CURRICULUM LEVEL CHANGES

This is one of my favourite times of the year, not only is Christmas just around the corner (yippee!), but I get to appreciate and share student’s growth and learning over the past year. Teachers have collaborated and moderated student evidence and assessments and I was so very excited (and super proud) to be invited to 14 curriculum level change meetings.

Drum roll:

20% of our student from Prep to Year 10 will move up a curriculum level!

This is a massive shout out to our awesome staff for consistency in their teaching practice, focusing on language, literacy, interactions and relationships across all learning areas. Using visual supports to aide and provide the language for our students to communicate effectively to peers and adults is a vital skill for our learners. It is clear, we are focusing on the right work, the right way!

COMMUNICATION AND LITERACY IN 2023

In 2023 we have invested a large amount of funding into improving our language and literacy program across the school.

Firstly, we are investing in brand new PODD books, for consistency across the school. PODD books are used to provide visual supports and additional language to support communication. This is for all of our students, verbal and non-verbal. Research confirms that literacy development for reading and writing is strongly linked to vocabulary and language. Without language and vocabulary, literacy skills are difficult to develop. We have also invested in a literacy program to support a systematic approach to the teaching and learning of phonics to complement our Comprehensive Literacy approach. The program is called Promoting Literacy Development (PLD), and many schools in our region have chosen this program as it is easy to use for staff, engaging for students and flexible in its use to work at the students’ current working level.

We are very excited to seeing the growth and development in our students’ literacy skills. If you would like to look further into the program your can access information here https://pld-literacy.org/plds-downloadable-developmental-milestone-guides-posters-information-sheets/

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Last but not least, Thank you to everyone for your continued support at our wonderful school.

Happy holidays.

Shellie