Principal’s Log

Last Friday morning over 500 members of our community came together to celebrate International Women’s Day.  There was great energy as people enjoyed connecting together, listening to the music performances and enjoying wonderful food prepared by our hospitality team. The theme of Embracing Equity reminded us of the need to recognise and work to remove barriers that place limits on people.  We thank our community for their very strong support of the morning, our musicians led by Mr Paul Cusick, Mrs Carlie Purkis and Mrs Helen Williams for adding to the ambience of the morning and the hospitality team of staff and students led by Mrs Colleen Beattie, Mrs Emma Lendrum, Ms Lucy Comerford and Mrs Rhana Holt, for their very tasty and high-quality service.  We also thank Ms Leigh Finter, Mrs Leanne Bevis and Senior students for their organisation and leadership.

Continuous feedback around assessment for our Middle and Senior College students has commenced this term with parents and students able to view feedback on NAV as assessments are completed rather than waiting for the end-of-term report. This helps young people and their parents understand what is currently understood and what is yet to be learnt. Parents are encouraged to monitor their NAV parent portal and discuss how to build on the feedback provided. We look forward to gaining staff, student and parent feedback as we refine our processes in using assessment for learning.

Our Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students have made a great start to their NAPLAN assessment and we look forward to being able to use the data as part of the suite of evidence used to support student learning. There has been a calm purposefulness in the way the students have engaged.  We thank staff and parents for the part they have played in reminding students that NAPLAN provides an indicator of what young people understand and are yet to understand, rather than being a judgement of them. We particularly thank our Heads of Learning Mrs Jo Belchamber and Mrs Sue Zweck and our IT team for the very considerable work that has gone into the preparation and administration of these tests.

Through this part of the term, children and young people will be receiving feedback through a whole variety of assessment processes. Helping students to view assessment as a process for learning that informs them of what they understand and are yet to understand is an important habit for life. Conversations in this space assist students to make the most of feedback and help to shift thinking from emotional responses to thoughtful reflection and action.

We pray that God would help us to see and embrace the possibilities for learning and growth through all of the “yets” that life presents.

Dr Bronwyn Dolling, Principal