Prep Term 3 Overview

Prep 2025 Term Three Overview

“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” - Psalm 39:7

Welcome to Semester 2, Term 3

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break and enjoyed some special time with their child, if possible.It’s been so lovely to welcome the Preps back for Term 3, they’ve come in full of energy and excited to jump back into their learning!

A big well done to all the students for being part of our school production. It was such a fun and joyful show, and the kids did a great job on stage!

Important Notes

Seesaw Engagement

Please ensure you are connected to your child's Seesaw profile. Seesaw can be accessed via the app or website using the email link that was sent at the beginning of the year. I regularly upload photos of special events and share updates on your child’s individual learning journey. It’s a fantastic way to stay connected and see what your child is working on throughout the term. For any parents who are not yet connected, I will be re-sending the invitation link via email—please check your junk folder if you don’t see it in your inbox.

Slippers

To help keep feet warm during winter, students are welcome to bring slippers to wear inside the classroom. If your child would like to keep a pair at school, please practise putting them on and off at home. Slippers will be stored in their bag tub and can stay at school until the end of term.

Parent Helpers

We warmly welcome parent helpers in the Prep classroom, especially to support our daily reading program. If you’re available on a regular day each week, please let me know. All helpers are required to have a current Working with Children Check. If you don’t have one yet, feel free to contact me and I can guide you through the process.

Kindly continue to check your child’s Reader Bag regularly for important notices or communication from the school office.

Religious Education & Inquiry

We’re excited to share that our school has been invited to take part in a trial of new Religious Education units currently being developed for schools across the Archdiocese of Melbourne. This is a valuable opportunity for our students to engage in rich, meaningful learning and to contribute to shaping the future of Religious Education.

This term, students will continue to explore deeper into the unit Images of God, where they will reflect on how God is portrayed in the Bible and how we can experience God in the world around us, through people, nature, and loving actions. This unit encourages students to make personal connections with their faith and develop a deeper understanding of God's presence in their everyday lives. Further information about this exciting initiative will be shared with families throughout the term.

History

This term in Inquiry, we have begun exploring our personal histories by looking at the significance of our family names, where we were born and the roles and structures within our families. We will continue to learn about how families can be similar or different, how they change over time, and the special ways we celebrate important events together. To celebrate all of our amazing learning, we will finish the term with a whole-school learning exposition where students will proudly present their final family history projects.

Literacy

This term in Literacy, our Prep students will begin their very first novel study! They’ll explore four engaging fiction picture storybooks to help them understand and respond to what they hear and read, while learning new vocabulary connected to each story.

This term, to begin we’ll be focusing on: Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees.

Students will continue to take part in daily literacy reviews, answer comprehension questions to check their understanding, and practise putting their ideas into complete sentences. They'll also begin learning the difference between a full sentence and a sentence fragment in a simple, age-appropriate way, and will practise accurate letter formation using dotted thirds.

We’ll continue using our phonics program and cued articulation strategies to support reading and writing a variety of words and simple sentences. Heart Words (those tricky words that don’t follow regular spelling patterns) will be practised both at school and at home to help build reading confidence and fluency. These will now be uploaded weekly for families to access online via Seesaw, instead of being sent home on paper in students’ reader bags, to assist us in staying committed to being a sustainable and environmentally conscious school.

Please continue to allow your child to bring in a special item or photo for Show and Tell — this can also be emailed to me if preferred.

Mathematics

To begin the term, we’ll be celebrating a very exciting milestone — 100 Days of Prep! This special event provides the perfect opportunity to explore the number 100 in a fun and meaningful way, helping students deepen their understanding of place value and counting.

Throughout the rest of the term in Mathematics, the Preps will continue to build on their foundational skills and revisit key concepts. This includes addition and subtraction using hands-on materials, measurement (length, mass, and capacity), and early multiplication ideas through grouping and sharing. These experiences will be supported through daily Maths routines such as review activities, lesson content, and small group tasks tailored to student needs.

Social & Emotional Learning

This term, with the support of the Resilience Project Hub, the Preps are beginning to build stronger friendships and are settling well into school routines and expectations. As part of our Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), students will be reflecting on the people and friendships they are grateful for, learning how to listen actively to others, and recognising and managing their emotions. They will continue to track their mood each week using colours to express how they’re feeling, providing valuable insight into their emotional wellbeing. When extreme emotions are flagged, 1:1 conversations are held with students to support them in identifying and understanding these feelings. I will ensure to communicate with parents if I have any concerns about the moods being regularly tracked by their child. This ongoing learning will help build emotional awareness, empathy, and resilience in our classroom community.

Important Dates:

• Wednesday, 30 July - 100 Days of Prep
• Tuesday, 5 August - Health - Excursion to the Dentist
• Week 4 - National Science Week
• Monday, 11 August - Whole School Book Week Incursion
• Tuesday, 12 August - School Closure Day - Staff Professional Development
• Friday, 15 August - Feast of the Assumption Mass 10am
• Monday, 19 August - Book Week Parade 9am - Students Dress Up
• Thursday, 21 August - Student-led Conferences 
• SATURDAY, 23 August - St John's Parents Major Social Event - 7pm 
• Tuesday, 2 September - Prep Class Mass, 10 am
• Friday, 5 September - Fathers Day Breakfast
• Wednesday, 10 September - Whole school Inquiry Expo 2:20 - 3:20 pm
• Week 9 - STEM Week
• Friday, 19 September - Footy Day
• Friday, 19 September - Last Day of Term 3 (free dress day) - Students finish early at 1pm

Specialist Timetable

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s learning. I also value hearing about the positive learning experiences your child shares at home, as it’s a wonderful way to celebrate their progress together. I am looking forward to continuing to support and engage your children in meaningful and exciting learning opportunities throughout the term.

With faith and love,

Cara Woolley

Prep Teacher

cwoolley@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au