Prep
Dear Prep Students and Families,
The Prep team is excited to share the progress and learning highlights from the past two weeks. Our students continue to demonstrate a passion for learning as they engage with new concepts in Literacy, Writing, Phonics, and Mathematics. We are pleased to witness their growth and enthusiasm in the classroom.
Full Time School!
Over the past weeks, our Prep students have settled in, making friends and building foundational skills. February assessments on Wednesdays provided valuable insights for planning. Starting Monday, March 3, our Preps began school full-time. Teachers planned engaging lessons, and parents can support by maintaining routines and offering encouragement. We’re proud of our students and excited for their continued growth!
Buddies
Our Buddies Program plays a crucial role at Saltwater College, helping to create a strong sense of community where students feel valued, supported, and connected. This initiative not only helps Prep students transition into school life but also provides leadership opportunities for our older students. Through structured activities like the one described below, the program fosters positive relationships, kindness, and mentorship across year levels.
The Prep students had their first Buddy session with the Grade 6 students, where they had the opportunity to meet and build positive relationships through a variety of fun activities. The session began with a warm welcome and an introduction to their buddy, followed by an icebreaker activity where they interviewed each other and learned more about one another.
The students then enjoyed shared storytime, with the Grade 6 buddies reading a picture book to their Prep buddy. This was followed by a creative "Buddy Portrait" activity, where each pair drew portraits of each other and included kind messages.
The session concluded with a reflection, where students shared what they learned about their buddy, and each pair received a "Buddy Promise" to remind them of their commitment to kindness, fun, and support throughout the year.
Reading
Over the past two weeks, our Prep students have continued to enjoy and participate in both Independent and Guided Reading. This time has been dedicated to further developing their reading strategies and building confidence in their ability to decode and comprehend text. We have placed a strong emphasis on Read Aloud sessions, where students engage in shared readings with the teacher. During these sessions, we model various strategies to strengthen their reading skills. These strategies include making predictions, stretching out words, and revising previously learned reading strategies.
The Prep students have been exposed to the ‘STRETCH’ strategy, which builds on the previously learned strategies of ‘Look’ and ‘Get Your Mouth Ready’. This new strategy allows students to consolidate their learning and showcases their growing phonemic awareness.
Writing
In Writing, Prep students have been focusing on creating simple sentences that help them express their ideas clearly and effectively. Students have been practising how to construct basic sentences following good writer strategies such as starting with a capital letter, leaving spaces between words, and using punctuation correctly.
They have also continued to explore the IB Learner Attributes of being ‘Open-minded’, ‘Knowledgeable’, ‘Reflective’, and a ‘Thinker’ through various Mentor Texts. These attributes are crucial in helping students become reflective, knowledgeable, and open-minded writers.
In their Special Writing Books, students have written sentences using the high-frequency words ‘is’ and ‘of’. This familiar writing task has increased their confidence in writing and set them up for continued success. We encourage students to re-read these sentences at home to not only proudly share their learning but also to consolidate what they have learned and provide an opportunity for developing their reading skills.
Students have also been practicing writing retells, sharing their thoughts and feelings about the characters and events in sequential order. This has helped deepen their comprehension of the narratives.
Phonics
Our Phonics lessons have continued with a focus on grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPC), ensuring that students connect sounds with the correct letters for both reading and spelling. This fortnight, we’ve been working with the letters m, d, g, o, c, and f. In addition to these sounds, we’ve also been revising the high-frequency words ‘is’ and ‘of’. These simple, high-frequency words are crucial in supporting early reading and writing skills, and the revision ensures students are mastering these fundamental components of the English language.
Mathematics
In Mathematics, the focus has been on Trusting the Count and Data. The Prep cohort has been introduced to the basics of data collection and representation. Students have engaged in interactive activities where they gathered data from their peers and represented it on simple charts such as Yes/No tables and pictographs. These activities encouraged students to count using hands-on materials, strengthening their understanding of how data can be organised and displayed. This introduction to data was an exciting way for students to make connections between mathematics and the world around them.
In addition, our Prep students have been exploring number recognition by recognising and naming the number of objects within a collection. This concept is being reinforced through subitising, the ability to instantly recognise the number of items in a group without counting them one by one. By engaging with hands-on activities that encourage counting and subitising, students have been developing their understanding of numbers and strengthening their foundational math skills.
Wellbeing
Over the past two weeks, Prep students have had the chance to learn how to demonstrate Ready to Learn behaviours and strategies to express emotions through body language.
Our Prep students have developed an understanding of our school matrix and how it links with the IB Learner Profile attributes. Students understand that the attributes of being Principled, Caring, and a Risk-taker contribute to having a ‘Ready to Learn’ mindset. They have been able to form connections with the Zones of Regulation and the Ready to Learn Matrix.
In addition, students have been given opportunities to identify different emotions and express them using healthy body language. Identifying emotions is an essential skill for Prep students in developing their emotional and social literacy. Students have enjoyed participating in interactive, fun games in class to develop their knowledge of emotional regulation and build relationships with their peers.
Thank You for Your Support.
We continue to be grateful for the positive and collaborative partnership we have with our families. Your support at home ensures our students feel encouraged and confident in their learning journey. We look forward to more exciting learning adventures with our Prep cohort in the weeks ahead!
Reminders
Satchels: Please ensure your child brings their satchel every day to school.
Spare Clothes: A reminder to pack a spare set of clothes for your child.
iPads: Prep students will begin using iPads in Term Two. Further details regarding configuration will be sent soon.
Hats are to be worn when outside from August to April. Please ensure to put sunscreen on your child before arriving at school. We are unable to apply sunscreen on children, please practise this task with your child.
Snack and lunch times are 20 minutes long. Please encourage your child to eat their snack/lunch within a 20 minute period, as this will help them to follow school routine
Warm regards,
The Prep Team