At Lancaster Primary School, on the eve of Education Week 2023, principal Trish Perry and her school population are “riding the wombat’s back’’ — school mascot Bluey the Wombat inspiring students through a rewards program that forms an important part of the small school’s curriculum.
This year Victoria will celebrate Education Week from May 14 to 20, this year’s theme being Active Learners: Move, Make, Motivate, celebrating physical activity, hands-on learning and student voice in education.
This week’s Kyabram Free Press Education Week feature is a 14-page guide to the district’s schools and colleges.
Lancaster Primary School is about to enter a new phase in its history, staff, students and parents involved in a school-wide review to develop a new four-year strategic plan.
“The review involves a self assessment of the previous four years and an external review component, which dissects the results from the strategic plan that was completed in 2019,” Ms Perry said.
“We do one (strategic plan) every four years and our new plan will finish it at the end of the term.”
She said the school had met several of its goals in spite of the review being impacted by the COVID years.
School council, staff, students and the wider school community will spend three days with an external review panel to identify focus points.
The Lancaster review will this year focus on everything from student wellbeing to buildings and grounds and heavily involve the 12-strong school council and parents club.
“The final day of that process will be in two week’s time when we will set our new plan for the next four years,” Ms Perry said.
She said the process would involve reviewing school-wide positive behaviour.
Bluey Bucks is the school’s rewards program for positive behaviour, the currency awarded to students who can then buy goods at the Bluey Shop.
“A lot of what is in there are donations from local businesses, it is particularly popular this time of year (Mother’s Day),” Ms Perry said.
She said enrolments at the school been consistent in recent years, the school drawing much of its student body from Kyabram.
“Some kids are better suited to a small school environment where there is a focus on individualised attention,” she said.
Grab your copy of the Ky Free Press this week for the Education Week feature.
