Science of Language and Reading

Parents may have noticed a new acronym appearing in news and on social media - SOLAR. The letters represent the Science of Language and Reading. This is an emerging approach that the Junior School has adopted. It has a strong early-years emphasis on phonics. A number of Myrniong staff have accessed online training via La Trobe University.

SOLAR is a move away from the balanced literacy or whole language approach. For more than five decades, educators and researchers have continued to add to the growing body of research known as the science of reading. Studies from education, literacy, developmental psychology, educational psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience fields continue to provide evidence about how the brain learns to read, and what is needed to effectively teach reading. Before students can truly develop a love of reading, and before they can read to learn, they first must learn to read. Explicit literacy instruction rooted in the science of reading, the decades of cognitive and neurological research into how reading is processed in the brain, is proven to close equity gaps and achieve the goal of literacy for all. Transitioning to science of reading-based instruction, whether a Structured Literacy approach or otherwise, will improve students’ reading levels, help students reading below the expected year level catch up to their peers, and give all our students an excellent literacy foundation from which to build.

Winter Uniform and School Photographs

A reminder that this is our final week of our Junior School ‘period of grace’ in which students can opt for summer or winter uniform. Next Monday, May 8th, all students in Prep to Year Six are to be in full winter uniform. Hats are no longer required. Our smart uniform is an important point of difference and I know our students feel great pride when they wear the College uniform well.

Class, Junior School family and individual photographs will be taken on Tuesday May 16th. Cross campus family photographs will be taken on Wednesday May 17th. Information on how to order photographs will be emailed home next week.

Week 2 Assembly Awards

The following students received awards at Tuesday’s Assembly.

ELC 4 - Sadie Uebergang - Showing great leadership skills during our first Bush Kinder session.
Prep - Jasper Hoffman - A confident start to Term Two.
Year 1 - Campbell Reid - Opal Music Award - 1200 minutes of practice
Year 1 - Herbie Dyer - Great focus in our daily reviews in Mathematics.
Year 1 - Annie Cain - Excellent rewards gained in her reading from her persistence in learning and recall of important diagraphs.
Year 2 - Will Brown - Consistently displaying a hardworking approach to all aspects of his learning.
Year 3 - Violet Shrive - Always being prepared for the day ahead and doing her best in all her classwork.
Year 4 - Hugo Cameron - Being a super school and bus buddy to out new student.
Year 5 - Evie Templeton, Grace O’Sullivan and Ada O’Brien - Outstanding effort in House Cross Country-running the entire way, pushing themselves to their limits to achieve their personal best results.

House Cross Country

Congratulations to all of the Junior School students who participated in the annual House Cross Country event at Parklands Golf Course on Monday. Thank you to the Parklands Golf Club committee for again allowing us the use of their course for our running practice and events.

During PE lessons for the last few weeks of Term One and again leading into the House Cross Country this term, students have been working on their running technique, positive running mindset and endurance in preparation for their run on Tuesday. They made their own running goals to work towards both during training and on the day. I am very proud of all students for trying their best for both themselves and their House.

Age Champions:

Prep – Ted Bufton & Emily McVeigh
7 yo – Jack Nagorcka & Evie Pickford
8 yo – George Robertson & Lucy Manley
9 yo Harry Diprose & Anika Nelson
10 yo – Angus Reid & Elsie Dyer
11 yo – Sid Hawker & Ada O’Brien
12/13 yo – Jimmy Dyer & Yolanda O’Sullivan
The House Cross Country Cup was won by Berry House.

Walk to School Day

On Friday 19th May, we will participate in the annual national Walk Safely to School Day. This is a community event seeking to promote road safety, health and environment. We ask that students be dropped off at Senior School to meet their Myrniong teachers on the Neil Maclean Hockey Pitch to walk together to Myrniong, a distance of approximately 1.5km. Bus travellers will be dropped off at the Senior School. We would love the Piccino students to join us, however they must be accompanied by a parent. We invite all parents to join the walk. Students in Before School Care or students transported directly to Myrniong will be supervised in walking a similar distance around the oval.

Hockey

The 2023 Hockey season commenced on Saturday.

Division 5 Tigers went down to Dunkeld 2-0. Best on ground for the Tigers was Campbell Reid.
Division 5 Black Panthers lost 3-0 to Coleraine Gold. Best on ground for the Black Panthers was Harriet Small.
Division 4 Wolves competed throughout in their match with Dunkeld but were beaten 6-1 by a better team on the day. Hartley Johns was best on ground for Wolves.

This weekend’s matches:

Division 5

Tigers v Demons at 1.30 pm - Pedrina Park

Black Panthers v Dunkeld at 1.30 pm - Pedrina Park

Division 4

Foxes v Wolves at 1.30 pm - College Field

Stephen Nelson

Head of Junior School

Myrniong Athletes

Good luck to the following 16 students who will brave the elements in Warrnambool this Friday to compete in the annual Division Athletics Competition. Johnny Fenton, Lachlan Sweeney, Edward Whinney, Imogen Johns, Tommy Brown, Hugo Toma, Dru Mayfield, Sophie Satchell, Yolanda O’Sullivan, Elsie Brown, Max Cameron, Jimmy Dyer, Evie Templeton, Grace O’Sullivan, Ada O’Brien and Poppy Edgar.

We all wish you well!

Louise Patterson

The Hamilton and Alexandra College Newsletter

College is an aspirational, regional community, where everyone is known, valued and challenged.

Issue 12 · 04 May 2023

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