Dear families,

EduTECH Conference

Each term is always a very busy time for teachers, students and parents. This term has been no exception. We have been planning for quite some time to extend the knowledge and understanding of our staff in relation to the impact of artificial intelligence(AI), on their work, whether as a school service officer, a classroom teacher or a specialist teacher. The time in Melbourne at the EduTech conference has already shown results in teacher planning and analysis of the impact of AI on effective learning.

Artificial intelligence is here to stay in its various forms, and we need to share with students the up-side and the down-side of this new technology. If used correctly, it has many positive benefits in schools, and this was shared with us at the conference by many experts, from almost every state in Australia and overseas.

AI can be used to provide customised resources for students allowing them to proceed at their own speed. It can also evaluate student responses in real time and adjust question difficulty, stretching students in a way that supports our work on effective learners. This helps students to become more effective and self-directed learners. Of course it will be a learning process for teachers who are looking at ways to implement AI into the classroom, while at the same time teaching students to be critical users of an ever changing resource.

Moving Classrooms

Last week also saw the impact of a previous termite infestation in several classrooms, the extent of which only recently became known. The department was very quick at coming and assessing the damage, and it was made quite clear that the classrooms in question had to be evacuated in order to allow for a proper assessment and future repair.

It appears that we will not be able to use rooms 1,2,5 & 6 for the remainder of 2024 and we have relocated four classes at this stage into other spaces within the school. I wish to thank all staff, who assisted in this as it is quite a mammoth task to shift classrooms at such short notice. They went above and beyond in making sure that the shift was as smooth as possible for students when they returned to school on Thursday.

We are also grateful to the offer of assistance in regards to our play program from Woodend Children’s Centre and the staff there. Education Director, Heather Makris visited on Friday to get a firsthand look at the situation that we now find ourselves in.

I am pleased to be able to say that students have really demonstrated the school values during this shift and have maintained a very positive attitude to change.

While it might seem an abundance of caution, we are always ensuring that our staff and students have safe working areas. I must admit, that we thought that moving was over once the building program was finalised, and hence I was very impressed at the positive way teachers and school service officers managed this unexpected event.

2025 Reception Enrolments

At this stage we are planning for our 2025 reception enrolment for term one, and we have our final tour this Thursday. If you are aware of any parent who is wishing to put in a registration of interest for 2025, please direct them to phone Kerri at the front office.

Our 2024 Mid-term receptions are progressing extremely well, and Nikki Edwards and support staff in that room are doing an amazing job at introducing them to school life.

Kind regards,

Steve Freeman
Principal