Primary News

Encouragement Goes A Long Way

Navigating change and embracing new beginnings often evokes a spectrum of emotions, from exhilarating wonder to cautious apprehension. Yet, amidst this whirlwind, the warmth and acceptance I've encountered within our Bayside community have been truly uplifting. Transitioning from one community to another is never without its challenges — adapting to new faces, procedures, and the unique ethos of Bayside. However, what has made this transition remarkably smooth is the unwavering encouragement and support from those around me.

Parents have extended kind gestures through affirming emails and engaging conversations, while our dedicated staff have exemplified boundless patience, love, and assistance. The genuine enthusiasm and heartfelt interactions from your children, expressed through smiles, high-fives, and delightful drawings, have been a constant source of joy and inspiration. At the heart of our primary school lies the motto encapsulated in 1 Thessalonians 5:11: "We encourage and build each other up." This guiding principle isn't just a slogan; it's a lived reality within our community.

My hope and prayer is that collectively, we will dedicate ourselves to nurturing a community where support, encouragement, and acceptance flourish abundantly. May each individual experience a heartfelt welcome and be uplifted by the presence of this community.

Mrs Danielle Lupi, Head of Primary

Looking ahead…

Primary Assembly: Friday, February 23rd and March 22nd. All parents are welcome. The assembly starts promptly at 2:30 PM in the Primary Gymnasium.

Preps: Our Preps will have their final scheduled rest day next Wednesday. They will also remain at home on Wednesday, March 6th, due to Parent-Teacher Conferences. Starting March 13th, they will attend school on Wednesdays.

New Parents’ Dinner: Join us for dinner on Thursday, February 29th, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM in the Primary Gymnasium (South Campus). This is an opportunity to meet and connect with staff and other parents.

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Our teachers are excited to celebrate and collaborate with you for the wellbeing and education of your children. Please schedule a time for a face-to-face meeting on Tuesday, March 5th, from 3:40 PM to 7:00 PM or for an online meeting on Wednesday, March 6th, from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

Student-Free Day: All students will remain at home on Wednesday, March 6th, due to Parent-Teacher conferences.

Athletics Carnival: You're invited to watch your child or volunteer at the Primary Athletics on Friday, March 8th. Please sign in at administration before heading to the track.

Labour Day Holiday: The college will be closed on Monday, March 11th.

Whole School Assembly: Tuesday, March 12th, in the Secondary Gym starting at 9:00 AM. All families are welcome.

Primary Division Swimming: Tuesday, March 12th, for selected competing students.

NAPLAN: Commences from Wednesday, March 13th, to Friday, March 15th.

Community Market: Our first Community Market for 2024 will be on Thursday, March 14th, from 3:15 PM to 4:15 PM. Everyone is welcome to join in the festivities and support our community.

Swimming Program: The Prep to Year 2 swimming program will run from Monday, March 18th, to Friday, March 22nd. The Three to Six program will run from Monday, March 18th, to Thursday, March 21st.

Primary District Athletics: Friday, March 22nd, for selected students.

Grandparents’ Day: Wednesday, March 27th, is a fantastic celebration at Bayside. All year levels celebrate from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM in their classrooms. Refreshments and scones will be served in the Primary staffroom afterwards until 10:45 AM. All grandparents and special friends are welcome to join us.

Finish Term 1: Thursday, March 28th, at 2:30 PM.

NAPLAN: What's It All About?

NAPLAN, the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy, serves as a standardised test for Mathematics and English in Australia, introduced in its current form in 2010.

Administered annually, NAPLAN assesses students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9. Additionally, Bayside Christian College utilises Allwell Testing to gain insights into students in Years 2, 4, and 6, aiming to tailor learning approaches to individual needs.

NAPLAN tests should never be a source of stress or concern. They offer merely a snapshot of a student's understanding on a particular day and can be influenced by various factors such as illness, distractions, or misinterpretations. 

Teachers do not recommend prior study or preparation. NAPLAN is a standardised test that assesses a specific set of skills and may not fully reflect a student's overall ability or progress. It is used as a marker by which parents and students can gauge the student's progression. Teachers do not use NAPLAN results in their assessment and reporting of students. Teachers gather such data from multiple and diverse sources over time. 

Over the past decade, NAPLAN has provided invaluable data used by parents, schools, governments, and researchers to track student progress and inform educational policies, resource allocation, curriculum planning, and intervention programs.

It's essential to understand that NAPLAN does not evaluate skills acquired within the current academic year but rather provides an overview of a student's overall literacy and numeracy skills. - Louise Hogarty (Primary NAPLAN Leader) and Danielle Lupi (Head of Primary)

GRIP Leadership Conference

In an early morning adventure, our Year 6 Primary Student Leaders embarked on a journey to the Melbourne Exhibition Centre on Monday, February 12th. Joining 2000 enthusiastic peers at the GRIP Leadership Conference, our leaders embraced a day filled with cheers, games, and smiles. Immersed in an atmosphere of inspiration, they explored leadership strategies and discovered innovative ways to implement their creative ideas. 

From catching the train to connecting with friends from other schools, our students embraced every moment of this enriching experience. The day concluded as a resounding success, leaving everyone with newfound knowledge and memories to cherish. A truly fun-filled and educational day for our aspiring leaders!

P-2 Learning Focus

Students in Prep-2 are laying the foundations for their educational journey. These crucial early years nurture not only academic growth  but also help cultivate qualities such as confidence, patience, resilience and the understanding that it is OK to make mistakes. We aim to develop curiosity and instil a love of learning that will grow throughout their years of schooling and beyond.

In Prep we are focusing on sharing knowledge regarding the fruits of the spirit. Through devotions, song and classroom activities children are learning the different traits that are pleasing to God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  - Galatians 5:22-23

Galatians directs and inspires our students to demonstrate the fruits of the spirit both inside and outside the classroom. We acknowledge and celebrate moments where these virtues shine through, fostering a culture of kindness, compassion, and support throughout the college.

The Year 1/2 classes are specifically focusing on two of our Bayside Way characteristics: Maximising Learning and Responsibility. We are encouraging the students to take pride in their work and celebrate the effort they put in, remembering that sometimes we are faced with challenges we can’t solve “YET” but with patience and perseverance we can achieve great things. Teachers are reinforcing the understanding that God calls us to do our best.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. - Colossians 3:23

As educators, we are committed to nurturing responsible individuals who take ownership of their actions, words, and learning journeys. We seek to guide children to make good choices that reflect the beautiful hearts that God has given them. The routines outlined in class strive to build positive habits that will remain with the students throughout their school years.

Start children off on the way they should go,and even when they are old they will not turn from it. - Proverbs 22:6

Our students are developing a sense of teamwork, learning to look out for, encourage and support one another. Through a blend of storytelling, playful activities and focused learning tasks, students are given the opportunity to both gain knowledge and embrace the joy of success. -  Prep- Year 2 Teaching Team

What I'm Grateful...

"I am grateful for God and kind teachers." - Gilbert Burns 1/2T 

"I am thankful for Bayside because there is God with you and because of PE." - Millie Slater 1/2T

"I am thankful for my friends to play with and the library to read ‘Ella and Oliva’ books." - Charlotte Osborne 1/2J 

"I am thankful for Mrs Johnson because she taught me to use big, amazing and inspiring words. I am thankful for Mrs Lupi because she taught me to say a very long name – Tikki Tikki Tembo." - Emelia Misso 1/2J

"I am thankful for the resources and wonderful teachers. I especially love the library because of all the brilliant books." - Noah Misso 3/4K

"I am thankful for art because we get to have fun with the things God has created." - Alexis Engelbrecht 3/4K

"I am grateful for opportunities to do sports and activities. Some schools don’t have these many facilities." - Poppy Wheeler 5/6W

"I am grateful for the school production, my family and my school friends because they support me." - Benny Ogley 5/6W

"I am thankful for the playground because I can have fun playing there with my friends." - Xavier Clark Prep M

"I am thankful for my teacher because she helps me when I am hurt or sad." - Olivia Popa Prep M

"I am thankful for how I get to go to this amazing school because everyone is kind, there are great teachers, and I’m already learning so, so much, and it’s only been a couple of weeks!" - Sammi Gorrie  3/4C 

"I like the teachers because they want you to work hard and do your best. They want you to be the best version of yourself." - Kupa Nyatsanza Grade 3/4C

"I love that there is always a loving and caring environment wherever you are on the school grounds." - Hayley Bowes 5/6P 

"I love the teachers and friendships here at Bayside, and everyone is so kind to each other. Everyone shows the Bayside Way, and if you are lonely or upset, there are always people around to help you." - Kelsey Slater 5/6P

"What I am thankful for at Bayside are my mates, my teachers and PE. I feel like I am in safe hands." - Jaxon Murgana 5/6P

"I am thankful for all the teachers because they (including my mum) teach us really cool things. I love P.E. It is my FAVOURITE because of the swimming carnival. If you didn’t already know, Mrs Lupi is new to this school. She is very NICE! All of our teachers are!" - Caleb Kidney 3/4T

"I am thankful for how the teachers teach us because I see maths as boring, but my teacher will make it fun. I love Mrs. Chester because she will always be joyful, fun, helpful and always thinking of God. Mr.Klan is fun and sporty. The thing that I love about him is that it is never cold for him. If someone whines to him about the cold, nope, jackets are still off. Mrs Healey is the best helper in the world." - Alice Fisher 3/4T

"I am thankful for a classroom, and teachers teach me every day. I'm thankful for teachers who plan fun lessons." - Alexa Olori 1/2N

"I am thankful for the playground because it is fun, and I really like playing tag with my friends." - Joshua VanNamen 1/2N

"I am grateful for Maths because I like learning about the tens frame." - Ben Pluke Prep B 

"I am grateful for the library because there are a lot of books." - Indie Woods Prep B 

"I am grateful for a loving family that can support me and my needs, like going to a Christian school with great learning and friends. I am grateful that Bayside has an amazing basketball community to play with on the weekends."  - Micah Dawson 5/6H

"I am grateful for the Bayside teachers because they help me learn and teach me things, especially if I don't understand something. I always know they will be there to help me. I am also grateful for being able to participate in school events such as athletics day and the swimming carnival." - Jewel Sinanaj 5/6H

Connecting Cultures Through Language: Why Learning Indonesian Matters

 At Bayside, fostering the growth of our children involves acknowledging the deep importance of learning Indonesian, which aligns with our Christian values. Jesus emphasised in Mark 12:30-31 the importance of loving God and our neighbours, making understanding Indonesia's language and culture a tangible expression of this biblical commandment.

Learning Indonesian not only broadens cultural horizons but also enhances literacy skills. Through language study, students delve into grammatical structures, heightening awareness of language nuances and strengthening English proficiency.

Furthermore, once children grasp basic language skills, they are better equipped to tackle learning other additional languages later in life, opening doors to endless opportunities for their personal and professional growth.

Parental involvement is crucial. Engage with your child about their language journey. Here are the topics they will explore this semester:

• Prep: Greetings, introductions, geography through games and stories.
• Year 1/2: Days of the week, fruits, responding to yes/no questions.
• Year 3/4: Using dictionaries, describing animals and habitats.
• Year 5/6: Leisure activities and hobbies. 
• Starting from week 6, students in Year 5/6 will practice new words using Quizlet. 
• They may continue using Quizlet at home or explore non-school affiliated apps like Duolingo for further learning.

 I'm thrilled to see our students excited about Indonesian language and culture, and I look forward to partnering with you on this journey.

Best wishes,

 Ibu Newton (Mrs. Newton)

Primary District Swimming 

Our Years 3 to 6 students showcased their swimming prowess at the District Swimming Competition on February 21st. Despite the early start, with races beginning at 7 am, our athletes excelled in Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Butterfly events. With perfect weather conditions, 19 degrees Celsius at 7 am and a comfortable water temperature of 17 degrees, our students gave their best.

Congratulations to all participants! Results will be released soon, with many students hoping to qualify for the Division Swimming event on March 12th. A big thank you to parents, carers and supporters for their unwavering encouragement. Go Bayside! - Mr Zacc Klan, Primary PE Teacher

Jogging club has Begun!

Calling all students and parents! Bayside's Jogging Club for 2024 is off to a fantastic start. Whether you're a seasoned runner, a leisurely walker, or even if you prefer skipping or crawling, everyone is invited to join us for some healthy fun!

Every Friday morning before school from 8:15 to 8:45 am, lace up your sneakers and join us for laps around the oval. It's a great way to kickstart your day with some exercise and fresh air.

And that's not all! For students who can't make it on Fridays, we've got you covered. Join us on Mondays during the first half of lunch, from 12:50 to 1:20 pm, for more jogging club fun.

So whether you want to run, walk, push a pram, skip, or even crawl, come join us and be a part of the Jogging Club excitement at Bayside. See you there! - Mr Zacc Klan, Primary PE Teacher

Bayside Raiders Basketball

Bayside Raiders Basketball teams are being organised now for the winter season. Please contact Ulli  if you have a child who hasn't previously played, or a new sibling who would like to play. Raiders are offering basketball teams from Prep all the way to Seniors (Year 12), and are hoping to start a U8 girls team (Prep and Year 1). We are also in need of U12 girls interested in playing!

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