St Mary’s SchoolWarren

Our 3 Areas of

Concentration:•For the ‘Common Good’

• ICT Focus•Literacy Block Focus

For the

‘Common Good’:

What we set out to do:

To communicate with an honest, positive and open heart, as both a listener and a speaker; to uphold the common agreed values that the whole community has formulated.

This enables a more harmonious environment, which utilises all staff

talents.

Why are we focussing on ‘Common Good’:

• To ensure we are travelling along a positive path as a united, caring, Christian community.

• This includes all members of staff, parents, students, our parish priest and the wider community.

What have we been doing:• Several in-services providing professional development for staff

• Sought assistance from professionals and acted on their recommendations

• Evaluated the situation and decided on a path forward that all staff have agreed upon.

How successful have we been?• A statement was agreed upon for our communication• There is more regular communications between all staff• We are a positive staff with outstanding potential, and are purely ‘for the children’.

Three Challenges We’ve Come Across:

• A busy school environment

• Implementation of consistent follow up of processes

• Staff changes

Three Things We’ve Learnt:

• Tolerance and support of each other• To be more open and willing to listen

• Restorative practices

Three Questions We Still Have:

• “How best can we utilise all staff talents and gifts?”

• “How can we continue to improve with our positive role modelling in our school community?

• “How can we follow up on processes in our busy environment?”

ICT Focus

What Did We Set Out To Do?

At St Mary’s we set out to integrate ICT into our programs and classroom practices. In doing so we strive to ensure students learning is based on best practice and learning styles (especially those of the new ‘21st Century’ learners); whilst developing staff’s confidence, competence and efficiency of ICT use in the classrooms across all Key Learning Areas.

Why Is ICT Our Focus?

• To keep students and staff up-to-date with technological advances in society.• To practice the changing and developing methods of teaching and learning for both students and staff• To follow diocese and government policies regarding ICT in NSW schools. • To enable our children to become successful using various methods

What Have We Done?

• We have installed interactive whiteboards into all, but one classroom. • We have installed current software and printers for ICT use• We have been in-serviced on the use of ICT in the classroom. These in-services have included information regarding software, hardware and useful websites.• Continuing emails to all staff regarding current resources and tips.

How successful have we been?

All staff, and in particular students, are making steady progress with their own ICT development.

All stakeholders involved are positive and willing to risk take, willing to achieve what was previously unheard of in the classroom.

Three Challenges We’ve Come Across:

• Getting technology working – as it ‘should’ be• Lack of experience and hence confidence with technology• Compatibility of technology with various programs and/or devices – such as printers.

Three Things We’ve Learnt Along the Way:

• The importance/significance to 21st century learning styles• To be confident and prepared• The variety of websites/resources available for us to use.

Three Questions We Still Have:

• How can we further expand technological use in classrooms? • Where can we get further funding?• What other resources are available to us, of which we are unaware?

LiteracyBlockFocus

What Did We Set Out To Do?

To ensure every class had an uninterrupted explicit teaching and learning English block, which integrated all required aspects.

Why Is The Literacy Block Our Focus?• To give students a better opportunity to learn• To meet Smarter School’s National Plan outcomes relating to reading• To ensure student results increase, based on National Partnerships.

What Have We Been Doing?

• Formalised the literacy block on our timetables

• Familiarising ourselves with the different components of a literacy block

• Professional development in-servicing

• Increased the schools resources for teachers and students

How successful have we been?

In the opinion of the staff, we feel we have been very successful in implementing an uninterrupted literacy block.

Three Challenges We’ve Come

Across:

• Timetabling

• Seeking better ways to record the required information

• Balancing the literacy block with other KLA’s The Challenge ...

Three Things We Have Learnt Along the Way:

• To take smaller steps at first, moving onto the bigger picture...

• Professional development regarding modelled, guided, shared and independent reading

• The implementation of varied use of resources, especially in technology

Three Questions We Still Have:

• “Have we improved our students’ results?”• “How do we fit everything we needed into our busy day?”• “Where can we get more ICT reading resources?”

That’s it ... We’ve finished