ST. DOMINIC S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL BROADMEADOWS

Transcription

1 REGISTERED SCHOOL NUMBER: 1593 ST. DOMINIC S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL BROADMEADOWS 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY

2 Contents Contact Details... 2 Minimum Standards Attestation... 2 Our School Vision... 3 School Overview... 4 Principal s Report... 5 Education in Faith... 6 Learning & Teaching... 8 Student Wellbeing Leadership & Management School Community Financial Performance Future Directions VRQA Compliance Data ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 1

3 Contact Details ADDRESS 408 Camp Road BROADMEADOWS 3047 PRINCIPAL PARISH PRIEST SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR Gayle Maree Connor Fr Chinua Okeke C.S.Sp Mrs Gillian Doyle TELEPHONE (03) WEBSITE Minimum Standards Attestation I, Gayle Connor attest that St. Dominic s 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 2

4 Our School Vision At St. Dominic s Catholic Primary School We model, share and celebrate in the Catholic tradition. We recognise and embrace the importance and significance of religious traditions, and the richness of our cultural diversity. We aspire to create a welcoming, inclusive, challenging and supportive environment where students, staff, parents and the wider parish are all active partners in our unique journey as life-long learners. We acknowledge and accept the ongoing responsibility to develop ourselves as a community of leaders through the spiritual, educational, social, emotional and physical growth of each individual ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 3

5 School Overview St Dominic s Catholic Primary School, Broadmeadows, first opened in February 1959 when 200 children commenced their education under the care of two teachers. The Sisters of St Joseph originally donated the land on which the school and church are built and have had a great deal of influence in the school's development. Rapid population expansion in the 1960s forced St Dominic s to grow to nearly 1000 students. St Dominic s remained a large school catering for the many cultural groups who moved into the area. St Dominic s is still a highly multicultural school. The development of new residential areas resulted in changing enrolments. The school currently has an enrolment of 225 students. St Dominic s has 15 learning areas, a Library, Staff Resources/Preparation room and an Administration Block. The learning areas comprise ten classrooms, Reading Recovery room, a Student Wellbeing / Language Centre for New Arrival students, Hall providing stage, basketball, volleyball, netball, badminton, and kitchen facilities and a Community Learning Centre (HUB). St. Dominic's is an attractive vibrant school that offers a safe, high quality education for all its students. The student population is made up of some 23 different nationalities, and 85.5% of students have a language background other than English. This diversity of cultures is enriching for our school. Our school has an experienced and professional staff who offer a wonderful range of learning opportunities for the students. Our facilities provide a safe and supportive learning environment which we continue to enhance and develop. The parent community is very supportive of our students and their learning. As a Catholic School Community, we aim to develop faith filled young people who are actively and positively engaged in their community ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 4

6 Principal s Report It is with pleasure that I present St. Dominic s Catholic Primary School 2015 Annual Report. As a Catholic school community, we are very aware of the challenges faced by many in our community. We believe that we are invited to make a difference in the lives of those we meet, and are called to respond with an open heart. The invitation is to journey with one another, and to be Christ like in all we do. At St Dominic s school cultural and religious traditions are valued and celebrated. A welcoming environment is fostered through partnerships with families, parish and community. The diverse range of talents and skills in the community is acknowledged and celebrated and are drawn upon to enrich the lives of all students. The unique stories of students and their families create a rich tapestry that embraces cultural differences and provides a supportive, socially cohesive environment where all have the opportunity to experience success. In 2015 we have continued to build on our community partnerships. The richness in the cultural and social diversity of our school community enables us to celebrate in many ways, while at the same time challenges us to identify needs to support students and their families. Our parents are encouraged and supported in involving themselves in their child s learning. The challenges faced by many of our parents because of language, trauma, separation from their homeland, and even having had limited or no schooling themselves, have been recognized and acknowledged. We believe we are a community of learners, and as such, we recognize the opportunity to embrace many styles of learning, and raise the learning outcomes for all. We enrol not only the child, but also the family. Our Parish Priest, Fr. Chinua Okeke, is welcoming of all people. His support of our school community is much appreciated on both the spiritual and personal level. It is a privilege to work within such a supportive school community. Staff, parents and students continue to face challenges and support one another as life-long learners who live by our school s motto : Let Your Light Shine. Gayle Connor PRINCIPAL ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 5

7 Education in Faith Goals & Intended Outcomes To develop and support St. Dominic s as a strong Catholic community. To ensure that Religious Education is the centre of the curriculum. To develop stronger links between Parish, Families and School. That staff know, value and live the Gospel values in the Catholic tradition. That the Catholic culture profile be maintained and developed throughout the community. Achievements There continues to be an upward trend from the staff responses to the Catholic Culture survey from This has been mirrored in the increased connections made between the RE framework and other areas of the curriculum, and opportunities provided to reflect on our faith. The Catholic Culture data indicates that staff, students and parents acknowledge the opportunities provided to develop their spirituality with all scores being in the top 25% of Victorian schools (staff 92%, students 96% and parents 96%). VALUE ADDED School staff have had many opportunities to develop their own spirituality through prayer, meditation and personal reflection. All Professional Learning sessions for staff begin with collaborative prayer, where staff work together to plan and conduct prayer based on a piece of scripture. Opportunities such as the bi-annual spirituality retreat in addition to school closure days with guest speakers such as Paul Spence have also provided experiences for staff to reflect on a deeper level. St. Dominic s continues to have a strong link with Penola Catholic College and occasions such as the Penola Partnerships gathering assist staff to deepen their understanding of what it means to work in a Catholic school setting. The Religious Education program at St. Dominic s from Prep-6 utilises the To Know, Worship and Love program and draws upon the richness of the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching to teach students about the Church s mission. Staff work together to plan units of work and students have the opportunity for daily prayer and to attend year level masses and whole school masses. The school Sacramental program works alongside the Parish program to enhance knowledge of the Catholic faith through parent workshops and Sacramental meetings. Initiatives such as Breakfast Club, Learning Club, Project Compassion and Caritas workshops have helped to develop student understanding of the importance of social justice in a Catholic school setting ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 6

8 Links and connections have been made between Religious Education and other areas of the curriculum, with contemporary Teaching and Learning tools being used in all areas of learning. Staff based professional learning sessions are held throughout the term with teachers exploring tools and strategies to be used to enhance the Catholic Identity of the school. The Religious Education Leader has modelled effective strategies that can be used in a Religious Education lesson such as echo mimes and godly play. The rich prayer life of the school has been further enhanced by its rich Catholic culture and we continue to be grateful to our Parish Priest for being so supportive of the school. He is visible within the school community; and attends a staff Professional Learning session once a term and helps to prepare students when receiving sacraments. Each classroom has a dedicated prayer space and all classes begin the day with prayer. Meditation and mindfulness have been introduced as tools for personal reflection at a deeper level ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 7

9 Learning & Teaching Goals & Intended Outcomes To have high expectations for student learning. To develop and implement specific child-centred teaching and learning experiences to support learning and the learning needs of each individual. That there is continued improvement in all assessment data That there is an upward trend in improvement in literacy and numeracy outcomes in years Prep-6. That purposeful teaching and stimulating learning improves. Achievements At St Dominic s the staff have high expectations for all students and consider all students to be students of promise. They hold a shared belief that engagement is central to learning and they are working towards developing a sense of curiosity and wonder in all the students. In each level, Inquiry Units culminate with student led actions, based on the questions and interests of the students in each class. Teachers plan weekly in teams and curriculum leaders are timetabled to facilitate planning. The focus of these meeting is to analyse student data to drive teaching. Technology tools are used across the school to support and enhance engagement and in all areas of learning. During 2015 All AusVel and Religious Education domains have been reported on over the year. The timing of Professional Learning meetings was changed to team planning times. This enabled level teams to work with curriculum leaders to identify needs and implement tailored learning strategies. We continued to embed EAL strategies, drawing on the context of Addressing the Needs of Refugee Students. Through the planning design and implementation of EAL based individual learning plans and the EAL reporting format, all children continued to be supported in achieving success in the classroom. Literacy learning in P -2 continued to incorporate Reading Recovery strategies in mainstream classrooms. Links between reading and writing were strengthened by deepened understanding of the role of oral language in developing literacy skills. Classroom teachers were provided with the opportunity to observe reading recovery and LLI sessions in order to align their teacher talk to the specific needs of their students ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 8

10 Reading to Learn continued to be implemented in years 3 to 6. Six teachers have completed training in the program. An upward trend in Reading and Writing was evident in year 5 NAPLAN data, with significant increases from 2014 to 2015 in Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation and Numeracy. However a downward trend in Year 3 Reading, Writing, Spelling and Numeracy was noted, while the writing data was consistent with the previous year. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES We continue to identify the challenges and support students in their learning. We identify and put into place explicit and targeted teaching throughout the year. Changing student cohorts does impact on results, but we recognize that NAPLAN is one form of data collection. NAPLAN data was thoroughly analysed with all the staff and used to determine foci for whole class and small group work to identify children at risk. This enables targeted learning instruction ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 9

11 Student Wellbeing Goals & Intended Outcomes To enhance student wellbeing through the provision of an inclusive, supportive and safe environment. That the wellbeing of all students be enhanced through the development of selfawareness, responsible decision making, relationship skills, social awareness and self management, resilience and organization skills. Achievements St Dominic s has continued to make strong gains in the area of Student Wellbeing. School staff are aware of the importance of teaching Social Emotional Learning to students, and there is a strong emphasis on developing resilience and social skills throughout the school with formal social skills lessons taught as a specialist subject from Prep-2 and with teachers from years 3-6 integrating these valuable skills into all lessons. These programs include: Circle Time (All Classes) Stop/Think/Do, Bounce Back Restorative Practices Student Wellbeing at St. Dominic s recognises the importance of building positive relationships at St. Dominic s with the Student Wellbeing Leader being a valued member of the School Leadership team who also has the opportunity to facilitate professional learning with staff each term. The Deputy Principal has also completed a Masters of Education (Student Wellbeing in Inclusive Schooling) The school has also been part of a Family Schools Partnership cluster with other local schools, whereby this cluster leader also helped to build upon school staff knowledge of the importance of working in collaboration with families. The Student Wellbeing Leader is an active participant in the Student Wellbeing Cluster and also attends Professional Learning opportunities from Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM). Classroom teachers also devise detailed Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) for students requiring modification to teaching programs and Program Support Group meetings (PSGs) are also held for these students who may receive funding from Catholic Education Melbourne and also for non-funded students. Teachers have worked hard to build a culture of inclusivity, tolerance and respect with the school rules and social expectations being revisited each year. Positive behaviour is rewarded with teachers using incentives such as stickers, house points, class rewards and awarding a student of the week each week at assembly. The introduction of a formal Better Buddy Program (Alannah and Madeline Foundation) for Preps and Year 5s has seen an emphasis on developing cross school relationships between students. St. Dominic s has also aligned their practice with current health policies and creating healthy environments e.g. Fruit Snack time provided for all year levels, healthy food at the Snack Bar and Breakfast Club twice per week ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 10

12 Parents are expected to let the school know when a child is absent, and we follow up with parents on students who are absent or continually late. After two days on non attendance with no notification, the classroom teacher will contact the parent. VALUE ADDED St. Dominic s School has a high focus on developing a positive and inclusive community with various functions and activities taking place throughout the school year including: Building Community Week, Harmony Day Family Week A get to know you Family Picnic taking the place of formal parent teacher interviews at the beginning of the year Mother s Day Dinner (2015) International Woman s Day Dinner. The St. Dominic s Dad s group Strong support is given to New Arrival families at St. Dominic s with the provision of interpreters both orally and written for families who require this help. In 2015 there was a whole school circus program which promoted the ideas of risk taking, perseverance and working in a team. This formal program culminated in a performance to celebrate student talent and was a highlight of the year. Students at St. Dominic s participate in Anti-Bullying activities and Programs learning about online and being part of the National Day Against Bullying on 20 th March. One pleasing aspect of our School Wellbeing program is that we have engaged the services of Healing Minds Psychology, whereby students are eligible to receive access to 6-10 bulkbilled (free) counselling sessions per year. This program has seen more students be able to receive access to these sessions which include information about developing social skills, coping strategies and targeted programs. All school staff are first aid and anaphylaxis trained with all staff being placed on the First Aid roster. All staff complete compulsory training about Mandatory Reporting on an annual basis. Student leadership is an important aspect of our wellbeing program and practices with all Year 6 students having a leadership position and set tasks to complete. This helps students to develop their own sense of responsibility and teamwork. Students from Year 6 also participate in School Camp. There are many extra-curricular activities available to students at St Dominic s including Learning Club, Kelly Sports, Tennis lessons, music lessons and karate. These help to promote the importance of physical activity. Staff at St. Dominic s have worked to develop a good transition program with a formal and comprehensive Pre-Prep Program being offered in addition to open lines of communication 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 11

13 for all students moving on to secondary school. The school is also well-resourced with students receiving access to high quality resources to improve learning outcomes. Future Actions: To look at strategic intent that show clarity and a commitment to strategic planning and resourcing. To develop a welcoming and inclusive community To increase skills and capacity of families to participate in their child s learning STUDENT SATISFACTION Students reported that they have a sense of belonging in the school. They are motivated to learn. While their connectedness to school is rated at 92%, the emotional wellbeing of our students is targeted as a priority to support their learning. While students are motivated to learn, and their engagement in learning indicators is remaining stable, we are aware that significant trauma has impacted on many families, and ongoing support is sort to ensure their feeling safe and secure so that they can truly demonstrate their learning capabilities ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 12

14 Leadership & Management Goals & Intended Outcomes To further develop a professional community of learners that is characterised by shared vision, a strong sense of teamwork and a focus on continuous improvement of student learning. That engagement and role clarity of staff improves That a greater understanding of shared leadership is developed Achievements Staff: The current model of shared instructional leadership has engendered enthusiasm and a sense of empowerment amongst staff. Upward trends from in empowerment, ownership, appraisal and recognition support the belief that all members of staff feel valued and are integral to the St Dominic s learning community. We continue to develop a culture of a shared understanding of responsibility for all students. Receiving adequate feedback and affirmations on best practice Annual Review Meetings Involved in Professional Learning team meetings that are purposeful for the learning community All decisions made with a clear vision of the needs of St Dominic s unique community Staff Spirituality days that provide opportunities for self-reflection and spiritual growth Opportunities for both in house and external Professional Learning. Staff attend external professional learning in teams of two or more, and feed new learning s back to staff. Opportunities for facilitated planning in level teams. Visual displays showcasing examples of student learning Leaders are more present in classrooms to team teach and model strategies. They are seen as instructional leaders More qualified and experienced staff from a variety of backgrounds. Teams are operating effectively across the school Leadership is supportive for teacher learning and empowerment Students: Targeted teaching in whole class and small focus groups Student centered and relevant learning opportunities A variety of learning styles are catered for All Year 6 students have leadership roles Individual Learning Plans are drawn up and reviewed regularly 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 13

15 Community: Initiatives such as Books in Homes promote a love of learning and opportunities for parents to learn how to best support their children in their ongoing learning journey Information from formal and informal parental surveys and opinions is valued and acted upon Established Community Hub with relevant community services provides a link with resources available to parents that will empower parents to be more proactive in their parenting and work opportunities EXPENDITURE AND TEACHER PARTICIPATION IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DESCRIPTION OF PL UNDERTAKEN IN Learning and Teaching Cluster, Wellbeing clusters/wellbeing best practice, Social and Emotional Learning, Leading for Contemporary Learning, Integrated Inquiry, EAL Refugee Students with the language of Mathematics, Addressing the Educational Needs of Refugee Background Students, Refugee Background students and the impact of trauma, Whole school approach to support refugee background students, Wellbeing and Community Partnerships Conference, Reading to Learn, Cybersafety, Planning for Cross Curricular Priorities, Unpacking the Australian Curriculum, Supporting the educational needs of refugee background students, Principal network, Deputy network, Religious Education Leader network, Literacy Leaders Cluster, Leadership for Learning and Teaching, Reading Recovery network, etc., Weekly staff professional learning team meetings, Learning Together Better Study Tour to Los Angeles and Santa Fe New Mexico and First Aid/Anaphylaxis/CPR. NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN PL 18 AVERAGE EXPENDITURE PER TEACHER FOR PL $2,500 TEACHER SATISFACTION There continues to be an upward trend from the staff responses in the Insight SRC survey from A more positive staff climate continues to develop, and staff are feeling more empowered which is enabling the sustainability of an evolving learning community where high expectations and school improvement are valued. Active partnerships with the school community and parish are encouraged ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 14

16 School Community Goals & Intended Outcomes To improve connectedness and collaboration through active partnerships between school, parish and the wider community. That there is increased involvement of the parent community in partnership with the school and parish. Achievements St Dominic s is a rich and diverse community. The school is a welcoming environment where opportunities are provided for families to build relationships and make connections. The school is viewed as a meeting place for many families who are new to the country and who require practical assistance and support. The Parents and Friends Association continues to support the school through various fundraising events. The annual Easter raffle, Mother s Day luncheon and Father s Day Breakfast, and weekly snack bar sales have provided not only financial support for much needed resources, but they have also provided the opportunity for parents to gather together and share ideas. The School Advisory Board has continued to play a significant role and was involved in ongoing discussions in relation to the School Master Plan and the ongoing application of Capital Grants for proposed developments. Through inclusion in the National Schools Partnership Program, St Dominic s has been able to offer a number of community based initiatives and the on-going appointment of a Family School Partnerships convener (National Partnerships funding) has helped in the selection and coordination of activities. The National Partnership Family School Partnership Leader and the Hub coordinator continue to make it possible for strong links to be made between St Dominic s families and the wider community. As a result, there has been increased celebration of multicultural diversity in the community as demonstrated by the number of parents attending events such as: Weekly assemblies Oral Interpreting of the weekly newsletter Excursions where parents have the option of attending as classroom helpers or as part of an adult learning group. Breakfast Club Learning Club (Homework Club) Playgroup Hub initiatives such as English language classes, adult computer classes, Cook to Work classes, playgroup, Mother Goose program, Certificate 111 and Diploma Courses and Ladies night out to celebrate International Women s Day Community Classroom initiatives in Prep - 2 which involved parents supporting learning in the classroom 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 15

17 Books in Homes assemblies and information sessions on supporting students with reading at home Parenting programs 5 day Pre Prep program and Parent information sessions related to school readiness Little Devils Circus School Production, End of Year Mass, St Dominic s Feast Day Mass, School Sports Day Other successful initiatives that link to the community include: Class parent information shared at the family picnic Children s Choir at weekend masses Sacramental program linked with the Parish Little Devils Circus aimed to build resilience and cultural harmony through the Arts Interpreters available for parent meetings School canteen as a meeting place for parents to build relationships and learn new skills Multicultural celebrations such as Harmony Day and Italian Day PARENT SATISFACTION According to the Parent Opinion survey for 2015 Insight SRC data, parent partnerships at the school was around 90%, with Connectedness to the school being at 92%. Learning opportunities are valued by the parents, and there has been a significant increase in the number of parents actively engaging in the school and wanting to know and understand more about their child s learning ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 16

18 Financial Performance REPORTING FRAMEWORK Recurrent income MODIFIED CASH $ Tuition School fees 0 Other fee income 41,653 Private income 77,952 State government recurrent grants 679,335 Australian government recurrent grants 2,186,115 Total recurrent income 2,985,054 Recurrent Expenditure Tuition Salaries; allowances and related expenses 1,972,596 Non salary expenses 448,526 Total recurrent expenditure 2,421,122 Capital income and expenditure Tuition Government capital grants 0 Capital fees and levies 117,390 Other capital income 0 Total capital income 117,390 Total capital expenditure 192,040 Loans (includes refundable enrolment deposits and recurrent, capital and bridging loans) Total opening balance 0 Total closing balance 0 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 17

19 Future Directions In 2016 the journey continues. We will continue to focus on improved student engagement and learning outcomes. Teaching and Learning remains at the core. We will be committed to building the leadership capacity of all staff, students and parents through opportunities provided at both educational and recreational levels. Technology resources and professional learning will be paramount to support Contemporary Learning. Students will become more actively engaged in Google Classrooms, and with the introduction of chrome books to support the learning in years 5 and 6, students will have the opportunity to engage in school/home sharing of learning. We will continue to provide the resources to support increased parent engagement and for the school to engage with the wider community. With the financial support of The Scanlon Foundation, we will continue to provide many opportunities for our parent community to be involved with learning initiatives. This will be co-ordinated by our Community Hub Coordinator, and support by our Family School Partnerships Cluster Engagement Leader. The St. Dominic s Community Learning Centre provides a venue for further parent engagement opportunities. Further work will continue on making our school grounds a place of welcome. The Administration area is to be refurbished. A meeting room, Deputy Principal s office, Finance office to be developed, as well as a welcoming and more practical school office entrance area. With a team of committed and dedicated staff, parents and students we will continue to live our motto: LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 18

20 VRQA Compliance Data E1215 St Dominic's School, Broadmeadows PROPORTION OF STUDENTS MEETING THE MININUM STANDARDS NAPLAN TESTS 2013 % 2014 % Changes % 2015 % 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 19

21 AVERAGE STUDENT ATTENDANCE RATE BY YEAR LEVEL % Y Y Y Y Y Y Overall average attendance TEACHING STAFF ATTENDANCE RATE Teaching Staff Attendance Rate 91.27% STAFF RETENTION RATE 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 20

22 Staff Retention Rate 90.00% TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS Doctorate 0.00% Masters 16.67% Graduate 27.78% Certificate Graduate 5.56% Degree Bachelor 83.33% Diploma Advanced 55.56% No Qualifications Listed 0.00% STAFF COMPOSITION Principal Class 2 Teaching Staff (Head Count) 21 FTE Teaching Staff Non-Teaching Staff (Head Count) 10 FTE Non-Teaching Staff Indigenous Teaching Staff ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 21