Message from

the Principal

To Our 2025 Prep Families,

What a truly special moment for all our families as your child prepares to start school. We know this time of transitioning between Kinder and school can bring about excitement and nervousness, and we hope that the information in this handbook will help you and your child to feel confident and ready to join us next year. Please know that we are only a phone call away! All students experience transition differently, and the most important thing for your child is that they feel connected, ready to form friendships and safe. We would like you to know that our school is an incredibly welcoming and supportive community, and that your child and family will be catered for in 2025. All our Preps will be part of a thriving community of learners, and at Sunshine Heights we have worked hard to ensure our Prep program is adapted to support all our learners. Here are some ways that our school will be supporting our 2024 Preps with their big Transition into school:

• The Prep teachers will be using research-based programs that support your child’s social, emotional and academic needs; including play-based learning, early immersion to develop oral language and phonological awareness, and explicit instruction in phonics and foundational maths.
• Our planning is responsive to the needs, interests and cultures of students and families. We seek to understand where our student’s next area of growth is and provide the right support to create independent learners.
• In the beginning of Term 1 2025, the Prep teachers will be meeting with all our new students to understand their developmental stage. We then address their needs in our planning and daily teaching.
• We value social and emotional learning and building strong relationships through teaching the ‘Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships’ program, we use the Zones of Regulation and also explore Open Parachute, a pro-active and research-based mental health program.
• We build students’ Literacy and Numeracy skills through play and exploration.
• Our school has deep and ongoing relationships with parents, and you will be communicated with regularly on how your child is going.

Our transition program is designed to give you time to meet our teachers, ask questions as a parent, and to allow your child to feel confident as they enter our school community. As a school we will use a range of communication channels to stay in touch. You will receive an invitation to connect to Compass, our student management app, which includes a calendar, news updates and events information.

You can feel comfortable that your child will be safe and supported at our school in 2025, and we will help them and you to feel ‘school ready!’

Best wishes,

David Suter