Term 4 Week 4 Newsletter
From the Principal
Dear Calwell Families,
It is hard to believe that it is November, and we are almost halfway through the term. It was lovely to see so many families at our last stay and play session. We hope the weather will clear for this week’s stay and play on Thursday afternoon. Families are encouraged to bring afternoon tea and stay and play until 4pm. A SMS will be sent on Thursday if we need to cancel the event due to poor weather.
Last Friday we celebrated World Teachers Day. Our teachers have shown great resilience over the past couple of years navigating the changing nature of the pandemic. On Friday we thanked our teachers for their ongoing hard work and for everything they do for children and their families.
Yesterday the senior students enjoyed participating in the Olympics Unleashed program. Students listened to former Olympian Jamie Pittman tell his story and had the opportunity to ask questions.
Planning for 2023
Planning for 2023 is well underway. Our school leadership team will soon be meeting to configure classes for 2023. We would like to offer you the opportunity to provide us some details about your child that may assist with the class configurations for next year. If you would like to provide any information you feel is relevant to your child’s class placement for next year, please complete the form via the following link https://forms.gle/edfiih9tEebUe9UJ6
In the coming weeks children will be asked to complete a preference sheet to indicate other children they would like to share a class with. Please note that all considerations (parents and children) are looked at, but are not guaranteed. From a school point of view, we design classes that endeavour to maximise each child's learning potential. Sometimes their 'best friends' may not be their best learning partner. As always there are plenty of opportunities to work across classes and with a variety of students across their cohort.
To assist us with planning for 2023 please let us know if your child/ren will not be returning to Calwell in 2023 via the following link (if you havent already let us know) https://forms.gle/4Zr9NHao7LhgPXVR7
Transition visits
In the coming weeks transition visits will be occurring for our pre-schoolers and our year 6 students. Today our pre-schoolers had their first visit to the kindergarten spaces and enjoyed meeting our current teachers. They were excited to see inside the space and to learn more about what happens in kindergarten. A second transition visit will occur later in the term.
Year 6 families should have received information from Calwell High School regarding transition visits which are on this week. Please ensure you reply to our absent SMS on transition days so we can record your child’s attendance.
Please reach out to a member of the leadership team if your child is feeling anxious about transitioning into a new setting and we can provide some support and advice.
Save the date
Our end of year event is scheduled for Thursday 1 December from 5:30pm. We look forward to coming together to celebrate the end of the year together. More details will follow.
Kind regards
Katie Brown
Deputy Principal
CARES Awards
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.
- Wacky Wednesday on Wednesday 2nd November
- Preschool to Kinder transition visit Thursday 3rd November
- Stay and Play Preschool-Year 6 Thursday 3rd November
- 1/2L and 1/2P Assembly Friday 4th November
- Special Pizza Lunch Wednesday 9th November (no lunch orders on this day)
- STEAM Rotations Friday 11th November
It’s not too late to enrol for 2023
If you forgot to enrol your child or young person in an ACT public school for next year, don’t panic. Enrolments remain open throughout the year. You can find out more information and apply online. Support is also available from this school or by calling the Enrolments Telephone Service weekdays on 6205 5429
Assembly
Due to the ongoing covid risk we will continue to have assemblies in junior and senior groups. We are required to continue to have assemblies as ticked events. Outlined below is the schedule of hosting classes. We encourage families only to attend when your child/ren’s class is hosting. To register your attendance please book in using this link https://forms.gle/ghsgsxQPrku8WFod9
Assemblies start at 2:15pm.
Preschool
Our focus this term is on Becoming, which refers to changes children experience as they grow, learn and develop.
Our learning intentions are;
- For children to transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another
- For children to use effective routines to help make predicted transitions smoothly
- For children to apply generalisations from one situation to another
- To explore the concepts of growth and change
- To support children to adapt, be flexible and cope with change
- To support children to transition from preschool to kindergarten
The Magpies and Cockatoos talked about how they’ve changed from being a baby to a toddler and now a preschooler. We have been investigating growth and change in plants. After decorating paper cups, the children planted alfalfa seeds and have been watering and watching them grow.
Rosellas have been conducting science experiments to hone our observation skills. We are sharing our predictions, methods and results with peers. We are noticing and describing changes and reactions. The Rosellas have planted tomato, sunflower and bean seeds – we are looking forward to watching them grow and transplanting seedlings into our garden. Families have been sending in baby photos for us to guess the Rosella which has led to many conversations about how we have already grown and changed.
Scrivener
During Readers Workshop Kindergarten have been learning how to identify rhyming words. As part of our program students listened to the delightful story ‘Rhyming Dust Bunnies’. Bug! Rug! Mug! Hug! These dust bunnies love to rhyme. Well, except for Bob. Much to the other bunnies' frustration Bob can never get the rhythm right. To help us with our understanding of rhyming we’ve created our own dust bunnies!
Corin
Year One and Two had a wonderful time making cookies last week. We have been looking at procedural texts and the students had to carefully read and follow the recipe to make their cookies correctly. In Maths students used the cookies to explore fractions, dividing their cookie into halves, quarters and eighths! The next day students wrote their own recipe, writing down the steps they took using specific verbs and adverbs to give clear instructions. They had lots of fun and we think there are definitely a few future bakers in our midst!
Googong
Years 3/4 students have been researching fractions and the different ways they can be represented. They have looked at how fractions can be a whole shape or a group of items. Recently they have been working on placing fractions on a number line. The trickiest thing they have found is dividing the line not equal parts and placing the fractions in the right place.
Bendora
Year 5 students have been studying myths and legends in English, examining how elements of stories can change over time through oral retelling. We have analysed our understanding of what a ‘hero’ is and compared and contrasted several versions of the same character. Some are distinctly different! This week we looked more closely at the character of Medusa, first through her origin story, then how she met her demise. In groups students took part in reader’s theatre performances for the rest of the class, taking on the roles of these ancient Greek gods and heroes, while improving their reading fluency
Year 6 has been looking at synthesising in English and multiplying fractions in math.
