August 21st

Some of you may have noticed that some mornings another staff member is covering your child’s class due to the class teacher attending a meeting. This is part of our new system for structured collaborative planning sessions. 

There is a great deal of educational research relating to effectiveness on student achievement through structured professional collaboration. The late Richard Dufour who was a leading educational practitioner and researcher, and his colleagues found that … ‘in order to ensure all students learn at high levels, educators must work collaboratively and take collective responsibility for the success of each student”.  

When we consider that the fundamental purpose of schools is to ensure that all students are having access to a high quality education where they are able to learn at high levels, we can see that professional and purposeful collaboration between teachers is essential. 

We now have three layers of collaborative planning sessions which currently comprise of like grade teacher teams, and also include either a literacy support teacher and/or a senior leadership staff member……

1. Planning for whole class and differentiated group / individual needs for Reading. During these sessions teachers analyse student work to determine “where they are in their learning’ and ‘where they need to go next. They also discuss their whole class reading learning to ensure there is consistency across classes.
2. Every three weeks each grade level team also has a two hour Inquiry Planning session to determine the learning focus and intentioned outcomes of the current Inquiry Learning Sequence. During this time the connections to the students’ literacy and numeracy learning are also determined.
3. Most weeks teams also have one after-school Inquiry Planning session to organise the sequence of learning that will happen throughout the given Inquiry, including the connected literacy and numeracy learning that needs to occur for students to be successful with gaining understanding.

During each of these sessions teachers are having the opportunity to engage in professional conversations about current research-based teaching and learning methods, and which strategies may work best for the determined outcomes and particular students.

We are in the early stages of this new way of looking at collaborative practices, however, from the very beginning teachers have been highly engaged and focussed on ensuring that this time is contributing greatly to the success of each of our students.

Please talk with class teachers or any of the senior leadership team if you would like to know more about this.

Choir performance at the opening of Riverbend Park. 

What an absolute pleasure it was to attend the performance from our 3/4 choir on Saturday morning. This was the choirs first public performance so the nerves for many students where incredibly high….not that it was noticeable throughout their wonderful performance. Thank you very much to all parents who were able to support this, and a big thank you to Mr Lamb for your preparation with the choir to make this happen!

Check out our Facebook page for videos!

Karen

Prep Coyle/Green, Prep Walker and Prep Taylor Bunnings Excursion

On Tuesday 27^th August, Prep Coyle/Green, Prep Taylor and Prep Walker students will be travelling to Bunnings, Kings Meadows, as part of our Science Inquiry on materials.

Information for the day:

Leaving:           Prep Walker at 11:15am, Prep Coyle/Green and Prep Taylor at 12:30pm.

Returning:       12:45pm and 2:15pm

Wear:               P.E uniform

Bring:               Jumper and a jacket, packed recess and lunch, fruit, drink bottle

What we will be doing: A materials scavenger hunt and constructing a gift for our Dads              

We welcome lots of parent helpers on the day. Respectfully, we are unable to invite siblings on this particular excursion. If you are able to assist, please see your classroom teacher.

1 McCoy, 1 Gibbons/McArthur, 1-2 Youdale and 2 Paulsen Museum Excursion

Grades 1 McCoy, 1 Gibbons/McArthur, 1-2 Youdale and 2 Paulsen will be visiting the Queen Victoria Museum as part of their Inquiry learning about the Moon. Students will visit the Planetarium, and will also have an opportunity to look at the Dinosaur Exhibition.

We will be leaving at 9:20am on the allocated day and will return before lunch. Students will need to be in full school winter uniform, and bring a piece of fruit, morning tea and a drink. Please place all food and drink in a labelled plastic bag. 

When:

• 1 McCoy and 1 Gibbons/McArthur - Tuesday, 3rd September
• 1-2 Youdale and 2 Paulsen - Wednesday, 4th September

We require three helpers with a Working with Vulnerable People card per class to attend. Could you please talk to your child’s teacher if you are able to join us.

Kindergarten Hagley Excursion

When:

Kinder House and Kinder Leedham - Tuesday 3rd September

Kinder Williams - Thursday 12th September

Kindergarten classes will be travelling to Hagley Farm School for 'hands on' animal experiences connecting us with our environment. The children will need plenty to eat and drink and a warm coat.  Gumboots or a spare pair of shoes and socks will be handy especially if there has been some rain in the few days prior to our excursion.  We will leave at about 9.20am and return by 2:45pm.

Limited spaces for parent help. Please talk to your class teacher.

3 Hill and 4 Horkings Excursion to Hollybank

On Tuesday 10th September our classes will be travelling by bus to Hollybank. We will be learning more about the life cycles of plants. We will be identifying native plants and recognising environmental factors that affect life cycles and seed germination. This is part of our science inquiry unit titled Plants in Action.

We will be leaving school promptly at 9:15am in the morning and returning to school by 2:45pm. All children need to wear their PE uniform and bring their hat, jumper and a coat as the Hollybank area can be a lot colder than the city.

We respectfully ask that children do not bring umbrellas as they can become a safety issue. Children will also need a packed morning tea, lunch and large drink.

Congratulations to the following Grade 5/6 Students who have been selected in the LSSSA Representative Teams for their chosen sport. These athletes will play against a North West Primary School Representative Team on the 12th September at different Launceston sporting arenas. This is an incredible achievement to be chosen out of the hundreds of Grade 5/6 students that participate in 5/6 sport. Well done!

Boys Football: Tom M, Brad W, Casey N and Will A

Girls Football: Rikki-Lee L and Rahni M

Hockey: Leigh C, Remi T and Tyler Y

Boys Soccer: Axel Z

Girls Soccer: Kiarra J

Netball: Charli M and Olivia C

Ben Humphrey

The Student Parliament have negotiated a date for this FREE opportunity to dress in your favourite footy, basketball, soccer or netball...team. In the busy term we have decided upon Friday 13th September. We hope your AFL team is one of the remaining six at this stage of the season!

While NPS trialled 'Rumble's Quest' survey on Health and Well Being for students in grades 1, 2 and 3, all schools are expected to participate in the grades 4, 5 and 6 survey.

Classes will complete the survey during the PE lessons, in the Library, with Mr Jones and Mr Humphrey, next week.

All data is anonymous, with school and state analysis being provided, at a later date.

'Forensic Science' will take place in the hall on Monday as our grade 3-6 children attempt to solve a crime. An auction house robbery is the scene of the crime. 

And on Tuesday Kinder-2 classes will be treated to a fractured fairytale 'The Tortoise and the Hare'.

Along with students putting their own spin on each element’s story, students were immersed in demonstrations that showed the power and beauty of the elements that make up all known matter in our universe.

It was a truly wonderful day that allowed us to come together as a community to celebrate National Science Week.

The Student Parliament are reviewing the existing policy in consultation with the Cancer Council. Two recommended modifications are that we list objectives for the policy (see below) and we extend our hat wearing dates to include all of September and April. This does not match our school terms neatly. A UV rating of 3 or above is to avoided.

The full policy will be posted with the next newsletter and parents are welcome to make comment.

Objectives

• Ensure staff and students are protected from over-exposure to UV;
• Educate staff and students on appropriate sun protection;
• Ensure the outdoor environment provides shade for staff and students;
• Support duty of care and regulatory requirements; and
• Support appropriate WHS strategies to minimise UV risk and associated harms for staff and students.

WANTED: a co-ordinator for the Tournament. Interested/available please speak to Gary Jones for further details.

Teams - at this stage we have coaches - willing to select, train and support teams in the following competitions - 5/6 girls, 5/6 boys and 3/4 boys.

At this stage we do not have a grade 3/4 girls team as we do not have a coach. If interested/available please contact the school.

3/4 Tournament Date: Saturday/Sunday - 19th/20th October 

5/6 Tournament Date: Saturday/Sunday - 26th/27th October 

Our class will be taking over the airwaves at City Park Radio (103.7FM) for the School’s Out program on 22nd August, 4:30pm-5:00pm.  We hope you are able to  tune in and listen!

Just a couple of reminders:

Parent help is welcome – just talk to me about a mutually convenient time. You must have a current WWVP card.

Please remind your child to pack a coat each day – we still go outside during our daily program.

A note about our current learning – we have lots happening!

We have been doing some work with measurement. Last week we went collecting sticks in the bush for an ordering task and we have been comparing our heights with the help of a mirror. Can you guess who the shortest and tallest people are in our class?

We are creating a very tall beanstalk in our classroom after sharing the big book Jack and the Beanstalk. We have talked about other things that are small and then get bigger in size.

We have explored what fire safety means. The fireman has left us with dress-ups for role play. We hope you enjoyed looking at our postcards and reading about our fire safety knowledge. 

Kinder House has shared some books, YouTube clips, puzzles and photos based on some Aboriginal ideas after Aboriginal Children’s Day. We are about to investigate what the Aboriginal flag looks like.

If your child has any books connected to these ideas we would love to share them at school. 

Gumboots/Spare Shoes

We are intending to visit the ‘forest’ and ‘bush’ at the back of Norwood Primary to extend some of our learning in the outdoor environment.  It would be ideal if each child could bring a pair of gumboots or spare pair of shoes so that we do not have to worry about getting our school shoes dirty or wet.  If you are able to send these along on Monday next week we can keep them at school until after our excursion to Hagley on Tuesday 2^nd September (unless needed at home beforehand). 

Please make sure the spare shoes/gumboots are both named and placed in a named plastic bag.  We will be using them for sorting and other maths and literacy activities.

Hagley and Parent Help

We have enough parents for our Hagley excursion thank you.  Parent help is welcome at other times.  Please just speak to me to make a mutually available time. A working with vulnerable people card is essential.

Inquiry Unit

We will be doing some inquiry based around the question “How do living things grow and change?”  If you have any baby animals let us know – we would love a visit.  If your child has any books about animals, people and other living things growing and changing we would appreciate sharing them.  Next Tuesday we would like each child to share a baby or toddler photo to show how they have changed.  If possible please send along a named photo and let me know if you wish to have it returned.  (If you prefer you can send one for me to print no later than Monday:  lynette.house@education.tas.gov.au)

Father’s Day

We have begun work on Father’s Day presents – shhhhh!  We accommodate ALL family units, every child is included and everyone is making a gift for someone they love.  If your child isn’t making a present for a Dad, please feel free to talk to me as soon as possible.

Thank you for your interest in your child’s learning.

Lynette House

Kindergarten Teacher

Starts on Monday 16th September

Finishes on Friday 27th September

• The last 2 weeks of this term!

Invited Gr 6 students will go with their own classes.

9:20am               3 Barker

10:20am             3s from 2-3G & 4-5 Summers

11:20am             5 Marshall/Holt

12:40pm             3 Hill & 5 Poke/Walker

1:40pm               4 Horkings, 5s from 5-6 Rae & invited grade 6s

Our annual program for children in grades 3-5 is approaching and will be held at the Launceston Aquatic Centre.

Please remember to have your child equipped with the appropriate attire and prepared to swim on day one. I strongly encourage all students involved to fully commit to attending this compulsory swimming, life-saving and fitness - developing program.

Every day counts! If your child is unable to attend all or part of this compulsory program a medical certificate may be required. Being confident in and around aquatic environments is a very important life skill.

You will need:

• Bathers
• Towel
• Plastic bag (for wet bathers, towel etc.)
• Goggles (can be taken but will be used sparingly during the program)
• School windcheater - to put on when leaving the pool.

Please remember that if your child regularly accesses the canteen on Thursdays and Fridays, the above timetable may have an effect on recess and lunchtime ordering. We will also allow 15 minutes either side of the one hour session for travel and change room procedures, e.g: 9:20am - 10:20am timeslot, bus leaves school at 9:05am and returns to school at 10:35am approx.

If parents wish to observe their child at work during the program, they will need to inform the Aquatic Centre front desk of their purpose, or pay admission. The first 2 days and the last 2 days of the program are best avoided when observing. We are expecting Mr Leighton to be one of the swimming tachers and Mr Humphrey will be the teacher in charge. Students will not have PE during this fortnight. Gary Jones

Father’s Day Stall - Thursday 29th and Friday 30th August

This year’s Father’s Day Stall will be held next week on Thursday 29th August (Kinder W and Kinder L students will attend during class time on Friday 30th August). If students miss out on purchasing on the Thursday for any reason, they can purchase from the stall in the Kinder breezeway Friday morning from 8.30am until 8.55am.

It would be incredibly appreciated if children could be sent with a shopping bag to take their purchases home in. Gift prices range from 50c to $5 and children are allowed to purchase more than one gift. If you would like to help out on the stall at any stage on Wednesday (set up), Thursday or Friday morning, please let stall coordinator Angela know on 0422 210 527; we always have a fun time and it’s a great way to meet other parents at the school!

We are still looking for a few more donations to finish making gifts. If you would like to donate any of the following, they can be left at the school office:

- boxes of coffee/hot chocolate sachets
- bags of individually wrapped lollies (eg toffees or chews)
- multi packs of chocolates (no nuts please)
- individually wrapped biscuits
- mini deodorants
- small gifts suitable for the stall

Items need to be brand new, unopened and in their original packaging.

Thank you very much to all of the parents thus far who have donated items, attended crafting afternoons and/or offered their time to help out on the day. Your assistance has been incredibly appreciated and will contribute significantly to the success of the stall!

Next School Association meeting:

When:            Tuesday 10^th September

Time:             7:30pm

Where:          Staff room

Everyone is welcome to attend!

Grade 6 Leavers Tops - Update

We are happy to announce that the Grade 6 Leavers tops have been received.  Invoices will be going out soon and leavers tops will have to be paid for in full before collection.

Grade 6 students will be able to wear their tops from Week 8 on Friday’s only. More information will come from their teachers and senior staff.