Student Leaders Announced

Our Student Leadership Team for 2015 has been announced. Congratulations go to these students:

STUDENT COUNCILLORS
MONIQUE
BLAKE
LAUREN
STEPHANIE
ELLA
HARIS


FACTION CAPTAINS
CYCLONE
CHARLIZE
KATI
THUNDER
SAM
AIDEN
STORM
KALEB
JACO
LIGHTNING
LAIRD
CAMERON

ARTS CAPTAINS
STEFAN
JANELLE
JOSHUA
TAYLAH

SUSTAINABILITY CAPTAINS
CHLOE
MADISON
SHAAMILAH
LORELEI

Positive Behaviour Education at Madeley PS

Last year the school introduced a new Positive Behaviour Policy. The policy has seen a very different approach being taken by our staff to the way we develop and manage student behaviour. A copy of the policy is available from the school office or it was posted as part of a recent newsletter. The following link will take you to a document on the Play is the Way website which explains some of the philosophy behind the new policy. My focus as Principal is to promote and embed one main rule into the culture and behaviour of everyone at our school, this rule is outlined in the policy as the Golden Rule: ‘Treat others the way you want them to treat you’. Applying this rule successfully into a persons’ life does not just happen, it requires continual learning and experience. Consider your own life and ask yourself how well you go in:

• recognising and regulating emotions,
• developing empathy for others and understanding relationships,
• establishing and building positive relationships,
• making responsible decisions,
• working effectively in teams,
• handling challenging situations constructively and
• developing leadership skills.

All of these behaviours are required if you are to live a life in which the Golden Rule is demonstrated. Even as adults we struggle at times to achieve this. Understandably, children need a positive and caring environment in which they can learn, practice and strengthen these behaviours. This is the kind of environment we seek to establish at Madeley Primary School. Although the behaviour of our students is usually excellent, occasionally I have parents visit me in my office to discuss concerns. It is important for parents to remember that there are no quick fixes when it comes to managing emotive and complex behavioural issues. The idea that a specific strategy, consequence or punishment will fix a problem is unrealistic especially when at the heart of the issue is ‘relationship’. At Madeley Primary School we care about relationships and will work to ensure that our school environment allows for relationship building through positive behaviour education.

The video embedded in this post was shown to students at a recent assembly to illustrate how treating others kindly can have a positive impact on behaviour. 

Nature Play

Our new Off-Site Nature Play Policy has commenced very successfully.

POLICY

a.    A designated off-site play area will be created and clearly marked

b.    Students in Years K – 6 will be given opportunity to access the designated off-site play area during recess and lunchtime.

c.    Parental consent will be required for all students wishing to access the off-site play area.

d.    Staff will provide students with ongoing ‘point-of-need’ instruction of how to stay safe and care for others and the environment. This process of educating students helps to reduce the risks associated with student behaviour.

This week parents were provided with additional information and a permission slip to return if they want their child to access the Nature Play area. Students with permission have been issued with a Nature Play Pass wristband. The first wristband is free with lost or damaged bands being available for $2.00. Students are responsible for the care of their own wristband.

Student Leaders

Student leadership positions are very important and it is a great privilege for a students to be selected to represent his/her peers in our school. 

The Student Leadership team will include:

Student Council
Student Councillors work to support the school in providing a quality teaching and learning environment. They do this by providing peer leadership and modelling and by representing the student body as part of the Student Leadership Team. There will be six Student Councillors selected each year from the Year 6 cohort. Student Councillors will be led and managed by a staff member who will also have the role of Student Leaders coordinator. This person will oversee all Student Leaders. Student Councillors are expected:

1. To model acceptable behaviour and dress standards whilst at school.
2. To wear your badge with pride and responsibility.
3. To conduct school Assemblies each week.
4. To assist in assimilating new students into the school.
5. To assist in organisation of school functions.
6. To act as hosts to visitors at our School.
7. To communicate student problems to staff.
8. To respond on school’s behalf to visitors and on school excursions.
9. To attend regular meetings during lunchtimes with staff responsible for Student Council activities.
   

Faction Captains
Faction Captains also work to support the school in providing a quality teaching and learning  environment with a specific focus on sporting activities and events. They do this by leading students at school and interschool sporting activities and by representing the student body as part of the Student Leadership Team. There will be four Faction Captains selected from Year 6 and four Faction Captains selected from the Year 5 (total of two per faction). Faction Captains will be managed by the Physical Education specialist in consultation with the Student Leaders coordinator.

Faction Captains are expected:

1. To model acceptable behaviour and dress standards whilst at school.
2. To attend and conduct faction meetings when required.
3. To assist staff with organisation of carnivals, faction training and equipment set up.
4. To assist staff with team selections.
5. To lead their faction at all faction events in a respectable manner.
6. To communicate student problems to staff.
7. To assist the Physical Education Teacher when required

Arts Captains
Arts Captains work to ensure that school events, functions and productions run smoothly. There will be four Arts Captains selected from Year 6 students. Arts Captains will be managed by the Visual Arts/Music specialists in consultation with the Student Leaders coordinator. Arts Captains are expected:

1. To model acceptable behaviour and dress standards whilst at school.
2. To wear their badge with pride and responsibility.
3. To help conduct school assemblies each week.
4. To assist in organisation of school functions and productions
5. To communicate student problems to staff.
6. To respond on school’s behalf to visitors and on school excursions.
7. To attend regular meetings during lunchtimes with staff responsible for Arts Captain activities.

Sustainability Captains
Sustainability Captains work to ensure sustainability initiatives and activities are organised and implemented well across the school. There will be four Sustainability Captains selected from Year 6 students. Sustainability Captains will be managed by the Sustainability Committee Managers.

Sustainability Captains are expected:

1. To model acceptable behaviour and dress standards whilst at school.
2. To wear their badge with pride and responsibility 
3.  To help promote and manage sustainability initiatives and activities including:
   a.     Vegetable garden
   b.    Worm farming
   c.     Wastewise – food scraps, battery recycling, mobile phone recycling, Trash-free Tuesday etc.
   d.    Waterwise
   e.    Energy reduction 

               4. To attend regular meetings during lunchtimes with staff responsible for Sustainability Captains

We seek to select the strongest possible students to each of the positions in 2015. The process that we are using to achieve this includes:

1. Call for nominations - Students must be nominated by a peer. Their nomination then needs to be endorsed by their parents, teacher and Principal. 
2. Speeches - Nominated students must make a speech outlining why they are the best person for the position. Speeches should go for approximately 1 - 2 minutes. Faction Captain speeches will be held on Wednesday February 11 between 1.05 and 2.30pm. Student Council, Arts and Sustainability Captain speeches will be held on Thursday February 12 between 1.05 and 3.05pm. 
3. Student voting - Students in Years 3 to 6 will select their 4 top preferences for each of the leadership positions. Votes will be tallied and used to indicate student opinions (voice).
4. Staff voting - Staff will be provided with an opportunity to vote for their preferred candidates.
5. Admin will consider the results of student voting and staff voting and select the strongest possible candidates.

Madeley Primary School is now on Facebook

We now have a Facebook page which parents are invited to 'like' in order to receive regular posts about the activities at our school.   Madeley PS Facebook page

Welcome Back

Welcome back to school for 2015. I hope that you had a wonderful summer holiday and festive season. We are very excited to be commencing another school year. It was great to see all our students looking so bright and enthusiastic for our first day.

We welcome back to our school Ms Price who will be teaching Year 3, Mrs Kentros who will be teaching PP and Year 5 and Mrs Wayne who is working as an Education Assistant.

In 2014 we made significant changes to the way we manage and promote positive behaviour. The 'Concepts to Live By' and Values/Virtues included in this post (see graphic) will be developed across the school in 2015. We will provide additional information about our Positive Behaviour Policy in the weeks to come.