2017 Parklea Public School Annual Report€¦ · Learning Development – Excelling 5. Professional Standards – Excelling In the domain of Leadership; 1. Leadership – Excelling

Parklea Public SchoolAnnual Report

2017

2838

Printed on: 19 April, 2018Page 1 of 19 Parklea Public School 2838 (2017)

Introduction

The Annual Report for 2017 is provided to the community of Parklea Public School as an account of the school'soperations and achievements throughout the year.

It provides a detailed account of the progress the school has made to provide high quality educational opportunities forall students, as set out in the school plan. It outlines the findings from self–assessment that reflect the impact of keyschool strategies for improved learning and the benefit to all students from the expenditure of resources, including equityfunding.

Ross Sutherland

Principal

School contact details

Parklea Public SchoolGlenwood Park DriveGlenwood, 2768www.parklea-p.schools.nsw.edu.auparklea-p.School@det.nsw.edu.au9629 2518


School background

School vision statement

Parklea Public School empowers students to achieve excellence through connected, collaborative, critical and creativelearning experiences in a safe and supportive learning environment.

We work closely in partnership with the school community, and together we strive to inspire and nurture students asflexible, self–reflective, responsible learners, resilient individuals and active global citizens for current and future learninglandscapes.

School context

Parklea Public School is an innovative, dynamic and strongly inclusive primary school providing a quality education forover 710 students in the growing Norwest sector of Western Sydney. 45% of these students are from a languagebackground other than English.

We are committed to providing rich programs to develop skills in technology, critical thinking, problem solving,communication and collaboration to enable students to reach their full potential educationally, socially and emotionally.

Our school is developing a culture of evidence based, data informed decision making and aims to build the capacity of allteachers to lead, improve learning and innovate.

Parklea Public School school enjoys strong community support and has an active and very supportive Parents andCitizens' Association (P&C).


Self-assessment and school achievement

Self-assessment using the School Excellence Framework

This section of the Annual Report outlines the findings from self–assessment using the School Excellence Framework,school achievements and the next steps to be pursued.

This year, our school undertook self–assessment using the School Excellence Framework. The framework supportspublic schools throughout NSW in the pursuit of excellence by providing a clear description of high quality practiceacross the three domains of Learning, Teaching and Leading.

The results of the self–assessment indicated:

In the domain of Learning;

1. Learning and Culture – Sustaining and Growing

2. Wellbeing – Excelling

3. Curriculum and Learning – Excelling

4. Assessment and Reporting – Sustaining and Growing

5. Student Performance Measures – Sustaining and Growing

In the domain of Teaching;

1. Effective Classroom Practice – Excelling

2. Data Skills and Use – Sustaining and Growing

3. Collaborative Practice – Excelling

4. Learning Development – Excelling

5. Professional Standards – Excelling

In the domain of Leadership;

1. Leadership – Excelling

2. School Planning, Implementation and Reporting – Excelling

3. School Resources – Excelling

4. Management Practices and Processes – Sustaining and growing

Our self–assessment process will assist the school to refine our school plan, leading to further improvements in thedelivery of education to our students.

For more information about the School Excellence Framework:

https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching–and–learning/school–excellence–and–accountability/sef–evidence–guide


Strategic Direction 1

Confident, creative, tolerant high performing students

Purpose

To develop our students as dynamic global citizens by equipping them with the skills, processes and resilience to beconfident, critical and creative individuals.

To empower students to strive for academic excellence within a highly technological and differentiated learning space.

To continue to foster tolerance and empathy within our culturally diverse learning community.

Overall summary of progress

The school's evidence–based approach empowers students to take ownership of and reflect on their learning to buildconfidence and process, enabling students to self–monitor, regulate and map their achievement. Students utilise criteriato reflect on and self–assess what they have learned and what they still need to learn in order to set personalised shortand long term learning goals that identify and drive the next steps in their learning.

Our approach to Future – Focused learning drives the importance of students as leaders and mentors to others withinour school community, enhancing creativity and problem solving. Students are developing processes, skills and makingauthentic choices about which digital tools to differentiate how they communicate their learning.

Progress towards achieving improvement measures

Improvement measures(to be achieved over 3 years)

Funds Expended(Resources)

Progress achieved this year

100% of staff and students willuse learning intentions, successcriteria, feedback and learningprocesses to achieve syllabusoutcomes.

$10 150 • All grades and stages are implementing learningintentions and success criteria as well as aspects offeedback, including both teacher and student. Thisis evidenced in our teaching and learning programs,classroom observations and student feedback.

100% of students will engagewith technology as a tool toachieve growth in syllabusoutcomes.

$ 108 000 • All students K–6 have regular authentic access tolaptop and Ipad technology in supporting theirlearning journeys. • The school has a multiplatform approach to digitaltechnology. Students use Ipads, Mac books, PC'sand Xo's.

80% of students will achieve agreater than O.4 growth eachyear in attaining syllabusoutcomes.

$13 000 • All grades, K–6 had 80– 92% of students whowere achieving at or above grade expectations in allaspects of literacy and numeracy.

80% of students will achieve agreater than 0.4 growth eachyear in our targetedinterventions.

$5 000 • Our internal school evidence( 5 Minute Frenzy,Reading Fluency, reading Comprehension andWriting Frenzy) in aspects of Literacy andNumeracy demonstrates consistent growth of 0.4(Hattie's effect size) or higher.

Increase each year in studentgrowth identified throughNAPLAN.

$5 000 Our external school evidence in aspects of Literacyand Numeracy for Year 3 and Year 5 demonstratesgrowth at proficiency from 2016 to 2017, in thefollowing areas;

Reading – 4.8%

Writing – 7.9%






Increase each year in studentgrowth identified throughNAPLAN.

Numeracy – 7.6%

80% of students displayingpositive playground andclassroom behaviours.

$46 000 • Parklea’s Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)school based data showed that 86.8% of studentsdisplayed positive classroom and playgroundbehaviour.

Next Steps

• Expand the role of student Techsperts as self–directed leaders for creative technology across the school. • Establish baseline data, using the SAMR Model to demonstrate student changes in the use of creative technology. • Build a consistent depth of understanding about Feedback and Feed forward as the determinant for future

learning. • Investigate Early Intervention strategies to increase school focus on Wellbeing via the Got It! Program. • Extend school PBL strategies to include Tier 2 training and implementation.



Expert facilitators and visionary leaders of learning

Purpose

To empower our teachers to achieve curriculum innovation, quality teaching and leadership capacity that inspiresauthentic learning.

To further develop our school–wide culture of high expectations, continual school improvement and a shared sense ofresponsibility for student engagement, learning, development and success within an open mindset.

To enable teachers to be active risk takers, collaborative facilitators and coaches in all learning.


Research informs us that if we are to establish expert facilitators and visionary leaders of learning we must developexpectations of high trust, transparency and openness as key components of our school culture. We have engaged withresearchers to test the transparency of our rhetoric to our practices.

Teachers are empowered to provide regular and ongoing opportunities for students to take ownership of and reflect ontheir learning, establishing a school–wide culture of high expectations within a growth mindset.

Teachers are building their awareness and capacity to promote student engagement through innovative approaches tolearning, teaching and technology. The school’s inclusive culture encourages teachers to be collaborative and take risksin their pedagogy, using available resources, including students as facilitators of learning.





100% of teachers demonstratethat they meet The AustralianProfessional Standards forTeachers.

$ 16 000 • Teachers collaboratively develop SMART goalsaligned to school priorities, directions andprofessional aspirations through the PDP process. • We have 22 teachers who have achievedaccreditation at proficient standard.

80% of students will achieve agreater than O.4 growth eachyear in attaining syllabusoutcomes.

$5 000 • Establishment of the Parklea Way to ensureconsistent teacher practice and implementation ofschool – wide universal and intervention programsand data monitoring to ensure transparent internaland external growth data.

Evidence of increased confidenceand authentic use of creative andproductive technologies (frombaseline).

$5 000 • Student technology leadership group, ledprofessional learning for teachers on the use andimplementation of apps and programs, sharingownership and growth in use of digital tools forlearning. • Five staff members participated in Apple TowardsTransformation Program to support technology richlearning environments in Stage 3.

Increase in staff knowledge andconfidence in implementingcurriculum and innovativepedagogy (from baseline).

$ 4 500 • Greater staff confidence and ownership, buildingconsistency consistency in the use ofmeta–language associated with learning to learnframework. • Development of assessment checkpoints (I can






Increase in staff knowledge andconfidence in implementingcurriculum and innovativepedagogy (from baseline).

statements) for learning to learn framework.

Next Steps

• Continue to support and encourage staff to work towards higher levels of accreditation at Highly Accomplished andLead.

• Develop a thematic or concept approach to curriculum integration K–6 with effective with authentic assessmenttools to determine student growth.

• Align our creative and productive use of technology with our guided inquiry model. • Build professional awareness and capacity of teachers to understand the importance of goal setting, data tracking

and feedback within the process of self–directed learners and effectively translate these processes into classroompractice.



Inclusive, informed and engaged learning community

Purpose

To empower our community to collaboratively engage with the school through positive and respectful communication thatsupports learning.

To ensure that our shared values of inclusivity, celebration of diversity and high expectations continue to expand throughthe delivery of effective student welfare and wellbeing programs.

To build capacity in educational practice by sharing knowledge, experience and skills with the school and widereducational communities across educational networks to enhance the development of a high quality public educationsystem.


The school has identified, in consultation with the community, a range of informal and formal opportunities to engagewith, participate in and build awareness and knowledge around key aspects of learning and wellbeing to support studentsbeyond the school.

Within the school we have developed more effective strategies for teachers to engage with other teachers in supportingcareer development, sharing knowledge and just– in– time– learning opportunities. We take a whole school approach forprofessional learning, in key programs, to ensure that we are building consistent knowledge, teacher capacity andapproaches to learning.





All teachers participate intargeted professional learningand educational networks.

$42 500 • School–based professional learning is aligned toschool priorities and directions. • 10% increase from 2016 (30%) in the number ofteachers engaging in online professional learningnetworks through social media, including Twitterand Facebook. • 50% of the school's teaching staff havedemonstrated a willingness to demonstrate andshare innovative practice with visiting schoolsacross the state as part of the Department ofEducation's Future Focussed school visits andevidence seeking bus tours.

Next Steps

• As evidenced in the school's self assessment process our school plan will focus on the development andimplementation of management practices and processes that focus on improving our responses to communityfeedback ensuring collaborative, constructive, respectful and inclusive relationships.


Key Initiatives Resources (annual) Impact achieved this year

Aboriginal background loading $4 526 • To support the cross–curriculum priorities ofAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander historiesand culture, we participated in a whole schoolevent to mark Sorry Day/NAIDOC Week.Students wore red, black and yellow torepresent the colours of the Aboriginal flag,brought a gold coin donation and completedin–class activities based on Aboriginal culture.This event raised $671.65 for the IndigenousReading Program which supports Aboriginalstudents in providing electronic readingprograms.

English language proficiency $21 583 • 49.9% of our school population come froma non–English speaking background, with 48languages spoken by the students or theirparents/carers. Consequently, the EnglishLanguage Proficiency funding was used tostaff our English as an AdditionalLanguage/Dialect teaching positions. Thisequates to 1.8 teacher allocation undertakenby 2 specialist, qualified EAL/D teachers anda classroom teacher (9 teaching days aweek). Physical and digital resources werepurchased to assist identified students withtheir English language development andproficiency. • An excursion for newly arrived studentswas funded to support their learning, and anEAL/D Parent Information session andmorning tea were also funded. • Several whole–school activities werefunded or subsidised including: Harmony Day,Sorry Day/NAIDOC Week, and a MulticulturalDay and incursion related to Asia andAustralia’s involvement with Asia.

Low level adjustment for disability $167 643 • The school’s Learning and Support Teamprocesses have been enhanced with a focuson supporting teachers in personalisinglearning and support. As a result, differentiation is embedded into teaching andlearning programs. The school used theNational Consistent Collection of Data(NCCD) to engage teachers in meaningfulprofessional dialogue about how to cater forthe varied needs of students in their classesand the learning and support teacherfacilitated classroom teachers’ discussionsabout adjustments to support individualstudent learning. Specialist LaST teachersand SLSOs have been employed to furtherenhance and support student learning acrossLiteracy and Numeracy. Review and analysisof school based data against learningcontinuums have been used to determineprogress on student learning targets as wellas the implementation of various targetedsupport programs, including; ParentReinforced Reading, PALS Social Skills,MiniLit, MultiLit, Language for Learning andKindergarten Power Pack.

Quality Teaching, SuccessfulStudents (QTSS)

$62 468 • The Quality Teaching, Successful Studentsinitiative gives Parklea Public School


Quality Teaching, SuccessfulStudents (QTSS)

$62 468 additional resources to enhance professionalpractice across our school by usingevidence–based strategies to improve thequality of classroom teaching includingcollaboration, mentoring and reflectivepractice which at Parklea includes;1. Pairing teachers with mentors in order tobuild explicit teaching practice and establisheffective management skills, informed bydata, to improve practice;

2. Setting high expectations for the mentorsand mentees, in this duel relationship,through the use of effective feedback, to buildquality teaching practice.

Socio–economic background $35 868 • Classroom teachers and the specialistLaST teachers collaboratively plan,implement and monitor individualised learningprograms of support for students identified asrequiring a learning adjustment oraccommodation. Student progress has beentracked and reviews against learningcontinuums and school based data.

Support for beginning teachers $75 376 • Four beginning teachers were releasedfrom class for two hours each week and twobeginning teachers in their second year ofteaching were released from class for onehour each week. These teachers participatedin a range of professional learning activities tosupport the development of identified skills inclassroom management, curriculum andpedagogy. These included; mentoringsessions, lesson observation, professionallearning on classroom management, studentengagement,assessment and reporting and afocus on the K–6 English and Mathematicssyllabuses. Support was also provided for theteachers to gather and annotate evidence tocontribute to their accreditation. The teachershave also actively participated in stageplanning and reporting. Teachers, incollaboration with their team leaders, monitorand review Performance and DevelopmentPlans (PDP). The school’s Pods and Pairsprocess has been used to support theimplementation of the Beginning Teachers’PDP. Beginning and mentor teachers wereprovided time to observe each other’s lessonsand the lessons of teachers identified ashaving expertise in a particular teaching area.Beginning teachers and mentors havereported increased levels of knowledge, skillsand confidence as a result of theobservations, opportunities and discussionshad with their mentors. This has had anoverall impact on the attainment of studentlearning outcomes.

Targeted student support forrefugees and new arrivals

$20 000 • This year we experienced a number ofnewly arrived students, including threerefugees. We received an additional 0.1 day afortnight from Term 1 Week 1 until Term 2Week 10 to support students from 2016. Thiswas used to supply intensive Englishlanguage support which included anexcursion specifically for these students to


Targeted student support forrefugees and new arrivals

$20 000 Featherdale Wildlife Park. We also used ourflexible English Language Proficiency fundingto employ an Arabic speaking SupportLearning School Officer (SLSO) to assist therefugee students to access the NSW schoolcurriculum. From Term 2 Week 7 to Term 4Week 11 we received an increase to the NewArrival Program to 0.2 to support severalother newly arrived students.


Student information

Student enrolment profile

Enrolments

Students 2014 2015 2016 2017

Boys 349 338 357 353

Girls 359 373 368 349

Enrolments in 2017 show a decrease in the number ofgirls . The total enrolment of 702 reflects a downwardtrend in school population.

Student attendance profile

School

Year 2014 2015 2016 2017

K 96.1 95.2 95.3 93.6

1 95.2 93.6 94.3 95.1

2 96 94.7 94.2 95.5

3 96 94.8 94.4 93.1

4 94.5 95.4 94.5 94.9

5 94.4 94.1 94.8 93.8

6 93.7 92.6 93.4 95.7

All Years 95.2 94.4 94.4 94.6

State DoE

Year 2014 2015 2016 2017

K 95.2 94.4 94.4 94.4

1 94.7 93.8 93.9 93.8

2 94.9 94 94.1 94

3 95 94.1 94.2 94.1

4 94.9 94 93.9 93.9

5 94.8 94 93.9 93.8

6 94.2 93.5 93.4 93.3

All Years 94.8 94 94 93.9

Management of non-attendance

Regular and consistent attendance patterns areessential to achieving student progress and socialdevelopment. All teachers monitor their classattendance on a daily basis. All students are expectedto attend school. Class rolls are legal documents. Whena student is absent from school, the parent/carer willnormally send a written note to the class teacherexplaining why the student has been absent. Teacherswill commonly be the first point of contact with parentsand carers if there is a concern about attendance, or if

there is a pattern of non–attendance, which includesbeing late to school or leaving early. Parklea PublicSchool is supported by a Home–School Liaison Officer(HSLO) who monitors school attendance. The HSLOmay follow–up on individual cases where there areconcerns about attendance. Our aim is to establishregular full–time attendance by all students to assist inmaximising learning.

Workforce information

Workforce composition

Position FTE*

Principal 1

Deputy Principal(s) 2

Assistant Principal(s) 4

Head Teacher(s) 0

Classroom Teacher(s) 26

Teacher of Reading Recovery 0.82

Learning & Support Teacher(s) 1.1

Teacher Librarian 1.2

Teacher of ESL 1.8

School Counsellor 0.6

School Administration & SupportStaff

4.47

Other Positions 0

*Full Time Equivalent

There are two members of staff who identifythemselves as being of Aboriginal background.

Teacher qualifications

All teaching staff meet the professional requirementsfor teaching in NSW public schools.

Teacher qualifications

Qualifications % of staff

Undergraduate degree or diploma 98

Postgraduate degree 2


Professional learning and teacher accreditation

Professional learning is a major driver of schoolimprovement. All professional learning is aligned toschool targets and priorities and differentiated tosupport teachers at varying levels of accreditation.Monitoring professional learning, to ensure effectivetranslation into improved classroom and pedagogicalchange has enhanced our school–wide expectations ofcollective efficacy.

Mentoring is a school – wide strategy to support newand beginning teachers maintain and achieve highlevels of accreditation. Using a Pairs and Pods processwe have ensured that the ProfessionalDevelopment Framework is explicitly aligned with theAustralian Standards for Teachers and supportsteachers to achieve their goals.

Our school is comprised of teachers at various stagesof career development. This includes teachers atgraduate, proficient, highly accomplished, lead andpre–2004 service teachers. Our staff composition is: • 4 graduate teachers; • 15 pre – 2004 teachers; • 23 proficient teachers; and • 1 lead teacher

Financial information (for schoolsfully deployed to SAP/SALM)

Financial summary

The information provided in the financial summaryincludes reporting from 1 January 2017 to 31December 2017.

2017 Actual ($)

Opening Balance 331,906

Revenue 5,713,675

Appropriation 5,415,734

Sale of Goods and Services 16,960

Grants and Contributions 277,002

Gain and Loss 0

Other Revenue 0

Investment Income 3,979

Expenses -5,709,700

Recurrent Expenses -5,650,245

Employee Related -5,119,052

Operating Expenses -531,193

Capital Expenses -59,456

Employee Related 0

Operating Expenses -59,456

SURPLUS / DEFICIT FOR THEYEAR

3,974

Balance Carried Forward 335,881

At Parklea Public School, the financial managementprocess includes: • a finance committee consisting of the Principal,

Senior Office Manager (SAM) and DeputyPrincipals;

• individual program budgets aligned to eachstrategic direction and operational budget forother committee areas;

• team leaders for each budget area with authorityto expend within each financial limit, overseen bythe finance committee; and

• the finance committee meets twice per term tooversee reports, monitor expenditure and adjustas required.

The school raises funds through school and communityactivities. In 2017, the school identified programsrequired to maintain and upgrade school resources andfacilities. These programs included: • continued upgrade and acquisition of digital

technology resources to support students in thegrowth of productive and creative technology.;

• further upgrades to school communication and PA


system; • installation of security gates; • re–modelling of school entrance and surrounding

garden beds; • additional passive play options for students.

Financial summary equity funding

The equity funding data is the main component of the'Appropriation' section of the financial summary above.

2017 Actual ($)

Base Total 4,528,755

Base Per Capita 110,799

Base Location 0

Other Base 4,417,956

Equity Total 410,092

Equity Aboriginal 2,164

Equity Socio economic 35,868

Equity Language 204,417

Equity Disability 167,643

Targeted Total 131,449

Other Total 203,768

Grand Total 5,274,063

Figures presented in this report may be subject torounding so may not reconcile exactly with the bottomline totals, which are calculated without any rounding.

A full copy of the school's financial statement is tabledat the annual general meetings of the parent and/orcommunity groups. Further details concerning thestatement can be obtained by contacting the school.

School performance

NAPLAN

In the National Assessment Program, the results acrossthe Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 literacy andnumeracy assessments are reported on a scale fromBand 1 to Band 10. The achievement scalerepresents increasing levels of skillsand understandings demonstrated in theseassessments.

Band 1 2 3 4 5 6

Percentage of students 1.2 6.1 15.9 20.7 18.3 37.8

School avg 2015-2017 2.3 5.8 15.4 23.3 23.1 30.2


Band 1 2 3 4 5 6


School avg 2015-2017 1.0 3.6 14.7 26.5 37.6 16.4

Band 3 4 5 6 7 8


School avg 2015-2017 2.0 11.3 23.3 26.9 25.3 11.3

Band 3 4 5 6 7 8


School avg 2015-2017 1.7 5.6 44.5 30.5 14.3 3.4


Band 1 2 3 4 5 6


School avg 2015-2017 1.3 9.4 17.1 30.4 20.3 21.6

Band 3 4 5 6 7 8


School avg 2015-2017 1.3 9.5 25.0 35.6 18.0 10.7

The My School website provides detailedinformation and data for national literacy and numeracytesting. Go to http://www.myschool.edu.au to accessthe school data.

Parent/caregiver, student, teachersatisfaction

This summary report has been derived from opensurveys designed by the Department of Education'sCentre for Education Statistics and Evaluation. Surveyswere open for several weeks, starting in August 2017and were aimed at gaining feedback from the schoolcommunity including parents, students and staff. Thesurveys were designed to evaluate across a range ofschool related activities and included:

'Tell Them From Me' survey data indicated that:– • 88% of the student respondents agreed that

teachers emphasise academic skills and holdhigh expectations for all students to succeed.

• 91% of teacher respondents agreed that they sethigh expectations for student learning.

• 86% of parent respondents believe their child'steacher has high expectations for their child tosucceed.

Survey results demonstrate a high level of correlationbetween students and teachers in their combinedagreement that the school sets high expectations forstudent learning. Continued work to seek parentfeedback on their beliefs about how the school maycommunicate this better or improve their understandingis required. • 89% of student respondents believe they try hard

in their learning. • 85% of teacher respondents believe students are

fully engaged in classroom activities. • 75% of parent respondents believe their child is

encouraged to do their best work.Survey results demonstrate a strong correlationbetween students, teachers and parents in theircombined agreement that the students are activelyengaged in their learning. • 82% of student respondents feel classroom

instruction is well organised with a clear purpose,and with immediate feedback that helps themlearn.

• 88% of teacher respondents provide students withfeedback on their work that brings them closer toachieving their goals.

• 60% of parent respondents feel they are wellinformed about their child's progress in schoolsubjects and their next learning goals.

Policy requirements

Aboriginal education

We ensure the learning needs of all of our Aboriginalstudents are met through an integrated approach toquality teaching, curriculum and assessment.

Maximise Aboriginal student learning throughidentifying and analysing data (SMART, attendanceetc.) to plan individualised and differentiated learning,ensuring the achievements of Aboriginal studentsmatch or better the outcomes of all students

Ensure appropriate assessment and reporting practicesare used consistently to monitor Aboriginal students’learning outcomes across the curriculum.

Create learning environments where Aboriginality,identity and the diversity of Aboriginal cultures arevalued, respected and promoted to ensure Aboriginalstudents are attending, engaged and achieving.

Celebrate and acknowledge Aboriginal cultural eventsand significant dates to build the knowledge andunderstanding of all students about Aboriginal historiesand cultures.

Multicultural and anti-racism education


MULTICULTURALEDUCATION AND ANTI–RACISM:

Several major whole school and communitymulticultural education events were held during theyear. To celebrate our cultural diversity, Harmony Daywas celebrated by the whole school in Term 1 Week 9(Monday 20 March). Students and staff wore orange torepresent peace and harmony and brought a gold coindonation. In–class activities included classes making aTree of Life to represent inclusiveness.

In Term 1, Week 9 (Wednesday, 22 March), we held aParent Information session and morning tea especiallyfor EAL/D parents. The topic was‘Schooling in NSW’and was well–attended by 25–30 parents. This initiativeisparticularly beneficial for parents and carers who wereschool overseas themselves and details NSW schoolrequirements and procedures.

A whole–school Multicultural Day was held in Term 3Week 10 (Wednesday, 20 September). We held aMulticultural Incursion to support the integrated studiesof Asia and Australia’s involvement with Asia. Thiswhole school, whole day incursion was presented by aprofessional company, Cultural Infusion, and wassubsidised through English Language Proficiencyfunding. The staff and students wore their nationalcostumes or colours of their country and gold coindonations raised $370 which was donated to theCaribbean Hurricane Relief charity.

In 2017, Mrs Dhillon became the Anti–Racism ContactOfficer (ARCO) and attended both on–site and on–linetraining in Term 2. There were two incidents during theyear which required her attention. The first matter, inTerm 1, was addressed by Mrs Dhillon (in–comingARCO) and Mrs Temby (out–going ARCO) with norepetition of the incident. Mrs Dhillon managed thesecond incident together with the grade supervisor inTerm 3. The pro–active events of Harmony Day (Term1, Week 9), Sorry Day/NAIDOC Week (Term 2, Week5), and the Multicultural Day, Asian incursion (Term 3,Week 10) were designed to celebrate our culturaldiversity and assist our students to understand culturalsimilarities and differences.

Other school programs

Performing Arts

In 2017, Parklea Public School has continued to raisethe Performing Arts profile within the school communityand build the confidence of students in Performing Arts.We have empowered students to participate andactively engage in CAPA through extra–curriculargroups, to support their skill development, and topromote and build creative individuals. As a result, wehave seen an increase in student participation in theaudition process and an increase in the number ofperformance opportunities provided to students. Through teacher mentoring, the CAPA program hasincreased opportunities for teachers to build theircapacity and confidence to lead. We have improvedteacher’s expertise, knowledge and skills to supportstudent development in Creative Arts.

Parklea Public School offers a wide range of CAPAextra–curricular opportunities to K–6 students. Theseinclude; Kindergarten, Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3Dance Groups, Infants and Primary Choirs, andDebating. Each group having multiple opportunities toperform at both in–school and external communityevents.

Music Tuition

Feedback from the community noted an increasedquality of performances and a growing presence in thewider community, particularly through the winning ofeisteddfods and participation at performanceopportunities within the local district, including CastleTowers Shopping Centre, The Hawkesbury City DanceEisteddfod and The Ridges Festival.

The Parklea Public School Music Tuition Programprovides students with the opportunity to learn how toplay an instrument with explicit instruction from aqualified music tutor in pairs and/or small groups. Theprogram is coordinated by the staff at Parklea PublicSchool. There are over 60 students participating in thisprogram for 2017 across a range of instrumentsincluding: • Keyboard; • Guitar; • Drums and percussion; and • Woodwind (clarinet, alto sax and flute).

Within the program, students gain experience inreading music, learning how to play an instrument,regardless of their experience, and perform as part ofan ensemble. Throughout the year, our students aregiven the opportunity to perform at various schoolevents such as Assemblies, Open Day and alsoshowcase their talents at our end of year PerformanceNight.

Sustainability

In 2017,the Sustainability Committee focussed ondeveloping student and community awareness ofenvironmental issues within the school. A culture ofsustainable environmental practices continues to beevident with students responsible for paper andcardboard recycling and composting. Studentsunderstand the need to take responsibility for reducingtheir ecological footprint, which is evidenced bystudents sorting their waste appropriately and reducingthe school’s production of general waste. TheCommittee engaged members of the community andprovided them with support and resources to replantthe school’s garden beds collaboratively with students,promoting sustainable practices that support studentlearning. The Environmental Leaders have conductedbiodiversity audits on the school environment such as,observing birds and investigating insect and vegetationlevels and have used their findings to write Action Plansfor maintaining and protecting native flora and faunawithin the school environment. The Committee actionedan Eco Active grant from Blacktown City Council thatwill see the student lead design of a riverbed gardenand outdoor learning area completed during the 2018


school year.


Documents

2017 Parklea Public School Annual Report€¦ · Learning Development – Excelling 5. Professional Standards – Excelling In the domain of Leadership; 1. Leadership – Excelling