Dear Parents/Carers,

COVID Requirements

After yet another lockdown, the current situation in Sydney and a developing one in Melbourne, it is important to remind ourselves that these times still present innate challenges for schools as for many other public places.

Reminders for students to hand-wash, cough into their elbow, avoid touching surfaces such as entry and exit doors, soap dispensers etc, continues to be a focus. The Department of Education has extended the additional cleaning hours for an indefinite period as a result of recent events.  Caution needs to be taken when adults are on school-grounds and masks are required whilst the Health Department restrictions are in place. These first couple of weeks back at school we have approached indoor events with caution, ensuring we limit the numbers of external adults in attendance and wearing masks when it isn’t possible to socially distance. I am hopeful that once restrictions are lifted, we can return to COVID-normal as we were before the school holidays.

Report Cards

Report Cards were distributed prior to the holidays. A moderation process occurs to ensure consistency across year levels against the Australian Curriculum Achievement Standards. It is enlightening, to see a sample of work a level above your child’s grade for a particular learning area. For example, if your child got a B in Maths, it helps to see what the A standard of work look like. It can provide some information going forward for student goal-setting and how parents/carers can support their children. If you have any questions about your child’s achievement, please make a time to discuss with your child’s teacher. Of course,  all parents/carers are encouraged also to meet with your child’s teacher in Week 9 this term.

Communication

Our school’s Strategic Plan 2020-2023 has outlined the improvement of communication between students, parent/carers and the school as a priority. Over the last year, we have made a variety of changes and continue to tweak and refine these based on the feedback we receive from parents/carers. In the attachment below, I have outlined our forms of communication, their current purpose and proposed changes. Please refer to the communication attachment below and respond to the Survey (click here) by August 6 to provide us with some further input/ideas as to these proposed changes.

Have a good week,

Kathy

NAIDOC 2021 – Heal Country

Prep 2022 Update

Parents of children enrolled to start Prep in 2022 will be contacted in the next couple of weeks to arrange a prep experience for your child.  This requires an hour of your time.  Please keep an eye on your email for this invitation.

We are soon conducting out-of- catchment enrolments, abiding by the EQ procedure, for Prep next year. 

Social Emotional Learning

Be a Bridge Builder - Share – take turns

It’s an age-old problem.  While young children are learning to socialise and play with their friends, they inevitably disagree with the actions of others.

It can continue into adulthood.  The difference is, when our experience with social situations deepens, and we get ourselves into embarrassing situations, we learn to resolve conflict with a win-win mindset.

Children need time to learn to do this.  Less time is needed if we teach them the skills and talk them through their conflict with others.  Children feel better when they have had a chance to air their concern.   While we at school can talk it through with both parties, parents can only do this with their own child.

Please spend the next fortnight talking about the ‘Share – Take Turns’ strategy.  Ask them if they used it at school today and how did it make them feel?  Children feel empowered when they use a strategy that works – you can see the pride in them.  When it doesn’t work, you’ll know because they will complain about it when they get home.  This is the time to talk them through it.  Praise their attempt but build their resilience to give it another go. Encourage your children at home to use these skills with each other.  You will then be able to see it in action.

 

 

Term 3 - Curriculum Snapshots

The Term 3 Curriculum Snapshot for each year level will be uploaded to the school website next week.  You will also receive a copy of the snapshot in your child's class newsletter. 

How we teach at Craigslea State School

We use a range and balance of teaching approaches to ensure a range of skills are developed in our students from prep to year 6.  Our aim is to ensure our high expectations are upheld academically but also instilling the skills needed in an ever changing world. 

Explicit Instruction is an instructional teaching strategy used by teachers to meet the needs of their students and engage them in unambiguous, clearly articulated teaching. 

Explicit Teaching 

The Gradual Release Model is also a feature of our teaching and learning sequence and it moves students through stages of engagement in their learning form;

I DO - Teacher centred instructions and modelling

WE DO - Collaborative enagement in the learning; practice of skills together

YOU DO - Student demonstration of their learning 

YOU DO - Independent Learning 

Inquiry Learning is incorporated into a range of learning areas which encourages students to take more ownership of their learning and developing skills of questioning, researching, analysing, communicating, evaluating and reflecting.  This promotes problem solvers and curious life-long learners who think creatively. 

Upcoming Events Term 3, Week 2 

Upcoming Events Term 3, Week 4

View All Events On Our School Calendar https://craigsleass.schoolzineplus.com/calendar/1

Lone Pine Sanctuary

Prep’s recent excursion to the Lone Pine Sanctuary was rated the best day ever!  Teachers felt that COVID restrictions had impacted on the number of tourists on site. They felt they had the place to themselves (almost)!

Consequently, the animals were active and felt secure enough to come out of their bush homes making their visibility easy for the children to enjoy.  The animals showed a lot of curiosity towards the children, approaching them at the fences.  Many children rated the kangaroo feeding as the best.  So much so that the kangaroos appeared to be ‘chasing’ the children for the food.  How much fun would that have been?

The Bush Explorers was a hit, too.   The children took on a detective role using clues – extracted from a bag - to figure out which animals had been in the vicinity.  Clues included pictures of food or scat that had been left behind.  You can picture the discussion had!  Sincere thanks to the accompanying parents who were, by all accounts, awesome as they supported students and staff.

Junior Sports Carnival

Our Juniors had a lovely morning of sprints and rotational events which mimic javelin, scissor kick high jump, shot put etc.

These events organised by Mr Heidrich were fantastic and were drawn from Little Athletics Junior Meet Activities. Such activities prepare junior students for events later in their primary schooling where they will use the standard athletics equipment.

Senior Athletics Carnival

Before the holidays, we had our Senior Athletics Carnival. The team spirit was amazing and the war cries were the best I have ever heard them. Congratulations to the following students and Houses for their displays of excellence and sportsmanship.

Pictured Above

9 years

Riley

Ryder (absent)

10 Years

Chynna

Joshua

11 years

Olivia

Brenden

12 years

Charlize

Solomon

BALL GAME CHAMPIONS:     

MAUNDRELL (121 points)

HAMILTON (117 points)

WEBSTER (107 points)

Maundrell House Captains: Deborah and Sibona                                                

Hamilton House Captains: Jeremy and Cyrine   

HOUSE CHAMPIONS:      

HAMILTON (770 points)

WEBSTER (673 points)

MAUNDRELL (652 points)

We held a special assembly Thursday morning to celebrate these achievements and I reminded everyone that if all students come to school and participate on Athletics Carnival days, this results in extra points for their house which might completely change the result. 

Music 

Hi and welcome back to Term 3. In the Music Department there are lots of things happening so please see events for these updates.

Showcase
Showcase is a Craigslea High and Craigslea Primary school concert that will be held at the Craigslea High Hall on the 10^th of September. All students in the Performance Choir, Band and String Orchestra will need to attend this concert. All students will need a music shirt for this event. Information notes will be handed out to all students soon.

Music Workshop
The Performance Choir, Band and String Orchestra will be taking part in a Music Workshop 7th September to prepare them for Showcase. Information notes will be handed out to all students involved.

Testing for 2022 Instrumental music program
This term Year 3 and Year 2 students will be participating in placement tests for the 2022 Instrumental Music Program. Testing will be done in class time. After testing, invitations will be handed out to selected students to attend an information night about the program and what it involves.