Our staff have been working hard over the past few weeks thinking about student class placements for 2020. To guide our decision making, we consider class placement criteria such as grade groupings, gender balance, social and emotional wellbeing, peer groups and academic ability. On the final day of school all students will have a 30 minute session in their 2020 classrooms with their new teacher. Reports will be sent home on Monday 16 December and welcome letters from 2020 class teachers on Wednesday 18 December.

On the Student Free Day after Show Day holiday, our staff came together for a professional learning session. Our focus was adult wellbeing and how our own emotions impact thinking, action and the tone and culture at Austins Ferry Primary School. We also spent a considerable amount of time on planning key Term 4 events, Awards Assemblies, our Christmas Carols evening and Year 6 Leavers Assembly. Keep an eye out for more detailed information about these events.

Earlier this term students from Years 4 – 6 completed the Student Wellbeing Survey. The questions focussed on culture and identity, participation, learning, being healthy, having material basics and being loved and safe. Wellbeing is one of the goals of the Department of Education and the survey contains useful information to guide our school planning for student wellbeing. We will share more of our school results over the coming months.

We are excited to offer a free “Helping your child cope with Anxiety” information session for parents and carers next week. We know that there are many students who experience anxiety at home or school and this session will provide parents and carers with strategies to support in a variety of situations. The session will be run by Anja from Calm Kids and will be held on Thursday 14 November from 5:00pm – 7:00 pm in the Early Years Learning Centre. Please register your name at the school office if you would like to attend, the session is also free.

A big thank you to Mr Cook who is coordinating the Grade 6 transitions ‘Head Start to High School’ program. We want to make sure that our students move into their new setting seamlessly and confidently.  We are working closely with our partner school Montrose Bay High School, and other non-partner High Schools to make sure the transition experience is well planned, coordinated and supporting students excitement, engagement and connectedness to their Year 7 destination. Please mark in your diaries that most government High Schools will participate in the Year 6 Orientation Day on Wednesday 4 December.