Teaching and Learning 

Assessment and reporting

Term 2 Assessments

Classroom teachers have commenced their summative assessments and will continue through until the end of this week with these assessments. Data gathered by the teachers will provide information about a student’s learning in preparation for mid-year report writing and are in addition to the many types of formative assessments that teachers use each day.  

Reporting Timeline

Mid-year reports will be available to parents and carers via Compass on Friday, June 16th. An opportunity for a parent-teacher interview will be available on Wednesday, June 21st (1:30-6 pm) and Thursday, June 22nd (4-6 pm).  We have a pupil-free day on Thursday, June 1st for report writing.  Teachers are strategically working through several tasks and the assessments mentioned above to be well-prepared for reports and parent-teacher interviews, ensuring that parents have an excellent opportunity to understand their child’s progress thus far and future goals.

Bookings for parent teacher interviews will open via Compass on Monday, June 5th and will close on Tuesday, June 20th at 12:00 noon.  Further details regarding how to make those bookings will be included in next week’s newsletter.

Ballarat Young Authors’ Program

The first committee meeting of the Ballarat Young Authors’ Program was held two weeks ago. This program is offered by the Ballarat Schools Gifted and Talented Network. This year we will have approximately 20 Year 4 and 5 students participating. The launch will be held at Mt. Rowan Secondary College on June 8th, along with approximately 100 students from across various primary schools in Ballarat. The program will have at least three opportunities for the students to work with an author and other teachers from the network. The program is specifically aimed at high-abilities students within the area of writing. We look forward to working with other local schools in this program.

Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge

Don’t forget to sign up for the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge!

Teachers have provided students with their log-in details on a sticker that has been stuck in the home reading diary/student diary. Please see your child’s classroom teacher if you have any queries about logging in, or you can’t find the log in details.

Steps to follow:

1. Go to the Challenge application.
2. Select the School/Student button.
3. Select the VPRC login option.
4. Enter your username and password.
5. Select Login.

National Simultaneous Storytime -Tomorrow!

Tomorrow, Wednesday, 24th May at 11 am, it is the National Simultaneous Storytime. 

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. Now in its 23nd successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes, and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.

This year's featured book is ‘The Speedy Sloth’ by Rebecca Young.  We have registered both campuses to be involved. Check out the website HERE for further information.

Walk Safely to School Day

Last Friday morning a group of students from Prep to Grade 6 met Mrs Anderson and Mrs Phillips, along with their parents or grandparents to take part in the ‘Walk Safely to School Day’.  

Despite the gloomy weather, this small but enthusiastic group participated in a brisk walk from DeSoza Park up to the school. Along the way we took the opportunity for students to practise crossing roads safely and to build their confidence of walking to school.  

Overall, this was a fun event for all those involved and we thank the parents and grandparents who too time to support this event.