Staff+Reflections

**And are we living up to this? (Click on "The Ideal School" then double click anywhere on the 'wallwisher' page and add your post it notes about what you think makes an ideal school).**
 * What does our "ideal" school look like/feel like/sound like? **

The Ideal School

(Vision Statement: Teachers are encouraged to keep up to date with new methods and current thinking.) English: First Steps Reading and Writing; Whole group-small group-whole group (ability based); Catch a Falling Star intervention program. Maths: First Steps Maths; EMU (Extending Mathematical Understanding) intervention program. Inquiry Learning: Lane Clark, Kath Murdoch and Kath Walker influence. The Arts: Music - Orff-Schulwerk based; Kodaly; Choral-based music program R.E.: Source of Life Working towards our Fire Carriers Covenant Weekly Liturgy- Run by the teachers and the student and joined by the parents. Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the church with distribution of ashes to school and parish community. Opening of the school year Mass and graduation Mass- school and community involvement. Western Deanery Festival of the Sacred. Celebrate Sacrament every second year. At St. Mary's we endeavour to provide a contemporary curriculum through the inservicing of teachers and staying abreast of current curriculum initiatives.
 * In Curriculum and Religious Education: **
 * What are we doing now? **

(Vision Statement: We foster a partnership of shared responsibility between staff) More whole staff communication about what we are doing and how we can improve i.e. "What can we do to move students on?" A more coordinated program of testing with time given to share data between staff. Focused testing - when? why? what? for whom? We all teach Maths - what is happening in each group? How do we plot progress/change groups? How are test results and individual learning plans shared and used between staff? Do we need to have Individual Learning Plans for each child? What format would be the best one to use? What is the best way to use a Learning Plan to communicate children's progress to parents? What sort of goals would be the most appropriate to include in a learning plan? * reading * writing * spelling * maths How does a learning plan link with the written school report? More focused and direct Professional Development Plan. Formalise our process on developing a Professional Development Plan. Making links and access to Professional Develop which is relevant to associated groups. Eg. Parents, Kinder, Casual Relief Teacher, Integration Aids.
 * What do we need to do differently to: **
 * - achieve better outcomes for our students? **
 * - better reflect our Vision & Mission? **
 * - for compliance? **

(Vision Statement: Children are given opportunities to develop and reach their full potential) Observational Survey: Sutherland Phonological Awareness Test BURT word test Hearing Sounds in Words Test Writing (No. of words in 10 minutes) Concepts About Print Running Records Word Test Early Numeracy Interview Test to be completed at the beginning and end of each year Oral Language
 * What evidence do we have? (e.g. alignment with VELS and Source of Life, NAPLAN Data, pre and post testing, etc.) **