This week we will start the process of creating classes
for the commencement of the 2015 school year. Teachers are working as a team to
assign students to classes based on their knowledge of each child and their
learning requirements. We thank parents who have submitted requests/suggestions
about their child’s placement for next year. These requests will be considered
as part of the placement process. Class lists will be placed outside the Library
by Wednesday December 17. Parents are reminded that there is a very real chance
that the classes will need to change at the start of or early in the school
year.
When creating classes we need to (where possible) ensure
that student numbers in each class do not exceed the recommended numbers agreed
to by the Department of Education and the State School Teachers’ Union. If this
does occur we need to negotiate with teachers how this will be managed in order
to support teachers with additional students. When there is a substantial
growth in student numbers a school restructure is required. We cannot commence
the school year with large numbers of empty seats as this impacts on the
funding that we receive. The challenge is to try and create classes that leave
enough spaces to allow for new students who may enrol. This becomes even more
challenging when new housing is being built in the area as we do not know how
many additional students we will receive or when they may start arriving.
One problem that we always face every year is parents who do
not like the class that their child has been placed in. While we do our best to
accommodate reasonable requests this is not always possible. The trouble we
have is that once class lists go on display it is difficult and often
impossible to make changes. This is because we structure classes to try and
allow room for new enrollments from all the various year levels. Thus, if one
parent wants their child moved it can have a serious impact on the whole
structure and sometimes means that another child must be displaced (swapped)
which is not fair. I hope this
information provides you with an idea about the intricacies of creating classes
which we go through every year. Student placements are not made lightly and a
lot of experience and professional knowledge goes into creating the best
classes possible.
On Friday the school community were treated to an absolute amazing performance by our Pre-primary students. Their assembly play was wonderfully performed with all the elements of the assembly woven into the story. We are very proud of our Pre-primary students and the work they did to put on such a fabulous. We also thank the staff and parents who helped our students have such a wonderful opportunity to show off what they are capable of. We also thank Mr Moon for his willingness to be involved as the very pretty Little Red Riding Hood. 
