17 January 2022

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

Welcome to the 2022 school year. On behalf of the Playford International College (PIC) community, I extend a warm welcome to families new to our school.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my congratulations to our 2021 Year 12 students on their successful completion of the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE). The school experienced a 99% SACE completion rate, with 50% of all grades being an A or B and two Merits. I wish all our graduating students every success in their chosen pathway.

2022 is the first year that year 7 students commence in a secondary school context. Playford International College is excited to welcome year 7 students and their families. We also would like to welcome our new incoming year 8 students.

We know that students learn best when the school and families work together. Developing a sense of belonging will be a focus for 2022 with our year 7 and 8 students. We know that a strong sense of belonging is an important component to academic success at school. Our Junior Secondary Sub School, led by Karen Clark, have been working on an inclusive Care Group program aimed at supporting each student to develop this sense of belonging. Subject teachers will further support students with this as well as provide them with a rich and engaging learning program.  I hope that 2022 is the start of a successful partnership between families and the school for our year 7 and 8 students.

Year 9 and 10 students make up our Middle Secondary Sub School. Tracy Moore leads this sub school with a focus on belonging and pathways. Leanne Polkinghorne leads our Senior Secondary Sub School. This sub school focusses on SACE completion (including Vocational Education and Training options) and pathways to further study, training or employment.

I encourage parents/caregivers to contact the school when they wish to discuss a matter. Initially, contact should be with your child’s care group teacher or the relevant subject teacher. Sub school leaders, appropriate for your child’s year level, are the next contact for parent/caregiver.

Access to both student managements system used at PIC, Compass and Canvas is available for all parents/caregivers. These systems can be accessed by downloading the two Apps to your phone or via the school’s website. Compass is used to enable the school and families to communicate with each other for things such as attendance, behaviour, learning support and wellbeing information. General school information such as excursions, student free days, etc are communicated through this system. Student reports are also uploaded to Compass.  Canvas is a system that enables families to see information about their student/s in relation to their learning program, assessment tasks, and achievement. Ongoing grade information is also available through Canvas.

Early in term 1, families will be emailed a unique link to both systems. IT support is available to parents in relation to these two student managements systems via the following email address: dl.0910.ictadmin@schools.sa.edu.au

The start of the 2022 school year has been impacted by the worldwide COVID pandemic. It is important that our families keep informed about the change to the start of term 1 dates, the type of learning program provided (Face-to-face or online), restrictions to the activities and events the school can offer, mask wearing requirements and restrictions to visitors on site (including parents and caregivers). A letter has been posted on our website and our Facebook page on the 17 January outlining the latest information. The school will continue to update families with new or additional information as required using our website and Facebook. We will also include this information on Compass in early term 1, once the school has enrolment data finalised in our system.

‘Begin with the end in mind’ is the mantra I ask all students to embrace. This mantra is about starting the year as you wish to finish it. Some useful behaviours that can assist living this mantra are:

  • attendance to lessons (including scheduled online lessons)
  • punctuality to lessons
  • actively participating in the learning
  • meeting deadlines
  • utilising learning support.

If we begin the year with the behaviours that assist with learning, 2022 should result in successful outcomes for all students.

Kind regards,

Karen Bond
Principal