Dear DCIS Families,
As Term 1 comes to a close, I want to take a moment to look back on some of the many wonderful learning experiences we have enjoyed in our longest term of the academic year.
Term 1 always begins with significant transitions—new classes, new faces, and sometimes even new systems—bringing both excitement and a little uncertainty. Change is not always easy, but it presents wonderful opportunities for growth, learning, and new connections. New friendships have been formed, and old ones rekindled; we have had a term of sharing and embracing new ideas while tackling new challenges together.
In numbers, this term breaks down to 79 days for our students (about 44% of the academic year), 85 days for teachers who have also engaged fully in a range of professional learning days, and 90 days for teachers who were new to the school and had a week of induction prior to all staff beginning the year.
I feel incredibly proud and grateful to our dedicated team, wonderful students and supportive community for all that has been achieved over the past months. In Primary, we have experienced 35 class trips to venues such as museums, theatres and science centres. 8 classes took part in an overnight camp. Students performed 8 shows, and we held 39 assemblies (including 15 class performance assemblies), 7 sports days, DCA events and fayres, not to mention celebrations of learning, awareness weeks/days including dyslexia, kindness, community and culture, World Children’s Day and many, many more exciting and meaningful events. All of this has taken place alongside report writing, parent-teacher meetings, ILPs and the wonderful daily teaching and learning activities that happen in every classroom every day. No wonder we’re all a bit tired at the end of term!
Looking ahead to Terms 2 and 3, I am confident that by continuing to work together through open communication, shared goals, and mutual trust, we will build on this term's successes so that all our community members continue to thrive and grow.
I wish you all a restful and joyful holiday break. May it be filled with fun, relaxation and quality time with loved ones. Please stay safe, and I look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for an exciting Term 2.
Take care,
Dave Buckley
Head of Primary
