Foundation Term 2 Newsletter

Teaching team

FA - Samantha Waugh (Learning Specialist & PLC Leader) & Chelsea Kubic (Thursday)

FB - Amy Gridley (M-W) & Renee King (W-F)

FC - Stephanie Stuart

Welcome to Term 2

Welcome back to all our Foundation families and students. The children have made a wonderful start to Term 2, coming in prepared and ready to learn, which has been fantastic to see. They were very excited to see their friends and buddies again, and share their amazing holiday stories. This term will be exciting and full of first time experiences for our Foundation children as they attend their first school excursion. We look forward to continuing to work with you closely to support your child’s learning and help them grow in confidence.

 Specialist Timetable

Important Dates

13/5: Special Food Day

9/6: King’s Birthday Public Holiday

17/6: Foundation Community Walk to Le Page Park

1/7: Curriculum Day

4/7: Last Day Early Dismissal

4/7: Reports Published to families 

Parent Helpers

At CEPS we highly value working as a whole community and encourage the participation and involvement of our families. Our Foundation Team runs a reading program, which requires parents to read with the children and change their books. This is a very beneficial and effective reading program for the development of literacy skills. 

When helping with the children at CEPS, it is required that you wear a Working With Children’s Check (WWCC) displayed on a lanyard at all times. 

If you have not got a WWCC and wish to volunteer, application forms can be found online at: www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au

Remember to sign in each day you volunteer at CEPS via the computer at the office. This is a mandatory requirement. You will also be required to sign out. 

Attendance

Our roles are legal documents, therefore we must be accountable for any absences. Please assist with this by informing the school through Sentral, email or phone call to record the absence. Late students need to be signed in at the office by a parent/caregiver and collect an orange Late Pass to present to their teacher on arrival at their classroom. 

Teaching and Learning

English

This term, Foundation students will continue building their early literacy skills.

In Speaking and Listening, they will be encouraged to confidently share ideas and experiences during class discussions and yarning times. They will practise taking turns when speaking, listening respectfully to others, and using clear sentences to express themselves. Activities such as storytelling, role-play, and group discussions will help develop their oral language and communication skills.

In Writing, students will practise forming letters correctly and developing their pencil grip to support their handwriting. They will participate in fine motor activities such as cutting, threading, and playdough work to strengthen hand muscles needed for writing. Using their growing knowledge of sounds, students will write words and simple sentences. They’ll also explore rhyming and begin creating short poems. In addition, they will learn to spell common high-frequency words.

In Phonics and Reading, students will focus on recognising letter sounds, blending them to read simple words, and developing phonemic awareness through activities that help them hear, change, and build sounds in words. They will engage in the PhOrMeS program, which helps them break words down into individual sounds and match them to letters. This program supports students in sounding out and building words more easily. These skills will enhance their ability to read and spell words correctly.

Mathematics

This term, our focus for Mathematics is working with whole numbers and different parts, shapes, counting, and place value.

Students will engage in play-based activities to build confidence and knowledge on the following skills:

• Counting, reading, and writing numbers up to 20.
• Identifying and representing numbers using collections, materials, and number lines.
• Comparing and ordering numbers and collections up to 20.
• Identifying "one more" and "one less" relationships for numbers up to 20.
• Identifying, naming, and drawing shapes.
• Matching and sorting shapes.

Humanities

This term, our class will embark on an exciting exploration of the Earth and the concept of community. Students will begin by learning about the world around them, including the continents and oceans, and gradually move toward understanding the features of the communities they live in. Through engaging lessons, students will discover what makes a community and explore their unique role within it.

In the second half of the term, we’ll be taking part in a community walk to observe and learn more about our local environment. This will be an excellent opportunity for students to connect what they’ve learned in the classroom with the world around them. We would love to have parent volunteers join us on this excursion to assist with the walk and share in the experience!

We look forward to an enriching term full of learning, exploration, and community connection!

Wellbeing

CEPS VALUES

COURTESY    RESPECT    CO-OPERATION    RESPONSIBILITY 

Our Term 2 School value, ‘Respect’. 

The Foundation children will engage in activities that develop social skills, empathy, and respectful relationships, helping them understand the importance of kindness and respect in their interactions. They will participate in lessons focused on listening, sharing, and showing care for others, building a strong base for positive relationships.

Friday afternoon assembly awards will be given to children who have shown personal growth specific to the skill. Parents will be informed if their child is receiving the award, via Class Dojo. 

CEPS follows a SWPBS framework, which we refer to as CEPS Positive Behaviour Support. As part of this, your child may receive a CEPS raffle ticket for displaying the expected positive behaviours that align with our CEPS values! Award winners will be drawn and announced during assembly on Friday afternoons. 

Supporting learning from home

Term 2 in Foundation is filled with busy days and lots of learning. It's important to balance their learning with plenty of rest and relaxation at home. Encourage quiet time, a healthy snack, and conversations about their day to help them unwind. 

We encourage you to read to your child daily for at least 10 minutes. Sharing a picture book at a calm, quiet time each day, is a wonderful way to bond and help your child develop a love for reading. This regular time together not only supports their literacy skills but also promotes relaxation. 

Your child's maroon reader bag will be sent home each day. This will contain your child's daily reader. We will also begin sending home word lists from next week for the children to practise to improve their reading. . Please make sure that the reader bag comes to and from school each day.

Weekly Routines

Monday - Friday

Before School

At 8:55 am, students will hear the music signalling it's time to line up. We kindly ask that children have their school bags ready and wait at their class' designated dot. A warm and cheerful goodbye helps your child feel confident as they head into class for the day. We understand mornings can be busy, but please do your best to ensure your child arrives on time, as learning begins promptly at 9.00am. Thank you for supporting your child's smooth transition into the school day!

After School

At the end of the day, children will be walked out to the stage with their class group. Please meet your child at the stage for collection, and let the teacher know when you've picked them up. For children attending after-school care, a Team Kids staff member will meet them at the stage and escort them to their program. If you’re running late or unable to pick up your child by 3:30 pm, please call the office to let us know. 

Friday Assembly

Students will attend assembly on Friday afternoons at the outdoor stage. Please ensure that your child is collected from the stage promptly after the assembly finishes. 

Food

Please pack a recess snack, fruit break snack and lunch for your child each day. Fruit break must be a piece of fruit, yoghurt or cheese/crackers.  Water bottles are kept in the classroom for easy access and to encourage your child to hydrate regularly. 

Please avoid including products with nuts in lunchboxes in support of those students with allergies.

Communication

If you have any queries along the way, please feel free to contact us using our emails listed below or you can send a Class Dojo. If any more urgent concerns arise, please organise a time to meet with your child’s teacher.

PLC Leader: Samantha Waugh (samantha.waugh@education.vic.gov.au) 

Chelsea Kubic (chelsea.kubic@education.vic.gov.au)

Amy Gridley (amy.gridley@education.vic.gov.au)

Renee King (renee.king@education.vic.gov.au)

Stephanie Stuart (stephanie.stuart@education.vic.gov.au)

We use Sentral to communicate School and Foundation Information and Class Dojo to celebrate the children’s daily learning. We hope you have been enjoying the Dojo posts and photos from your teacher!