligns with our previous school planning and our ongoing focus to improve our student and school results ....
LEARNING - FROM OUR SECRETARY
A new school year
Dear colleagues
Welcome back to school for 2016. I hope all our staff, students, parents and carers have had a relaxing holiday and are ready for the year ahead.
As we start the year we have high expectations of our students and staff and a commitment to deliver the excellent public education that parents and the community rightly demand.
NSW public education has undergone significant reform over the past four years and we will continue this transformation at all levels of our school system to benefit every student.
We have produced a short video, Our schools, our story, that you can watch here and I encourage you to share it widely with your school communities.
Our priorities are to continually improve results for all students by raising teacher quality with a future-focused approach to learning. We concentrate on school excellence and innovation and ensure that our school leaders are supported to succeed in their roles.
This year we will work towards achieving new priorities announced by the Premier to raise the percentage of all students in the top two bands in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) by 8% by 2019.
Another state priority is to increase the proportion of Aboriginal students in the top two NAPLAN bands for reading and numeracy by 30% by 2019.
We know from our research – and you know from your experience in schools – that students with strong literacy and numeracy skills stay at school longer and complete their HSC, setting them up for a pathway to further study or work.
I know the start of the school year is always busy, with students and teachers forming new classes and settling into their learning environments. This year we have almost 800,000 students enrolled to attend a NSW public school, including 69,000 Kindergarten students and around 45,000 year 12 students preparing for HSC exams in Term 4.
We also welcome 257 teachers to the NSW public education system who are starting their careers in a deeply rewarding profession.
I am proud of our achievements in public education and each year our schools provide our communities with much to celebrate. I look forward to a year of achievement and excellence.
Warm regards
Dr Michele Bruniges AM
Secretary, Department of Education
calendar Update
Week 2 Term 1
Mon 1.2.16
RFF Timetable begins
Best Start Assessment
Tue 2.2.16
District PSSA meeting
Wed 3.2.16
Staff Meeting PM – Literacy Pro Training
Kindergarten Begin – Tea n Tissues
Thur 4.2.16
Emergency procedures practice - Evac / Lockdown due
Fri 5.2.16
Exec. Meeting
New Staff Induction Day 2
Bulldogs ARL Visit – 10am
Principal’s breakfast meeting 7.15am
Week 3 Term 1
Mon 08.2.16
Stage Term Newsletters due
District Cricket Trials – Boys and Girls – South Tweed
Wed 10.2.16
Staff Professional Learning Workshops AM
Census day – numbers
Thur 11.2.16
Kingy Playgroup – 9am – 11am
Fri 12.2.16
Class Timetables due
SCHOOL Swim Carnival
COMMUNICATING SCHOOL ISSUES TO FAMILIES WHEN WE START A NEW YEAR
Classes & Numbers
We form our initial classes based on the previous year enrolment numbers and notified intending enrolments. Obviously circumstances change for families and the expected numbers do not always match to our initial planning. Some changes of classes for students occur each year but we try to keep these to a minimum. The numbers in each grade or year level always change from the previous year. As a result, the class structures we have in one year may not occur the following year.
Composite classes are inevitable each year.
They are formed as all classes are with consideration of :-
· attempting to have a balance of boys /girls;
· catering for a balance of learning needs – high and low;
· enabling a balance of individual student welfare and social needs to be catered for;
· encouraging and enabling students to meet and create new friends.
· There is an alignment of teaching focus and content areas between classes and grades.
· Composite classes are excellent learning structures for students.
STARTING A NEW SCHOOL YEAR
Starting a new school year is always an interesting learning opportunity for us all…. That includes students, teachers and also parents… WHY? … new students … a new teacher ..a new classroom.. different children to work with …new friendships that children need to make …new work to be learn’t … different approaches, needs, impacts and unexpected CHANGE! What can we do to support this time? We need to support children to make new friends, learn news ways of doing things and in some instances learn to manage and cope with unexpected CHANGES !
HAVING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE & COPING WITH CHANGE.
These things will help :-
· Optimism. Look forward to the opportunities and good things in a new year. (make a list)
· Recognise your talents and the good things that you will be involved in!
· Laugh, be happy ….. share your good mood – “it’s contagious”.
MAKING FRIENDS – a new year … it’s time to make more friends in my new class… These things help to make new friends each year :
· Friendly behaviours:
· Playing games well:
· Tolerance of differences
· Safe & Fair – make good choices.
Expression of Interest Relieving Positions at Kingscliff Public School Invited for 2016
Written application emailed due to Principal by close of school
Friday 4th March 2016 (end week6) .
These include opportunities to relieve as:-
Assistant Principal
Deputy Principal
Principal
Areas to address in writing which are directly related to teaching are:-
• The executive teacher knows their subject content and how to teach it to their students
• The executive teacher knows their students and how they learn
• The executive teacher plans, assesses and reports for effective learning
• The executive teacher communicates effectively with their students
• The executive teacher creates and maintains a safe and challenging learning environment through the use of classroom management skills
• The executive teacher continually improves their professional knowledge and practice
• The executive teacher is an actively engaged member of their profession
“In addition to the standards required for school teachers, executive teachers must demonstrate the capacity to provide successful educational leadership….. principals are also to assess an executive teacher against the following” :
1. Successful teaching experience with capacity to initiate improvement in teaching, learning and classroom practice.
2. Knowledge of curriculum, assessment and student welfare with the ability to lead and design quality, inclusive teaching and learning programs.
3. Educational leadership skills to build the capacity and manage the performance of individuals and teams.
4. Well developed communication and interpersonal skills with the capacity to build relationships and engage students, staff and parents.
5. Ability to plan and manage resources effectively and equitably to support teaching and learning.
6. Knowledge of and commitment to the Department’s Aboriginal education policies.
A support resource will also be emailed to staff to assist in preparation for these opportunities. I trust that the information provided assists all staff in understanding processes, the ongoing professional learning inherent and the wide range of support information that is available.