STRATEGIC PLANNING

Next term I will be formally engaging with the development of our whole school Strategic Plan 2026-2029. We will be undertaking some surveys and parent forums to obtain feedback which we can then consider as we move forward into our next four-year cycle.

As always, we have to find the balance between school community, student and staff feedback and the strategic direction of the Department of Education which has mandatory requirements both at a state and federal government level.

This process will give us the opportunity to build on the five ‘touchstones’ we identified as being our key drivers into the future for the Milton school community, these being-

• Deep and Engaged Learning
• Innovative and Creative Teaching
• Active Global, Digital Citizens
• Culture of Wellbeing
• Community Collaboration and Partnerships

FOCUS IN 2025

The following three teaching & learning areas are our focus for 2025 across our school. In coming newsletters, I will be expanding further on each of these priority areas with the input from the key leaders in our school who are driving the development and professional learning for our teachers and staff. 

1. Deep Learning - 6C's - Character, Citizenship, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity and Critical Thinking integrated into units of work and teaching & learning practices (pedagogy)

2. English

• English - Spelling Focus
• P-6 Literacy Blocks
• Learning Walks focus in classrooms with teachers - Term 2

3. Mathematics

• Curriculum Planning Version 9 Australian Curriculum and alignment with Natural Maths
• Learning Walks focus in classrooms with teachers on Top 5 - Term 3

The focus targets for achievement in these areas are to increase the percentage of students attaining and A/B in English and Maths and increase the percentage attaining C standard (a C standard means a student is performing at year level expectations) or above in those subjects on their report cards. We are constantly striving to do better with all aspects of learning outcomes for our students.

Currently on average, we have 93% of students attaining a C standard or better in English and 96% in Maths, keeping in mind that a C standard means that a student is achieving at their expected year level standard, based on the Australian Curriculum.

For students attaining an A or B in English on average, we have some 62% and in Maths some 72%.

Thanks to the efforts of our teaching and teacher aide team for the work they do each and every day with all students across our school and to the many parents who support their children at home with homework or additional school work if and when necessary.

READING BOOK PRIZES

Each term, we award a book prize to a student from each class across the school. The criteria for this award are based simply on their love of reading, improvement in their reading or being an outstanding reader. Below are the students who were selected by their class teacher to receive the book prize. A very big thankyou to parents Thomas and Rhiannon Coussens from Place Real Estate who sponsor the purchase of these books each term.

Congratulations to all recipients and keep up the great reading!

EVIDENCE CONVERSATIONS

Over the coming weeks, all classroom teachers will be engaged in Evidence Conversations with members of the leadership team. These conversations are for an hour each and are centred on using the evidence (data) which has been collected regarding student academic, social and emotional growth and looking at trends and patterns in student learning. The evidence is comprehensive and it allows a teacher the time to reflect on the progress made by students over the course of the school year and celebrate achievements, whilst maintaining the focus on ‘what’s next’ for the students.  It also provides valuable information to support written report cards.

We look at the entire year level, class and individual student progress and then discuss the best way forward for learning, both with the students and the teacher. This process occurs twice a year and informs the teacher’s Professional Learning Plan, student learning and the school focus on teaching and learning.

We also undertake ‘learning walks’ in all classrooms, which involves the leadership team having conversations with individual students about what, why and how they are learning in their classrooms. This is then given as feedback to the class teacher, who can reflect on what is working well and where they may need to focus their energies in the classroom to make the learning meaningful and relevant for the students.

These practices, along with our parent/teacher meeting in term one, student led conference in term 3, a written report card at the end of both semester one and two and requested meetings by either the class teacher or parents about student learning on a needs basis, provides a comprehensive means by which we monitor student achievement and growth and provide information on progress.

These are just further examples of how our school and the teachers are focussed on putting their students at the centre of all they do.

CHANGE OF ASSEMBLY TIMES

Given the challenges we have in relation to many activities taking place each Friday with Gala Days and other special events, we are changing school assembly to a Monday afternoon.

All assemblies are held in the multipurpose area behind Block A and parents/ carers etc are always welcome to attend.

When it is a whole school assembly it will start at 2:15pm.

When it is a sector assembly ( P-2 or 3-6) it will begin at 2:30pm.

Below are our scheduled assemblies for this term - 

ENROLMENTS FOR 2026

Thanks to the many parents who have already submitted their EOI for enrolment of their child/ren in prep for 2026. At this stage we are accepting both in and out of catchment enrolments, until we have reached our threshold for out of catchments, which is getting close.

We now have close to 80 enrolments.

Please ensure that you have sent in the EOI to enrolments@miltonss.eq.edu.au as soon as possible and let anyone who may not be connected to the school as such, to apply quickly.

LEAVING IN 2026?

If you are not intending to have your child/ren enrolled at Milton in 2026, I would appreciate a quick email direct to me as we are beginning our process for determining resources, class numbers and staffing for next year.

This of course does not apply to any child in year 6 as we know they are moving on to secondary school, irrespective.

Even if moving is only a possibility at this stage, we appreciate the information as it allows me to accept potential enrolments on our waiting list for a variety of year levels.

No students will lose their enrolment place at the school if you have a change of plans.

REMEMBERING BERNIE

Just before the school holidays, we had Bernie Price’s daughter Chloe come in and donate this lovely seat with a beautiful plaque entitled Bernie’s Bench in memory of her mum.

For those who don’t know the story, Bernie was a teacher aide at Milton for many years and left us for a time to go and care for her dad in New Zealand.

During this time, Bernie was away on a holiday in Bali and sadly and suddenly passed away.

We have placed this bench at the first aide station outside the tuckshop, as Bernie spent many a playground duty there, patching up kids.

Ironically, Bernie was a nurse in a former life, so it is really befitting that this is where we commemorate her.

A lovely way to remember a lovely person!

Kind regards,
Paul Zernike
Principal
pzern1@eq.edu.au