Dear Parents, Guardians, Carers and Students,

Yesterday the Staff of Bright P-12 College engaged in a professional learning program with the following goals:

• Google Classroom introduction/consolidation (Goal: all teachers to try Google Classrooms by the end of term, either individually or as part of a teaching team)

• School Wide Positive Behaviours - Secondary - reconnect with the framework, learn how to teach expectations and develop a plan for reconnecting to PSWBS when we return to site

• Collaborative curriculum planning/documentation

We had staff presenting what is going well in their classrooms as well as an external presenter Andrew Cowen, School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support Coach, Health, Wellbeing and Engagement Unit.

The day was a great opportunity for the staff to add to their planning for Remote Teaching and Learning and connect with new learning.
We have prioritised Google Classrooms P-12 as it gives us an opportunity to create an online learning space that can be used in our onsite classrooms and also in the home with a seamless transition between the two, when needed. It is an interactive, organised and modern platform that allows for virtual collaboration with boundaries.
We have prioritised Positive School Wide Behaviours Support (SWPBS) as it is a framework that brings together school communities to develop positive, safe, supportive learning cultures. SWPBS will assist us to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for our children and young people.

When SWPBS is implemented well, teachers and students have more time to focus on relationships and classroom instruction. Students and staff benefit from:

• increased respectful and positive behaviour

• increased time focused on instruction

• improved social-emotional wellbeing

• positive and respectful relationships among students and staff

• increased adoption of evidence-based instructional practices

• a predictable learning environment with improved perceptions of safety and increased attendance

We started this process of implementation last year and have now reconnected with the learning to continue this work in the College with an emphasis on the secondary area. 

Thank you for your support in assisting us to take this day for professional development.

YEAR 7 INFORMATION EVENING - TERM 4

We have decided to reschedule the Year 7 Information evening to term 4. I will update you as soon as we have set a date. 

PREP LEARNING PACKS

We have prepared Prep Learning Pack 2 and it is in the office foyer ready for collection by the parents from this Friday, August 28th. The process is the same as last time and each pack is individually named for collection.

PARENT & TEACHER CONFERENCES IN WEEK 9

We will be hosting virtual Parent Teacher Conferences via the Web Ex Meetings platform on Wednesday 9th of September from 12pm to 5.30pm. The focus for the Parent Teacher Conference will be for parents to connect with the classroom teacher to discuss engagement in remote learning and also explore ways to support students who had difficulty reconnecting with onsite learning last time. These will not be exclusively focused on academic achievement so please do not expect your teacher to give an academic placement. Parents will be able to book through the normal COMPASS booking system. The conference booking will be for 15mins, however your conference will only go for 10mins; and cannot go over time as other parents will be waiting. Bookings will open on Monday 31st of August and will CLOSE on Friday the 4th September at 3pm. If you have any troubles logging in to COMPASS please contact the Office staff.  Please note there will be no progress reports for this term, for Year 5 to 12 students. 

PJ DAY Friday 28th of August

Don't forget tomorrow is PJ day for all students Prep to Year 12. Teachers may also surprise their students by joining in. How about we all get behind it and have the whole family join in?  Please send in any photos of your PJ day at home for our next newsletter to victoria.newcomb@educaiton.vic.gov.au

ONSITE ATTENDANCE INTENTIONS FORM FOR WEEK 9

Attached to this Compass post is the intentions form for Week 9 of this term. It is due by 4pm Wednesday 2nd September. A huge shout out to all the parents who are using this program provided by the College for their support in getting this form in on time. I know it is annoying but it is a requirement by DET and it helps us organise the staff we need to cater for the number of students booked in for the week. The Onsite Attendance program is for students whose parents are not working at home and are unable to make any other arrangements as well as students who are vulnerable. 

Primary Assistant Principal - Kelli Jacobsen

Smiling Minds Care Packs - FOCUS ON THE POSITIVES

In my newsletter article today I shared with you a wonderful resource made available by Smiling Minds (I have mentioned this business before as they have a fantastic mindfulness app that is free). I will post these resources for you on COMPASS as well as they have created PDF document’s for parents to assist their children whilst at home with stress management and mindfulness. These are short activities that you can choose to do with your child when you start to see signs of heightened anxiety or frustration. If you choose to do some of them I would love to see what the students create or do. 

Attitudes to School Survey for Year 4 to 6 students

On Friday 28th August at 11.30am I will be hosting a Web Ex Event for ALL Yr 4 to 6 students to complete the 2020 Attitudes to School Survey. This survey is extremely important for us to gather authentic student voice and their attitudes and feelings towards schooling. There is no need for students or parents to do anything except log on to the event via a link sent to the students by Tony Brooks. It can also be located on COMPASS or Google Classroom tomorrow morning. I look forward to seeing all of the Year 4 to 6 students then.