External School Review

Last Monday and Tuesday we were involved in our External School Review.  Over the two days the Review Panel spoke to every teacher, teacher assistants, the leadership team, a collection of students from Grade 2-6 and parent representatives.  They also conducted classroom visits.  The review was very positive with many commendations and affirmations, such as:

• A strong focus on quality learning
• There is a supportive and professional staff who understand the importance of building positive relationships with students
• Teachers have a deep understanding of strategies they are using to support all learners
• There is a strong and united commitment to continuous improvement across the school
• Leaders and teachers use data to inform planning and monitor student growth
• Classrooms are inviting and orderly learning spaces
• The leadership team is providing high quality support

The exit report outlined three recommendations for future focus.  They were very relevant and affirmed the direction we were going next:

• Prioritise data to plan tasks that extend highly capable students
• Continue our inquiry approach to build students’ capacity to set goals, reflect and act responsibly to maximise their learning. This also involves further developing our learning assets.
• Develop a feedback culture at the staff and student level.

K-6 End of Year Performance

This year our K-6 performance will take place on Wednesday 15 December.  Last year due to venue density restrictions we did not have a live audience and posted each performance online.  This year we have been more innovative and worked out a plan which supports venue density plus allows parents to watch. In the first block we will do a rehearsal performance just for students and staff.  Then between 11:30am-1:30pm the performance will be open to our community with no student audience.   Classes will come into the gym in their performing group and then leave.  The eldest child in the family will bring home two tickets for their parents or significant adult to attend.  Closer to the date a running schedule will be published.

We hope you can save this date and come and celebrate the end of the 2021 school year with us.

Moana Junior Production

For any of you who were fortunate enough to attend the Burnie Musical Society’s performance of Moana, you may have noticed Ava up on stage. 

I interviewed Ava about her experience:

How did you get involved? 

There was an information night where they walked through the roles and explained the process and auditions.

What parts did you audition for? –

I auditioned for Pua, he is a pig and Moana’s sensible side kick; Heihei, a chicken and Mona’s silly side kick; and the Ocean Chorus.

What did you need to do in the audition? 

Individually we had to sing a song and do our own choregraphed dance. I am in Reflections, so I did one of the dances from my exam.

Which part did you end up getting? 

The Ocean Chorus, it involves singing and dancing.  I was basically on stage the whole time.

What was your favourite thing about being involved in the production?

It was a close cast and I made a lot of friends.  Some people had their birthdays during the production, so we planned birthday surprises.

One of our school values is courage, how did this value relate to being in the production?

I was quite nervous to audition, I had done it before but it still takes courage to get up on stage.

Do you think you will do again?

Yes, I really like it.

Would you recommend the experience to others?

Yes, definitely if you have done stage before.  If not, it is still good, people are inclusive and encouraging if you make a mistake.  Plus, you also have the opportunity to make new friends.