Principal’s message

Students in grade 5, 6 and Prep have been working cooperatively throughout the year in our new BER flexible learning space. This has given our senior students the opportunity to be role models and demonstrate their leadership capabilities.
Our transformation of the old building into modern, open learning environments is almost complete. When we move into these spaces the DEECD have indicated their intention to remove many of the portables. This will leave us with a beautiful, modern school with lots of space for our students to interact socially. Staff are having professional conversations about how these spaces will be organised and structured.
To ensure the delivery of quality education in these new spaces,  staff development this year has been focused on Teaching & Learning that will maximise the new flexible learning spaces. They have been visiting other schools which are further along their own journeys towards flexible spaces, which has given our staff opportunities to talk to staff and students about the benefits. This will help in the planning of our own programmes.
All of our students have participated this year in a unique specialist program which has enabled PE and Social Skills to be gender specific. This has meant girls and boys have participated in these programs separately, giving them the opportunities to interact and discuss their learning on a very different level. Students have developed skills of confidence, cooperation, competition, conflict resolution and resilience throughout the year.
As we are moving towards term 4, our students are beginning to think about student transition. Our grade 6 students are making preparations for secondary school, while we are starting to meet and greet our 2012 Preps. This is an exciting time of the year  but can be filled with mixed emotions.
Our grade 6 staff are beginning to make plans with their  students for the upcoming Graduation. I am sure there are many members of the community who remember our current grade 6 students starting in Prep.

Regards, Cheryl Van Deursen