As we move through the final week of the 2023 school year, we reflected on our Year 10 students and the people, supports and opportunities they have had at Port Dalrymple school during their time. Their successful journey is a reflection of a shared responsibility, commitment and ongoing support of our wonderful school. The community connections, stakeholder partnerships and individual contributions you all make, demonstrates the notion of “it takes a village to raise a child”. No where else have I seen this done better than in our George Town community. To our parents, carers and families, thank you for trusting us every day with your children and young people. Our role and work with families is a foundation that sets us all up for success in how we collaborate to ensure every child in known, safe, well and learning. The notion of the Department of Education for Children and Young People Brighter Futures, Better Lives is a priority in every action, change and adjustment we make to ensure Port Dalrymple is at the forefront of catering for our student’s needs and ensuring they have adequate skills, dispositions and good characters to transition to life outside the school gates. This can only be achieved when we work collaboratively with all key stakeholders. This includes.

• Students and families
• Staff - including Professional Support staff, Teachers teacher Aides, Educational Support Specialists, EFA’s and Administration
• External providers, industry partners and community organisations
• Our Learning services and the DECYP systems and support

We work daily with over 70 staff, 450 young people and 240 families, to support to provide the best possible learning opportunities for each and every one of our students.

I would like to thank Brent Armistead, Marcus Cramp, Julie Argent and Donna Evans from Learning Services for their support of my leadership. This year has been a significant year of growth and learning for me as a school leader, and there is no other place I would want to be as I continue my journey. My commitment is to work in a way that ensures we meet the system goals and priorities and to contextualise these to build a strong sense of connectedness and belonging, where every young person shows personal growth and courage in trying new things. Building a strong school culture that is based on mutually respectful relationships and a shared responsibility is at the forefront of my decisions and in creating a highly skilled and professional teaching team to work daily with our children into the future.

2023 has been a year of learning for us all. Our students have continued to have success and meet personal milestones within the opportunities that are presented for them. Our teachers have worked tirelessly to sequence the teaching and learning in a way that supports every young learner. Our flexible learning, specialist lessons, and pathways options have allowed students to shine in areas of interest and strength, with us catering for a diverse range of learning needs. Our partnerships with Bell Bay Aluminium, Liberty Bell Bay, George Town Council, the Smith Family and many other community partners allows us to personalise learning and stretch the possibilities for our students to take positive risks, explore opportunities and to build positive working relationships. Our Breakfast Club is supported by BBA and the GFG Education foundations is a significant opportunity for our young people and staff in partnership with CSIRO and the Prince of Wales Trust. To my staff, I am so grateful for your unwavering commitment and efforts this year. I would like to personally acknowledge Andrew Taylor from Liberty. Today will be his final assembly as a representative of our close industry partner – TEMCO, South32, Liberty. Andrew is retiring after 42 years at the plant. His contribution to Port has been consistent for as long as I can remember. From us all Andrew, go well, enjoy the next journey and please stay connected to us.  

We have spent this year reviewing and refining the work we do, monitoring where our efforts need to be focused and upskilling our staff to ensure we continue to meet the future needs of our students and our community. It has been a tough year. I must again highlight my gratitude to every staff member and the integral role they have played across the school community. Every visitor this year has commented on the pride that is shown through our grounds and facilities and the effort taken to ensure our young people feel safe, supported and welcome at Port Dalrymple School. Our students demonstrate pride in uniforms and how they care and support each other and in the effort they make to be the best they can.

This week we have acknowledged  the success of students from across our whole school and our Presentation Assembly  welcomed for the first time our whole student cohort from Kinder to Grade 12. Moving the assembly to a day event ensured all our students can share in the celebration of success and for those who have achieved,  collectively  acknowledging your achievements and effort.  We celebrated individuals and students in both the year 6 and year 10 cohort as they transition into their next learning experience and for their contribution to Port Dalrymple School as young leaders. Congratulations to all students who are recipients of awards today.

As we move into 2024, there will be ongoing changes to our school community. Firstly, the shape of our day will look different. The same amount of time is allocated to learning, however after reviewing our timetable, we have looked at a structure that goes to 4 blocks of 70 minutes away from the 3 longer block day.  We will have 2 recess breaks and a later lunch. A greater level of intervention and support will be equally distributed across all classrooms - K-12 to ensure we are giving every student intensive support or extension opportunities within our curriculum offerings. We have been strategic and innovative with our resources to provide supports that underpin our ongoing improvement work with a strong focus on wellbeing, kindness, gratitude and empathy, continuing to build respectful, positive working relationships across our school community. We know that every day counts, attendance is important in our quest to improve literacy and numeracy standards this will be underpinned by our tiered responses. By providing targeted, strategic and highly engaging learning, we collectively endeavour to enhance our student outcomes.

I reflect often on why I do what I do. Teaching is tough, our students needs are diverse, but this community and our young people are fortunate to have a school community that believes that everyone of them has strengths and can be successful given the wrap around supports and guidance. I will farewell a number of staff this week but thank them all for their contributions, influence and professionalism during their time at Port. I hope that our school and students hold a little place in your hearts. I wish to thank and farewell Mr Stuart Austin, Mrs Lauren Evans, Mrs Amy Petty, Mr Adam Sanders, Mrs Sarah Kuka, Miss Tyeisha Hinds and Mrs Cara Howlett, wishing them all the best for their future teaching.

Finally, I wish you all a very happy, relaxing summer break and look forward to seeing you in 2024. For those moving on I will listen with interest to your pursuits and encourage you to always be proud of where you come from, believe in yourselves, your family, Port Dalrymple School and the George Town Community. Stay safe.

Congratulations to the 2023 Award recipients, who received awards in our Celebration Assembly this week