ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

Milgate Primary School would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land of the Wurundjeri People and we would like to pay our respects to the elders both past and present. Staff, students and the school community understand that we thrive, learn and live on Wurundjeri Country and we stand with all cultures united as one.

CELEBRATING FIRST NATIONS CULTURE, HISTORIES AND PEOPLE

CALENDAR

FORTNIGHTLY WOI WURRUNG WORD

Easter Raffle & Easter Hat Parade Reminder

Don’t forget to return your raffle tickets! The Easter Raffle will close on Tuesday 2nd April, with winners announced on Friday 4th April.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated and returned tickets your support is greatly appreciated!

Our much loved Fancy/Easter Hat Parade will take place on Friday 4th April at 1:30pm.

Families are welcome to come along and enjoy the fun as students show off their creative Easter hats!

We look forward to celebrating with you all!

FREE DRESS DAY - LAST DAY OF TERM

2.30pm Finish on Friday 4 April

To recognise and celebrate our students' commitment to safe behaviour and their collective achievement in filling the SWPBS Safe Container, the Year 6 Wellbeing Leaders have organised a whole-school celebration. On the final day of the term, students will enjoy a Free Dress Day and a movie session with their class. No gold coin donation is required for participation.

FUN RUN WINNERS AND DUNK THE PRINCIPALS

Our Fun Run Winner Assembly was a great way to celebrate the efforts of all participants, with a special highlight for our top fundraisers. As a reward, the winners had the chance to dunk principals and teachers, a moment that brought plenty of excitement and laughter.

A big thank you to our school community for the incredible support and generosity shown throughout the Fun Run. Thanks to your efforts, we were able to raise valuable funds towards our new playground. It was a fantastic way to come together and support a great cause.

SUPPORTING STUDENT WELLBEING

CLARA FROM ONPSYCH TO JOIN THE MILGATE TEAM

We’re pleased to share that Clara, our psychologist from onPsych, will be joining us at Milgate for an additional day each week starting next term. On this extra day, she will be employed directly by the school as part of our commitment to supporting student wellbeing. This has been made possible through Tier 2 and Mental Health funding provided by the Department of Education.

Clara will now be working at Milgate three days a week:

onPsych Days (2 days): On these days, Clara continues in her existing role as an onPsych psychologist. Families can access this service through a Mental Health Care Plan and Medicare referral. If you would like to learn more or refer your child to this service, please contact the school office or the School Leadership team.
School-Employed Day (1 day): On her additional day, Clara’s role will look a little different. She will not be working 1:1 with students. Instead, she will collaborate with the school leadership team and classroom teachers to help identify and support students with diverse learning and wellbeing needs. Her focus will be on helping teachers make appropriate classroom adjustments and ensure we’re meeting the needs of all learners.

YEAR 2 INCURSION | MALOGA ART

This week students in Year 2 participated in an 'Indigenous Art and Culture Workshop' with Shanai Kellett from Maloga Art. Students created their own unique canvas painting using knowledge shared about Aboriginal symbols and culture to communicate their own personal story.

This art workshop allowed students to experience hands-on Indigenous Australian cultural activities relating to how:

Different cultures and cultural identity can be expressed through art,
Art can be a form of communication,
The arts bring people and communities together,
Art provides us with a language to express ourselves,
Understanding patterns and shapes allows us to create.

REFLECTING AND PLANNING FOR SUCCESS IN MATHEMATICS

This week was Planning Week for teachers, a time when we come together to reflect on the progress of our Mathematics Programme of Inquiry and chart the course for the next steps. Planning Week is not just about organising lessons; it is a comprehensive process that ensures our mathematics units are purposeful, student-centered, and grounded in educational best practices.

A Clear Process for Effective Planning

When designing mathematics units, our teachers follow a structured process that begins with a focus on content. This stage involves analysing the curriculum and educational texts to identify key mathematical concepts, the progression of learning, essential ideas, skills, and vocabulary. Professional learning often supports this phase, helping teachers deepen their understanding of the mathematics involved.

Teachers reflect by asking themselves:

Do I understand the mathematics involved?
What is the progression of learning?
What are the important verbs in the curriculum?

Understanding Our Students

With a solid grasp of the content, the next focus is on student analysis. Teachers conduct carefully designed assessments to ascertain students' knowledge, skills, and effective learning. They also engage in data protocols with their team to unpack and identify the depth and breadth of knowledge across their classes.

Key reflective questions include:

What do the students currently know?
How do the students currently approach problem-solving in this context?
What are the students' current dispositions towards mathematics?
Where do the students sit along the continuum of this concept?

Establishing Clear Mathematical Goals

Next, teachers determine the purpose of the unit by setting clear mathematical goals. This ensures that students not only engage with mathematical concepts but also build a deep understanding that they can apply beyond the classroom.

Teachers ask themselves:

What do the students need to understand by the end of the unit?

Planning for Learning and Progression

Finally, teachers create a mathematical trajectory for the unit, selecting and sequencing tasks thoughtfully. They plan formative assessment methods, such as rubrics and checklists, and schedule informal moderation with their team throughout the unit to monitor students' learning outcomes.

Key reflective questions include:

How will we provide frequent opportunities for students to transfer their knowledge?
Where are the opportunities for students to progress through the inquiry cycle?

Meeting the Needs of Every Student

Our ultimate goal is to ensure that teachers have a comprehensive understanding of the many possibilities within a unit. By integrating research on how students best learn mathematical concepts and skills, we aim to meet the needs of every student in our classrooms.

Planning Week is more than a review; it is a commitment to continuous growth and improvement. Through this reflective and collaborative process, we strive to create rich mathematical experiences that empower our students to become confident, capable problem solvers.

NEW PLAYGROUND

The new Year 3 and 4 playground equipment was installed this week. The students enjoyed watching the old playground being demolished and the new equipment being installed. On Monday, the mulch will be delivered, so we are hoping the students can enjoy the new playspace before the school holidays.

LOST PROPERTY

Please contact the office if any of these items belong to you or your child. Items not collected by the end of term will be donated or disposed of.

ACHIEVER Awards

Term 1 | Week 9