Principal News
Dear Parents, Staff and Students,
The Easter holidays are fast approaching with a busy last week including the Holy Week Liturgy (Monday), Junior Swimming Carnival (Tuesday). End of Term Awards Assembly (Wednesday) and Cross Country (Thursday).
Holidays are welcomed by all. I am certain and also conscious that for many of our children they will spend time on devices during this break time. Parents I urge you to be very mindful of what your child/children are viewing during this time. Jason Gibson is a behavioural specialist who talks about the importance of having ground rules and safety fences around the technology use. Click on the following link to hear what he has to say:
How To Put Safety Fences Around Technology Use
https://vimeo.com/431359206/be5970e9ab
Prayers please
Please keep in your prayers those St Saviour’s Primary staff and families who are dealing with serious health challenges as well as the passing of close family members at this time. It is the case in a large school, such as ours, there are always some families confronting health concerns. At present, we have more than is typical. I know that some of these families are very private while others engage easily with others about their situation. Either way, I know that there have been beautifully supportive actions from others within the school community that display the best qualities of compassion, care and support.
Road Safety
We often see the headline at the start of each term, “Back to School Means Sharing the Road.” School days bring congestion and, at SSPS, that congestion can start before 8:00am and extend out to beyond 3:30pm, depending on what is happening on any given day. There are school buses picking up the students, hurried parents trying to drop their children off before work. With the increase in our Prep population, it's never been more important for drivers to slow down and pay attention – especially before and after school.
If You're Dropping Off
We have a very specific drop-off zone and expected procedures. Make sure you know them for the safety of all children. The following apply to drop off areas in Perth and Lawrence St:
- Don't double park; it blocks visibility for other students and vehicles;
- Don't load or unload your passengers in the Prep driveway.
- Carpool, where possible, to reduce the number of vehicles at the school;
- and, please don't park or stop in the bus zone.
We all have to remember we are sharing the road with young children.
According to research by the National Safety Council, most of the children who lose their lives in vehicle related incidents in and around schools are walking. The precautions listed above go a long way toward keeping our children safe.
In relation to parking around the side streets, no matter how fast you think you’ll be, don’t park across driveways or on yellow lines. Please make sure you obey parking signs and limits as you could be stung with a fine if you overstay. This has happened recently.
We are a very active and vibrant community. We all need to be patient when driving around the school. The School continues to work with the various authorities in an effort to make changes that will make entry and exit into the school smoother and quicker. Parking and traffic is also a key issue we are trying to address in our new master plan. Any solution will not be easy and will come at a significant cost.
Finally, some tips - even requests - when using the roads in and around the School:
- Slow down and obey the speed limit.
- Allow yourself more time to get where you are going.
- Stay alert! This way you won’t be surprised and will be prepared if you need to stop.
- Stop for the school buses and let them have the right of way.
- Use a “What If” strategy. What if that young person darts out in front of me? What if that car stops short? Remember our children are not able to accurately determine the speed of an oncoming vehicle and may take risks.
Responsible road usage and defensive driving starts with us - as parents, teachers and adults - modelling the behaviour we expect.
What matters most when it comes to student achievement?
A new Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report has identified the teacher and school factors that matter most for student achievement and social-emotional development. It found that classroom practices that create opportunities to learn and teachers’ use of working time are some of the factors most strongly linked with student outcomes.
Andreas Schleicher, OECD Director for Education and Skills, said that if there was only one conclusion to take away from this report, it’s that what teachers do in and outside the classroom matters the most for the cognitive and social-emotional outcomes of the school’s students.
The research suggests that students need sufficient support from significant adults in their lives, such as their parents and their teachers, to self-regulate and be achievement-focused. Our learners are more likely to perform in reading in schools where a culture of student assessment, teacher accountability and there is a clear focus on writing skills. At SSPS, our ‘Reading Improvement Strategy’, ‘STEM focus, Writing Program are key examples of how we put this research into play.
This report does not only confirm the crucial role of teachers in a young person’s development, it also sheds light on other factors. The school’s culture and parental involvement are major factors in student holistic development. The research pointed to measures such as greater support from parents in school-related activities and positive relationships between teachers and students are essential to achieve this.
Students in a school with a strong sense of community are more likely to be academically motivated, socially involved in peace and justice events, and develop social and emotional intelligence. At SSPS, we know the long lasting benefits of building a sense of community. The positive flow-on effects of this are learners who avoid a number of problem behaviours.
Community and parental engagement recognises the important role that both parents and teachers play in developing positive attitudes towards learning and education for students, building their motivation, confidence and enjoyment as learners. Without fail, our support groups go above and beyond to ensure our students, parents and wider community experience nothing but the best.
When you volunteer, you are making a commitment to share that most precious of resources – your time – to make life better for our students. Our parent support groups are dedicated and appreciated for their hard work. Whether you are a long-time volunteer or only got involved fairly recently, and regardless of how many hours you choose to give, it’s important for you to know that what you do makes a difference.
PREP 2022 Parent Information Session - Friday 26th March 9a.m.
This Friday we will welcome any interested parents who are considering enrolment for their Prep child in 2022. Come along and hear all about what's on offer here at St Saviour's Primary School to help make an informed choice for your child's educational journey.
We look forward to sharing our story with our 2022 Prep families.
The final week of the term coincides with Holy Week, which commences with Palm Sunday and concludes on Easter Sunday. This week is the culmination of the 40 day Lenten journey. Amidst all that is ahead of all of us in our professional, personal and family lives in the coming week we would do well to find a daily space for prayer and reflection. As Christians, we are called to prepare for the death and resurrection of Jesus - the centrepiece of our faith.
With every blessing for the weeks ahead and for Easter especially.
Thanks for reading.
Madonna Sleba