My heartfelt thanks to everyone for your support during 2023. This week has highlighted the special community that makes up Andersons Bay School. The school picnic on Monday was a lovely way to relax and connect for our students and it was wonderful to see so many of you there enjoying the day with your children.

I was enormously proud of our students on Tuesday evening and I really appreciated seeing so many of you there with extended family to be a part of our special celebration. Our Year 6 leavers are a real credit to both the school and their families and I was proud to be able to acknowledge them as they came across the stage on Tuesday evening.

The Board has been working hard to develop a strategic plan for the next two years that reflects the needs and wishes of the community. They have come up with the following three goals as part of the plan:

1. Create a safe and inclusive culture where diversity is valued

2. Have high aspirations for every learner and design and deliver education that responds to their needs

3. Upgrade the physical environment of the school to be attractive, welcoming and inclusive for all

You will hear more about the first two objectives in the new year, and you will see the beginnings of Objective 3 unfolding as Naylor Love begins work on our building project on 8 January 2024. We expect construction to be complete by 5 April 2024.

In the early stages of the project between 8 January and 29 January, we ask that our community do not use our school grounds. Demolition of the existing frontage of the two storey classroom block will be undertaken in this 3 week period and we want to ensure both our community and workers on site are kept safe while this is underway. Thank you for your support with keeping your children away from the school grounds in this period.

I wish you all a very happy Christmas and New Year and look forward to seeing everyone again in late January.

Pauline Simpson