Dear Parent/Caregivers,

Thank you to everyone who attended the Acquaintance Night.

It was a great opportunity for our students to meet all of the staff members and showcase our wonderful learning spaces.

Our Seesaw platform is working well and is the easiest and most effective way for us to inform families about classroom news and events. Szapp supports the school with whole school information, our newsletter and absences. Please ensure that you regularly check the apps so that that you receive our latest updates.

Please feel free to contact the classroom teacher if you have any concerns regarding the learning of your child.  During week 9 (Monday 27th March - Friday 31st March) we will be holding our Parent-Teacher Interviews.  A note will be sent home next week about this.

Our Governing Council AGM was held last Tuesday 28th February.

I am pleased to announce the following parents have been nominated and elected to the Governing Council for 2023.

Sarah Gentilcore, Sujeeva McLeod,  Natasha Hansen, Rebecca Benfell, Phoebe Wallish, Tracy Freeman and Tegan Forder. The Governing Council still has 1 vacancy available for anyone who would be interested. I look forward to working with them throughout the year.

Our upgrade to building 3 continues to gather pace. I have been meeting with the Education Department and have nominated a preferred architectural firm to progress to the next stage.

Young Leader Ambassadors Announced

This week our Young Leader Executives were appointed.

I would like to congratulate the following students on their new roles.

Executive Chairperson: Sasha, Room 20

Executive Deputy Chairperson: Keeley, Room 21

Executive Committee: Ahmad Room 20, Indiana Room 21 and Meena Room 20

We also have a number of senior students taking on other leadership positions, including Public Relations and school tours, Student Mentors and Canteen Monitors. Thank you to all of the students who applied for these positions. Each student will receive a badge to acknowledge their important role in our school.

NAPLaN (Online)

Next week, we commence NAPLaN Online Testing. The testing will take place for students in Years 3 and 5.

The tests will cover Literacy (Language Conventions, Writing and Reading) and Numeracy.

The results gained from the tests provide us with data that we analyse and then use to program appropriately for our students. Our students will be undertaking the testing online.

In certain circumstances, students can be withdrawn or exempted from the tests with parent permission.

Reasons may include: Philosophical or personal reasons; Students with a language other than English who have been in the country for less than 12 months; Students with significant intellectual disability.

If you would like to discuss a possible exemption or withdrawal for your child, or anything else in relation to the tests, please feel free to contact either myself or Leah Koen asap.

In the meantime, further information can be accessed at https://www.nap.edu.au/

It is really important that all students are in attendance for NAPLaN testing. We will complete catch-up tests for those who are absent.

Students with Disabilities and SSO’s in Classrooms

All students have different learning requirements. Over the first 5 weeks at school, teachers have been working hard to establish positive teacher-student relationships with their class. We have been focusing on creating safe conditions for rigorous learning. As we move through term 1, the focus moves to understanding what students know, can do and understand and designing learning programs to build on their understandings.

SSO’s and support staff play a significant role in supporting students and teachers.

Important Diary Dates for 2023

Term 1

Volunteer Induction: Wednesday 15th March 9-10am

Parent-Teacher Interviews: Monday 27th March – Friday 31st March

Last Day of Term: Friday 14th April, 2pm dismissal

Term 2

Student Free Day: Friday 26th May

School Photo Day: Monday 19th June

Term 3

School Closure: Monday 4th September

Year 6 Mylor Adventure Camp: Wednesday 16th August – Friday 18th August

Sports Day: Friday 22nd September

Year 3 AFL MAX Camp: Thursday 28th September – Friday 29th September

Attendance Award

Congratulations to Louie from Reception in Room 10 for his 100% attendance for his first 6 weeks of school. What a great way to start his schooling!

Regards,

Bob Bowden

The sun was shining, there was not a cloud to be seen in the sky as we rolled up our sleeves, put on our gloves and did our part for the community, keeping our beautiful Semaphore Beach clean!

After our hard work collecting rubbish, building sandcastles and hunting for little creatures in the shallows, we treated ourselves to a delicious hot chip lunch.

It was a fantastic day out!

Caylan and Milla

This year the Parent Group are organising an Easter Fundraiser through Kyton's Bakery.  Order forms were sent home with each student.  Please support the school and ask your family and friends to get involved.  Order forms and payment are due at the Front Office by Friday 17th March.

Thank you.

The students in Room 8 have a maths focus on counting. Our goals are to: 

*Count forwards and backwards

*Count from any starting point

*When counting a collection, we count each item only once and the last number we say tells us the total

*How to write numbers with the correct formation

*Use maths vocabulary (eg. count on, count back, after, before) to explain our learning. 

We have engaged in a range of hands on activities to practice our counting skills. This includes counters, number lines and numeral/dot cards. We also use our iPads to access online number formation programs, digital 100 square grids, counting videos and stories.  

Thank you,

Hayley & Dot

In Rooms 15 and 16 we have been learning about patterns. We have learnt how to make and label patterns. We have learnt that there are many types of patterns including colour, shape and number patterns. Patterns are all around us. 

Each week in Room 18 we learn about a new successful person in history. On Monday morning Miss Olivia reads us a new page from the book called ‘Stories for Kids Who Dare to Be Different’ by Ben Brooks. Throughout the week we then watch videos, complete quizzes and conduct our own research about the person. So far, we have learnt about: Dr Seuss, Andy Warhol, Andrea Bocelli, Peter Jackson and this week David Attenborough.

By Jaycob Swensen, Lachlan McCarthy and Leo Kozulic

Monday to Friday Garden Club meet at recess and lunch to water and look after the garden. We are growing tomatoes, watermelons, limes and capsicums. So far we have been lucky to get 2 watermelons and plenty of tomatoes. 

By Joshua Veal, Patrick Radford, Bradley Szklarz and Hikaru Nakatsuka