Term 4 Week 6 Newsletter

From the Principal

Dear Calwell Families,

Things are running relatively smoothly and we seem to be back into a steady routine. Your child/ren may come home reporting that their class has been spilt within their unit if a member of staff has been absent. With our COVID safety practices in place it is not always possible to cover a class with a relief teacher as would normally be the case. Staff like students are also not able to attend school if they have any COVID related symptoms. We are doing all we can to continue the educational program and I would like to thank all our teachers and Learning Support staff for their flexibility and willingness to help when we are managing staff absences.    

School Improvement & Climate Survey

The time to complete the School Improvement and Climate Survey has been extended. The survey is quite short this year and your feedback is greatly valued. If you have not already done the survey you can find the link to the survey in an email sent to families by the Directorate on Monday 18 October. 

Kindergarten BASE Testing

This week our kinder children have been completing the BASE assessment which is a standardised test used to assess the progress students make in their first year of schooling in literacy, numeracy and phonological awareness (previously PIPS). Students undertake the assessment one on one with their class teacher. The information collected from BASE assessments enables the school and the Directorate to develop learning programs that are specifically targeted at meeting individual student needs. Following on from BASE testing in kindergarten, students complete the NAPLAN standardised tests in years 3 and 5.   

2022 Planning

A friendly reminder to please let the school know via this link https://forms.gle/ipFNzKpp4AhU9pxi8 if your child/ren will not be returning to Calwell next year. 

Requests for class placement for 2022 should be made via this link. https://forms.gle/6fs3i3P6jX1srnrn7

Please be aware that we will have some new staff and staff may not remain teaching their current year level. Only requests made through the link will be considered and once classes are formed changes will not be made. Please contact the office on 61421900 if you have difficulty accessing these links.

Pick-up Arrangements

A huge thank you for helping to make the pick-up process run smoothly – even in the rain. It is still vital that parent/carers arrive from 3.05pm onward and NOT before 3pm. We are currently still stopping teaching earlier than usual to move students to the car park and would prefer for classes to work until 2.50pm. The school gate will remain closed until 3pm. Please do not arrive and park in front of the gate and down Downard St – as of tomorrow cars will be asked to move if they arrive too early. We know that by following the process we have in place we can have all students collected within 15 minutes.     

Before & After School Care

Camp Australia have made used the lockdown period to undertake some improvements to the service.  A new staff member Katrina has been added to the team of educators. Katrina holds a Diploma of Children’s Services and is studying a Bachelors of Early Childhood and Primary Teaching. She has already built some great connections with the children as she gets to know them. Sarah has also refreshed the service environment, by creating a more open environment and purchasing additional resources which makes the space look more inviting for the children.

The Rocketeers school holiday program will once again be available at Covenant Christian School- Sarah will be working there periodically so the children will be sure to see her there. The brochure is accompanying today’s newsletter.

Linda Neeson

Principal

Calwell CARES

PBL Awards

Notes Home/Due & Dates to Remember

A reminder for parent's to please download the SZapp to view our Newsletters and upcoming events. If you access the calendar and click on the date on an excursion/incursion permission notes are attached to re-print if needed.

- Book Club due date 20th November

Preschool

Welcome back to the Magpies, Rosellas and Cockatoos!  It was lovely to see your happy, smiling faces as you rekindled friendships, reconnected with staff and investigated through play.

This term our focus is on Becoming, with our big question being What does change look like?  The Magpie and Cockatoo groups listened to a story written by Andrew Daddo titled When I Grow Up. The children had many ideas about what they’d like to be when they grow up. 

We’ve also begun investigating change in lifecycles through our discovery tables.

Scrivener

Kindergarten are so excited to be back at school. We have enjoyed getting to see our friends and teachers and participating in English, Math and Art tasks throughout the day.

Corin

Year 1

Last week, we linked our unit on Sustainability to persuasive writing, creating an artwork showing the effects of pollution on our oceans. The students planned their artwork, used watercolours to paint the background, drew and stuck on sea creatures and then used catalogues, net and plastic to ‘pollute’ one half of their ocean. They loved doing the art activities and are very proud of their masterpieces!

Year 2

Over the past couple of weeks Year 2 have been completing a range of STEM design challenges including; creating an egg catcher, making a space ship for their alien (an egg), designing a bridge for a cup of marbles as well as making their own musical instruments. All of these activities involves students working collaboratively in teams and following the Design, Make and Appraise method. This process involves students drawing their design ideas, making their creations and then testing and modifying these to make them better. At the end of each design activity students reflected on their creations and discussed what they would do differently next time. Students are also learning how to negotiate with others, communicate effectively as well as plan and problem solve.

Year 1

Year 2

Googong

What a great week we have had back after home learning. The children have settled in well and are enjoying all the challenges being set. This week the students have been working in teams to complete STEM challenges. They have made LEGO mazes, block towers, domino tracks and started their French knitting. These activies have engaged the students in problem.

Bendora

It has been so wonderful to have all the year 5 and 6 students back at school together after Remote Learning.

Since the return to school, students have been busily engaging in a variety of learning activities such as teamwork challenges, visual arts, mental computation games, PE and escape rooms. Many of these engaging activities are happening in our outside spaces.

Each of these learning experiences assist students to further develop and extend their knowledge and understanding of the Calwell primary School Learning Assets of Self-Manager, Thinker, Collaborator, Researcher and Communicator.

OSHC weekly program

Lowes Schoolwear Sale

Saver Plus