2011 Annual Report to the Community - Mary Mackillop Primary ...

Mary MacKillop Primary School, Narre Warren Nth
School Community and Student Wellbeing
Goals and Intended Outcomes
In 2011 our goals in School Community and Student Wellbeing were:
To sustain a strong school community where people feel connected, where relationships are
built on mutual trust and a deep respect for each other, and where everyone is safe, cared for
and happy.
In 2011, we intended to meet this goal through:
Continuing to build an engaged, committed and resilient staff
Reach out to and promote the importance of families and their positive impact on the
school
Empowering students to be confident, resilient and happy at school
Promoting better behaviour through deeper engagement in their learning
Achievements
STUDENT ATTENDANCE RATE 93.9%
VALUE ADDED
There has been an emphasis across the school to educate students, teachers and parents
about the importance of students regularly attending school and being punctual to class so
as to maximise the learning potential for each student. Attendance at school is a key
ingredient in ensuring a students success. It is also important that wherever possible, family
holidays are taken during school vacations. It was pleasing to see that student attendance
increased from 91.5% in 2010 to 93.9% in 2011.
Term 2 saw the senior school musical production ‘Kids at Sea’
performed on two consecutive nights. This was well attended
with 96% of families in attendance with over 500 present in the
audience at each production. We were delighted to have
residents from our neighbouring aged care facility attend
rehearsals. The idea of two entire casts gave students greater
opportunity to have more lead roles and for each student to be
seen more easily by their family members in the audience. All
stakeholders were pleased with this new initiative and the fact
that our production could be performed in our local neighbourhood.
The senior students had a consistent involvement with the residents from the aged care
facility through weekly visits each Monday afternoon. On these days our students could
interact with and entertain the residents. Many parents accompany the students each week
to Bupa. They also had a weekly knitting club at lunchtime when students and parents made
rugs for the nursing home under the leadership of a core group of parents. The BUPA
coordinator in liaison with the school coordinator organised a Special Dance programme for
a number of students to participate in this programme and support residents in keeping fit
and having fun.
2011 saw the Mary MacKillop Café open as a drop in coffee and chat venue during school
hours. Regular parent workshops were offered in the areas of crafts and cooking and were
greatly appreciated by those who attended.
2011 Annual Report to the School Community 10