INFANTS

What a week it was last week as we celebrated Education Week! It was just fantastic to see so many families and friends at school for many of our events during the week, including our Education Week Assembly, Grandparents and Special Friends’ Day, Book Fair and Character Parade and for our Spelling Bee and Numeracy Challenge. Our students were full of beans and smiles all week. This really highlighted the positive partnerships we have with our families and community, the sense of belonging we have in our school community, and how valuable this is. A huge thank you to everyone who was able to come and be a part of any or all of the events, and of course to all our super staff for making these events happen.

Infants students are now all eagerly looking forward to our Canberra Excursion next Thursday, 22 August. We will be visiting the National Dinosaur Museum and Canberra Reptile Park as well as hopefully have a good run and play in a local park if the weather is on our side. Please return permission notes and payment as soon as possible if you haven’t yet, and contact the school office if you have any questions about the excursion.

Kindy

In the lead-up to Book Fair and our Character Parade, Kindergarten students have been sharing their favourite stories with their classmates. We enjoyed reading so many of our best loved books each day and students have had fun finding out why each story is such a favourite. We were also curious to discover that rhyme was used in just about all of our favourite stories.

In Mathematics, students are becoming more and more efficient with their counting and are confidently recognising combinations to ten – what clever mathematicians we have in Kindergarten! We have been playing many games to help us become better and better at our ‘friends of 10’, with a new favourite being ‘Go Fish 10’. A great game to play at home too.

Kindergarten have been enjoying learning about the Olympics and watching some of the highlights of our great Australian athletes. During Sport, we have had our own torch relay, and participated in some mini-olympic events, including javelin, shot put, relays and horse jumping. It was a tricky course for our horse and riders, with only 1 pair making it through with a clear run over the jumps and without the reins breaking and the horse running free! Lots of fun cheering and laughs!

During Art, Kindergarten students have drawn their own portraits and enjoyed using the mirror to check out their features before and after creating their drawings. These have been hung in the hallway of our building, along with the self-portraits of students in Year 1 and Year 2/3 to help build and celebrate our sense of belonging. If you can, pop in and check them all out, they look just great!

Year 1

This fortnight has been busy and magical in many ways.

Year 1 had lots of fun engaging with Education Week this year. We are extremely grateful and thankful to our Grandparents and Special Friends that were able to come and spend some time with us in the classroom and view the Book Character Parade. Teachers chose to connect Grandparent’s Day with our current History Unit that explores past and present. We were extremely lucky to have some Grandparents share photos/ special items and stories from their childhood on this day.

In English, Year 1 have just begun a new unit exploring Narrative as well as how an author’s context shapes their writing. Thank you to families and students who have brought in their own special treasure this week to support them in connecting with the main character of our story ‘Tilly’ by Jane Godwin. Students have been able to share details of their treasure and create descriptive sentences about them.

In Mathematics, students have spent a lot of time becoming experts on 10 times tables as well as becoming confident on 2- and 5-times tables. They have been challenged to find the difference between large numbers and use arrays to help them count big groups of objects. We are just at the beginning of a new unit, exploring patterns. This unit will include finding the core of a pattern and will introduce the concept of growing and shrinking patterns.

In Week 4, Year 1 attended A Shadow Puppets Show, Rabbit's Revenge. Students very much enjoyed the show and were intrigued by the mechanics of the shadow puppets, asking questions about how the characters and sets moved throughout the show.

Week 4 is National Science Week, and Year 1 were delighted to get their Science on by spending an hour in the High School Science lab.

Thank you Miss Moorby for being our Science teacher for the session!

To celebrate National Science Week, Year 1 went up to one of the science labs, they conducted an experiment looking at common household supplies and investigated the magic of pH. They learnt about sour foods like lemon juice and soapy cleaners, they enjoyed watching the universal indicator change colour and using test tubes and pipettes, but their favourite part was sitting at big tables and chairs

Miss Moorby.

In Weeks 5 and 6, Year 1 students will be individually assessed using the Department of Education’s Phonics Screening Check. ‘The Year 1 Phonics Screening Check is a short one-on-one assessment to inform teachers how students are progressing in phonics. The assessment complements existing strategies to identify students’ progress in developing

foundational literacy skills and allows teachers to effectively make decisions about a student’s learning’ (Taken from Department of Education Website).

As always, please feel free to contact me through emailing or calling the school for any queries.

Ms Emily Friend

Year 3/4

So far this term has been a busy and enriching time for our 3/4 students, filled with both academic growth and fun-filled activities. We have introduced new routines and challenges, and the students have risen to the occasion with enthusiasm and dedication. Well done, 3/4!

In literacy, our focus on Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda has captivated the students' imaginations, helping them to delve into the world of fantasy while honing their reading and comprehension skills. Alongside this, our Daily Edit and Sentence a Day activities have been instrumental in improving grammar and writing fluency. A new addition to our literacy routine, the 60-second reads, has proven to be a fantastic way to boost reading fluency. The students have embraced this challenge wholeheartedly, and it's been wonderful to see their progress, as well as their growing confidence in reading aloud to a partner.

Mathematics lessons have also been a hive of activity, with students exploring the fascinating world of 2D shapes this past fortnight. They've not only mastered new definitions for polygons, quadrilaterals, and parallelograms, but they've also applied their knowledge in creative ways. The tessellating backgrounds students have designed are a testament to their understanding and artistic flair. It's been rewarding to see students connect mathematical concepts with creativity.

A particular highlight of the first four weeks of term has been the BCS Potato Olympics, held in honor of the 2024 Paris Olympics. This unique event saw our students crafting their very own potato athletes, complete with creative names and sporting uniforms. The games themselves were a joyous celebration of imagination and fun, with events such as the Spud-put, Speed-Spud, Equestrian Spud-stacle Course, and the Spud & Spoon Race bringing out the competitive spirit in our young participants. The opening ceremony was a spectacle of creativity, as students proudly showcased their potato competitors before the real competition began. The event was filled with laughter and excitement, particularly when some of our potato athletes faced unexpected challenges, earning awards like the Hospitato for their valiant efforts. Overall, the Potato Olympics were a spud-tacular success, fostering teamwork, sportsmanship, and a whole lot of fun. A huge thanks must go to Miss Wood for organising this, and taking time out of her own teaching programs to provide this experience for our students.

Beyond these activities, our students have also enjoyed a range of special events. Book Week was a particular favorite, with students donning costumes of their favorite characters and immersing themselves in the joy of reading. The book fair was a great success, and Ms Crokett made the library look incredible for Book Week! Lots of 3/4 students also participated in the Trent Barrett Shield in Harden earlier this week; and had an enjoyable day out with Mr Stuart and Mr Corcoran. Education Week added to the term's excitement, with activities that highlighted our students' learning and achievements including a special assembly; the spelling bee; the maths challenge; and grandparents day.

As we continue through the term, we are incredibly proud of the progress and enthusiasm our students have shown. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out via email: Charlotte.Groves2@det.nsw.edu.au

Charlotte Groves

3/4 Classroom Teacher

Boorowa Central School Potato Olympic Games: A Spud-tacular Celebration!

In honor of the 2024 Paris Olympics, our Primary students took part in a unique and fun-filled event - the BCS Potato Olympic Games! Our young athletes crafted their very own potato competitors, preparing them for an array of exciting potato-themed challenges.

The Potato Olympic Games featured a variety of entertaining events, including the Spud-put, Speed-Spud, Equestrian Spud-stacle Course, and the Spud & Spoon Race. The festivities kicked off with a grand opening ceremony, where athletes showcased their meticulously designed potato sporting uniforms and revealed their highly creative names.

The games then moved to the playground, where our spud athletes put their endurance to the test. The Spud-put event turned out to be a particularly dangerous event for a potato, with a notable number of participants earning the ‘Hospitato Award’ for their valiant efforts. Meanwhile, the Spud & Spoon Race saw some creative coaching strategies, with several coaches finding inventive ways to keep their potato athletes securely attached to their spoons to prevent any spud mishaps.

The Speed-Spud Race brought about intense competition, with some of our speediest potato athletes and their coaches crossing the finish line at the same time. After reviewing the video replay, our coaches decided to accept a shared 'Top-Tato' award in celebration of their joint achievement. These particular potato coaches should be commended for their spud-manship.

Throughout the games, a number of awards were up for grabs, including Top-Tato, Silver-Tato, Bronze-Tato, MVP (Most Valuable Potato), Hospitato, Honourable Participotato, and Perfectato. While many coaches proudly received their awards, some potato athletes faced the challenges of the event with resilience but did not make it through the rigorous competition.

Overall, the BCS Potato Olympic Games were a delightful and memorable experience, celebrating creativity, teamwork, and a whole lot of spud-tacular fun!

Ms Phoebe Wood

Year 4/5

Firstly, I’d like to apologise for this being the first newsletter article for the term. We’ve been so immersed in our activities that time has flown by, but I’m excited to share with you what we’ve been up to!

This term has been buzzing with excitement and achievement in our 4/5 class! During Education Week, we celebrated some outstanding accomplishments. Congratulations to Maddyn, who took home the top spot in the spelling bee, and to William, who triumphed in the Stage 2 maths competition. Joe and Charlie also made us proud as they represented our class with great enthusiasm in these events.

We are thrilled to welcome Mackenzie as the newest member of our classroom community. She will be working with us on Tuesdays and Wednesdays as part of our SLSO team, bringing her energy and support to our learning environment.

In English, our class has been diving deep into various aspects of reading, writing, and spelling. We’ve been focusing on enhancing our reading comprehension skills by exploring different genres of literature, from adventure stories to informational texts. Each student has been encouraged to select books that challenge them, and we’ve been working on identifying the main ideas, making inferences, and summarising what we’ve read. Our guided reading sessions have been particularly exciting, where small groups discuss themes, character motivations, and plot developments, fostering a love for reading and critical thinking.

In writing, we’ve been mainly working on imaginative style writing, encouraging students to let their creativity flow. We’ve been focusing on crafting vivid descriptions, developing dynamic characters, and building intriguing plots. The students have also been practising the use of personification, dialogue, and other literary devices to enhance their storytelling. I’ve been blown away by some of the writing that the kids are producing—it's truly impressive!

Spelling has been another key area of focus. We’ve been working on expanding our vocabulary through weekly spelling lists that challenge students to learn new words and understand their meanings. The class has been engaging in various spelling activities, including word sorts, spelling games, and dictation exercises, which help reinforce spelling patterns and rules. The students are also encouraged to apply their spelling knowledge in their writing, helping to improve overall accuracy and fluency.

In Mathematics, our class has been working hard on mastering times tables, with a particular focus on fluency and speed. We’ve been engaging in daily times table challenges, where students compete in friendly competitions to see who can recall multiplication facts the quickest. This has not only helped reinforce their knowledge but also built confidence in applying these facts to more complex problems.

We’ve also delved into place value, exploring how numbers are structured and how understanding this concept is essential for more advanced mathematical operations. The students have been working on reading and writing large numbers, comparing and ordering them, and understanding the value of each digit in a number. We’ve used a variety of hands-on activities, such as place value charts and manipulatives, to help solidify these concepts. Additionally, students have been practising their skills in rounding numbers and using place value to solve problems involving addition and subtraction.

In addition to place value, the class has been exploring fractions, decimals, and percentages. We’ve been working on understanding the relationship between these concepts, comparing and ordering fractions, converting between fractions, decimals, and percentages, and solving real-world problems involving these ideas. The students have also been using visual aids, such as fraction bars and number lines, to help them grasp these concepts more concretely.

For sports, our class has been honing our skills in European handball over the past two weeks. With just one more week to go, we’ll soon be transitioning to tennis, continuing our exploration of different Olympic sports. Speaking of the Olympics, our class has been fully immersed in the spirit of the Games. We’ve been keeping track of the Australian medal tally each day, watching some thrilling highlights, and completing a unit of work on Olympic values and Australian Olympians. The students have been “Olympic Madd,” demonstrating great interest and engagement with the world of sports and competition. We have lots of Olympic experts in our room, with Joe being particularly excited to share his extensive Olympic knowledge.

In addition to all this, our class has been continuing with their Genius Hour projects. Ali has been dazzling us with a penguin fact each day, which has quickly become a highlight of our mornings. Patrick has been working on a project related to his exciting holiday coming up, and William and Bradlee have created some Pokémon cards featuring our classroom’s students and staff (with their permission), which has been a fun and creative endeavour for everyone.

Some of our Year 5 students have continued their visits to the Bee Centre in preparation for their buddy roles in Year 6 next year. Speaking of Year 6, I see lots of potential leaders in our classroom, and I’m excited to see how these leadership qualities continue to develop.

As we continue through the term, we’re excited to see how our skills develop, both on the field and in the classroom. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me via email at matthew.rowley12@det.nsw.edu.au.

Primary

Well, the Olympics has come and gone – and what a time it was! We all enjoyed a focus on Sport and PDHPE that tied in with Paris 2024, and we certainly found some time to watch highlights in class of the many medals that Australia won. What an inspiration and a celebration of the whole world coming together.

A great bunch of Year 3-4 students travelled to Harden this week for the annual Trent Barrett Shield. It was a fantastic day, with all students showing excellent manners and sportsmanship. Players of the day were Harper Mayne with 8 tries, Digby Merriman with 7 tries and Finn Coate with a whopping 16 tries. Great fun had by all involved – how good is rugby league!

We are currently exploring a number of different options for our 2024 Primary excursion. Unfortunately, the cost of excursions continues to rise like most other things - and we are working hard to come up with an exciting, educational and fun excursion, however we also must prioritise affordability and logistics in planning it. More information will be released as soon as it is planned. We are aiming for late term 4 (November/December).

Thanks to all parents, grandparents and special friends that attended Education Week festivities. It was a sensational week, and a special shout-out to Mrs Crokett and the Library staff for creating such a great space. Well done to Spelling Bee, Art Comp and Maths Challenge participants too!

Unfortunately, there seems to be a significant rise in the amount of behavioural incidents we are dealing with involving language and generally mean behaviour. Whilst the large majority of our students treat each other kindly and with respect, a very small proportion are choosing not to at times. Please assist our school by reinforcing general respect and kindness towards others at home. All students deserve to be safe, be happy and to enjoy school, and we are encouraging others to support students that may be targeted at times.

If you require any additional information or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email: jason.stuart3@det.nsw.edu.au

Jason Stuart

Assistant Principal Primary (Relieving)

5/6 Classroom

The year 5/6 class have begun new units in English and Mathematics this fortnight. In English we are writing book reviews on the Kingdom Trilogy by Rob Ryan – analysing the connections that authors make with readers. In Maths, we have begun a daily focus on maths mentals, as we know how important this is. We continue to do daily revision of multiplication facts, as they are helping with our lesson focus on multiplication, factors and multiples. In Science we are studying power plants, and how electricity is generated. In PDHPE we are continuing our PE focus and have been starting to learn European Handball as a sport – serious fun!

As always, please get in touch if you require any further information: Jason.stuart3@det.nsw.edu.au

Jason Stuart

5/6 Class Teacher

Assistant Principal Primary (Relieving)

P&C