Assistant Principal
PAT (Progressive Achievement Tests)
Each year our students from Year 1 to 6 engage in online assessments. This week is our scheduled assessment time here at St Francis of Assisi. During this time, our students will be supported in accessing these assessments online in the areas of Mathematics, Reading, and Grammar & Punctuation.
ACER’s Progressive Achievement approach is used in thousands of schools in Australia and around the world. The approach focuses on assessing and monitoring student growth over time and is underpinned by an understanding that students of the same age and in the same year of school can be at very different points in their learning and development.
Why do schools use PAT tests?
- They provide a measure of student achievement in each learning area
- There is a common achievement scale for all tests within a learning area (PAT scale scores allow teachers to compare achievement on the tests within each learning area regardless of year level and the specific test completed and to monitor progress over time)
- They provide overall descriptions of the types of skills mastered and those still to be developed based on test performance
- Individual and group reports have automatically calculated scores and sorting functions that allow comparison of scores across students, strands, etc.
- They can be used to inform teaching and learning and to assist in planning effective and targeted learning programs.
PB4L News
This week, Mrs Davidson and I met with our school captains and sports captains. During this meeting, we revised our behaviour expectations for non-classroom spaces. The students had an opportunity to critique and provide feedback on these expectations. It was wonderful to have 'student voice' during this review process. Next week our staff will review these expectations before they are presented to all students and our parent community.
Parking Rangers
The Council Rangers make regular visits to our school drop off and pick up zones. A few tips for keeping children and others safe, and for avoiding infringements notices and fines when parking around the school:
Be aware of parking signage around the school
The most common parking signs in school zones are 'No Stopping' and 'No Parking' signs.
A 'No Stopping' sign means that the driver of a vehicle must not stop at any time on a length of road or in an area to which the 'No Stopping' sign applies - not for a minute, not for a second. 'No Stopping' signs are installed in areas where clear sight is required for safety reasons, such as on the approach or departure to crossings or at intersections, line of sight around schools is critical to both motorists and pedestrians alike. When vehicles obstruct that line of sight, tragedies occur, particularly with small children who are so difficult to see.
A 'No Parking' sign means that you can only stop on a length of road or in an area to which the 'No Parking' sign applies to drop off or pick up passengers.
Around schools, these are commonly called ‘kiss and drop zones’. You cannot stay in the zone longer than two (2) minutes and the driver has to be within three metres of the vehicle at all times.
Thank you to those parents who continually exercise the utmost care when accessing the school. Every child’s safety is everyone’s concern.
Mr Rodney Green
Assistant Principal