Today, students visited their new classes for 2024, meeting with their new teacher/s and classmates to make new connections and build relationships. Teachers have provided a welcome letter for students / families to take home.

Supporting Your Child

We ask parents and carers to have a positive and supportive conversation with your child regarding their new class. It is common for children to come home from a transition visit with a range of emotions. In most cases, children will come home excited as they have met their new teacher/s and class, whilst in some cases, it is natural for children to come home feeling upset or worried about their placement.

Please reassure your child that their current teacher/s, and school leaders have considered the best placement for their learning and wellbeing. Encourage them to speak with their class teacher the following day who will also provide reassurance.

Please know that your child/ren will adjust to their new learning environment and make new friends. Students generally adapt to their new class quickly. As the new school year commences we encourage students, teachers and parents to establish positive relationships.

Please note;

• Placements in classes are final. We will not be in a position to move students. Moving a student from one class to another inevitably changes the environment of multiple class groupings and for this reason, we are unable to move students.
• Our teaching and leadership staff have worked carefully and sensitively over many weeks to place students into classes for 2024. We respectfully ask that parents/carers support this outcome.

Staffing Update

We welcome the following teachers to Craigburn for 2024

• Renee Wheatland – teaching across early years classes in Terms 1 and 2, to take on the mid-year reception intake
• Laura Fazzalari, providing a specialist role in Science, teaching students across Reception to Year 6

Teachers returning from leave in 2024

• Pearl Somerset

Teachers converted to permanency

• Brooke Hamden, Tristan Fergusson

We retain the services of the following teachers who will be continuing in contract positions for 2024:

• Pip Tonkin, Jodie Fischer, Sophie McDonald, Olivia Dean and Jimmy Marin.

We farewell the following teachers and support staff who have been with us for one or more years and move on to other positions / roles. We thank them for their excellent service at Craigburn and wish them all the best for their future endeavours.

• Teachers: Adriana Mezic, Nicole Hooper and Tara Bell

Teaching Staff List for 2024 – including class structures and locations

• Reception – D20 – Sophie McDonald
• Reception – D21 – Tahlia Woolford
• Reception – D22 – Genna Dow
• Reception – E23 – Renee Wheatland – midyear intake
• Year 1 – E24 – Crystal Thanawathik
• Year 1 – E25 – Pip Tonkin
• Year 2 – A1 – Brooke Hamden 0.6 (MTF) Emma Bower 0.4 (WTh)
• Year 2 – A3 – Anita Wright 0.6 (MTW) Olivia Dean 0.4 (ThF)
• Year 2/3 – A6 – Chloe Bremner
• Year 3 – C14 – Veronica Khalaf 0.8 (MTThF) Chantelle McMahon 0.2 (W)
• Year 3 – C15 – Renae Humphrys
• Year 4 – C16 – Rebecca Hepworth 0.8 (MTThF) Chantelle McMahon 0.2 (F)
• Year 4 – C17 – Pearl Somerset 0.6 (MTW) Jodie Fischer 0.4 (ThF)
• Year 4/5 – B13 – Tristan Fergusson
• Year 5 – B11 – Steven Webster
• Year 6 – B8 – Andrea Grant (Chantelle McMahon to teach 1/2 Thursdays)
• Year 6 – B9 – Mark Lemmey

Specialist Teachers 

• German – D18 – Carly Smith 0.8 (TWThF)
• PE – Karen Pettman 0.6 (T,Th,F) – Gym / Courts / Oval
• Performing Arts – F26/27 – Jimmy Marin 0.8 (MTThF)
• Science – A7 – Laura Fazzalari 0.8
• Karen Prideaux Early Years Intervention 0.6 (WThF)

Leadership

• Veronica Khalaf and Brooke Hamden – Curriculum Coordinators (Wednesday release)
• Janine McKay – Student Wellbeing Leader 0.6 (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday)
• Nicky Taylor – Deputy Principal
• Paul Luke – Principal