Welcome back!

I would like to welcome everyone back to Term 3.

We have opened this term commencing with full-time on-campus learning following current health advice and guidelines.

The following principles underpin these guidelines:

• Schools continue to be safe and operations are in line with AHPPC and NSW Health guidelines.
• All students should be learning on-campus unless they are unwell or have a medical certificate to support their absence.
• Existing infection control protocols at schools, and new health and safety measures put in place will help maintain the health and safety of students and staff.
• External providers are required to demonstrate compliance with health and safety requirements.
• Non-essential adults are still not permitted on school grounds or at school events – this includes parents/carers unless specifically approved by the principal.

Due to the continued restrictions, the following local decisions have been made:

• The first four sessions of The School Explorers Program, due to commence on 31 July, will be postponed, with a decision to be made about the other Term 3 sessions as the term progresses.  It is hoped that these sessions can be run in Term 4.
• Reading and Intervention Program volunteers are unable to commence until further notice.
• All visitors must sign a Visitor Acknowledgement Form - this is for contact tracing if the need arises.
• It is preferred if prepackaged items rather than birthday cakes and patty cakes could be sent in for a birthday treat, if so desired.

Please be assured our top priority is the safety of our students, staff and families. I thank you for your support last term and for the way you have commenced this term with vigilance.

I would like to wish everyone a productive term full of learning and development. I would like to remind our parents and carers to continue your open communication with me, our teachers and staff. It is much easier to discuss and resolve issues when they arise rather than to wait for things to snowball. Even though we can not touch base face-to-face as frequently as we did, please feel free to call or send emails, as required.

Student/Parent/Teacher Conversations

Student/Parent/Teacher Conversations will be offered next Monday and Tuesday, 27 and 28 July. Bookings for face-to-face meetings are to be done online via our Schoolzine platform by using this link https://smpscrookwell.schoolzineplus.com/view-session/8. The link can also be found on our website or via the SZapp app and these bookings are open now.

The face-to-face meetings will be held in the Old Hall and MP Hall in order to allow for physical distancing between adults. We ask that you use the allocated chairs when waiting for your interviews.

Due to COVID-19, remote interviews are also offered. If you would prefer a phone meeting please call Belinda to arrange this. 

Staff Professional Development

This term we have commenced our PD journey into Explicit Instruction, a valuable high impact teaching strategy.

The professional learning will incorporate four learning modules, delivered live from Perth by Dr Lorraine Hammond and her associate Brooke Wardana. The modules cover the following topics: Introduction to Explicit Instruction, Engagement Norms, Daily Review and the why and how of Phonemic and Phonological Awareness and Phonics. The training encompasses Cognitive Load Theory and the science of reading.   

For our Staff Development Day in Term Four, we will travel to Temora (if possible) to have a combined training day with the staff from St Anne's. This will then be followed by a visit from Lorraine and Brooke to St Mary's for coaching and feedback.