Official Stuff

STATUTORY ANNUAL REPORT 2008
Yes folks, another riveting charge through a year in the life of Candlebark, as required by the Australian Government Programmes for Schools Quadrennial Administrative Guidelines 2005 to 2008.

Staff Retention and Attendance
In 2008, Candlebark had 7 full time teachers including the Principal, plus 5 part time teachers, 3 visiting instrumental teachers, and two aides employed to provide support for children with learning difficulties.
Two part-time teachers and two full-time teachers left at the end of the year. This may sound a lot, but none seemed to be leaving through dissatisfaction with the school; quite the contrary. One however left because a position was abolished.
The staff attendance rate was 97%.

Student Attendance
In 187 teaching days we had 447 absences, representing an attendance rate of 97.14%

Staff Professional Development
Among external courses/seminars/conferences attended by staff in 2008 were ones in special education, Italian, first aid, positive interventions with children who present challenging behaviours, reading, ballet teaching, and the teaching of phonics. Additional to this is school initiated professional development, which in 2008 included the teaching of Maths, with Dr Gaye Williams; of Science, with Dr Jenny Sharwood; of literacy, with Stephen Graham; a psychotherapeutic approach to issues that arise within schools, with Carolyn Aston; and workshops and symposia in various other subject areas. $9568.10 was spent on staff professional development.

Value Added
Candlebark adds value in many different ways, for example by offering a weekly programme of activities which has included first aid, 500 (that’s the card game) in Spanish, gardening, knitting, drama, pottery, cooking, Italian, basketball skills, hockey skills, animation, Rube Goldberg Machines, film-making, writing, and many others. Although a small school, we have many camps, excursions and sleepovers, which in 2008 included bike camps, a ski trip, a camp in Melbourne, hiking (in the Grampians, along the Cross-Cut Saw, and from Trentham to Kerrie), a camp in Beechworth, six weeks in Italy for the Year 9’s, the Melbourne Writers’ Festival, as well as bush camping, tours of the Australian Ballet Headquarters, and many more.

Values
Values and character development are important to us. We are probably unique among Australian schools in this respect. We expect students to value niceness over evil, be inclusive, and take on responsibilities that challenge them to aspire to higher levels. A great deal of staff time and energy goes into creating a climate that is positive and benevolent. We encourage students to think in empathetic and creative ways and we didactically teach communication skills and resilience.

Literacy
We participated enthusiastically – for the second year – in the Premier’s Reading Challenge. 54 students completed the challenge, and 1698 books were read. We continue to use the Fitzroy Reading Method, a phonics-based program, as the foundation of our literacy education, with outstanding results.

Music
Many students learned a musical instrument (piano, guitar, cello) in one-on-one lessons. Dance continued to feature strongly in the school program, with very pleasing outcomes. There were many opportunities for students to have extra dance instruction during their free time.
We had a number of concerts and soirees throughout the year, culminating in a production of Kid A, a musical written and producd by a staff member, and which involved every child in the school.

Sport
Formal competitive sport against other schools has never been part of the school’s program, but students played a wide variety of sports during PE, during free time, and during activity sessions. The sports included basketball, soccer, rugby, cricket and tennis.
Bike riding, bushwalking, cross country running and orienteering are also featured at Candlebark. In 2008 a school triathlon was held for the second time, which around here means it now qualifies as a Tradition. The triathlon included all students, from Prep to Year nine.
In 2008 the school again participated in a touch rugby competition, entering a mixed team of adults and students. We actually won two games.

Other Activities
The Grade 6 students won a trip to the Melbourne Show, as successful finalists in an Art competition, and came home with a life-size fibreglass cow, painted to their design. We’re still wondering where to put the damn thing.
The school put on a major musical production of a play called Kid A, an innovative full-length theatrical extravaganza, written by staff member Scott Hatcher. A sophisticated and contemporary/futuristic Christmas story, it explored many aspects of our greed/consumerism driven culture.
Chess is an activity that is particularly encouraged. It is part of the school timetable, and a popular activity during free time, with much support from staff.

Academic Outcomes
Candlebark is a non-selective school attracting a wide variety of students.
We are required to publish Naplans test results, even though we do not consider them to be of much value:

NAPLANS Test results:
Year 3: All students exceeded the national minimum standard in Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar & Punctuation and Numeracy, for this year level.

Year 5: All students exceeded the national minimum standard in Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar & Punctuation and Numeracy, for this year level.

Year 7: All students exceeded the national minimum standard in Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar & Punctuation and Numeracy, for this year level, except for one student who was below the national minimum standard in Writing and Spelling.

Year 9: All students exceeded the national minimum standard in Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar & Punctuation and Numeracy, for this year level.

Annual Parental Survey
To comply with bureaucratic requirements a parental survey was distributed to all families in early 2009. Only four responses were received. This may be because parents who have concerns about the school don’t wait until they get a survey form after the year is finished to express those concerns. Anyway, the results were very positive, even if not of much statistical significance.
The school receives many unsolicited e-mails and other messages from parents, expressing their delight with the school. Parents frequently refer other families looking for a school to Candlebark, but we have so many students seeking places at the school that waiting lists are effectively closed. We regard these as more meaningful criteria than surveys.

Annual Teacher Survey
To comply with bureaucratic requirements a survey of teachers was delivered to all teaching staff in May 2009. None responded. No intimidation or blandishments were employed to bring about this result. It’s more likely that they felt they had better things to do with their time, like, hhmmm, let me guess…. I know, teaching!.
The staff members at Candlebark consistently express in words and actions a positive attitude towards the school.

Candlebark’s Teaching Staff 2008
At the highest level of attainment, as specified by the reporting conditions, the academic staff held the following degrees and diplomas: one doctorate, one Masters’ degree, and ten Bachelors’ degrees.

Candlebark acknowledges that it uses its best endeavours to ensure that it conforms with the relevant Government Acts, both State and Federal relating to educational institutions.
Immunisation Requirements for School Enrolment
1. The school acknowledges its responsibilities under the Public Health (Amendment) Act 1992 (The Act) in relation to the control of vaccine-preventable diseases.
2. Parents enrolling their children are required to provide the school with an Immunisation Certificate.
3. In the event of an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease, the school upholds the provisions of the Act requiring that un-immunised children are excluded from the school
for the duration of the outbreak. The word “outbreak” in The Act is used in the context of a child enrolled at the school suffering from a vaccine-preventable disease.

STATUTORY ANNUAL REPORT 2007
Once again we have to write one of these as a requirement of the Australian Government Programmes for Schools Quadrennial Administrative Guidelines 2005 to 2008.

Staff Retention and Attendance
In 2007, Candlebark had 5 full time teachers including the Principal, 5 part time teachers, 3 visiting instrumental teachers, and 1 learning support teacher. The learning support teacher continued the tradition of learning-support-teachers-not-staying-long, and resigned a week before the end of the academic year. That caused a little flurry of excitement, especially for people with too much time on their hands. A part-time music teacher left during the year, and a full-time teacher left at the end of the year. The staff attendance rate was 97%.

Student Attendance
The student attendance rate for 2007 was 93.5%

Staff Professional Development
Among external courses attended by staff in 2007 were ones in special education, first aid, and the teaching of phonics. Additional to this is school initiated professional development, which included the teaching of Maths, and workshops and symposia in various other subject areas.
This year we’re also required to report the amount we spend on professional learning. This is meaningless for us, as we take full advantage of our contacts, the network of nice people who wish the school well, and our own experience and expertise to put together an active programme at minimal cost. But anyway, we spent $2009 on this item in 2007.

Value Added
Candlebark adds value in many different ways, for example by offering a weekly programme of activities which has included sewing, knitting, drama, pottery, weaving, cooking, Italian, basketball skills, soccer skills, animation, rugby skills, writing, and many others. We also have many camps, excursions and sleepovers, which in 2007 included trips to the Immigration Museum, Scienceworks at Bendigo, the Guggenheim exhibition, the Pixar animation exhibition, Cirque du Soleil, the Cathedral Ranges, Rye Beach, the Human Body Exhibition at Docklands, the Incomplete World Exhibition, the Melbourne Comedy Festival, the Holocaust Museum, the Melbourne Writers’ Festival, the Chinese Museum at Bendigo, as well as bush camping, performances by the Australian Ballet, a performance by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and many more.
Values and character development are important to us. Who would have thought?

Values
We expect students to show kindness and courtesy towards others, and we encourage them to take on many responsibilities. A great deal of staff time and energy goes into creating a climate which is positive and benevolent. We encourage students to think in empathetic and creative ways and we didactically teach communication skills and resilience.

Music
Many students learned a musical instrument (piano, guitar, voice, cello) in one-on-one lessons. Dance featured strongly in the school program; every student at Candlebark is a dancer. There were many opportunities for students to have extra dance instruction during their free time.
We had a number of concerts and soirees throughout the year, culminating in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Sport
Formal competitive sport against other schools is not currently part of the school’s program, but students played a wide variety of sports during PE, during free time, and during activity sessions. The sports included basketball, soccer, rugby, cricket and tennis. Bike riding, bushwalking, cross country running and orienteering are also featured at the school. In 2007 a school triathlon was held for the first time — it included all students, from Prep to Year eight. We also participated for the first time in a touch rugby competition, entering two teams of students, and a mixed team of adults and students.

Other activities
The school put on a major musical production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, blending Shakespeare with Gilbert and Sullivan and a variety of dance numbers in a show which involved all students and was probably the greatest theatrical event ever staged at the Romsey Mechanics’ Hall.
Chess is an activity that is particularly encouraged. It is part of the school timetable, and a popular activity during free time, with much support from staff.

Academic Outcomes
Candlebark is a non-selective school attracting a wide variety of students.
AIM Tests
Of our students who sat for the AIM tests in 2007, all Year 7 students exceeded the national benchmarks, except for two who were below the national benchmarks in numeracy. (This assessment comprises reading, writing, and numeracy). In Grade 5, all students exceeded all national benchmarks. In Grade 3, all students exceeded all national benchmarks.

Annual Parental Survey
As required, a parental survey was distributed to all families in mid-2008. The response rate was about 17%. The results were extremely positive, even if not very statistically significant. The school receives many unsolicited e-mails and other messages from parents, expressing their delight with the school. Parents frequently refer other families looking for a school to Candlebark, but we have so many students seeking places at the school that waiting lists are effectively closed.

Annual Teacher Survey
As required, a survey of teachers was delivered to all teaching staff in mid–2008. None responded. No intimidation or blandishments were employed to bring about this result. They possibly felt they had better things to do with their time. The staff at Candlebark consistently express an idealistic and dedicated commitment to the school and are thoroughly engaged in curricular and extra-curricular activities.

Candlebark’s Academic Staff 2007
At the highest level of attainment, as specified by the reporting conditions, the following degrees and diplomas were held by the eight academic staff: one doctorate, one Masters’ degree, six Bachelors’ degrees.

STATUTORY ANNUAL REPORT 2006
This collection of bland generalisations and relatively meaningless statistics, produced as a requirement of the Australian Government Programmes for Schools Quadrennial Administrative Guidelines 2005 to 2008 is designated the Candlebark Annual Report for 2006.

Staff Retention and Attendance
In 2006, Candlebark had 4 full time teachers, 3 part time teachers, 2 visiting instrumental teachers, and 2 support staff.
During 2006 one of the support teachers left, and was replaced, and at the end of 2006 one part time teacher left. This gives an overall staff retention rate of 91%.
The staff attendance rate was 98.3%.

Student Attendance
The student attendance rate for 2006 was 95.3%

Staff Professional Development
Among courses attended by staff in 2006 were the Victorian Principal’s Conference, AISWA Conference, first aid courses, courses on Bloom’s taxonomy and on the teaching of phonics. Additional to this is school initiated professional development.

Value Added
Candlebark adds value in many different ways, for example by offering a weekly programme of activities which can range from basketball to knitting, from cooking to ceramics. We also have many camps, excursions and sleepovers, which in 2006 included trips to theatre, ballet, CERES, circuses and a factory.
Values and character development are important to us.

Music
Just under 50% of the students learned a musical instrument (piano, guitar, voice, cello) in one-on-one lessons. A voluntary choir met at lunchtimes and dance featured strongly in the school program. There were many opportunities for students to have extra dance instruction during their free time.
We had a number of concerts and soirees throughout the year, culminating in a production of A Christmas Carol.

Sport
Formal competitive sport against other schools is not part of the school’s program, but students played a wide variety of sports during PE, during free time, and during activity sessions. The sports included basketball, soccer, rugby, cricket and tennis. Bike riding, bushwalking, cross country running and orienteering are particular features of the school’s program.

Other activities
The school put on a major musical production of A Christmas Carol which involved all students.
Chess is an activity that is particularly encouraged. It is part of the school timetable, and a popular activity during free time, with much support from staff.

Academic Outcomes
Candlebark is a non-selective school, and in our first year we attracted a wide variety of students.

AIM Tests
Of our students who sat for the AIM tests in 2006, 100% of Year 7 students exceeded the national benchmarks. This assessment comprises reading, writing, and numeracy. In Grade 5, all students exceeded the national benchmarks except for two students whose reading was below the national benchmark. In Grade 3, all students but one exceeded the national benchmarks.

Annual Parental Survey
A parental survey was distributed to all families in mid-2007. The response rate was 6%. The results, although positive, are statistically insignificant. The school receives many unsolicited e-mails and other messages from parents, expressing their delight with the school. Parents frequently refer other families looking for a school to Candlebark, but we have so many students seeking places at the school that waiting lists are effectively closed.

Annual Teacher Survey
A survey of teachers was delivered to all teaching staff in mid–2007. One teacher responded. The results, although positive, are statistically insignificant. The staff at Candlebark consistently express an idealistic and dedicated commitment to the school.

Candlebark’s Academic Staff 2006
At the highest level of attainment, as specified by the reporting conditions, the following degrees and diplomas were held by the seven teaching staff: one doctorate, three Masters’ degrees, seven Bachelors’ degrees, seven Diplomas, and two certificates.