TUTOR LEARNING INITIATIVE

The State Government has provided additional targeted learning support that our school will be providing to identified students this year. This additional support is available through the Victorian Government’s $250 million investment in the Tutor Learning Initiative, which supports schools to address disruptions to students’ learning as a result of COVID-19.

The Tutor Learning Initiative enables schools across Victoria to engage qualified teachers as tutors to work with small groups of students and support their learning. The initiative is consistent with Australian and international evidence, which shows that small group tutoring is one of the most effective educational interventions available to support students to progress in their learning.

We think that identified students may benefit from the small group tutoring support provided in our school through the Initiative. This is based on achievement data and other measures of learning, which indicate that individual students expected learning progress may have been impacted by remote and flexible learning due to COVID-19 in 2020.

This small group tutoring support is being provided and coordinated by Gabrielle Hopgood and Natasha Kittelty who will work with children to identify their progress in English and Numeracy and set goals for future learning.

Gabrielle and Natasha will also work with classroom teachers to minimise disruptions, and ensure the program complements the regular curriculum and supports the lessons taking place in the classroom. Gabrielle and Natasha will take a small group setting of up to five students and will work with them directly in class.

This tutoring support will be provided 2 times a week and individual progress will be monitored as part of the program and updates about individual progress will be available throughout the year. Further information about key dates relevant to the support provided, including assessments and reports on student learning, will be provided during the year.

The educational support and wellbeing is our priority and in addition to the tutor support provided through the Initiative, all our teachers are working hard to provide a teaching and learning program that targets the specific needs of every child in the school.

ANZAC DAY SERVICE

This Sunday, 25th April we celebrate Anzac Day. It’s a special day where we come together, in person and in spirit, to commemorate the men and women who have served our nation in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.

The Drouin ANZAC Day service will begin with a 9.30 am assembly at the Bendigo Bank and then process to the town’s memorial centre where the service will begin at 10.00am.

Our student leaders will lay a commemorative wreath at the ANZAC service and we ask all students attending to please wear their full winter school uniform.

Lest We Forget.

CORRECT SCHOOL SHOES

Just a reminder that all children should be wearing the correct winter school uniform to school during Term 2. There has been an incline in students who are wearing black runners to school and stating that they are their school shoes. Our school uniform policy clear states all students must wear all black school shoes. An all-black runner is acceptable however, black runners with a white or colourful logo such as the Nike Swoosh or runners with a white sole are not acceptable. If you are replacing school shoes and children need to wear runners for a few days until the correct shoes are purchased, please send a note to your child’s teacher advising they are out of uniform.  Boys are to wear grey socks only and girls are to wear navy blue socks or navy blue tights with their winter uniform. White socks are to be worn with the PE/sport uniform. We are aware that there is still a shortage of some winter uniform supplies at Beleza Uniform Shop and we ask parents to please place your orders as soon as possible, but please do not panic or worry about the upcoming school photos. Please let your child’s teacher know and we will advise an alternative if required.
We thank you for your ongoing support to ensure all our students are in correct school shoes and uniform.

GASTRO IN OUR SCHOOL

We have had several children presenting to school with Gastro / Cold like symptoms. We have also noticed a significant increase in children coming to sickbay distressed and unwell.

If your child is displaying any of the symptoms associated with Gastro or Cold and Flu please do not send them to school until all symptoms have cleared.

SPARTAN CHALLENGE

On Thursday the 8th of April we competed in the 2021 Spartan Race. The Spartan Race was held at the Drouin Civic Park, in the area across the road from Woolworths. We competed in the 10-11 girls competitive group at about 9:30 am. Jack Carboneau also competed in the race, but he competed in the 10-11 boys event. Keelie and Jack both placed first and Taylah placed 3rd. There were roughly 10 or more people in each event. Team Driscoll did an amazing job on the day with every child participating and doing really well.

If we could describe it in three words, then they would be muddy, hard and fun. We would recommend trying it out, because it’s a great way to spend some time exercising outside, instead of sitting in front of technology all the time and it is a lot of fun! You feel happy and proud once you’ve done it!

By Keelie Carbonneau and Taylah Wassenberg.

HERALD SUN BOOK REVIEW

The Herald Sun is currently running a children’s book review column in their weekend paper. Last weekend Makaylah Monckton & Aidan Noonan’s book reviews were selected to be published. Makaylah read and reviewed the book ‘Pierre’s Not There’ by Ursula Dubosarsky, while Aidan read and reviewed ‘Stunt kid seriously stacks it’ by Jack Heath. What an incredible achievement to be selected and published in the Herald Sun!

Throughout the year a number of avid readers and exceptional writers from Grades 3-6 will be regularly submitting reviews, so keep an eye out for more stars to come from St Ita’s in the coming weeks.