Annual Report

2018

SOUTHERN MONTESSORI EDUCATION CENTRE INC.

‘We discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being.’

Dr Maria Montessori 1870 - 1952

2018 Annual Report

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MISSION STATEMENT

We provide a challenging and diverse education that fosters

independence, respect, collaboration and a love of learning,

and supports children to be valuable members of the

community and care for the environment.

VISION STATEMENT

A Montessori learning environment that involves families,

educators and the broader community in empowering

children to reach their potential

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SCHOOL DIRECTORY BOARD OF MANAGEMENT 2017

PRESIDENT Kelly Evans

VICE PRESIDENT Carmel Maher

TREASURER Ray Rootsey

BOARD MEMBERS

Members Noel Browne, Matt Fossey, Sally Birch, James McEwan, Ben Johns, Branden Emmerson

Staff Representative Kate Ball

KEY WORKING GROUPS

Finance Committee Ray Rootsey, David Anderson, Sally Birch, Noel Browne, Heather McInerney

Parents and Friends

Kelly Evans (Convenor), Noel Browne, Anne Britton, Louise Sturt, Leah Cannell, Dace Freija, Michelle Young, Beck McEwan, Ros Sim, Alice Higham, Kirsty Christmas, Carmel Maher, Sarahlouise White, Aasha Shaw, Sally Muto-Henderson, Sue Taite and Kerelea Priest

Strategic Planning Committee

Noel Browne, Ben Johns, Heather McInerney, Emily Hilder, Anne Britton, Sophia Elliott, Ros Sim, Chris O’Grady

Policy Committee Noel Browne, Sally Birch, Matthew Fossey, Carmel Maher, Branden Emmerson

PRINCIPAL

Noel Browne

Diploma of Teaching Bachelor of Education Master of Education

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Heather McInerney

B. Ed (JP/P Honours) Diploma: Montessori Leadership & Practice Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management Masters in Educational Leadership and Management

BUSINESS MANAGER David Anderson Associate Institute of Public Accountants

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR / SECRETARY to the BOARD

Danielle Johncock

Certificate III Community Service Certificate III Education Support Certificate II Women’s Studies

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Janine Jose

GARDENS/MAINTENANCE Shane Lee

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PROGRAMS PRIMARY SCHOOL Teaching Staff Anne-Marie

Cummings

B. Ed (JP/ Primary), ECE, B. Psychology, Dip. Montessori Studies

Reception

Karen Vianello B. Ed (JP/Primary) Grad Dip. Ab. Studies

Reception

Rachel Johns B. Ed (JP/Primary), B. A.

Reception

Adele Arnese B. Ed (JP/Primary) Teacher/Italian & Reception

Wendy Humphreys B. ECE Years 1 / 2 / 3

Joanna Buick B. Ed. EC./B.A. Years 1 / 2 / 3

Kristy Dunstan B. ECE Years 1 / 2 / 3

Tricia Thompson Dip.T.ECE, Grad.Dip.Dev.St., Grad.Dip.Wms.St., M.Int.Comm.Develop

Years 1 / 2 / 3

Judy Pemberton B.A. (Psych), Grad Dip Bus. M. Teach.

Years 1 / 2 / 3

Corey Lewis

Renee Borgman

B. Ed (JP/Primary) MBED

B.A., Grad.Cert.TESL., M.T.Prim.

Years 4 / 5 / 6

Years 4 / 5 / 6

Michelle Young B. Ed (JP/Primary) Years 4 / 5 / 6

Lea Simmons B. Ed.(JP/Primary Honours) Years 4 / 5 / 6

Alison Fish B. Ed (JP/P Honours) Years 4 / 5 / 6

Amelia Discombe B. Ed (JP/Primary)

Expressive Arts Teacher Years 1 / 2 / 3

Anna Golab

Dip. T. (ECE) B. Ed. Graduate Cert: Education M. Ed: Special Education Montessori Diploma

Special Education & Montessori Education

Library Co-ordinator Jill McClory

Teacher Assistants

Jane Bristow

Active After School Community Coach Trade Certificate: Fitter and Turner Certificate III Sports Massage Dip. of Early Childhood Education and Care

Desiree Santos Certificate of Business

Jodie Milde Certificate III Education Support

Teresa O’Brien B. Arts (Journalism)

Tim Ross

Private Music Tutor Choir Teacher

Stephen King Stephania Gates

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MIDDLE SCHOOL Teaching Staff

James Mingorance

B. Ed. Mid. Sec / B. Health Sc. Years 7 / 8 / 9

Abby Schultz

B. Education (P-10) Years 7 / 8 / 9

Ben Noble

B.Ed.Mid.Sec./B.A. Years 7 / 8 / 9

PRESCHOOL

Director Heather McInerney

B. Ed (JP/P Honours) Dip. Montessori Leadership & Practice Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management Masters in Educational Leadership and Management

Teaching Staff Lesley Mills

B. Ed (JP) Dip. EC & Prim Ed. (Montessori)

Teacher

Stephanie Slavik B. Ed. ECE Teacher

Anne-Marie Cummings

Bachelor of Psychology, Bachelor of Education, Dip. in Montessori Studies & Children's Sevices

Teacher

Teacher Assistants Cheryl McGaffin

Dip Community Services (Child Studies) Montessori Advanced Certificate

Assistant

Kate Ball Dip. Early Childhood Education Assistant

Shixin Li M. Teaching Early Childhood B.A. Aboriginal Studies Assistant

BABY STEPS and TODDLERS

COORDINATOR Cheryl McGaffin Dip Community Services (Child Studies) Montessori Advanced Certificate

Kate Ball Dip. Early Childhood Education Assistant

Dip. Early Childhood Education

SCHOOL OFFICE

MIDDLE SCHOOL

53 Galloway Road, O’Sullivan Beach, S.A. 5166 Phone: 8384 7233 Facsimile: 8384 8904 Email: admin@southernmontessori.sa.edu.au Website: www.southernmontessori.sa.edu.au 12 Baden Terrace, O‘Sullivan Beach, S.A. 5166 Phone: 8382 7290

AUDITOR MGI Business Solutions (MGI Assurance (SA) Pty Ltd)

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT The year 2018 proved to be an extremely busy and productive year for Southern Montessori Centre Incorporated as we strived to reach our goals and grow with our vision and strategic plan. A huge priority for the Board of Governors was formalising our partnership with Kalyra Communities to secure a long term home for our middle school. This project in itself saw many many hours spent attending appeals, negotiating lease arrangements, finalising building plans, establishing policies and we wish to thank all involved along the way. Our middle school dream has been years in the making and we are excited to see our new campus open mid Term 2, 2019 and look forward to the growth of this very unique and innovative program. Another essential focus was the review and creation of our strategic plan 2019-2023. The final product is the result of a collaborative process involving students, parents, staff and board, along with external consultants, that has our motto 'learning for life' at its heart. This plan will guide us as we aim to provide the educational environment needed for our children to be happy and successful in the worlds they inhabit now and into the future. We were also involved with the very important process to be re-registered with the Montessori quality assurance program for the next 5 years. This process, which included an assessment visit of the school, highlighted our continued improvements and congratulated all members involved. We would like to thank Noel and Heather for their hard work that ensured our successful accreditation. As the school continues to grow so to the Board must continue to evolve and focus on self-improvement for the benefit of our community. Board goals for this year focused on improved governance procedures, legal compliance and succession planning. One of the activities undertaken to help with achieving these goals was completing a skills matrix of individual members skills and abilities, to identify any areas of need and help plan for the board’s future. Annually each member also undertakes a Board appraisal to ensure good governance. The 2018 results showed an increase in communication skills, confidence and clarity of roles and obligations, a collaborative working relationship and also identified the Board’s goals for the year to come. Along with these more corporate aspects of our role we also enjoyed an educational workshop with Anna Golab on Montessori philosophy and practice ensuring this is forefront of our minds as we govern and guide the school forward. The Board also continued with its commitment to increased transparency and communications. We hope you enjoyed getting to know your Board members better by reading their individual profiles and were kept informed with our twice a term updates. We also undertook a whole of school survey where we received the most responses of any survey previous and were heartened to see the overwhelmingly positive results and feedback. Of course, we also identified areas for improvement and an action plan was drawn up to be monitored and reviewed. We thank you all for your valuable input. An essential aspect of the Board’s role is the regular review and updating of our policies, such as Code of Conduct, Duty of Care, Mandatory Notification, WHS, Drug and ICT Policies. This ensures that Southern Montessori is not only complying with all current legislation but that it is a safe and secure place for our students. Financially it was wonderful to end out the year with a better than projected outcome allowing us to channel funds into some worthwhile projects such as technology enhancements with laptop and desktop purchases and network upgrades, school painting, classroom improvements, foyer refurbishment and roof solar panels. Not to mention our brand new middle school campus! 2018 was a year of challenges, hard work and great rewards. As I come to end of my time as Board President I personally need to thank my fellow board members for their support and tireless work, our leadership team and fantastic staff for their passion and commitment, our committee members and volunteers who contribute

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in such a positive way and of course all our students and families who make Southern Montessori the wonderful community I am so proud to be part of. On behalf of the board Kelly Evans

President On behalf of the Board

Kelly Evans

Acting President Board of Governors

Southern Montessori Education Centre Inc.

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TREASURER’S REPORT The attached audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2018 are presented as a true

representation of the financial position of Southern Montessori Centre Inc as at that date. I am pleased to advise that last year has again seen steady growth in the Centre’s financial position. The

total comprehensive income for the year was $224,709. This means we are financially sound and ready to

meet our commitments for our new middle school campus at Kalyra as well as providing ongoing

improvements to the school as a whole. The finance committee carefully considered adjustments to school fees and the Board has agreed to take

a long term approach to financing our major investment in the middle school campus, agreeing on a modest

increase of approximately 2% in school fees for this year. This year a significant $211,545 was spent on capital expenditure including the following:

Room 6 improvements including new kitchen ($8,370),

refurbishment of the teachers resource room including air conditioning ($9,786),

installation of solar panels at the primary school campus ($21,081) and

major replacement of student and teacher computers at the primary school and

upgrade to IT systems ($121,308).

Thank you to the Finance Committee and the Board for their support during the year.

Ray Rootsey

TREASURER

Southern Montessori Education Centre Inc

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PARENTS AND FRIENDS REPORT 2018 - another year of P&F'un!! The positive contributions made from our committee, both financial and social, have always been highly valued here at Southern Montessori. We can measure this by the overwhelming support we receive from families and staff and from the happy smiling faces of all the children. It's what brings our community together and makes our school a special place to be. Although this year was a little quieter due to some committee restructure we were still involved in numerous events: Casual days New family meet & greet mornings Coles school sport vouchers Inflatable world School disco Smoothie bike fundraiser Sports day Shared school lunch Colour smash dance picnic The primary aim of many of these events isn't the amount of money raised but the community spirit it promotes. Many times committee members vote to 'give back' and pay for activities or items from P&F funds to enhance the event or add something extra. The school disco was a great example of this with P&F putting on a parent’s mixer upstairs for our families to stay back and mingle. It was so well attended and the room was buzzing! A special mention to our fabulous middle school students who co-ran the disco with us, doing a great job and tying in with their occupations real life skills at the same time. Another worthy mention is the cooperation between the Children's Representative Council and the P&F. The students decided to focus on environmental issues and try to reduce plastic waste at school and asked us to get on board. This led to us removing fruit boxes, straws, zooper doopers and glow sticks from our events and discuss more environmentally friendly choices despite any additional cost. A great student led initiative we we're only too happy to support. Some of the spending we have supported this year: Various classroom upgrades and purchases Stainless steel cups for each class to avoid use of fruit boxes Popcorn machine - to be shared with middle school for events P&F members are always on hand to support staff as needed eg, school tours & events The P&F committee enjoys great support from its many generous volunteers and I'm sure if you asked them they would tell you it's a rewarding committee to be involved in. Contributing in such a positive way to the students, making new friends, joining in important discussions. I encourage any new families looking to be more involved in the school to give it a go. It's worth noting here that due to recent board changes the P&F convener no longer necessarily has to be a board member - so if all the fun stuff is more your thing then it's something to think about. Thank you to all our families, staff, Noel and Heather and of course our fabulous P&F members for getting behind us and making this all possible. Lou Sturt / Kelly Evans P&F conveners Southern Montessori Education Centre Inc.

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ADMINISTRATION REPORT 2018 was an exciting year in the Administration area. The administrator role was shared between myself and Janine Jose. It has been a busy year continuing to learn all that the administrator’s role entails and I thank Julie Flack for all she taught me leading up to her retirement as it placed me in a good position to take the reins this year. Janine and I have worked hard to ensure the smooth running of the front office and I thank her for her hard work and believe we make a great team. There were some improvements in the Centre in 2018. Karen and Kristy’s classes received new cupboards in their wet areas and the Teacher Preparation Room received a makeover with a new ceiling and long awaited air conditioner. At the end of Term 4 all the red brick inside the school was painted white, giving the whole area a fresh new look. Over the years we have established regular maintenance checks for all of the electrical, sewerage and other systems which need services to keep the Centre running efficiently. This has been of considerable help to the smoother running of Administration. Note all these features at the end of this report. We continue to have a variety of volunteers helping out in many different ways around the Centre. Volunteers are valued members of the school community and we thank them for all their hard work in 2018. Thank you to Desiree Santos and Jane Bristow for all their help in the admin area and to Karen Jordan for volunteering in the front office. It has been lovely to receive the help. Enrolments continue to come in regularly, mostly from your ‘word of mouth’ accolades for the Montessori system and from our website and NAPLAN results. The Early Learning Centre continues to have full sessions across the board. The Primary School has some space in the higher year levels but continues to be full in Cycles 1 and 2. As the administration area continues to move toward a more digital future, we have been able to clear out hard copies of items now stored on the system. We also moved towards using digital media for notices a lot more and will continue to utilise these mediums in the future. Looking forward, we are hoping to continue to learn and take advantage of all the computer programs have to offer. Although some things like the school registers (with all the children listed since the formation of the school) and samples of children’s handwritten work will always be in hard copy. As this is my first Annual Report of many (I hope) I look forward to 2019 and beyond. Southern Montessori is a lovely place to work and I have thoroughly enjoyed my first year as Administrator. I would like to thank the whole community for all your support.

THANK YOU

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Items the Administration area managed in the 2018 year include:

Tagging and testing done by a certified company

Regular testing checks of the RCD & Emergency Lighting

Child Care Rebate receipts issued for Preschool & Toddler families for Semester 1

Student Attendance Data collected over three terms and submitted

Teacher Registration Annual Survey

Air Conditioner installed in Teacher Preparation room

Student Address Collection submitted

Pumping Station maintenance

Fawcett Plumbing maintenance checks

Air Conditioner checks by Seasonair and Artic Air

Fire Equipment checks done twice a year

Murray’s Pest Control – rodent deterrents

Invacuation & Evacuation Drills

Adelaide Snake Catchers Services sprayed twice around the grounds as a precaution

Census on the Internet submitted

School Performance Report for 2017 completed

End of Year Enrolments

Danielle Johncock Administrator

38 43 44 43 48 46 44 42 44 4958

72 77 8494 98 103

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PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

Principal’s Report to the AGM of the School Board – April 2019 It is a pleasure to present the 2018 Principal’s AGM Report. Throughout 2018, all stakeholders within our school community worked to create a new Strategic Plan which officially launches this evening. Under the leadership of Michael and Sylvia from Leading Potential and following broad collaboration and consultation, we have produced an aspirational map for our future, an expression of our hopes and dreams and a point of reference for future action. I look forward to leading the implementation of this Plan and bringing our collective dreams to fruition. I also wish to acknowledge the many hours of work Heather McInerney put into the facilitation of the strategic planning process. During 2018 we undertook a process of re-registration of Southern Montessori Education Centre through the Education Standards Board. In addition, Montessori Australia Foundation visited to implement the Montessori Quality Assurance Program audit. We performed very well, achieving high ratings (over 80%) in all four Quality Areas – Montessori Prepared Adults; Montessori Prepared Learning Environment; Montessori Curriculum Planning, Implementation and Assessment; Commitment to Improvement, Leadership, Vision and Child Advocacy. Following a process of Enterprise Bargaining and with extensive involvement of the Independent Education Union, a new Enterprise Agreement was signed by representatives of the employer and employees. The Log of Claims from employees and the school as the employer had much in common and a real highlight of the document is significant improvement in support of staff who choose to undertake approved studies. Having overcome various obstacles and challenges, it was with great pleasure that we announced the move of our Middle School to a new site at Kalyra Aged Care, Woodcroft. This inter-generational partnership is an Australian first and we are truly excited about the benefits of this venture. Our whole community is warmly invited to the opening to be held on Tuesday 4th June.

Extend staff expertise in implementing Montessori teaching and learning processes.

As indicated earlier, the MQAP Assessment was undertaken on 29 May 2018. Comments from the report included: As Southern Montessori School received a rating above 80% in all four Quality Areas the MQAC is pleased to be able to give your school registration for a period of five years. Southern Montessori School is a long established school meeting the educational needs of families within the surrounding community. The observations of the assessors were of an attractive and calm environment where all members of the community were treated with respect. The children appeared to be happy and relaxed which is an excellent indicator that the school is providing a safe and nurturing environment. Southern Montessori School has a leadership team that is committed to providing a contemporary Montessori education of a high standard across the first three planes of development. The MQAC congratulate you in receiving MQAP re-registration. I congratulate Michelle Young and Kate Ball for completing their MWEI Montessori Diploma at the conclusion of 2018.

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2018 Professional Learning for staff was dominated by action research into Montessori Literacy – Grammar and learning about the Digital Technologies Curriculum, including STEM. I extend my thanks to Alison Fish and Michelle Young who have done a great job in leading these projects. The Montessori Innovation Summit in Sydney focused on Montessori in the Digital Age and on marketing and communications. Anna Golab and I attended and we found it to be a valuable experience. The parenting (and teaching) dynamic has shifted because children are often ahead of their parents. Schools need to be acutely aware of the pros and cons of targeted use of technologies and we are committed to remaining well informed and contemporary in our approach. Middle School educators, James Mingorance and Ben Noble attended Meeting in the Middle, a conference specifically for Montessori middle school teachers. In 2018 it was held at Rockingham Montessori School in W.A. Highlights again included being able to see other Montessori middle schools in action as well as being able to network with colleagues The topic for our Information Evening in August was Enacting our Positive Guidance Resolution Guidelines. We think it is very important for our community members to be aware of the content of these guidelines and how they are implemented. Great things are possible when school and home give young people complementary messages. Michelle Young, Alison Fish, Heather McInerney and I attended the 2018 Montessori Australia Foundation Refresher where the theme was Montessori Work and Play. It was interesting to reflect on the words ‘work’ and ‘play’ through the journey from babyhood to adulthood. Dr. Montessori said, ‘When a child does work that has no external purpose, we call it play.’ When not playing, the activity is innate, purposeful and creative. For very young people there is little differentiation between work and play. Heather and I attended a Head to Head Forum for Montessori school leaders in May at Hills Montessori. Nineteen leaders from Montessori schools Australia-wide were present. The agenda focused on sharing good practice; School Culture, Staff Performance and Development, Marketing, Retention of Cycle 3 and 4 students, Succession Planning, Risk and Staff Wellbeing to mention a few. We received the 2018 NAPLAN student data in late September. Once again our students achieved to a pleasing standard. The overall picture was very comparable with recent years.

Enhance connections with the school and wider community.

In the wider community, new and/or further enhanced connections were made with:

City of Onkaparinga staff; David Haslam, Kim Grocott

Kalyra Communities, Walter Brooke Architects, Kennett Builders, Ausco Modular Pty Ltd

Christine Clark, Head of Campus, Prescott College Southern

Rachel Gillespie, Coordinator, The Abraham Institute

Cardijn College, Australian Science and Maths School, OSB Primary School and Children’s Centre

We continued to enhance communication through our website, the School Star app and through our Facebook page.

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We facilitated opportunities for both students and parents to learn about Cyber-safety. Presentations to the respective groups by SAPOL staff were well received. In July, the Federal Member for Kingston, Amanda Rishworth, held a Student Leadership Day. The day brought together student leaders from primary schools from Adelaide’s south. Students learnt new skills, met fellow student leaders, shared ideas about leadership and listened to some inspirational speakers.

Enhance the learning outcomes for students through the use of ICTs/ICT infrastructure upgrade.

Our transition to the NBN was successful with increased download and upload speeds. Our technician refreshed all Middle School computers with Windows 10 and we purchased new laptops (see Master Plan: IT Capital Expenditure). Our school participated in an online assessment trial for students similar to NAPLAN but with a focus on Science. This exercise showed that we are able to handle the technical demands of online engagement in testing. As indicated earlier, our staff learning day in September saw educators engaging with the new Digital Technologies Curriculum. The day was led by an AISSA consultant and we looked closely at the content, discussed where it will fit in with our teaching and learning and considered how it aligns with Montessori practice. We have continued with our targeted learning about digital technologies and continue to implement strategies during 2019.

Establish a Birth-Year 12 Montessori school program.

Southern Montessori School continues to offer quality education to children ranging from 10 months through to Year 9. Over recent years we have consolidated our practices across the cycle groups. The move of our Cycle 4 group to Kalyra next term will open new doors and be a major step in growing our school towards its capacity. Throughout 2018 we made excellent progress in bringing the Middle School project to fruition.

Develop a Master Plan that enhances the school’s desired educational outcomes

An extensive process of consultation was undertaken during 2018, leading to the development of a new Strategic Plan (launched this evening). We are at an exciting time in the history of our school and the new plan includes many initiatives that align well with our educational philosophy and practice. Highlights of 2018 included a new ELC playground and new lawn, extensive new painting, significant improvements to Karen’s and Kristy’s classrooms with more storage and new fridges. There was significant investment in IT related infrastructure and hardware, resulting in improved capability.

Grounds and Buildings

Note overlap with the above section. Notable improvement to our buildings and grounds included new solar panels, a number of enhancements to our Horticultural Program, new swinging bars to replace the flying fox, improvements to the cubby, extensive new ‘Montessori’ furniture and shelving and a new suspended ceiling, heating and cooling in the resource room.

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Co-curricular and ‘value-added’

Notable co-curricular events of 2018 included Sports Days, school soccer and Viva Carnevale, a very enjoyable Italian Day held on 30th May and well organized by our Italian teacher, Adele. Our Children’s Representative Council and Environmental Committee were once again very active and demonstrations of student agency. Notable achievements included fundraising for Treasure Boxes Inc, a charity for disadvantaged children, CRC leadership participating in Amanda Rishworth’s Student Leadership Day and Harmony Day. A Middle School Showcase was held on 13 November at Karawatha Hall. A large number of community members were in attendance as we heard about various aspects of life for Cycle 4 students and watched a video that had been created by 3 of our senior students. Our choir performed at the O’Sullivan Beach Children’s Centre and as a prelude to the Cycle 3 Night of the Notables. Thank you to Stephania for your work with the children In 2018 for the first time we entered three teams in Tournament of Minds, held at Flinders University. Alison and Heather spent a number of sessions preparing the students, especially in terms of their collaborative skills, creative thinking and improvisation. The Tournament itself was a great experience for all. During August our Cycle 4 class headed south to Kuitpo Forest for a 5 day / 4 night camp. The camp tested the students’ organisational skills an independence through having them organise meals for a significant part of the camp. With the cool, damp weather and long hours of hiking it certainly tested the resilience of the group. Camps for Cycles 2 and 3 were again the source of great memories for our students. End of year concerts were a combination of entertaining, joyous and reflective. Concerts and Graduations are always well attended and a true celebration of achievement and growth. For the second year running the Year 9 Graduation Dinner took place at the St Francis Winery at Old Reynella. The group celebrated the end of their time at Southern Montessori and the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. Other co-curricular events included involvement of our students in Youth Environmental Leaders Program (YELP) and Robokids.

Staff

During 2018 Kristy, Wendy and Abby returned from maternity leave and we welcomed Adele as a replacement Italian teacher for Maria. The recent ‘tradition’ of welcoming new babies for staff continued in 2018 with new babies for James and Ben. We welcomed Renee Borgman (Cycle 3 teacher) and Janine Jose in administration. With great sadness we said goodbye and thank you to Lesley Mills, who served our community with great commitment and love for many years. Lesley is enjoying her retirement and looking youthful and invigorated.

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Risk Management / Work, Health and Safety

I meet fortnightly with our Work Health and Safety Coordinator, Tim Ross, to continue implementing the actions described in the 2017 WH&S Audit by Gallagher-Bassett. Significant progress was made, especially in relation to Registers, Incident Report forms, Investigation forms, Risk Assessments, MSDS and use of hyperlinks in emails to improve document access. As a Board and Leadership Team, we also made significant progress in the area of Risk Management and I thank Carmel Maher and David Anderson for the extensive time and energy they put into this endeavor. We are on a path of continuous improvement and while our work in this area is never done, our progress is clear.

Parents and Friends

After a challenging start to the year, our P&F set the wheels in motion and had another productive year. It is very important to acknowledge the work of our volunteers and the morning tea we offer in Term 4 is one small way that we show our appreciation. Our community has come a long way and it is due in no small part to the amazing work of our volunteers. Thanks to all community members for your contributions. Thank you to all families and staff for your active support of our school. It is the many little things that combine to give our children wonderful experiences. Community members can look back on 2018 with a healthy degree of satisfaction. I extend gratitude to all who made this possible. Noel Browne PRINCIPAL

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EARLY LEARNING CENTRE REPORT BABY STEPS REPORT In 2018 Baby Steps continued to provide a wonderful introduction to Montessori education for our youngest children and their families. Having established and nurtured Baby Steps, Cheryl was keen to focus her energies in Toddlers and the Preschool and thus in 2018 Kate took on the role of Baby Steps Coordinator. Kate provides guidance to parents on how to best support the developmental needs of their young child through an understanding of Montessori philosophy and practice, and a carefully prepared, nurturing, respectful and enriching environment. It has been particularly rewarding this year to see special friendships develop between our little children. Baby Steps was very well attended and had a waiting list for most of the year. We consistently received very positive feedback about this program and I would like to acknowledge and thank Kate for her role as Baby Steps Coordinator. TODDLER REPORT Throughout 2018, the Toddler Program had close to maximum enrolments in both the Tuesday and Friday program with the majority of children progressing into Preschool when they reach three years of age. The program builds on the foundation offered by Baby Steps and provides a carefully prepared environment that is designed to facilitate toddlers’ growing need for independence, order, movement and language, and lay the foundation for lifelong learning. Children learn to participate in group time, story time, snack routines, choosing materials and working with equipment. Children are allowed to work without interruption or interference, increasing their ability to concentrate, building self-confidence and supporting the development of independence. The Orientation session for new families enrolling in the Toddler Program continues to be well attended. This session welcomes families to the program, outlines Montessori philosophy and explains the purpose and goals of the program. The feedback from sessions is very positive with families learning ways to incorporate Montessori philosophy into their home life and gaining practical strategies to support and encourage their child in the Toddler Program. Topics explored during the year have included summertime, pets, food and spring. Each term begins with a broad focus that children investigate and explore. Throughout the term, children are involved in experiences that reflect their individual interests and stage of development. Children at this stage of development have a unique ability to absorb knowledge quickly and effortlessly. It has been wonderful for us to see them learning and gaining confidence in their environment. PRESCHOOL REPORT 2018 was once again a successful and rewarding year in the Preschool. I would like to thank the educators for their professionalism and ongoing commitment to providing an exemplary Montessori learning environment for our preschool children. Additionally, I would like to thank all families who support our Montessori pedagogy and offer their assistance and time to enrich and extend the learning opportunities that we provide for our children.

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Preschool enrolments were consistently high throughout the year with most sessions full. The majority of enrolments came from Toddler graduates. This allows us to offer a sequential learning curriculum and continuity of care from two years of age that ensures best outcomes for children. Familiarity with our Centre and teaching methodology also helps to ensure a smooth transition to Preschool for the majority of our children. In 2018, after 26 years of service, we said goodbye to Lesley as she commenced a well-deserved retirement. Lesley’s passion for Montessori education, her love for the children, her commitment to continuous improvement and her support for her colleagues was always in evidence and we miss her and wish her well for the future. With Lesley leaving, we were very pleased to welcome Kate into the key teacher role and to welcome Dani’s return to the Monday/Tuesday Preschool group. In Term 4, Anne-Marie went on maternity leave and Kate also took over as the coordinator of the Friday Program. The program continues to thrive and the children flourish, enjoying their Montessori learning and gaining confidence when working with different teachers and groups of children. On Friday afternoons, the pre-schoolers and the Reception children worked together following an inquiry approach to explore science and technology. Anne-Marie and Kate provided a challenging and enjoyable learning experience for the children and helped prepare them socially, emotionally and academically for formal schooling. Last year, most of our school aged students transitioned into the Primary School. Visits throughout the year to the Primary School playground, office area, toilets and classes, as well as developing positive relationships with the Reception teachers, assisted in a smooth transition to school. The Transition to School Profile Form allowed parents to provide Reception teachers with written information about their child. Each transitioning child was also given a Welcome Book to help them become familiar with the Reception classrooms and teachers. Many of our four year old children were eligible for Universal Access funding and this has been of great assistance to the Preschool finances. Also a huge thank you is extended to the Parents & Friends Committee who have generously supported us in time and monies and families who have participated in Working Bees in the Preschool. The Preschool children participated in a number of activities throughout 2018. These included:

A Cycle 1 Family Breakfast

Combined Cycle 1 Fun & Fitness Morning

Working Bees

Excursion to the Hopgood Theatre to see Patch Theatre’s production of “Cranky Bear.”

Amanda Rishworth Kindy Art Show

End of Year Family Lunch and Concert

Improvements to our Centre have included: Quality Area 1. Educational Program and Practice Educators participated in professional learning opportunities which allow us to critically reflect on our practice, and support our commitment to continuous improvement. A key focus of our professional development in 2018 was the educational program. The Cycle 1 team continued to explore the scope and sequence of the Montessori cultural curriculum across the three year levels. Educators also researched available digital platforms and

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identified the Montessori program Transparent Classroom as a tool for planning and record keeping in Cycle 1. Quality Area 2. Children’s Health and Safety Existing fencing 1200 mm was replaced by fencing 1500 mm high to ensure children preschool age and under would not be able to climb over. Educators participated in annual CPR training Course, and reflected on active supervision. Quality Area 3. Physical Environment A new and larger cubby house was installed. We are very grateful to our groundsman Shane for designing and building the cubby house. Children enjoyed watching as each part of the cubby was assembled on site. Lesley successfully applied for an NRM grant to enable us to create a butterfly garden in the Preschool. This is a space that invites children to use their senses to explore, observe, respond to, and care for the natural environment. Quality Area 6. Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities In Term 2 we held a Cycle 1 Family breakfast which was very well attended. We had a wonderful morning. Over the year many families shared their family heritage and cultural experiences with us. Children enjoyed cooking and craft experiences and stories from other cultures. In addition, many opportunities were provided for families to participate in the development of our 5 year vision. Quality Area 7. Leadership and Service Management In 2018 we congratulated Kate for completing her Graduate Diploma of Education (Montessori) and increased the time allocation for her role as Educational Leader. We look forward to consolidating on 2018 achievements as we work collaboratively to provide a quality Montessori teaching and learning environment for our children. Our Centre is enriched by the contributions given so generously by our ELC community. Thank you all.

Heather McInerney

Early Learning Centre DIRECTOR

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2018 Annual Report

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PRIMARY and MIDDLE SCHOOLS - KEY STUDENT OUTCOMES Student Attendance Overall student attendance for the 2018 school year was 92.2%.

(In part this reflects overseas travel by a number of our families.)

As required by government legislation, the percentages of students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 achieving the National Minimum Standard in literacy and numeracy for the 2018 school year are:

YEAR 3

22 Students participated in all strands 0 students were exempted. 0 students were absent 2 students were withdrawn All students were above the national minimal standard. 100% of students achieved the benchmark across five areas

YEAR 5

17 Students participated in all strands 0 students were exempted 0 students were absent. 0 student were withdrawn 100% of students achieved the benchmark across four areas while 82% of students achieved the benchmark in Writing

YEAR 7

16 Students participated in all strands 0 students were exempted 0 student were absent 1 student was withdrawn 100% of students achieved the benchmark across the five areas

YEAR 9 9 Students participated in all strands

0 students were exempted. 0 students were absent 0 students were withdrawn 100% of students achieved the benchmark across the four areas while 89% of students achieved the benchmark in Writing

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SCHOOL REPORT – 2018 HIGHLIGHTS

ENGLISH ICAS National English Competitions

Premiers Reading Challenge

Tournament of Minds

National Simultaneous Story Time

MATHEMATICS ICAS National Mathematics Competition

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Cycle 3 Zoo Snooze

Cycle 2 Excursion – Planetarium

Cyber Safety Workshops – Year 3 – 9

Cycle 1 – Zoo Excursion

THE ARTS Individual Instrumental Tuition

Choir Group with Stephania Gates

Book Week Performance

Italian Performance

Cycle 1 – Patch Theatre – ‘ The Very Cranky Bear’

Amanda Rishworth’s Kindy Art Show

Kaboom Performance

HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Aquatics – Years 5-9

Swimming Lessons – Rec-Year 4

Tennis Coaching

Soccer

Cricket

Primary Sports Day

Preschool and Cycle 1 Fun & Fitness Day

SAPSASA Swimming Carnival

SAPSASA Athletics Carnival

Cycle 2 - Camp at Aldinga

Cycle 3 – Camp at

Cycle 4 – Hiking Camp

Cycle 1 engaged with KidsMatter to improve children’s mental health and well being

Crows Football Clinics

Smoothie Bike

Sporting Schools – Soccer

Kristy’s Class Yoga Clinic

Life Ed Van

Cycle 4 Wellbeing Festival with Hills Montessori

CULTURAL CURRICULUM NRM Youth Environment Leadership Program – ‘Yelp’ Workshops

Café Corner – Middle School Occupations Project

Carnevale Lunch

Cycle 3 - Night of the Notables

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CIVICS & CITIZENSHIP KESAB Clean Up Australia day

Better Buddy Program

Remembrance Day Assembly

Casual Days (These raised money for charities of the children’s choice)

The Children’s Representative Council

Year 6 Leadership Program

Amanda Rishworth’s Annual Winter Appeal

Volunteers Morning Tea

Amanda Rishworth’s Leadership Forum

ASSESSMENT School Entry Assessment

Student Self-Assessments

Mid and End of Year Learning Conversations Interviews

NAPLAN Literacy & Numeracy National Assessments Years 3, 5, 7 & 9

Bi-annual Reports to Parents

ICAS NSW Competitions

PARENT INVOLVEMENT Parent Orientation Evening

Parent Inductions for Prospective Volunteers

Parent Information Evening x2

Colour Smash Picnic at Karawatha Campus

Working Bees

Cycle 4 Graduation Dinner for Year 9

Cycle 4 Information Evening

Ride to School Day

School Survey sent out from the Board

Inflatable World Evening

P & F Disco

Cycle 1 Family Breakfast

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT “Who dares teach must never cease to learn”.

Highlights of professional development activities undertaken in 2018 included:

David Anderson FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

PCSchool : Bi-annual PC School Conference (3 days)

Kate Ball MWEI : 0-3 Workshop (2 days)

Teachers Registration Board ; Special Authority to Teach

Little Scientists : Engineering-Forces and Effects

Combined Montessori Professional Development Day

Responding to abuse and neglect : Education and Care 2018-20

MWEI - Graduate Diploma of Education (Montessori)

Renee Borgman AISSA : Quality Questioning (2 days)

Literacy Solutions : Literacy Educators' Workshop

Noel Browne MAF : Montessori Whole School Refresher Conference (2 days)

FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Responding to Abuse and Neglect in Education and Care 2015 Refresher

Combined Montessori Professional Development Day

Responding to abuse and neglect : Education and Care 2018-20

MAF : Montessori Innovation Summit (2 days)

MWEI : Observation, Assessment and Record Keeping Workshop

Anne-Marie Cummings Sue Larkey: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders

ShineSA : Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum

Kristy Dunstan FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Responding to abuse and neglect : Education and Care 2018-20

Alison Fish AISSA : Challenge Workshop

Anna Golab MWEI : 0-3 Workshop (2 days)

FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

FIRST AID : HLTAID002 Provide Basic Emergency Life Support

FIRST AID : HLTAID003 Provide First Aid

Wendy Humphreys FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Danielle Johncock FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

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Rachel Johns FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

MWEI : 3-6 Yrs Introduction to Cultural Subjects Workshop (5 days)

SPELD :Talk for Writing (2 days)

Sue Larkey: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders

Kids Matter: Developing children's social and emotional skills - A community of learners

Kids Matter: Working with parents and carers -Communication

Kids Matter: Working with parents and carers - Connecting families together

Kids Matter: Helping children who are experiencing mental health difficulties

Kids Matter: Helping children who are experiencing mental health difficulties - Using Observation to inform practice

Kids Matter: Helping children who are experiencing mental health difficulties - Responding to children

Combined Montessori Professional Development Day

Janine Jose FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Shixin Li AnglicareSA : Talking and Thinking Floorbooks

Criminal History Check

Jill McClory FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Cheryl McGaffin MWEI : 0-3 Workshop (2 days)

AISSA : Early Childhood Implementation Group Meeting

FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

MAF : Montessori 0-3 Workshop : Building your child's brain through language

Heather McInerney FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

AISSA : Creating Cultures of Thinking

AISSA : Challenge Workshop

Flinders University: Masters of Education (Leadership and Management)

Kids Matter: Developing children's social and emotional skills - A community of learners

Kids Matter: Working with parents and carers -Communication

Kids Matter: Working with parents and carers - Connecting families together

Kids Matter: Helping children who are experiencing mental health difficulties

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Kids Matter: Helping children who are experiencing mental health difficulties - Using Observation to inform practice

Kids Matter: Helping children who are experiencing mental health difficulties - Discussing concerns with families

Kids Matter: Helping children who are experiencing mental health difficulties - Responding to children

AISSA : Primary Curriculum Reference Group

Soctratic Solutions Australia : Critical Thinking Seminar

Jodie Milde FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Mark Le Messurier : What's the Buzz?

Combined Montessori Professional Development Day

Lesley Mills AISSA : Early Childhood Implementation Group Meeting

FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

FIRST AID : HLTAID002 Provide Basic Emergency Life Support

FIRST AID : HLTAID003 Provide First Aid

FIRST AID : HLTAID004 Provide an emergency first aid response in an education and care setting

First Aid: 22300VIC Course in First Aid Management of Anaphylaxis

First Aid: 22282VIC Course in Management of Asthma Risks and Emergencies in the Workplace

Adelaide Botanic Garden : Digging in the World of Compost

Responding to abuse and neglect : Education and Care 2018-20

James Mingorance MAF : Meeting in the Middle : Adolescent Program Forum (4 days)

SASTA :Putting the "E" in STEM (Years 7-10)

Maria Niedorfer Responding to abuse and neglect : Education and Care 2018-20

Ben Noble MAF : Meeting in the Middle : Adolescent Program Forum (4 days)

AISSA : Moderation for Learning - Evidence Informed Practice (4 days)

Teresa O'Brien FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Judy Pemberton FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Desiree Santos FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Combined Montessori Professional Development Day

Learning 4 All : Autism Spectrum Disorder and Positive Behaviour Management in the Educational Context

Abby Schultz FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

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Lea Simmons Literacy Solutions : Literacy Educators' Workshop

Stephanie Slavik FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Responding to abuse and neglect : Education and Care 2018-20

Patricia Thompson MWEI : Adelaide 3-6 Mathematics Workshop (4 days)

Responding to abuse and neglect : Education and Care 2018-20

Criminal History Check

Karen Vianello FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

SPELD :Talk for Writing (2 days)

Michelle Young MWEI : Diploma of Early Childhood & Primary Education (Montessori)

MAF : Montessori Whole School Refresher Conference (2 days)

FIRST AID : HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

SASTA : Putting the "E" in STEM (Primary Years)

SASTA : Designing meaningful STEM lessons (R-6)