Principal's

Message

An Update from Mrs Cosentino

Curriculum Day (Pupil Free Day)

Friday June 7 is a Curriculum Day, students do not attend school.  TheirCare is offering full day care for children of parents in need of this service. 

NAPLAN

Well done to our Year 3 and 5 students for completing the 2019 NAPLAN assessments. The results will be available to schools from mid-August to mid-September. Students will receive an individual report of their results. For the first time, students in some schools across Australia undertook NAPLAN in an online format. The individual report shows whether students completed the assessment online or on paper.  As students for both online and paper tests are assessed on the same literacy and numeracy content, results can be reported on the same NAPLAN assessment scale.  South Melbourne Park students completed the assessments using the paper format.  We avoided the issues with the online system by abstaining this year.

The Importance of Parent and Teacher Perception on Mathematical Mindset

As parents you can have a huge impact on your child’s mindset towards mathematics and the relationship between the school and home is crucial.

A great volume of research has found that the role of parents and teachers in the development of a child’s attitude and beliefs is highly significant.  As teachers, we hear stories from students along the lines of “My parents weren’t any good at maths, so neither am I”.  It is important to consider what these messages are saying to our children about their own ability to engage in challenging Mathematical tasks.  

Another thing to consider is how gender bias can impact mathematical engagement.  The University of China conducted research into gender sterotypes and mathematical ability, engagement and enjoyment (“I can, but I don’t want to” The Impact of Parents, Interests, and Activities on Gender Differences in Math: Janis E. Jacobs, Pamela Davis-Kean, Martha Bleeker, Jacquelynee S Eccles, and Oksana Malanchk) found that we often subconsciously purchase more maths or science based toys for sons and still hold gender-typed world views about natural talent in mathematics.  It is important that we model positivity, fun and enjoyment in mathematics.  Students coming to school with a positive outlook towards maths and an open mind to the classroom makes a huge difference to their learning.  Having a willingness to try, as willingness to make mistakes and learn from them, and a willingness to be involved and explore mathematical concepts relies heavily on parental attitudes and beliefs at home. Regardless of your perceived mathematical ability, modelling a positive attitude to children from a young age and working with the school in supporting a love for learning is vital in building the foundations for students to become independent, lifelong learners, problem solvers and critical thinkers in mathematics. 

Do You Have a Child Commencing Prep Next Year?

To assist with planning and preparation for next year, enrolment forms need to be returned to the school office by Friday 28 June.  

Early Dismissal – Friday 28 June

The last day of term is Friday 28 June and students will be dismissed at 2:30pm.  As this is the last newsletter for Term 2, I would like to wish the students a happy and safe holiday.  We return to school on Monday 15 July. 

The Barber of Seville

Opera Australia launched their 2019 Victorian Schools Tour at South Melbourne Park Primary School earlier this term. The children were treated to a performance of The Barber of Seville. For many it was their first experience of Opera and some were heard humming a tune from the performance as they left school for the day.