Message from Michele Marquet, Head of Junior School

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have another exciting week of learning planned. Kindergarten hosted their 100 days of Kindergarten celebration today and they look forward to a Science Fizzics incursion tomorrow. Y1 will take part in a similar incursion next Monday. Later next week, we will be having our CETOP Sausage Sizzle and Pledge Day Fundraisers (Thursday Y3-Y6 and Friday K-Y2). Year 4 enjoyed their sustainability excursion to the Coal Loader last Monday, as part of their current UOI. 

Yesterday, we held our Founders’ Day Assembly. Dr Anne Johnstone attended as our guest speaker and she spoke about what motivated those who started Cranbrook, and how these drivers continue to sustain and inspire us. We remembered the individuals who founded our School, reflected on the values they held dear and considered how we can use those principles to help us look to the future with confidence. 

NAPLAN Results – Y3 and Y5 
Parents of our Year 3 and Year 5 students would have received their child’s NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) report earlier this week. The report continues to feature the format designed to give parents a clearer understanding of their child’s achievements. 

Within the report, you will find: 

• Proficiency Levels: The report categorises your child’s performance into different levels of proficiency, providing a detailed view of their strengths and areas for growth in literacy and numeracy. 
• Enhanced Clarity: This new format aims to offer a more comprehensive picture of where your child stands compared to the school cohort and national benchmarks. 
• Insights and Support: Along with the proficiency levels, the report includes insights on how to interpret the results and practical suggestions to support your child’s learning journey. 

If you have any questions or need assistance understanding the information, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher as the first point of call, or you may also contact Mrs Christina Koika-Cellini (Assessment & Data Coordinator).  

World Scout Day – Friday, 1 August
This Friday, 1 August, is World Scout Day. Anybody in the Junior School community (students or staff) is warmly invited to wear to school tomorrow, their Scouts, Cubs or Joeys’ scarf with their school uniform, in recognition of their involvement in the largest youth organisation in the world. We thank Xavier Fern (Y5) for once again reminding us about this special day.

Late Arrivals
With the new Compass system in place, any student arriving late to school must go to reception to have their name recorded prior to going to class.  

Staff News
At the end of next week, Year 1 Educational Development Case Manager, Chloe Jennings, commences maternity leave. We wish Chloe, her husband, Ed, and their daughter, Effie, the very best as they welcome a second child to their family in the months ahead. We are delighted that Louella Williams and then Tess Riley will be overseeing the Case Manager role for the Year 1 during the remainder of 2025.

Our Junior School Nurse, Jessica O’Hara, will be leaving us in late August to take up a new position at UNSW in a research team exploring best practice adolescent mental health management, an area of great passion for her. We wish Jess the very best for this exciting and professionally challenging new role and thank her for her wonderful support and care for our students in the Junior School over the last few years. The School has commenced the process to find a new Junior School Nurse and we will inform our families once an appointment is made.

We look forward to a week of learning and fun. 

Kind wishes,

Michele Marquet
Head of Junior School