A Message from David & Cam...
The end of the year is fast approaching and there are a number of events happening in the final couple of weeks. Here are the main dates for you to keep in mind:
- 5th: 2024 Prep Parent Information Night
- 5th: Last day Uniform Shop is open for 2023
- 7th: End of Year Concert
- 8th: School Assembly @ 2:30pm (Grade 1H presenting)
- 12th: Final Step-Up Day
- 14th: Grade 6 Graduation Night
- 15th: Christmas Fun Day
- 18th: Adventure Park (Grade 6)
- 18th: Student Reports go live on Compass
- 19th: Volunteer Morning Tea
- 20th: School Assembly @ 12:30pm
- 20th: Last Day for 2023 - Students finish at 1:30pm
2024 Class Structures
As per previous years, we have spent considerable time discussing and analysing possible organisational structures for the upcoming year to maximise the learning opportunities for all of our students. We consider the needs of all of our individuals, both academic and social/emotional, and strategise over possible combinations and structures that will set all students up for success in 2024.
The class structures for 2024 are:
- 3x Prep Classes
- 4x Year 1 Classes
- 5x Years 2/3 Classes
- 4x Years 4/5 Classes
- 3x Year 6 Classes
This structure also enables us to have very small class sizes across the majority of the school which is beneficial for the academic and social/emotional growth of all our students.
As always we would like to ensure all parents and carers that we have a focus on growth for all students at Altona Green and our teachers work hard in their teaching teams to ensure that their teaching and learning programs are carefully designed and implemented and each student's progress is carefully monitored.
2024 Specialist Subjects
Our 2023 Specialist classes for P-6 will continue in 2024:
- the Arts (including Visual Arts and Performing Arts)
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)
- Physical Education
- Languages (Italian)
We will also be continuing with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program as well as the Treehouse intervention program for early literacy support.
2023 Start Dates
At our last School Council meeting we approved the following start dates:
- Monday 29th January - Staff return
- Tuesday 30th January - Grades 1 - 6 commence
- Thursday 1st February - Preps start school
Prep Morning Tea
Our wonderful Preppies recently had a fantastic experience of coming to school in their PJs for their special morning tea! They went to the kitchen and prepared their own food before getting themselves dressed and ready for the rest of the day at school. The smiles on their faces said it all.
A huge thank you to all of the teachers for their time and effort in organising and participating in these memory-making experiences for our students.
Student Leadership Roles
Our Grade 5 students have submitted their applications for formal leadership positions in Grade 6. Applications are shortlisted and then students are able to discuss their applications and ideas for the role with Cam and myself during an interview. The captains will be announced at our end of year assembly.
Along with School Captains and Vice Captains, there are a number of other leadership opportunities that the students can apply for and these roles include Sports Leaders, Art Leaders, STEM Leaders, Library Leaders & KEFAR Leaders.
We are really proud of the student leadership opportunities that are offered at Altona Green and are very excited to hear about all the great ideas that the students will have to make our school even better.
Grade 1 Zoo Excursion
On Tuesday 28th November, our Grade 1 students visited the Melbourne Zoo. They had an amazing time and saw lots of animals, both big and small and enjoyed the Butterfly House. Thank you very much to the Grade 1 teachers for organising this fantastic experience for our students.
Step-Up Days
Our step-up days continued today. All students have been given the opportunity to mix with other students and teachers across the school and to visit other classrooms. Transitions often cause stress and anxiety for many of our students and this process is valuable in ensuring that all students feel comfortable and confident as they move towards the end of the year.
The final step-up session is on Tuesday 12th December where the students will be placed with their 2024 class in their 2024 classroom with their 2024 teacher.
Grade 6 Smoothie Project
The Grade 6 students have been working diligently researching, marketing and finally producing a range of delicious smoothies! We, along with the Grade 4/5 students, were invited to taste each of the smoothies and vote for the smoothie that we liked the best. There was a high degree of excitement as the Grade 6 students, working in small groups, tried to persuade us that their smoothie was the best!
The quality of the marketing material, teamwork and the end product are a testament to the extremely hard work that our Grade 6 students have put into this authentic and engaging project. Congratulations to all of the Grade 6 students on a very successful project!
We cannot believe we are down to the final two (and a bit) weeks of the school year! I really look forward to all the exciting events planned for the students and having some fun together as we close out the year.
We hope you all have a great weekend.
Take care,
David & Cam