News from the Learning Community
Prep
This week ACS has welcomed 87 new Preps! It has been a busy week, with some of our students coming in for their Prep testing hours on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and our official first day on Thursday. While there were a few tears at the door on Thursday (mainly from our families/carers!), it didn't take long before we were settled within our new classrooms. We met our teachers and made new friends. Our learning focus has been on school routines.
In Prep, our signals to stop and listen to the teacher are hearing three chimes, "Hands on top, that means stop", and "Stop, listen (clap pattern)". The Prep playgroup is a place where only Preps can play, and we have been enjoying the sandpit, slides and running around.
Well done Preps on a fantastic first week of school! We look forward to learning more next week (after a big sleep over the weekend!).
Year 1 - 2
Congratulations to all our Year 1 and 2 students on such a calm and positive start to the year. Our teachers have been so impressed with how our students have transitioned back to school after such a long break.
This week, we have been reteaching our expected behaviours and practising all our classroom routines. This includes routines such as lining up, packing up, organising our belongings, working by ourselves and working with partners.
As of Tuesday, we have jumped straight back into our subject learning routines – particularly in English and Maths and you can see our students demonstrating this in the pictures below.
If this is the way our Year 1 and 2 learners have started off the year, we can’t wait to see how far they’ll come by the end of 2023!
Year 3 - 4
Wow, what an amazing start to the year our Year 3s have made! Our Year 3 cohort are working in the portables named Cosy Corner at the back of the school. As these are a ‘blank space’, the Year 3 cohort have enjoyed designing what their learning spaces can look like, creating displays and working alongside their learning adults to create the routines and expectations in this space.
‘I got to see some of my friends when I went in Grade 3. I love my new teachers because they look after us.’ – Noah
‘I got a new classroom that is amazing and I love these new friends!’ – Diane
‘I love my teacher Ash because she is a good teacher and I love playing with my friends.’ – Lilliarna
‘What I like about Grade 3 is that we get to bring our very own iPad and we will get to use it for learning.’ - Alex
Our Year 4s have made a brilliant start to their year, settling in well to their two new communities, Beacons and Winkipop! Students have enjoyed getting to know their learning adults – Mike, Colm, Natasha, Nicole, Jenny, Sam and Mercedes. They have quickly picked up their routines and expectations again and enjoyed being able to develop their own ideas for Creek Coin Prizes!
‘It was fun learning the Maths games and trying to guess the number.’ – Ella
‘I have really loved playing with my friends like Kai and Bailey. I like that the teachers let us choose the calm corner to do our work.’ – Levi
‘I liked seeing the teachers and making friends with people new to ACS!’ – Bella
‘I have liked Grade 4 because all of the learning adults in my building are boys and it is a change!’ - Bailey
‘I’ve liked reading the new books that my teacher brought in, they are called graphic novels.’ – Edie
‘Just being back at school in general has been AWESOME – I love school!’ - Lance
Year 5 - 6
This week in Year 5, students have been working in homegroups to establish relationships with their peers and homegroup teachers. Students have been earning creek coins and discussing what rewards we can trade for our creek coins.
Students in Year 5 have learnt about the welcome circle that has been happening every morning and have discussed how we can include an acknowledgement of country. Student have been sharing What went well and their celebrations.
Students have also been establishing routine for each part of the day, which is helping them feel settled into school. All Year 5’s should be very proud of the way they have started the year.
“Everyone has been showing the school values and we have been setting up the learning community. Everyone has been helping and taking care of each other. We do our setting up for learning, so everyone knows the learning community and where everything is.” Scarlett W
“We’ve done stuff to set up the learning community. We’ve stayed with our home groups for the first week to get to know them. We have new pencil cases and books to use.” Will V
“We practise transitions from outside to inside, for the start of the day, recess and lunch.” April C
“Everyone was very patient as we did repetitive stuff we already knew. We do this so we can learn everything in the first week and we don’t have to keep setting up the learning across the year.” Eli L
“We have been helping each other out and cleaning up after ourselves.” Zac R
“I love the way everyone helps each other out, because at ACS we have lots of responsibilities as the highest grade in Grade 6.” Narrain
“I think the school is very nice because everyone is kind and shows care to people and the learning environment.” Lenny
Secondary School
Welcome back to 2023!
We hope everyone has enjoyed a well deserved break and are feeling rested for the 2023 school year. Staff in Secondary School have been busily preparing for the arrival of students and setting up learning spaces to support all students to achieve their goals!
This week students in Secondary have been establishing a Positive Climate for Learning after a long summer break. Throughout the week, staff supported students to get to know each other, engage in new routines and learn about Secondary School expectations.
A big focus of the community was the introduction of our “Welcome Circle” which all classes participate in each day. At the start of the day students are greeted by their teachers, review the ACS expectations, share announcements, and start their day with a positive primer. This new routine has allowed students to create a strong sense of community that will support them to build meaningful connections throughout the year. We encourage all families to use a Welcome Circle and similar language at home to support students to share what went well in their day or to positively start each morning before arriving at school.
We are so excited to see both new and familiar faces and we are looking forward to all the achievements and memories we will make this year!
