APA News
Dear Families
Child Protection Week
National Child Protection Week is held every year to raise awareness of child protection and falls next week from the 7th-13th of September. At SSPS, as in all Catholic Schools across the diocese we take Child Protection very seriously.
The theme for Child Protection Week 2025 is ‘Every conversation matters: Shifting conversations to action’. Conversations are at the heart of this campaign because they can raise awareness, challenge harmful norms, and spark new ideas. Real change happens when adults have productive and safe conversations with children that prevent them from harm. Conversations between adults and children have the potential to shift from discussion to action, to ensure the child not only feels heard but also experiences real safety, care and protection. During activities next week students will be encouraged to ‘speak up’ when they have worries or concerns and identify the safe adults in their life for this purpose. At St Saviour’s we have specific student protection contacts who students can speak to should they need a ‘safe adult’ to share with. Mr Sam Hannant, Mrs Deb Hawkins and myself fulfill those roles.
MTSS Journey
As part of our MTSS journey, over the last two weeks teachers have spent time anlaysing and discussing student engagement data for their cohort levels. We have looked at attendance data, academic achievement and wellbeing data and considered how these factors influence a child’s school journey. We have been considering how we support successful engagement at school as well as looking for gaps that we could enhance our practices to better support all students. It has been a very worthwhile pursuit to consider our inclusive practices in relation to the different cultural perspectives of students within our school. We are a diverse community made up of 17.3% of students who have English as a second language and 10.4% of students who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Straight Islander. We have been considering how these two population groups have been progressing collectively, things that work well, and things that may be a barrier for their ongoing success. In step with Sam’s message of synodality and the importance of listening, we will be reaching out to the families of these students to ask for their input in terms of enablers and barriers to their child’s engagement at school. Please look out for these opportunities to share in Term 4.
Happy Father’s Day
Thank you to all of the Dads, Grandads and significant figures who were able to attend our Father’s Day breakfast yesterday morning. It was lovely to see so many fathers in our school not only enjoying the company of their children but being a wonderful presence for all students inside classrooms. I hope that you all have a lovely Father’s Day on Sunday and the warm weather continues!
Mrs Katie Hauser