ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL

Transcription

1 1 2 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY St Thomas Primary Drysdale INSERT SCHOOL LOCATION 2015 REGISTERED SCHOOL NUMBER: 1963

2 Contents Contact Details... 1 Minimum Standards Attestation... 1 Our School Vision... 2 School Overview... 3 Principal s Report... 4 Education in Faith... 5 Learning & Teaching... 6 Student Wellbeing... 8 Leadership & Management School Community Financial Performance VRQA Compliance Data Contact Details ADDRESS 1-7 Peninsula Drive Drysdale VIC 3224 PRINCIPAL Sean Kennedy PARISH PRIEST Fr James Puppady TELEPHONE (03) principal@stdrysdale.catholic.edu.au WEBSITE www. stdrysdale.catholic.edu.au Minimum Standards Attestation I, Sean Kennedy, attest that St Thomas Primary is compliant with: All of the requirements for the minimum standards and other requirements for the registration of schools as specified in the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) and the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2007 (Vic), except where the school has been granted an exemption from any of these requirements by the VRQA Australian Government accountability requirements related to the 2015 school year under the Australian Education Act 2013 (Cth) and the Australian Education Regulations 2013 (Cth) 20 May ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 1

3 St Thomas Our School Vision Teaching of Christ Teamwork Honesty Omnia Possibilia Multi-aged Accepting Self Esteem That the TEACHINGS OF CHRIST, especially the paschal mystery Dying to Rise to New Life are central to our beliefs and actions, and that our paschal story be lived out in our daily lives. That TEAMWORK is an integral part of our school and is developed between children, teachers, parents, Parish and the wider community. Through this we endeavour to become responsible for our own local environment and its preservation. That through their experience at St. Thomas children will come to value HONESTY - to themselves and in their relationships with others. The presence of truth is an essential ingredient in all situations and at all stages of life. That our motto OMNIA POSSIBILIA is the essence of what drives our school and shapes our future that all things are possible! That through our extensive curriculum and MULTI-AGE approach to teaching and learning, we recognise all children s potential and nurture in them a desire to become life long learners. That all children are recognised as unique individuals accepted by and ACCEPTING of others and their varying abilities. That throughout their years at St. Thomas, children can develop a great sense of SELF ESTEEM and identity, becoming responsible, independent and confident individuals, prepared to become interactive citizens in the global community ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 2

4 School Overview St Thomas Primary School was built and opened in It is the result of the need for a new Catholic School on the Bellarine Peninsula. In 1997, with 100 foundation students enrolled from Prep to Year 6 and six teaching staff, St Thomas Primary School opened its doors. Now, 262 families and 34 staff have become an integral part of St. Thomas daily life. The school buildings exemplify modern Australian architecture, with open plan home units each housing adjoining toilets and lofts and a large multipurpose room. The school is set on 3 Ha of rural land to create a unique and peaceful environment where learning is maximised. St Thomas Primary School has 407 students from Prep to Grade 6. There are currently three prep classes, five year 1/2 s, five year 3/4 s and four year 5/6 s. There is significant growth in our Parish which is being seen with the strong enrolments in Prep and also places in other areas of the school are keenly sought after. Outdoor facilities include basketball court, two playgrounds, a hockey field and plenty of open space and native vegetation. The school also has the opportunity to use of some of the neighbouring St Ignatius College facilities and Potato Shed Performing Arts Centre. The school, in its rural setting, has vegetable gardens, free-range hens a few sheep and a Blue Gum Forest of approximately 2,000 maturing trees. Special Features: There are numerous celebrations and traditions held throughout the year. School Masses, Easter Celebrations, Family Week, Grandparents Day, St. Thomas Feast Day, Twilight Sports, the School Concert and school assemblies always attract considerable family participation. A Prep to Year 6 swimming program, day excursions and a 5 / 6 Camp are also part of the school program. Year 5 / 6 Interschool Sport is a highlight during the winter months. The students have a number of varied opportunities at St Thomas. Apart from the standard curriculum, specialist areas include a Physical Education Program, Information & Communication Technology, Performing Arts, Perceptual Motor Skills Program and Italian. Lunch time activities include chess, school band, Instrumental Music Tuition, gardening, dancing, art and sport. The students are happy, compassionate and enthusiastic in their approach to every day life at St Thomas Primary School. The Goals for our school in this School Improvement cycle are To improve student engagement in Religious Education through enhanced pedagogical practices and seek to strengthen community faith development. To improve student learning outcomes in all areas and maximise student engagement. To enhance student wellbeing. To further develop a vibrant, empowering professional culture based on collaboration, openness and trust. To improve connectedness and collaboration through active partnerships between the school, parish and wider community ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 3

5 Principal s Report Our school continued in 2015 to offer children the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills necessary for today s society. We continually challenge our pupils to build a more Christian community based on the Catholic way of life. The dignity and sacredness of each student is respected as the teachers work with parents to build up within the child an awareness of the presence of god, The school year 2015 was very successful with our school excelling in many areas. I would like to thank Fr James Puppady to St Thomas Primary who as our Parish Priest is very supportive of our school speaking with classes weekly and being available to speak to staff and parents when necessary. Thankyou to our Parents and Friends Association School Advisory Board, our parents, students and the wider community of St Thomas. Without such generous support we simply would not be able to achieve such pleasing results. We all should be proud of our involvement in all celebrations throughout the year, in our pastoral care work, our sporting and scholastic endeavours that demonstrate our community working successfully together. I would like to acknowledge and thank all the staff for their hard work, professionalism and dedication throughout Many tasks were undertaken by staff that were outside the scope of their classroom but were undertaken willingly for the benefit of the school community. We are fortunate indeed to have such a talented and generous staff at our school promises to be equally as busy, challenging and rewarding will be a year of review as we welcome an independent reviewer and the CEM staff to come into St Thomas and help us review our last Improvement Cycle and set up the next School Improvement Plan. The understanding of the sacraments is evident by the children s participation in liturgical celebrations. This occurs across all age levels. Generally, the students are happy, compassionate and enthusiastic in their approach to everyday life at St Thomas saw St Thomas Primary add another class in the3 /4 area to cater for the growth in the Parish. It is anticipated that we will add another class in 2018 to the Grade 5/6 area as the larger numbers move through the school. I would like to thank all staff, children and parents who contributed to the data surveys enabling us to gather data that will inform the decisions for developing our School Improvement Plan and Annual Action Plan. St Thomas is truly a wonderful school environment that is enhanced by all those involved in the day to day events which produce a very vibrant and welcoming community. Yours sincerely, Sean Kennedy Principal 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 4

6 Education in Faith Goals & Intended Outcomes To improve student engagement in Religious Education through enhanced pedagogical practices and seek to strengthen community faith development. Intended Outcomes That students make links between, and value the integration of, faith and life. That students and parents understand and support the Catholic culture of the school more effectively. Achievements St. Thomas Primary School in Drysdale is a very welcoming school, which provides a happy and caring environment for students, parents and staff. There is a very positive tone in the school and practices and policies are reflective of the school s Catholic vision. The school is committed to ensuring positive outcomes for all students and progress has been achieved in all five spheres over the past School Improvement Period. St. Thomas Primary School has made substantial progress in achieving its aims for Education in Faith. The school has a deep Catholic culture and strongly proclaims its Catholic identity. There is a positive and co-operative relationship between the school and the parish, with the Parish Priest being a strong and supportive presence. The Principal, R.E.L s and teachers are committed to promoting the Catholic nature of the school and have endeavoured to improve student engagement in the R.E. program. The school has enjoyed great success in increasing student participation in prayer, liturgy and Sacramental celebrations. Parents and students strongly endorse the many opportunities members of the community have to reflect on their faith, pray and celebrate liturgies together and also affirm the many practices in place to support the faith development of the children. St. Thomas School has a number of curricular and extra curricular activities that add value to our students Education in Faith. All classes begin and finish their day with prayer. In the middle to senior classes these may be planned, organized and prepared by the children. The Seasons Program is run for approximately eight weeks. This program is designed to assist children who may be experiencing grief due to some form of loss. The program is based on the teachings of Christ and is aimed at guiding children through the grieving process. The classes in the middle and senior area of the school are involved in the Sacramental programs; Reconciliation (Year Three), Eucharist (Year Four), and Confirmation (Year Five & Six). All children participate in the class programs and the Baptised Catholic children take part in receiving the Sacraments. The Faith, Life, Inquiry approach to Religious Education has been encouraged and practised through the school in This approach to Religious Education aims to provide students with the opportunity to integrate their understanding of our Catholic Identity and values into their everyday life. Students are encouraged to make connections with their own lives and those in the wider community through prayer, reflection and social justice actions ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 5

7 Learning & Teaching Goals & Intended Outcomes To improve student learning outcomes in all areas and maximise student engagement. Intended Outcomes That improved levels of student achievement and engagement will be attained across the curriculum at all levels, particularly in spelling, writing and numeracy. That the school community will develop a better understanding of contemporary learning. Achievements At St Thomas a variety of internal assessment processes were used at key points within the learning framework. These included teacher observations, portfolios, pre and post testing, openended projects and presentations, rubrics and diagnostic testing. The school also participates in external testing programs, namely, the NAPLAN Testing. The results of which, are analysed to inform teaching practice, to improve student performance and to further identify students needing intervention through Learning Support or outside agencies. In 2014 Year 3 and Year 5 participated in NAPLAN testing. The purpose of these tests is to provide information to parents and teachers about the achievement of students in aspects of Literacy and Numeracy. These tests provide a measurement of students performance and give an indication of strengths and areas for improvement. The results of the tests are analysed by the school each year. The results from the NAPLAN tests are but one source of data gathering for assessment, and they represent the efforts of each child on a given day. The aggregate information gained from the NAPLAN tests helps to inform the school with trend data to assist the development of programs. PROPORTION OF STUDENTS MEETING THE MINIMUM STANDARDS IN YEARS 3 & 5 NAPLAN TESTS Changes Changes YEAR 3 READING YEAR 3 WRITING YEAR 3 SPELLING YEAR 3 GRAMMAR & PUNCTUATION YEAR 3 NUMERACY YEAR 5 READING YEAR 5 WRITING YEAR 5 SPELLING YEAR 5 GRAMMAR & PUNCTUATION YEAR 5 NUMERACY ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 6

8 Students in Year 3 and Year 5 have made positive gains against the minimum standards over the last three years, The School Improvement Plan and Annual Action Plan reflect the need to continue work in the key areas of Literacy and Numeracy to ensure consistent improvement is being made. Grade Three students have exhibited results with an improvement of 4.3 in spelling to100, maintained 100 in Writing, improved by 4.3 in Grammar and punctuation, improved 0.2 in Reading and dropped by 2 in Numeracy. Grade Five students have shown a slight drop in all results except Numeracy where an increase 1.9 has 100 of students meeting the minimum standard. In Writing and Reading there was a decrease of 2.1, a 4.3 drop in Spelling and a 6.6 drop in Grammar and Punctuation. Continued emphasis in the Annual Action Plan on Numeracy and Literacy will continue to ensure appropriate time and resources are allocated to the Teaching and Learning of Literacy ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 7

9 Student Wellbeing Goals & Intended Outcomes To enhance student wellbeing. Intended Outcomes That student connectedness with school is improved. That student and parental perception of class behaviour is improved. Achievements Student Well Being position is in place to ensure children and families with needs have an avenues to help. Weekly inserts in school newsletter providing help and advice on various issues around student welfare. The designated Student Wellbeing Co-ordinator is a member of the Leadership Team and the school Deputy Principal. Effective use of Individual Learning Plans and PSG meetings to support student needs and to keep parents informed and offer support and guidance. Incorporation of concepts from the You Can Do It and Get Real Programs. 5/6 Supper with the Stars, Self-Directed Learning, Community Service Projects Lunch Time Activities- School Band, School Choir, Dance Club, Chess Club, Students organising their own fundraising activities, Friday Walking Club, Fitness Track, Year 5/6 Prep Buddy System- Peer Tutoring Implementing Circle Time with a focus on the 3 /4 area. Peer Tutoring/Support Program with Year 6 students and those in need. Sports Training at lunchtimes to prepare for competitions. Instrumental music tuition The average student attendance rate at St Thomas is approximately When children are absent from school, parents must notify the school in writing the reason for the absence. A form is made available through the School Website and an E-Form is available on the School App that can be used to fulfill this requirement. Absences are also included on the reports twice a year. The students at St Thomas feel safe, appreciated and are happy with their school environment. Attendance rates are high throughout the school as are retention rates. Children participate eagerly in all extra curricular activities. A large number of children are involved in lunchtime activities, chess club, art classes, athletics and school band ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 8

10 AVERAGE STUDENT ATTENDANCE RATE BY YEAR LEVEL Year Year Year Year Year Year Overall average attendance St Thomas request Parents complete absentee forms for all children. Forms are available on theschoo App via E-Form, and the school website. Unexplained absences are followed up with phone calls to parents. STUDENT SATISFACTION Student Wellbeing is a priority at St. Thomas School and the school has enjoyed a high degree of success in the achievement of its goals in this sphere. There is a very positive emotional tone in the school and a caring and supportive environment is evident. Students have a strong sense of general wellbeing, with student surveys indicating that over 80 consistently feel happy and energized at school and only a very small percentage indicating that they experience stress at school. Parents have spoken of the sense of belonging and the nurturing environment that they and their children experience. They are very positive about the school s efforts to support and care for their children. Parents and students describe the school as a big family. Students and parents acknowledge the school s efforts to build student s self esteem and character and of the positive impact of these efforts on children s resilience and self-confidence. They also acknowledge the opportunities students have to act as leaders in the school. Students and parents both indicated that they believed the school provides a very safe and supportive school environment. Survey responses support this opinion, rating Student Safety in the upper level of the middle 50 of Victorian primary schools. Student and parent survey responses also indicate that students feel very connected to their peers rating above average when compared to other Victorian schools 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 9

11 Leadership & Management Goals & Intended Outcomes To further develop a vibrant, empowering professional culture based on collaboration, openness and trust. Intended Outcomes That there is greater understanding of, and participation in, the opportunities available for appraisal and recognition. That understanding and practice in shared leadership will continue to improve. Achievements Insight SRC Data shows a decrease in actual scores for 2015 in Professional Learning 66 and also appraisal and recognition 62 these have fallen from 73 for both areas in St Thomas has a very active Leadership Team consisting of the Principal, Deputy Principal, Well Being Leader, Religious Education Leaders, Learning and Teaching Leader and Maths and Literacy Leaders. The Leadership Team consult with all staff in order to ensure all needs are being met by students, parents and colleagues. Staff Attendance at St Thomas is Staff at St Thomas have a very good attendance rate. Staff Attendance figures do not take into account staff on any form of leave. Numbers of Staff throughout 2015 who were on some form of Leave. Maternity Leave ( school year), and Long Service Leave (16 - Total 21 weeks). Retention of teachers is which demonstrates a high level of satisfaction and commitment to St Thomas. TEACHING STAFF ATTENDANCE RATE STAFF RETENTION RATE TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS DOCTORATE 0.00 MASTERS 4.35 GRADUATE CERTIFICATE GRADUATE 8.70 DEGREE BACHELOR DIPLOMA ADVANCED NO QUALIFICATIONS LISTED ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 10

12 EXPENDITURE AND TEACHER PARTICIPATION IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING All teachers were able to be involved in Professional Learning in NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN PL 28 AVERAGE EXPENDITURE PER TEACHER FOR PL $ (approx) DESCRIPTION OF PL UNDERTAKEN IN 2015 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 2015 ICON GAFE BOOTCAMP Day 1 Leading Catholic Identity and School Improvement Student Performance Date 2016 Primary Review Schools Briefing on Revised Reporting Guidelines for Primary Schools Workshop preparing for May Increments Deputy Networks Learning and Teaching Leaders Networks Literacy Leadership Clusters Leaders as Coaches Student Wellbeing Leaders Seminars Additional Learning Needs Networks ERIK Religious Education Networks Autism Spectrum Disorders Resource Smart School Workshops Walker Learning Introductory PD Kidsmatter Getting Started for Action Teams Reading Recovery: Ongoing Level Two First Aid CPR update Anaphylaxis Training 3 year certification Brain Gym for Reducing Challenging Behaviour Assessment and Reporting in Health and Physical Education Multi Sport Professional Development 2015 Primary Health and Physical Education Conference (ACHPER) 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 11

13 STAFF COMPOSITION PRINCIPAL CLASS 2 TEACHING STAFF (HEAD COUNT) 29 FTE TEACHING STAFF NON-TEACHING STAFF (HEAD COUNT) 9 FTE NON-TEACHING STAFF INDIGENOUS TEACHING STAFF 0 TEACHER SATISFACTION During the current School Improvement Plan gains had been made from and but in 2015 a drop in scores was apparent in the pillar of Learning with a drop in growth in both Appraisal & Recognition which staff have scored at 62 on the 100-point scale and Professional Growth which staff have scored at 66 on the 100-point scale. These scores confirm the work of the school is still ongoing to provide more targeted professional development and in increasing the emphasis and opportunities for Appraisal and Recognition. School Morale at 70, with staff feeling positive, enthusiastic and proud of their school. There is strong evidence of good team spirit and energy and the school has an opportunity in its development and implementation of the next School Improvement Plan to widen the involvement of staff and perhaps increase further that sense of empowerment and ownership. Role Clarity has remained as a relative strength and Individual Morale was scored at 70 on the 100-point scale ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 12

14 School Community Goals & Intended Outcomes To improve connectedness and collaboration through active partnerships between the school, parish and wider community. Intended Outcomes That links with the wider community are strengthened in order to enhance learning outcomes. That parents are provided with authentic opportunities for input and contribution to school operations. Achievements - Parent Satisfaction The school has been very successful in its goal for School Community, forging a very strong relationship between home, school, parish and the wider community. The sense of community is a real strength of St. Thomas School and interactions between members of the community are based on trust and respect. The welcoming nature of the school, the approachability of the staff and the spirit of community engendered are outstanding achievements in this sphere. Parents of St Thomas are always very interested in what their children are doing and will show support for them at school in the classroom, in liturgies and celebrations and on the sporting field. Parents contribute to and build the Catholic identity of the school in a very positive manner. Parents in the whole appear very satisfied with St Thomas. St. Thomas School has always taken pride in itself for its true sense of Community. Our physical environment and lay-out of our school buildings gives the school a great feel of open space, at the same time, a sense of warmth and safety. Families are always welcome to be involved in all school activities. Parent helpers throughout the school help bring the idea of community working together. Classroom help, canteen, sport and working bees attract a large number of parent support. Our school celebrations, parent information evenings and preparation for sacrament meetings are always family orientated and attract a large number of families. February parent information nights for all year levels, as well as parent information nights for Mathematics, Sacraments, Cyber-Safety, a Literacy Parent Helper Course and an information night for new Prep parents have all been offered to the school community. The new communication app, SKOOLBAG, has been introduced in the last 12 months to complement the school newsletter and website, in strengthening our level of communication with parents. Attendance at the school roundabout, in both the morning and afternoon by all staff, especially the principal and vice principal, has always provided a positive connection between staff and families. Our ongoing, open policy on parental contact with teachers continues to be a positive and appreciated aspect of our school. The celebration of student s extra curricula activities, at the weekly assembly and in the school newsletter also continues to make connections between the school and the wider community. Our Community Care and Concern Group began in 2012 and includes around 40 families from both the school and the wider parish. In the past four years this group has provided meals and offered support for approximately 35 parish families ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 13

15 Three big events, Grandparents Day, St Thomas Day and Mission Fete bring in a large number of extended families, making the strong sense of school community most evident. These days are great occasions when children have a great opportunity to see how interested their family and friends are in their education and in the wider community issues such as helping the more needy and the celebration of loving relationships. Our annual school Twilight Sports also attracts a huge participation rate of both spectators and helpers. The Parents and Friends Association has a very strong presence at this function providing food/drinks for all, while raising money for the School Community. The Parents and Friends Association is a most supportive group who meet on a monthly basis. Their fundraisers range from Easter Raffles, Trivia Nights, BBQ s and more. This group is most supportive of St. Thomas School Community and is continually raising funds for the various aspects of school. The parent community has been supportive in both action and ideas in regards to the school s physical environment. In the past two years there have been over 20 working bees that have maintained and enhanced our school grounds. These opportunities have brought together students, parents and children in a common cause. A growing number of our families have attending working bees during this time. The annual outdoor school concert at the end of the year always attracts a large numbers of immediate and extended family. We find it a very positive way to bring the school community together to farewell the school year. Parents are supportive of the school and rate it highly in the areas of student wellbeing and engagement. All Relationship and Engagement factors in the Insight SRC parent surveys rated above average when compared to Victorian School Benchmarks. Parents speak positively of the sense of inclusion and belonging that is nurtured and of the supportive nature of the school. Parent surveys indicated a high level of satisfaction with the school, with parents giving the General Satisfaction variable a positive rating. The rate of Student Retention is also high. Parents endorse the many opportunities the school offers for parents to be involved in both the life of the school and in their child s education. Parent participation and rate of involvement in school based activities, particularly those involving their children, is always high 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 14

16 Financial Performance REPORTING FRAMEWORK Recurrent income MODIFIED CASH $ Tuition School fees 182,411 Other fee income 39,041 Private income 59,249 State government recurrent grants 753,447 Australian government recurrent grants 2,569,773 Total recurrent income 3,603,922 Recurrent Expenditure Tuition Salaries; allowances and related expenses 2,690,112 Non salary expenses 470,356 Total recurrent expenditure 3,160,468 Capital income and expenditure Tuition Government capital grants Capital fees and levies 129,216 Other capital income Total capital income 138,551 Total capital expenditure 45,148 Loans (includes refundable enrolment deposits and recurrent, capital and bridging loans) Total opening balance 1,091,250 Total closing balance 996,250 The information provided above does not include system levies charged to individual schools, intra-systemic transfers and, for primary schools, the diocesan supplementary capital fund supporting primary schools capital borrowings. The information provided in this VRQA template is not comparable with other educational sectors or to ACARA school-level income reports displayed on the MySchool website. ACARA school level reporting requires system level income from Government grants and some private income to be allocated to each school resulting in a small adjustment to the total level of school resources. Currently, recurrent income from Government sources, school generated income and capital expenditure are reported by schools. When assessing the private income of the school, both recurrent and capital school fees are included ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 15

17 VRQA Compliance Data E1372 St Thomas Primary School, Drysdale PROPORTION OF STUDENTS MEETING THE MININUM STANDARDS NAPLAN TESTS Changes Changes YR 03 Reading YR 03 Writing YR 03 Spelling YR 03 Grammar & Punctuation YR 03 Numeracy YR 05 Reading YR 05 Writing YR 05 Spelling YR 05 Grammar & Punctuation YR 05 Numeracy ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 16

18 AVERAGE STUDENT ATTENDANCE RATE BY YEAR LEVEL Y Y Y Y Y Y Overall average attendance TEACHING STAFF ATTENDANCE RATE Teaching Staff Attendance Rate STAFF RETENTION RATE 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 17

19 Staff Retention Rate TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS Doctorate 0.00 Masters 4.35 Graduate Certificate Graduate 8.70 Degree Bachelor Diploma Advanced No Qualifications Listed 0.00 STAFF COMPOSITION Principal Class 2 Teaching Staff (Head Count) 29 FTE Teaching Staff Non-Teaching Staff (Head Count) 9 FTE Non-Teaching Staff Indigenous Teaching Staff ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 18