Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Staffing 2023

One of the most vitally important aspects of any school is it’s staffing.  Achieving a great school community where every child is nurtured and supported to achieve their potential is only possible with the right combination of staff who individually possess a variety of skills, talents and abilities, but equally importantly combine to work well as a cohesive team.  One of the major challenges every primary school leadership team faces each year is successfully navigating the complex combination of factors in recruiting and deploying staff to enhance the teaching and learning that takes place, while also enhancing the level of collaboration and cooperation amongst staff members.

It is understandable that when a school has a group of staff that work well together and achieve great outcomes for the children and the school community as a whole, there is a strong desire to keep that team of people together for as long as possible.  Of course, in a modern workplace we also accept that jobs and indeed careers are much more fluid and dynamic these days.  Changes in staffing are a natural  and inevitable part of the process of schools growing, developing and responding to meet the changing needs of the children and families that comprise their community.  As the old saying goes, “Nothing stays the same for ever!”  Changes in staffing is an important part of each school’s focus on ongoing success, progress and improvement.

It is not just as simple as going out and hiring the very best teachers and education assistants.  It is crucial that these staff also possess the right combination of skills and attributes to get along with and fit in with the existing staff.  The importance of being a good team member who fits in, collaborates well with others and can contribute to team priorities outside of their classroom, cannot be underestimated.

Another very important dynamic in solving the staffing matrix is getting the combination of younger, more recent graduates and more mature, experienced teachers correct.  Younger teachers bring fresh ideas and new pedagogy with them from university, as well as levels of energy that only youthfulness can provide.  More mature teachers bring a wealth of experience and practical knowledge acquired over many years of teaching, which is impossible to ignore.  The challenge is getting the blend of youth and experience right, so that they all combine together, cooperate and collaborate to create something very special.

So, as you can see and hopefully appreciate, staffing is a complex, dynamic and regularly changing aspect of a school community.  Over the course of this term there has been several of our staff who have successfully obtained positions at other schools for next year.  This is testament to their ability and professionalism and in due course we will acknowledge their enormous contributions to our school.  This also means that we have been busy running several appointment processes to seek out the very best teachers and education assistants to ensure there is no disruption to our excellent educational programs and teaching performance next year.  Congratulations and go to Rachel DiGirolami, Georgia Boness, Emily Krikstolaitis, Karen Fanderlinden, Tim Carter who are moving to new schools.  Congratulations to Shaun O’Neill and Carlton Dias who are both retiring.  Both Cara O’Neil and Mark Fitzpatrick will be on leave for 2023.

I am therefore pleased to announce the staffing for 2023

• Principal                         Lisa McClue
• Assistant Principal        Rebecca Barfoot
• 3 Year Old Kindy           Lillian Monastra and Pieta Stirling
• Kindy                              Naomi McCoy, Anna Luca and Linda Finnegan
• Pre-Primary                   Ori Kavanagh and Catherine Prentice
• Year One                        Rebecca Barfoot/TBA and Jo-anne Deib
• Year Two                        Jill Pollard and Bronte Goode
• Year Three                     Amanda Cochrane/TBA and Pramila Ranabahuge
• Year Four                       Halley McCormack
• Year Five                        Ruth Lorenz
• Year Six                          Celine Pen
• Art                                  Alicia Randazzo

SCHOOL PARKING

It is a timely reminder to please drop off and collect your children at the Thomas Street Carpark as the parking at the front of the school has become unsafe for children.   In particular,  PLEASE do not park on the lawn or pathway in front of the Church as it must stay clear for the pedestrian crossway.    The Council often do spot checks and we would like anyone to be fined.

Thank you.

Jasmin Kenworthy

Acting Principal