Mentone Park Junior School: Foundation Newsletter: Term 1, Week 9

Foundation Newsletter: Term 1, Week 9

Connecting with the Preps

Thank you for a wonderful first term

Done and dusted! Unbelievably the Foundation children have completed their first term of primary school! It has been a wonderful term that has seen the children settle into the routines of school life, making new friends, understanding new rules and rising to the challenges of a learning environment. And having fun! And getting very tired!

We would like to thank you for your support this term whether it has been listening to the children read, helping with icy pole days, helping to organise the Easter Egg raffle or in whatever capacity you have been able to assist! Your help has been greatly appreciated. Teaching is definitely a team job!

Next term we would like to invite parents into the classroom during literacy times to assist small groups of children with their learning. Please fill in the timetable that will be placed outside the classroom in week one of next term. (Unfortunately siblings are unable to attend during these sessions.) We continue to encourage you to come and listen to children read their take home books from 9:00 to 9:20 each day - siblings are most welcome during this time.

The children are very excited about swimming next term!! It is going to be an invaluable experience for the children as attending swimming lessons with their peers teaches them skills well beyond the pool. Further information regarding the time table will be sent home early next term. Parents are welcome to watch their children swim but are asked to remain on the spectator seats. We would love some assistance to supervise the children dressing themselves but to do this you will require a Working with Children Check.

We would like to wish you all a safe holiday and a wonderful time with your families. Be sure to include plenty of rest and relaxation in the lead up to a longer and colder term. Ohhhhh
Language

Over the past 2 weeks the children continued to practise their writing skills, writing about personal experiences - things that have the most relevance to them at this age. Next term we will be putting on our 'creative writing' hats to construct short, simple imaginative narratives. The children will consolidate their understanding of the structure of a narrative, that is, it has a beginning, middle and an ending. This concept has already been introduced through the numerous discussions about the stories that we have read - what happened in the beginning, what happened next and how did the story end?

In term two the children will continue to participate in regular Guided Reading sessions. During this time the teacher works with a small group of children at their particular level. Some children will be reading decodable texts whilst other children will be introduced to more challenging stories. During this time there is lots of discussion and demonstration of strategies that help readers decode and importantly make sense of what they are reading.

Next term the children will continue to consolidate their understanding of sound/letter relationships and further develop their repertoire of high frequency words to help both their reading and writing skills. Children will be supported and/or extended as appropriate to their individual learning needs. This term Ms Smith, our Literacy Support Teacher, has been working with small groups of children to support children's individual needs and will continue to do so next term.

Reading Eggs and Mathletics

The children can now access Reading Eggs and Mathletics at home! The children's login names and passwords are attached to your child's take home book journal. Please assist your child in logging in so they can eventually do so independently.

Maths
Over the last two weeks we have been focusing on recording numerals 0-9 with correct formation and trying really hard not to reverse them. We continue to learn that numbers can be made up of different parts for example, 6 can be made up of 3 and 3 or 2 and 4. The students are always involved in daily counting: forwards and backwards and what is 1 more or 1 less. We have now completed our three week focus on Addition. The students were involved in a range of activities such as: using teddies, counters, tens frames, whiteboards to draw their addition stories and formal activities to record their understanding and accuracy when solving addition sums. The focus is always on using addition stories and hands on materials or drawings to help our students understand the concept of addition. We encourage you to help your child with these mathematical concepts by having regular conversations in everyday life e.g. I'm putting out four cups at the table and now adding 4 plates, how many is that all together?

Inquiry/Wellbeing

The well being focus has continued to be on the Golden Rule - treat others as you like to be treated - as well as continuing to support all children to understand it's okay to make mistakes. We have also been discussing the importance of making strong choices as opposed to weak choices and being encouraged to think about others.

Marine Ambassadors

Yesterday the Marine Ambassadors from grade 6 visited the Prep classroom with the key message that what we do on land impacts our marine ecosystems. These students Lua, Katarina, Indie, Olivia and Maddie, are passionate about the environment. They presented a fun, interactive session to help the preps learn interesting facts about some marine creatures and to understand the importance of looking after 'our own backyard'. See below for some photos!

Planks Incursion

The Planks Incursion was a big success! The children were completely engaged as they worked together to use small planks of wood to create and build a structure. The incursion was a perfect way to end the term and to further consolidate our focus on getting to know each other, co-operating, sharing, using our manners and having fun all at the same time!

Contacting your child's teacher

Please download the FlexiBuzz app and sign in to your child's class to ensure that you are receiving all relevant updates. Using the chat function on the app is a great way to connect with the teacher but if the matter is urgent, please phone the office as we are not always able to receive or act on messages during the day.

ITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/flexibuzz/id558791155?mt=8

ANDROID: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.au.elicere.tiqbiz&hl=en

Working with Children Check

All parents/guardians, visitors & volunteers to the school MUST sign in & out of the school and display their WWCC in a lanyard, which is available at the school office. The Department of Education requires any person involved in an activity where children may be present to have a current WWCC or have supplied proof that they have applied for a WWCC with the Department of Justice. All schools are required to comply with the Working with Children Act 2005. Volunteers are expected to carry the WWCC card with them at all times when working or volunteering at the school or during school related activities. There is no fee for this check. Apply now by visiting: www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au The Junior School encourage and appreciate parent helpers. Please see your child's teacher if you are able to assist.

Important dates & notices

Monday 16th April: Term 2 Begins

Monday 23rd April: School Swimming Begins

Wednesday 25th April: ANZAC Day Public Holiday

Reminders

Please make sure you have returned your swimming notice as this begins in Week 2.

Please ensure you have sent in your child's art smock and library bag.

Please make sure everything that is brought to school is labelled. We already have plastic containers without a home. Please pop in and see if they are yours.

The children continue to learn which food to take out at fruit break, recess and lunch times. Fruit break is eaten while the students are working on the floor or at their desk and so we do encourage fruit that needs to be cut up be put in a small/separate container so that the students can bring that to their desk or the floor instead of bringing their whole lunch box. The children are becoming more competent putting their two containers of fruit break into their classroom tubs as part of their morning routine. This is certainly helping with smooth transitions during the day. Thank you for encouraging your children to do this.