For my first blog post I would like to start with just some general observations about the start of the year and student leadership opportunities which have been expanded considerably this year.
The start to 2017
On the whole, students have settled in well to the 2017 school year with smiles and enthusiasm. I have managed to visit all Learning Communities and a few observations that I have made are:
- Preps are settling in well. A few tears – mainly by the adults – but on the whole the team and
students are enjoying playing together and getting to know one another.
- Students in Alveara have been having some fantastic conversations about what enables an object to float. They have so many great questions that they may take a while trying out their hypotheses.
- In Curiosita (Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Physical Education and Language) students have started looking at the concepts of Identity and Belonging. As part of this study, students have looked at a number of different flags, explored together the symbolism and shared their ideas and designs for a possible new Australian Flag. The
discussions and ideas presented have been fabulous.
- We have a number of new students to BEPS this year (apart from the Preps). This means that we also have a number of new parents/guardians. I have told them just what a friendly community we have here at BEPS and so I hope that you will introduce yourselves.
Here are more photos of our curious new preps playing, learning, and inquiring:
Student Leadership in 2017
Junior School Council (JSC) will be organised within the Learning Communities (LCs) very soon. We will encourage all students to think about standing for JSC as they play an important role in running and planning the assemblies and providing a voice for students across all year levels at BEPS. It would be fantastic if you could also encourage your child to stand for nomination as it is a great opportunity. However, if you child is reluctant or doesn’t get a position now, there are other opportunities to be on JSC next semester and in following years. This is a change in policy from previous years where students were elected onto JSC for the whole year and is in response to your suggestions and feedback.
You can read the full Junior School Council policy on the BEPS website.
How will be our student leaders in 2017?
The Year 6 Student Principal and Leadership team will be shortlisted and interviewed at the end of February. This year we have decided to make these positions for a year so that the students get more time to discuss, plan and carry out some of their ideas. The selected Student School Principal and leadership team will take on the responsibilities of ordering the Grade 6 jackets, planning the end of the year celebrations, deciding on their legacy to the school and supporting student lunch time activities. I asked a few of the Grade 6s if they would do my ‘paper work’ for me but they seemed highly resistant to the idea. So much for putting my feet up!
Applications for the position of Student Principal have been given to all year 6 students. It would be fantastic if you could encourage your year 6 students to give it a go. Through this leadership opportunity I hope that students are able to have more say in what goes on at BEPS and develop their leadership skills.
All the best to all BEPS families for a year full of wonder and learning. I look forward to you adding to The BEPS Conversation.
February 10, 2017 at 4:12 pm
Hi Janet. Love the blog format. Keep them coming!
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February 10, 2017 at 4:39 pm
Thanks for sharing your blog Janet, love it! 😊
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February 10, 2017 at 5:04 pm
Quick question, if your child has already been on JSC are they able to put themselves forward again? My understanding is it “once & done”?
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February 10, 2017 at 8:49 pm
Thanks Angelo for your response. Yes you are correct, students can only be on JSC once. We have changed this part of the policy in line with parent and student requests to provide more leadership opportunities, for more students, at BEPS.
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February 10, 2017 at 5:24 pm
Glad to see that the BEPS administration is as innovative and flexible in trying new media as its students are!
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February 11, 2017 at 7:48 am
Great idea re the blog! Always enjoyed your newsletters Janet, but can see this format will be even more informative and more of a two way conversation. Thank you!
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February 11, 2017 at 7:51 am
– Alexandra Allen
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February 11, 2017 at 1:16 pm
Love the new format Janet. Also, thanks for such a great night on Thursday with the open classrooms and info sessions. My kids had a great time and it was an invaluable opportunity to get to know my little one’s new teachers in a fabulously relaxed way. Can i suggest that next info session we mike up the teachers and/or perhaps have a video format that can be compressed and uploaded to add to the PPT that has been sent out? It was ace to have the time with everyone.
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February 11, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Thank you Janet and well done on the blog. You’re always innovating…
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February 14, 2017 at 12:10 pm
Hi Janet, just wondering about the voting process for JSC positions. Is it only the kids’ votes that count? Thinking it might be a good idea for there to be some kind of teacher “electoral college” so that the popularity and confidence of individual students isn’t the only determining factor in gaining a position on the JSC. Teachers could be given the scope to influence the award of opportunities to kids they think will really benefit from the experience. The process could be a way of building popularity and confidence rather than just a reflection of it. Or maybe that is how it already is, and I am just in the dark about it. Or are there other leadership opportunities that are awarded in such a way? Thanks Janet. 🙂
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February 14, 2017 at 8:30 pm
Hi Emily,
According to our new policy “The school will, by process of student vote, elect two students from each Learning Community (Prep – 6)”. Hence, there is no ‘electoral college’ or manipulation by teaching staff. There was quite a bit of discussion around this when the new JSC policy was being drawn up. Consequently the rules were changed to have elections every 6 months, so that there are many more positions available over the 7 years of primary school.
I am also hoping that the Grade 6 Leadership team – Student Principal, Assistant Principal, and a number of leaders heading up a specific team (a bit like LC leaders) will provide for significant leadership opportunities as students head towards secondary school and give a boost to student voice within the school.
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