World Teacher's Day
Today we celebrate and acknowledge the amazing work our teachers do in our schools. Despite only just starting my relationship with Drummoyne PS, the quality of the teaching staff here is obvious. Our staff are highly experienced, dedicated and passionate about the role they play in a student's journey through school and life. Building quality relationships here is a key component and it is clear that our teachers know, value and care for all of their students.
With thanks to the P&C, our staff today had a special lunch and took a moment to reflect on their own reasons for being a teacher. On behalf of the community, my thanks to all our caring teachers. Happy World Teacher's Day 2023.
School Disco
Last Friday the P&C hosted our latest school disco. My thanks to the P&C team for all of their great organisation. The music was fantastic as usual from Zing Activ. All the students were beautifully behaved and seemed to really enjoy the night of dancing. If you enjoy listening to Taylor Swift, I'm sure you would of had a great time at the disco. It was a very positive night, my thanks to the staff who stayed and supported the event, as well as the parents and carers who all turned up on time to collect their children.
Formation of Classes for 2024
Over the next few weeks a process for the placement of students into tentative classes for next year will take place involving executive, teachers and specialist staff. This is designed to ensure a smooth transition for all students and to support student learning. The aims of this process are:
- To provide each child with the opportunity to be part of a class of children that will allow them the best opportunity to learn.
- To form well balanced classes of children that take into account the social, emotional, academic and physical characteristics of each child.
- To ensure that optimum use is made of the knowledge that teachers have of each child before and after class placement. This will be supported through ‘handover’ meetings between current and new teachers at the start of the new year.
Other aspects of the class formation process include the following: Firstly, determining the number of classes for next year, class sizes and the year levels of each class based on anticipated student enrolments.
Consideration will be given to gender balance, the previous class, each child’s ability, language background, student behaviour and friendship groups. The opportunity for social development through accessing a wide number of students is considered important by the school. The individual learning needs of each child, including students with special needs, will be carefully considered. Student voice is also highly valued, and students will be able to select five learning friends that the class formation software will use to ensure at least one learning friend is placed together.
Parallel or socially grouped classes will seek to have an equal balance of capable and less capable students. This will be based primarily on the academic ability of a student as indicated by class and grade assessments.
Details relating to the school organisation, classes of children, and the teachers allocated to classes will be provided to parents on the first day of term 1. As the class structure may need to change depending on student enrolments over the holiday period, the school will not be in a position to share the composition of proposed classes prior to the start of the new year. At this stage, given demographic movement of families in and out of Drummoyne, students may need to go into 2023 classes for the first week or so at the start of next year.
NSWPPA Conference
This week I had the privilege of attending the NSW Primary Principals Association state conference in the city. Attended by over 600 primary principals across NSW this is a great annual event. Speakers included the Honourable Prue Car Minister for Education, the Secretary of Education Murat Dizdar as well as social researcher Mark McCrindle, leadership speaker James Kerr, inspirational speaker Andrew May and positive change advocate Grace Tame.
There was also time to talk with colleagues about experiences, successes and challenges in our schools. Whilst we have to carefully consider our time away from schools, these experiences make for better leaders across our schools in this state. Thanks to Ms Colb for leading the school in my absence.
