Congratulations to our year 3/4 campers and our 5/6 campers (as I write this 5/6s are currently at Phillip Island). We had a fabulous time with the 3/4s at Toolangi, it was jam packed with fabulous activities with everyone choosing their challenge level and discovering that they really could put their brave in front and try new things. The staff at Toolangi are always happy to welcome LPS back which is an absolute credit to our students and staff.

Term 2 Curriculum Days

This term we have two upcoming curriculum days in term 2.

Tuesday 11th June is a professional practice day for teachers and this is a pupil free day. Friday 28th of June we will be holding our Mid Year Parent/Teacher/Student conferences (this is the final day of term 2). This is also a pupil free day however students are expected to attend interview with parents/carers. You will be informed via Compass when bookings will be available for conferences.

Mid Year student reports will be available on Compass on Wednesday 26th of June.

Winter Illness

Already we have had a sharp increase of viruses sweep through the school this term with many students and staff being hit hard with Covid, the flu and an assortment of other nasty bugs. We really appreciate you keeping us well informed if your child/ren is unwell and keeping them home until they no longer display symptoms, this considerate practice really does help keep others well and safe. Please continue to practise and enforce good hygiene habits with your children. Washing hands after visiting the bathroom, before eating and after blowing noses or touching mouths are constant reminders at school. All classes have a supply of hand sanitiser and utilise air purifiers but good old fashioned hand washing is our best defence at school.

School Uniform and Winter

During the past couple of weeks we have seen a real change in the weather with some very cold mornings and now more wintery type conditions. Please ensure that your child/ren are dressed appropriately in winter school uniform. Unless the weather is particularly inclement, break times are spent outside during the day to play, meet up with friends and burn off lots of energy. Students must be dressed warmly which includes a jacket. Please make sure all uniform items are clearly named, especially jumpers/bomber jackets which are often taken off during play and PE sessions. We end up with a ridiculous amount of lost property each week most of which of is not named. This is circulated back into our second hand uniform stock once we have attempted to locate the owner. A reminder that LPS does have a school uniform policy and it is our expectation that students wear our uniform everyday. Football jumpers and other branded hoodies are not schooI uniform. If you have any concerns about purchasing uniform pieces please contact the office staff, we can help.

School Council

At our recent meeting, School Council endorsed the Lancefield Primary 2023 Annual Report and our updated Child Safe Policy. Both of these will be available to read on our school website at the beginning of week 7 of term 2. School Council has also approved a School Disco event for our students. With many thanks to the generosity of one of our families, our disco will take place during term 3 on Friday 30th of August in two sessions, one for P/1/2 classes and one for 3/4/5/6 students. We will keep you informed of times and more information closer to the date.

Do you know why we do this at LPS? ... Explaining decodable books and reading

Here is some information for parents and carers to explain why we choose to use decodable books and why these are important for students reading development.

Decodable books are those which have been selected to allow children to practise decoding using the sound-spelling correspondences that they have already been taught. Decodable books can be described as phonically controlled books. These books provide necessary opportunities for children to practise the skills they have learned without constantly encountering words that force them to guess or seek assistance. It can be easy for adults to forget just how frustratingly difficult the initial steps of reading can be for children, particularly those who may struggle. They give children a taste of success and crucially this success comes as a result of using new skills rather than resorting to picture clues or whole word guessing. Children then need to be gradually introduced to text that contains more unfamiliar sound-spelling.

Does this mean children should only experience decodable books in their early years? Absolutely not. It is essential children are read to and engage in rich discussions of texts at their very beginning of school. Equally parents and carers certainly have a positive impact on learning by reading to their children regularly at home.

Reference: "The art and science of teaching primary reading" Christopher Such ( 2021)

Child safety policy at Lancefield Primary School: information for families and the school community

The Victorian Government has announced new Child Safe Standards to further strengthen child safety across organisations, including schools. The new standards recognise the critical importance of families and the broader school community in maintaining and promoting child safety and wellbeing.

Lancefield Primary School has reviewed and updated our child safety policy and procedures to ensure they meet the requirements of the new standards. These are available to view on our school website.

We are committed to continuous improvement in our approach to child safety and wellbeing and welcome feedback from families and members of our school community on ways we can further strengthen our child safety policies, procedures and practices.

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions, please contact Jo Emond (Principal).

Visual Arts