Prep Update

Gallery Image — Prep A-Ms Wickremasinghe

Welcome Back to Term 4!

Welcome back to Term 4! We hope everyone had a lovely break and that the children have settled back into their routines at home as well as they have at school.

It is hard to believe we are already in our final term of Prep! The year has gone so quickly, and it is already a little emotional to think that soon we will be saying goodbye to our little superstars as they get ready for Year 1.

We are incredibly proud of how much every child has grown in their own way — socially, emotionally and academically. They have returned to school like little professionals and are showing a wonderful understanding of our Hillsmeade values of Kindness, Resilience and Respect.

The Fairytale Fiasco was a great success and the kids loved dressing up and participating in it as different characters. It was a great opportunity for them to be imaginiative and exlore what a fairytale means and how fun they can be.

As our Prep students have now been at school for almost a year, we are encouraging them to take more responsibility for their belongings and daily routines as they prepare for Year 1.

We would really appreciate your support in helping your child become more independent with remembering to bring their reader bag on their allocated day and return their library books by the due date.

We also encourage families to continue packing healthy lunchboxes with limited wrappers and packaging, supporting our school’s commitment to sustainability and helping our students learn to care for their environment.

These small routines are a wonderful way to build independence, responsibility and confidence as our Preps get ready for Year 1. We have lots of exciting learning and wonderful experiences ahead in Term 4, and we cannot wait to enjoy this very special final term of Prep together!

Our Learning - Term 4 Weeks

In English, students will: learn to read and write Stage 6 digraphs. identify and say first, middle and final sounds in different words. segment and blend learnt and unfamiliar words to create short sentences with independence. identify compound words and contraction words. continue to punctuate sentences including question marks and exclamation marks. continue to identify and use adjectives, nouns and verbs in their own sentences. begin to explore and create their own narrative sentences and texts. make predictions, text to self-connections and text to text-connections in different fairy-tales. identify characters, settings, problems, solutions, actions and consequences in different fairy-tale stories.
In Maths, students will: review addition and subtraction strategies previously learnt. review and practice place value of 2-digit numbers. explore the concept of division through equal sharing and grouping.
In Inquiry, students will: observe features of toys. learn about different materials used to make toys. create their own toys using different materials. explain the purpose of the choices they make.
In SEL, students will: solve problems by thinking, talking and helping each other. learn how to include others andhelp everyone feel welcome. further develop their understanding and practice of kindness in different settings.

News and Reminders:

Week 5: Monday 2nd November. There will not be any official classes running. Staff will be in professional learning, however supervision will be offered if your child needs to attend.
Week 5: Tuesday 3rd November. Melbourne Cup Public holiday.
Week 6: Friday 13th November: The Colour Explosion Fun Run!
Readers. Please continue to support your child by reading with them each day. As they learn new letters, sounds and words, regular practice helps build their confidence and improve their reading skills. Please ensure that when you read, you record this in their phonics books. This helps your child's teacher to acknowledge, celebrate and support your child's development further.
Library books. Remember to return library books on your child's library day.
Stay Updated on Your Child’s Learning. Please check Compass regularly to see information about your child’s assessments and progress. Compass also keeps you informed about important events and any changes at school.