Dear Families,

I’d like to extend a warm welcome to all our students and families as we begin another exciting year at Franklin School. I am incredibly grateful for the warm welcome I have received and have thoroughly enjoyed meeting many children and families while learning all that I can about this wonderful school.

 A special welcome to the new children and families joining Franklin this year, including our newest preschoolers who are beginning their learning journey with us as well as our new students in kindergarten to year six. We also welcome new staff members to our team and look forward to the contributions they will make to our school community. Welcome to Rachelle (Years 3/4), Stephanie (Years 3/4), Brooke (Years 5/6), Ashleigh (Small Group Program) and Shane (PE Specialist). A full list of our 2025 Staff can be found by clicking here.

What did staff do before the students returned?

As well as spending time setting up classrooms and planning for learning, before students returned to school our staff were engaged in a range of professional learning to enhance our teaching and learning practices.  On Wednesday last week we gathered at Shirley Smith High School with two other ACT Public Schools with a focus on Explicit Direct Instruction. Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) is a structured, systematic and teacher-led approach to teaching that emphasises clarity, modeling, guided practice and active student engagement. It is designed to maximise student learning by ensuring that concepts are presented clearly and practiced in a way that leads to mastery. On Thursday, we met back at school where Alice gave a presentation on Strong Foundations that focused on the eight recommendations of the Literacy and Numeracy expert panel report (you can read more information about Strong Foundations here).  Our staff from the Introductory English Centre (IEC) also presented on supporting English as a Second Language or Dialect (EAL/D) students on their return to mainstream classrooms and were provided with a workshop on Trauma Informed Practice presented by Jodie and Dimyana from Melaleuca Place.  Our staff are looking forward to implementing our new learning into our daily practices. 

When is the front office open?

Our amazing front office team (Maylin, Emma, Alice, Di and Hayley) are there to greet you with a smile or answer the phone from 8.30am - 3.30pm each school day.  If you call outside these hours, please leave a voicemail message and someone will get back to you.  Our front office staff can help with a range of different things from organising school clothes, children’s medical information, messages to teachers and payments (just to name a few!!). The front office is always your first port of call should you have any questions or inquiries about any aspect of the school.  Most inquiries can be answered by visiting, calling or emailing the front office (info.franklinecs@ed.act.edu.au) however if needed your message will be passed on to the appropriate staff member.  We always aim to get back to you within 24 hours. 

How can we be safe in the car park?

The safety of our students, families and staff is our top priority and we ask for your support in ensuring that drop-off and pick-up times run smoothly and safely. A reminder that the speed limit on roads in school zones is 40km/h between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.  The speed limit in the carpark is 10km/h.  Please be mindful of pedestrians, particularly young children who may not always be aware of traffic around them.

We also ask parents and carers to follow parking rules, especially in the drop-and-go area. This area is designed for quick drop-offs and pick-ups—please do not park or leave your vehicle unattended, as this can cause congestion and delays for other families. If you need to park, please use designated parking spaces.

By following these guidelines, we can all help create a safer and more efficient environment for our school community. Thank you for your cooperation and for keeping our students safe. Further information is provided later in the newsletter regarding transport options and supporting student safety. 

Why do children call staff by their first names?

At our school, you may have noticed that children address staff members by their first names. This practice is intentional and reflects the values and philosophy that guide our approach to teaching and learning.  Using first names helps to foster a sense of connection, respect and equality within our school community.  Learning occurs in the context of high quality relationships and children can learn most effectively when they feel safe, valued and heard. 

By addressing staff by their first names, children experience a more inclusive and collaborative environment where relationships are built on mutual respect rather than hierarchy.  We want children to feel encouraged to see adults as approachable and supportive, helping them feel comfortable asking questions, expressing their ideas and seeking help when needed.

Of course, respect remains at the heart of all interactions and we continue to emphasise the importance of kindness, consideration, and appropriate behavior in all relationships—between children, staff and families alike.

We understand that this may be different from what many families experienced in their own schooling and we appreciate your support in helping create a warm and welcoming environment for all members of our community. 

What is the purpose of morning lines?

Each morning, our school community comes together to start the day with Morning Lines. This daily gathering is an important part of our routine, allowing us to begin with a sense of connection and shared purpose. During this time, we Acknowledge Country, reinforcing our respect for the land and First Nations Peoples, and share key messages and reminders to help students prepare for the day ahead.

To ensure that morning lines run smoothly and that students can listen attentively, we kindly ask parents and carers to stand to the side or at the back of the lines. This helps model the importance of listening and ensures that all students can focus on the announcements without distraction.

Have you registered an account to access the Parent Portal?

Imagine More

Imagine More is offering an online workshop about behaviour for families and interested professionals. The workshop will be hosted by behaviour consultant, Ed Cohle, who will be sharing his insights and practical approaches to behaviour change.

This is a free online event (via Zoom) on Thursday 13 February, 9:30 am -11:30 am AEDT. 

For more information and to register visit: Everything I learned about behaviour may have been wrong - Imagine More.

For more information contact

Name: Imagine More

Website: Imagine More - A Good Life for People with Disability