MAPOON HEAD OF CAMPUS REPORT - 24/07/06 As the new and acting Head of Mapoon Campus, I have been overwhelmed by the support offered to me by the staff, parents and community members of Mapoon.  I am proud to be a new member of the community, and am fortunate to have an outstanding team of people to work with at the Campus and College.  I look forward to the challenges this role has to offer me and I am committed to continuing the high standard of attendance, pedagogy and curriculum the Mapoon Campus is well known for.   With the Year 3 & 5 Testing only weeks away, students are focused on achieving to their full potential to showcase their skills and knowledge.

This semester, Mapoon Campus also welcomes our new Year 1/2/3 teacher, Miss Alex Stuart.  Miss Alex has begun the term with a bang, kicking of the current Year 3 Rich Task - �Multimedia Presentation on an Endangered Species�, and engaging students exciting, developmentally appropriate curriculum.  The students have responded very well to Miss Alex and she is already having a positive effect on improving attendance and outcomes for students.    

Only 3 weeks into the semester and Mapoon Campus already has success to celebrate.  Last week our Year 4/5/6 students participated in the 100% in control Croc Festival in Weipa.  The students not only danced superbly, but also did themselves, their families and the Campus proud with their outstanding conduct and �I can do it� attitudes.  Miss Annelies and Mr Jason also need to be commended for the excellent work they did preparing the students for their performance and supporting them throughout the entire process.  This event would not have been the wonderful success it was without their high level of commitment and organisation.  Many parents and community members also provided crucial assistance, making valuable contributions to the overall success of the event.  Mapoon Campus would also like to extend thanks to the Weipa Campus for their support during preparation for the performance and during the week of the Croc Festival.   

Through all of this excitement and change, we have not lost sight of our core business of improving student learning outcomes.  All teachers are working to implement a daily �Intensive Literacy Block� to improve reading, writing and spelling outcomes for our students.  This �Intensive Block� has been designed using the model for teaching and learning prescribed by the First Steps Program.  This model allows teachers and students to work together by providing modeled, shared, guided and independent reading and writing opportunities.  Teachers are able to purposefully develop reading, spelling and writing skills in a supported, integrated and meaningful way.  We are expecting great success form this program, so watch this space to find out about all of our achievements! 

Lisa O�Malley

Head of Mapoon Campus