Our System Values

I’m really proud to present to you, through our school newsletter this week, our Department for Education, Children and Young People Values. They are core beliefs by which we, as a system, are guided as we make your child’s schooling, the best possible experience it can be. These values move us on from our previous values acknowledging the work and progress we have already made and inspiring us to do even better. In recent weeks teachers have started discussions, building school wide understanding of what they mean and how they will guide our actions and our work in supporting students, families and our community generally.

It was very interesting to lead the professional discussion as we began to consider what’s important, what we think might be a priority in our school and how this impacts our approach to teaching and learning. One of my priorities moving forward will be to work with groups of students, to capture their understanding, their thoughts and what they would like to prioritise for our school.

Our current values of Respect, Learning and Community hold a strong place in our community and how our school operates. They are very closely aligned to these five and will continue to be a focus as we move forward. Reflecting on the strengths and skills of our student cohort, it will be good to build student capacity particularly around individual responsibility for learning, personal growth, courage and resilience. So many of our students flourish in areas that are familiar to them but struggle when things are new or different. The challenge of operating as a strong functional community is reflected in the values of respect, courage and connection and is sure to be a challenge particularly for our older students as they learn to manage the challenges of growing up and heading off to high school.

The strengths of any values, when adopted universally is a common understanding of what we believe and how these beliefs guide our decisions and the actions we take. Springfield Gardens is a wonderful school with so many positives to acknowledge and celebrate. I look forward to continuing to shape our school as we build a common understanding of what is best for your children and our students.

Nadine Davey

Principal

1/2A are working hard in all areas. Recently, we have been looking at the difference between numbers and the relationship to the part-part whole model and subtraction. Some of us have used counters to solve difference problems. Some of us have used a box model. Others have explored using number lines, both closed and open. You can help your child at home by asking them to solve common subtraction problems at home such as “There are 20 biscuits, if I eat 4, how many will be left?”

Last weekend some of us saw the Aurora Australis in the night sky. It was so bright to see when looking through a camera lens. It was caused by a huge sunspot cluster which blew out a solar eruption towards Earth. It was the biggest geomagnetic storm in almost twenty years. Australia is in the southern hemisphere, below the equator. The northern hemisphere, above the equator, had the same event during their night called the Aurora Borealis. 

We created art inspired by some of the incredible photos taken of the Aurora Australis on the weekend. We used watercolour paint, water colour paper, black cardboard and sharpies. We've included some of the art here. Come and have a look in the 3/4 corridor for more!

Springfield Gardens is a Move Well Eat Well school. This term we are focusing on being a ‘Water Only Zone’ school. Grade 6 leaders are looking at ways to reduce rubbish going to landfill, and how to help our School Business Manager save money by throwing less away. These upper primary students are also keen to find a sustainable way to be healthy, and they would like to remind all families to send their children to school with a named personal water bottle, with only water in it. Of course, if your child has a treat from the canteen then that is fine.

Thank you!

Amelia Clifford, Move Well Eat Well and 24Carrot Gardens Coordinator