Just a few quick updates

Annual School Reports

You will have received the email and Memo from Trevor Fletcher in relation to ASRs.  To provide you with a direct link to the relevant documents, the links are provided for you in the right hand column of this email.  The email from Trevor and its attached memo will also provide more information for you. 

A-E Reporting

Thank you to everybody for your patience and responsiveness in the various data gathering exercises around this.  You will also have seen the memo from Industrial Relations in relation to distribution of material and I understand that, as educators and fair minded adults, everybody would be ensuring that all relevant information is clearly distributed and represented within schools.  It is interesting for me to reflect on various pieces of writing from the last two years which follow the evolution of these reports.  If you haven't had a chance to do so yet, I would suggest that a look at the report which was recently released regarding parent attitudes toward the new reports is well worth it.  It is important, I think, that we remember that these are reports to parents. The link to the report and the blurb from the DET website is below.

Parents have their say on new student reports (pdf 1.25mb)
A new report on parents' views about new student reports has just been released. The independent report represents six months of consultation and discussion with a cross-section of parents whose children attend primary and secondary schools in New South Wales.

BST analysis

As evaluation of this year continues and planning for 2007 also continues, I know that primary schools will be looking in detail at their BST data and looking at the linkages within plans to targets which relate to identified areas for development.

LMG Initiative evaluation

Many thanks to those Principals who have completed the online evaluation survey which was announced in INPrincipal last Friday.   This closes on Friday 24 November and it would be great to get the biggest response possible.  If you haven't yet completed the survey then please use the link below to provide feedback before 5pm tomorrow.

http://www.pryorcommitment.com/cisac/LMGSurvey.htm

Great things happening

The experience in the last week or so has been great in getting to know an additional 30 schools.  Many thanks to the HCC7 Principals for your welcome and thanks to HCC4 Principals for your continued willingness to work through issues etc.  It has been good to see some of the good things happening.

Next week sees the HSPA production of Pirates of Penzance hit the stage.  Today, Glendale East Public School played host to a visit from the DET Board of Management and the children at the school were wonderful in their hosting and knowledge.

Merewether High students have been taking out awards across a number of KLA areas as well as great musical performances.

A whole number of schools in the HCC7 network have been directly affected by recent political events and Principals at  those schools are to be congratulated for the way in which they have managed their 'business as usual'

On Saturday of this week Newcastle High will be holding its Foundation Day and thousands of people are expected to attend the school between 11 and 3.

Next week will see some of our schools represented at the Priority Action Schools conference in Sydney.  Windale will be presenting their Learning Centres information and I'm sure this will be well received.

We will also see some movements around the networks with the Principal's position at Carrington recently advertised, Ron Way's retirement from Swansea, Colleen Innes' move to Wallsend South and the filling of that vacancy.  Martin Frohlich has now been successful in gaining the position at Gateshead and his former position as Principal at Argenton will be filled by Steve Edwards who is transferring from Boolaroo.  Sandra Patterson will be moving to Swansea to replace Don Begg who is off to Gwandalan.  Sandra will be replaced by Steve Eggington who is a transfer from Manning Gardens in Taree.

There is probably a number of other moves around which I have failed to mention.  To all of these people, best of luck with your moves!

It is anticipated that Wayne will be back on deck on 11 Dec.  Between now and then I will continue to look after the schools in HCC4 and HCC7 and will try to continue to call in and to be available in person, on the phone or by email.  Vacant School Education Director positions within our Region were advertised and applications close tomorrow, 24 Nov, which is also a day for an Office of Schools portfolio planning day being held in Sydney.  These days include all SEDs and Regional Directors from across the state.

Have a great weekend when you get to it !