Dear Parents & Caregivers,

 Our leadership team attended an Eastern Adelaide Regional Leaders conference in the Barossa this week. The program centered on Transforming Pedagogy: a roadmap for 21^st Century teaching and learning.  We are truly living in extraordinary times. Almost all of what we know has been forged in the context of an industrial economy yet, what we need to know will be generated in an increasingly knowledge-oriented economy. Key skills will be the ability to collaborate and to think creatively.

  It’s interesting to note that while we are looking ahead and working with your child to develop necessary skills for the future, that this  weekSouth Australia  also welcomed the new  Thinker in Residence, Carla Rinaldi from the renowned Reggio Emilia region inItaly. 

As President of Reggio Children, Carla’s work and expertise influences and inspires children’s learning around the world. HerAdelaideresidency will encourage us to challenge how we raise our children from birth. Carla will work with everyone who influences our children’s learning and growing, including parents, families, educators, communities and most importantly, the children themselves.

 Our own Education Department’s strategic plan has

“children and young people at the centre of everything we do”

which parallels the philosophy of the Reggio Emilia approach where the child is the “artelier”, the artist who deeply explores learning and is a valued citizen in their own right.  

 In a few weeks your child will have the opportunity to take responsibility for their learning and share their journey with you during a Student Led Conference. 

While younger children take great pride in showing you their books, artwork, charts and living creatures within the room, Student Led Conferences are the time for older students to take responsibility for their learning, set new goals and make a commitment to the what they’d like to achieve for the rest of the year.

The conference will be followed by a parent-teacher interview which gives you the chance to talk about any concerns. Notices with available times for the conferences are being sent home this week.

 Please join us at 5.45pm on Monday evening to welcome our new families to the school. This will be followed by an information session about the Australian Curriculum by Leah Kennewell, DECD implementation Officer for our region. We look forward to seeing you at the Annual General meeting of the school’s Governing Council, (see the agenda on the back page of this newsletter).

 Regards

 Pat Cardone

Principal

On Thursday 8th March ten students from Years 6- 7 were selected to represent our school at the

Over 800 students from across the state attended the event held at the Morphettville Function Centre. This conference aims to develop leadership skills (capabilities and competencies) in young people enabling them to have a positive influence on those around them. A unique focus of this conference is concentrated specifically on training students for roles as School Leaders. The style, topics, and content of the conference focused on what the students can do right now, giving them the opportunity to put into action at school what they have learnt through various leadership responsibilities and the Student Representative Council. Later in the year the students will have the opportunity to follow up this event through a number of online forums and video conferencing opportunities.

 Darrin Briggs, Deputy Principal