Implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to Improve Learning

Last week we had a visit from our Director of School Improvement and Principal colleagues to check in our implementaiton of PLCs to improve learning. We receieved lots of great feedback and some suggestions to help us to continue moving forward. Here is a snapshot of our feedback:

• Teachers mentioned that PLC discussions helping to meet the needs of students has increased, as we know more about what they need to do to improve. Peer coaching in place to allow teachers to share practice across the school.
• Many teachers were actively conferencing with students to check in on understanding and set next steps for learning.
• All students were actively engaged in quality learning tasks.
• The spiral of inquiry has helped teams to be more narrow and targeted.
• The use of data is strong across all teams.
• All work centered on vision - safe and supportive learning culture, improving reading outcomes.

Wonderings to shape our next steps may include:

• How can sharing opportunities across PLCs be embedded to ensure continual sharing of ideas and progress both within the school and wider across the system?
• How is student voice honoured and valued in all aspects of work in professional learning communities?

Buddies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day 

The theme for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day 2021 is proud in culture, strong in spirit. Our students had a great time working with their buddies to explore culture.

2021 School Satisfaction & Climate Survey

Each year, the Directorate surveys all parents and carers, school staff and students in Years 4 to 12 about their experience of public education. The 2021 School Satisfaction & Climate Survey will be available online from 13 August to 3 September. The survey results will help us to continue to make quality informed decisions about how to improve our school. No personal identifying information will be provided to any school or college.

 For each child in their family who attends an ACT public school, parents and carers will receive:

• A letter about the student survey outlining the reasons for collection and privacy provision for the data; and
• An email about the parent survey, including a unique link to access the survey. Genuine survey invitation emails will have the title "The 2021 School Satisfaction & Climate Survey is now open!" and will be sent from EDU Surveys & Evaluation with 'from' address EDU@qualtrics-survey.com.

If you do not receive the survey invitation, please check your Junk email folder; if it is not there, send your contact details to EDUSurveysandEvaluation@act.gov.au to request a survey invitation.

The Parents and Carers Survey will be available online in other languages: Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Urdu, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Bengali, Spanish and Telugu. Respondents can select their preferred language when they start the survey. A shortened paper-version of the Parents and Carers Survey is also available in the following 5 languages: Dari, Dinka, Farsi, Karen, and Mon. These surveys are available at the Front Office.

For the results to reflect the opinions of our whole school community, we need as many parents and carers, staff and students as possible to complete the survey. Your feedback is important, and we hope you will take part.

For more information, visit: https://www.education.act.gov.au/public-school-life/school-satisfaction-and-climate-survey

Rebecca Turner

Principal