Greetings from Shaun

Curriculum Day

While students enjoyed an extra sleep-in last week, teachers worked with literacy consultant Riss Leung in a follow-up session to build on the learning we began earlier this year, focusing on key areas of the Big 6 of Literacy.

We revisited phonics and high-frequency words, discussing how to teach these consistently and effectively across the school. We also explored fluency, emphasising that it’s not just about reading quickly, but reading accurately and with expression to convey meaning.

Vocabulary was a major focus, especially helping students distinguish between similar words like glance, stare, and glare, using word gradients. This supports students to understand subtle differences and use words more precisely in their writing.

We also spent time on spelling, looking at how students develop word knowledge through understanding how words are formed (morphology), written (orthography), and their origins (etymology). One example we explored was the prefix dis-, which means “not” or “opposite” and appears in words like disagree or disappear, and disconnect. Helping students notice these patterns in words, supports both spelling and comprehension.

A recurring theme throughout the day was the importance of talk. We discussed the idea that meaningful conversations help students think critically, build their vocabulary and help them to find their voice as readers and writers.

It was a productive day that sparked some really valuable discussions and we’re excited to apply what we’ve learned across the school in the coming terms.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Thank you to all the families who attended our parent-teacher interviews this week. These conversations play such a key role in strengthening the partnership between home and school. 

A big thank you also to our teachers for their time, preparation and commitment to each child’s learning. 

Curriculum Overviews 

Our teachers have put together curriculum overviews for each year level, outlining the key learning areas for the term ahead. These are included in this issue, please take a moment to read through them to see what your child’s class will be focusing on this term. 

If you have any follow-up questions, please speak to your child’s classroom teacher. For questions about the specialist program, you’re welcome to make a time to speak with the relevant specialist teacher.

Landscaping

Thanks for your patience as our landscaping and playground works continue. Due to the recent wet weather and illness among the crew, the project is running slightly behind schedule. 

We’re currently waiting on final sign-off from the playground audit to confirm whether we can open the Helen Street playground at the northern end of the school. Once open, students will be able to use the new play equipment and space, but the trees, plants, and shrubs will be added later (you'll notice the big metal hoops looking sad and lonely, waiting for the plants to go in).

The southern end of the school grounds, where the junior playground is located, is still a couple of weeks away from completion and we will keep you updated as the works continue. 

The kitchen garden area will remain out of bounds for a little while longer. Once the full landscaping project is finished, we’ll take stock of where things are at and begin planning our next steps for that space, particularly when our auction-the- auction funds from the Fete become available.

Take care,

Shaun.