INFANTS

The countdown to the end of term and Christmas is well and truly on. There are loads of special events happening over the final two weeks of the school year, so please keep an eye out in the newsletters and Compass for information. We look forward to our friends and family being a part of many of them and celebrating student achievements and milestones with us.

As the year draws to a close, please make sure you return any Library books or school readers back to school. Our resources are a vital part of our teaching and learning, so it is appreciated if they can be returned, ready to be used again next year.

Kindy

Our focus in English this fortnight has been on imaginative texts and we have loved using all of our senses to explore different places in our minds. We have considered what our own ‘perfect’ day looks like and used imagery and rhyme to help this come alive for our friends.

In Mathematics we have been collecting, sorting and using data. We have found it very interesting to learn about each others’ families and the number of people in them and then comparing our class data to that of other classes. We have realised that we have many similarities and differences. We have also discovered our favourite fruits, special treats and places to play in the playground and considered why this information might be useful.

Everyone in Kindergarten is getting excited about the end of year celebrations and we have begun a class countdown to Christmas. Less than 25 days, friends! It’s coming, ready or not, and Kindergarten students can’t wait!

Year 1/2

As the year draws to an end, 1/ 2 have been very patient through assessments and catch-up tasks required during the report writing process. I have enjoyed writing reports this semester very much as I have been able to reflect on the wonderful growth seen in all students this year.

During week 7 and 8, 1/2 have been exploring narratives in English, learning about creating interesting problems and solutions for the reader. Towards the end of week 8 and into next week, we will be developing our own narratives through planning, editing and publishing our work.

In Mathematics, 1/2 have been looking at data collection, making predictions, and determining ways to best represent the data collected. Students were invited to come up with their own question that they could research amongst their classmates.

In STEM, we have enjoyed getting our craft on with various Christmas crafts. We will certainly be doing much more of this in the coming weeks! In Sport this fortnight, 1/ 2 have learned a new game- Capture the Flag. This game takes persistence, teamwork and critical thinking skills- and might be a new favourite! In Visual Arts this term, we have been exploring different mediums for expression. This week, students were challenged to paint a Still Life piece of flowers in a vase.

On Monday of week 8, students enjoyed taking part in voting for next year’s school captains. Voting 1 through to 12 was very tricky, but 1/ 2 took this decision very seriously and were excited to see the results of our year 5’s hard work.

Coming Up:

Swim Scheme times have had to be adjusted and will now begin Friday of week 8 and end Thursday of week 10. See notes sent home for further information- All year 2s.

Presentation Night: Thursday 7 December week 9. 5:45 for a 6pm start.

Merit Event: Tuesday 5 December week 9. Students who have made it to this event will be spending some time at the park on this day- see notes for details.

Pool Party PBL reward whole school: Friday 15December- see notes for details, and if you need a new one, please contact the office. Please have notes back ASAP.

PRIMARY

The Primary classes have been full steam ahead over the past fortnight. We had our excellent trip to Canberra on Thursday 23rd November, which involved 82 kids and staff across two busses - and we had 82 very tired people at the end of the day! We met together at the BCS Bus Stop at 7:30am, split into our busses and got the day underway. We arrived at Questacon, and quickly set to work discovering all things Science & Technology. We visited all 9 rooms of the Questacon building, with some very brave kids enjoying the 'FreeFall', the 'Earthquake Room', checking out the 'Lightning Strike' and exploring the surface of the moon. We explored all things sound, light, sub-atomic particles, human feats of strength, physics, chemistry and even discovered how stars were formed - phew! What an awesome place and after a trip to the gift shop we were off the to Arboretum for lunch. Lunch was delicious and the kids were chomping at the bit to roll down the big hill - and that's what we spent the majority of the lunch break doing. We then explored the Bonzai exhibit and the huge Acorn Playhouse. Back in the bus to Cockington Green, where we found Wally, a Minion and a man reading the paper on the toilet (all miniature of course). We learned a lot about English history, and even saw miniature models of monuments from all around the world. A particular highlight was spending some time with Tyler and Ty as we chased the miniature train 'all over the world'. An icy-pole and a play around the miniature houses and we were back on the busses home. We arrived back at 5:00pm sharp after a lightning fast, but very enjoyable day. We look forward to next year's overnight excursion.

Well done to the 12 nominees that put themselves forward for School Captain this year. All 12 had an interview with Mr Jones and myself where they discussed what a good leader is, what they will do to support our school and who their leaders in their lives were. They then performed their speech in front of K-6 and their families. Each candidate was outstanding, and they will all be leaders of our school next year, with our without a formal title.

Congratulations to our 2024 Primary Student Leadership Team:

Captains: Annie Smith and Mila Patyuk

Vice-Captains: Summer Apps and Levi Thompson

Prefect: Casey Armour

As the year is winding down, we will have a strong focus on kids making good decisions inside and outside the classroom. We know that there's a lot of exciting things happening, but we must remember our core values of Respect, Responsibility and Participation each day.

Please get in contact with me if you have any questions for the remainder of the year: jason.stuart3@det.nsw.edu.au

Jason Stuart

Assistant Principal Primary (relieving)

3/4 Class Newsletter

In literacy, we've been looking into homophones, synonyms, and even exploring the Latin roots of certain words. This deeper understanding not only enhances their vocabulary but also gives them a glimpse into the history of the English language.

In reading, with the invaluable support of our support staff Chris, Greg, and Sara, our reading groups are thriving. We're focusing on reading fluency, making inferences, and identifying the main ideas of texts. It's wonderful to see the students engage so actively with the material and improve their comprehension skills.

In math, we've been looking at geometry, studying angles and symmetry, and continuing our exploration of number patterns. Our math mental exercises are also in full swing, helping to strengthen the students' number fluency and quick-thinking skills.

The return of STEM lessons with Mrs. Bridge has been a highlight for our students. They have channelled their creativity into making charming Christmas tree ornaments and crafting model elves. It's always interesting to see their imagination and innovation come to life in these projects.

As always, if you have any questions or would like to discuss your child's progress, please feel free to contact me at matthew.rowley12@det.nsw.edu.au.

4/5 Class Newsletter

In the Year 4/5 classroom this term, students have enthusiastically embraced the concept of Genius Hour—a dedicated time for pursuing passion projects, ideas, or acquiring new skills during class. This innovative approach not only allows them to explore their interests but also enhances their overall learning experience. Genius Hour projects have taken shape during designated learning periods, such as one hour per week, or as engaging fast finisher activities.

We are excited to share that these young minds have spent the term diligently preparing their Genius Hour projects. The culmination of their hard work and creativity will be showcased next Tuesday and Wednesday. Some of the inspiring projects include the development of a snakebite kit tailored for Australian classrooms, the creation of a captivating stop-motion picture, coding an engaging game, and an educational initiative where students will be teaching their peers about a new country. We invite the entire school community to keep an eye on our school's Facebook page, where we will be featuring glimpses of these remarkable projects. It's a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the diverse talents and passions of our students.

Paris Corcoran

Teacher

5/6 Class Newsletter

We are getting to the business end of the year, with plenty of exciting things coming up. Our year 6 classmates are on transition today and Friday up in high school and I have already had some feedback about how good it has been - there is no doubt our Year 6 kids are ready for high school.

We are looking forward to the following events:

Year 6 Graduation Assembly - Monday 11th December 2pm in BCS School Hall (all parents and community members invited)

Year 6 Farewell Dinner - Wednesday 13th December 5:45pm in BCS School Hall (Year 5 and Year 6 students and BCS Staff invited to attend)

PBL Celebration Pool Party - Friday 15th December

We are busy creating all of the decorations and items we need for the year 6 farewell, as well as designing our 'Masquerade Ball' masks. A reminder that nice, neat clothes are all that students are required to wear on the night - no need to spend money or worry about a dress code. We look forward to the night.

A reminder that if Year 6 parents haven't sent their pictures to me via email or USB stick, it's getting very close to being too late to be featured in the graduation movie. Please do so ASAP as it takes hours and hours to put the film together.

Jason Stuart

Year 5/6 Teacher

My community