Education News 

CSPS STEP-THROUGH DAY

On Tuesday 10th December 2019 Foundation to Year 5 students Stepped Through the school and spent a morning in their 2020 classrooms.  Most of the students also got to spend time with their 2020 teachers. Each student should have brought a notice home with the name of their teacher and the number of their 2020 classrooms. If they did not please see their 2019 teacher. For classroom location please see the school website and access the 2020 map which will be published very soon under About Us/facilities  https://cranbournesouth.vic.edu.au/

BE AN AUTHOR 2019

The judging panel for Be an Author 2019 has once again been astounded by the quality of the entries and, after much deliberation, has chosen the following students as runners up and winners.

Prizes for the winners, and certificates for the runners up, were presented at assembly on Friday 6th December.

Runners Up

Winners:

McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery art tour and drawing class

On Wednesday 4th December and as winners of the Teacher Auction prize, Jesse D (4A), Arizona (2A) D, and Lara A (2B) embarked on a trip with Mr. D to the McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery.

After the fickle Melbourne weather greeted us with a cold and wintery reception, the sun decided to break through the clouds, and we were presented with a fantastic day for outdoor learning and exploring! Thanks to the amazing PFA, we commenced with a picnic lunch and the students were given their art supplies. We then walked through the Gallery and were lucky to be guided by a gallery volunteer who helped us understand the background to many of the pieces. The students learned how artists use fabric for texture, shape, and colour. Jesse was quite skilled in explaining the reasoning behind many pieces of art whilst Arizona and Lara discovered that everyday household items such as shoelaces and baking trays can be re-purposed to create thought-provoking works of art. After the tour, we began our exploration of the park grounds via the Elisabeth Murdoch Walk. We hunted for sculptures to observe and sketch and found a metallic doughnut that required our immediate drawing attention. We practised drawing the sculpture for ten seconds, one minute, and finally six minutes. We realised how we instinctively focus on shape and form and only concentrate on details when we have longer periods of time to focus. After some other sketches, we challenged our skills by attempting to draw a chimpanzee head. However, we decided against sketching a ram’s skull as it was too intimidating to our liking – instead, a photo sufficed!

Jesse, Arizona and Lara proved to be exceptional artists and representatives of the school. What a memorable day for everyone!

Mr. Dal Molin

CURRICULUM DAY - 9 DECEMBER

On Monday, 9th December the whole staff, including 2020 new staff, attended a curriculum day at school.  The staff participated in a morning workshop with Tracey Ezard. Tracey worked with the staff creating 21st Century Teams that are buzzing with ideas, collaborating on solutions and transforming. Tracey helps leaders and teams form the glue that will get them extraordinary results - the glue of collaboration, learning and trust. The staff are now buzzing ready for 2020.

HOW TO BE READY FOR BACK TO SCHOOL IN 2020

It is almost holiday time and everyone is ready for the break.  Summer holidays are a great time to relax, spend time with your family and have fun in the sun.  Preparing for returning to school is the last thing on your mind at this moment. The end of January will be here soon enough and here are some tips to help get the students ready to return to school.

Back to school time is always a big transition, not only for children but for parents.

While children are filled with excitement and first-day jitters, parents are filled with thoughts of “Am I prepared enough?” To help eliminate these thoughts, and help you and your child prepare for the new school year, all you need is a little organization and forethought. Here are 9 back to school tips to kick-start the new year and get you prepared for a fresh start.

1. Get back into your sleep routine. To help eradicate those stressful school mornings, set up a regular bedtime and morning time routine to help prepare your child for school. Begin your usual school sleep routine about a week or so before school starts.
2. Shop for school supplies together. To get your child excited about starting a new grade, shop for supplies together. Allow them to pick out their own backpack, lunchbox, etc. This is a great way to give them a little bit of responsibility too!
3. Re-establish school routines. Have your child practice getting back into the rhythm of their daily school routine. You can do this by having them wake up at the same time every day, and eat around the same time they would at school. About a week or so before school starts, plan a few outside activities where your child will have to leave and come home around the same time they would if they were in school. This will help them be rested and ready for the big day.
4. Set up a home learning station. Sit down with your child and together designate a time and place where he/she can do home learning, reading each day. This can be somewhere quiet like in the study, or even in the kitchen while you are preparing dinner. Make sure to choose a time where you are available and present to share this time.
5. Make an after-school game plan. Make a plan for where your child will go after school lets out for the day. Depending upon the age of your child, figure out if they will go to a neighbor’s house, an afterschool program, or be allowed to stay home by themselves. This will help eliminate any confusion during the first few weeks.
6. Turn off the TV and video games. For a lot of children summertime is filled with endless video games and TV programs. Children are usually in shock when they begin school and realise that six hours of their day is going to spent learning and not playing games and watching TV. Ease your child into the learning process by turning off the electrics and encouraging them to read or play quietly.
7. Review school material and information. For most parents, schools send home a packet with a ton of information regarding their child’s new teacher, important dates to remember, emergency forms, and transportation routines. Make sure that you read through this information carefully, and add all important dates on your calendar. Have you downloaded Compass to your phone?
8. Get your child’s yearly checkup. School and germs go hand in hand, so it’s best to get your child’s yearly checkup before school even starts. Get any required vaccinations and ask your pediatrician the best ways your child can stay healthy throughout the school year.

Through preparation and organisation, you can ensure that your child will have a smooth transition to the start of the new school year. By doing so, you and your child can enjoy the rest of your summer break