Head of Primary Update
We give thanks to God for the many blessings we have been able to enjoy this year. Every opportunity afforded to students was deliberately planned and explicitly taught so that they could engage at their level of readiness and make gains.
A full and rich educational experience in classrooms, on the playground, on sporting fields and around our state, immersed the students in their learning so that they could be empowered, enabled and nurtured, building learning capacity and developing connected, aspiring, thriving and successful students. For this, we thank our dedicated and talented teachers who they themselves have engaged in continuous professional learning so they could provide experiences which would best increase learning outcomes. Some of the areas developed this year have included how to engage and develop self-regulated learners, harnessing the power of feedback to lift student outcomes, unpacking and implementing the new English and Mathematics syllabuses and working with the University of Sydney to further develop units of work in STEM. We thank Mrs Lillis, Mr Ntoumbos, our Board Chair and all the directors for encouraging and supporting staff in these endeavours.
Academic gains are only possible when we consider the student as a whole and provide an environment where they are safe, included and willing to try those things that may be a little out of their reach. This growth mindset is developed by engaging with them through their strengths and interests. We saw this at assemblies, at the IPSHA Performing Arts Festival, the IPSSO Sports finals, Taverna Night, the Creative Arts and Technology evening, the Christmas Carols, at Speech Day and every day in all that they do.
Father Dimitri and Father Chris have warmly engaged with and welcomed the students to be active participants in the church. We thank them for joining us at school for prayer and lessons and, for allowing the students to participate in the events of Holy Week, holding small services such as the Memorial Service that allowed Year 6 to bring their Kollyva, the Feast Day of St Phanourios, All Saints Day, holding services in English such as the Paraklisis and indeed every Divine Liturgy where the students were encouraged to participate.
We have, with you dear parents, developed loving, respectful and compassionate children who have embraced the Christian message and have willingly and enthusiastically created meals and provided household items, gifts and monetary support for those less fortunate through the Mother Maria charity of our Parish and through the St Nicholas Mission in Ghana. I could not be more proud our students and school community.
Finally, I thank you for welcoming me and making my first year at All Saints Grammar a productive and rewarding one.
Wishing you a blessed Christmas and a happy and healthy 2024.
Σας εύχομαι Καλά Χριστούγεννα και με υγεία και ευτυχία το 2024
Mrs Aristea Synesios
Head of Primary
