Term 1 Week 8 Newsletter

From the Principal

Dear Calwell Community,

Teachers have enjoyed meeting with families over the past several weeks during our getting to know you interviews. Interviews provided a great way for teachers to connect with families and to learn more about the children in their class. If you didn’t have a chance to book in, please contact your child/ren’s teacher to arrange a suitable time before the end of term. As mentioned previously these interviews will replace the end of term checklist report. Families will receive written progress reports towards the end of term 2. These reports will focus on progress towards the relevant curriculum outcomes.

Preparations for School Review, which will occur in week 3 of next term, continue. We are looking forward to celebrating the achievements of the school and showcasing progress made towards the goals set in the current Strategic Plan. During the Review week there will be an opportunity for families to meet with the Review panel and talk about the school over the past 5 years. More information about the date and timing of this will be sent closer to the Review week.

You may have heard recent media reports about the National teacher shortage and the impact this is having on schools around Australia. School across Canberra continue to feel the impact of the shortage including the lack of available relief staff. At Calwell we are very fortunate to have Cliff (Mr Army) who we have booked on a regular basis to cover teachers as needed. It is an unfortunate reality of schools that when relief teachers can’t be found classes are split across other classes and or we move to supervision only. Supervision only will be a last resort and families will be notified if this occurs.

This week we are dusting off our dancing shoes and getting ready to dance the night away with DJ Cliff at our first disco for many years. Families are encouraged to stay for the event and join in the fun and connect with other families and staff. Children will enter for the disco via the front office only, and at the end of the night can be collected from the black top outside of the hall. Snacks and glow sticks will be available for purchase on the night for $1.00 - $2.00.

During week 10 we will be holding our cross-country carnival. Due to a booking clash at the oval the carnival will be held on Wednesday 5 April, (not Tuesday as previously advised) at the Calwell playing fields for all students aged 8 years and above. Younger students will participate in some rotation activities on the day at school, more information about this will follow. Families are invited to join us on the day at either the school or the Calwell playing fields.

A reminder that the school holidays are fast approaching. Now is the time to book into Camp Australia’s onsite holiday program if your child/ren need care over the break. The program provides a great variety of activities including some excursions. https://campaustralia.com.au/schools/3903

I welcome your feedback and encourage you to reach out to me if you have any feedback about the school. I can be contacted via the front office 6142 1900 or on email Katie.Brown@ed.act.edu.au. I look forward to seeing you around the school in the lead up to the end of term.

Katie Brown
Acting Principal

Principals Afternoon Tea

Calwell CARES

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.

School photo notes were sent home with students on Tuesday 21st March. 

- School Disco Thursday 23rd March 6:00pm-7:30pm

- Book Club due Thursday 23rd March

- Team Calwell T Shirt Day Friday 24th March

- Years 1/2 Assembly Friday 24th March

- Years 3 and 5 NAPLAN 15th-24th March

- Cross Country Carnival Wednesday 5th April

- Prinsipals Afternoon Tea Wednesday 5th April

- Last Day of Term 1 Thursday 6th April

Preschool

Life in preschool has been very busy, building on friendships, learning how to care for Country and working towards writing our own Acknowledgement of Country.

During outdoor play, the Magpies, Rosellas and Cockatoos have been pretending and creating their own stories whilst dressing up as fairies, superheros, policeman, dragons and cheetahs.

This week we visited the library for the first time. We learnt what it meant to line up and walk responsibly to the library. Children who have library bags, will be able to borrow from Wednesday of week 9 and 10.

Scrivener

The kindergarten children are feeling very proud of how much they have achieved so far this term. This fortnight we have been taking a close look at identifying shapes. We took this learning into the playground and discovered how many different shapes there are in our environment.

We have also been learning about ourselves and our families. The children have been thinking about what family means and have discovered that even though our families look different we can all agree that family makes us feel, loved safe and happy.

Corin

Welcome to the Artefact Museum! This fortnight year ½ students really enjoyed exploring and touching these old objects to try and discover what the objects are and what they are used for. We are going to continue learning about these artefacts, what they were really used for, what the modern-day equivalent is and how they have changed.

Googong

On Wednesday, 8^th March we celebrated World Maths Day. As part of our Mathletics subscription we engaged in a live webinar to explore the features and activities provided in Mathletics.

There were over 296,000 students who participated across the globe. Each student completed 20 live rounds of maths questions testing their automatic recall of number facts. Worldwide, over 2.5 million rounds of live math games were played. It truly was a global celebration of maths and learning!

Bendora

NAPLAN began this week for our year 5 students and there has been much excitement in the classroom about what questions might be asked! It has been pleasing to see the students engaging positively with the assessments and encouraging peers to be resilient when they are nervous.

Class fitness lessons are always popular in Bendora and students have enjoyed getting out of the classroom to get their blood pumping after concentrating on NAPLAN tasks. Sportsmanship and teamwork have been the focus of these sessions this week.

This week students in Bendora have begun their investigation into Colonisation and the Gold Rush. Throughout this Inquiry unit of work, students will engage with learning that will assist them to answer the following questions:

• How have individuals and groups in the past and present contributed to the development of Australia?
• What do we know about the lives of people in Australia’s colonial past and how do we know?
• How did an Australian colony develop over time and why?
• How did colonial settlement change the environment?
• What were the significant events and who were the significant people that shaped the Australian colonies?

Students will begin Information Report writing this week to complement their Inquiry studies. These created texts will focus on significant people associated with Colonisation and the Gold Rush, such as Edward Hargraves, Bennelong & Pemulwuy.

Calwell Primary Community Association News

Thank you to all the parents who have volunteered to help at the disco next week. Our roster is now filled which is greatly appreciated. We are looking forward to a fun night!

The Mothers Day Stall gifts have been ordered and we would love to get your help with getting them beautifully wrapped ready for our students to select from. This is a great task for those of you who like to do things from home. Wrapping paper and tape is provided. We also will need some helpers on the stall at school on Tuesday 9 May from 9am to 12pm. Please fill out our volunteer sign up https://volunteersignup.org/M4XAC if you have time to help and we will contact you when the gifts arrive.

Rebbecca, Daniel and Megan

Ride2School Day

This term we will be celebrating the National Ride2School Day on Friday 24 March 2023. We will be encouraging our students to ride, walk, skate or scoot to school. National Ride2School Day is the perfect opportunity for students and school communities across Australia to embrace active travel and healthier habits. Ride or Walk to School program reminds us to consider our transport habits and try to incorporate more riding or walking as part of a healthy, active way to get around.

As part of the National Ride2School Day, we are proud to announce that we will be running a ‘walking school bus’ to Calwell Primary School. This will be held on Friday 24 March 2023. We know that walking all the way to school isn’t realistic for many of us, therefore we will meet in the park at the bottom of Casey Cres at the start of Calwell District Playing fields next to the netball courts where it’s easy to park. Staff members will meet students from 8am and will walk together to school from there. Parents/carers are more than welcome to join us on the walk. We will start the walk at 8.15am.

We hope to see as many students, teachers and parents/carers walking to school as possible.

Ray White Colouring Competition

Extra colouring competiton sheets can be collected from the front office. Please have all entries returned by Thursday 30th March.

Future of Education Equity Fund

Flexischools

Lunch orders are provided by Healthy Kids Association on Wednesdays. You need to order online via flexischools by 8am Wednesday morning.

Holiday Happenings