Year 1 Term 2 Newsletter

1A - Yvonne Kerr

1B - Rosie Scott

Welcome to Term 2

Welcome back to all our wonderful Year 1 students and their families! It has been lovely to see the children reconnect with each other and share their holiday adventures. They have settled back into classroom routines quickly and responsibly, showing great enthusiasm for the term ahead.

We have an exciting and busy term planned, including an incursion from the Dingley Historical Society, a visit from our grandparents to share stories of the past, and a dress-up day in Week 10 to conclude our Past and Present unit (more information to follow in Sentral). 

We’re looking forward to a fantastic term together. Please don’t hesitate to send us a Dojo message if you have any questions or concerns or would like to help out in the classroom. 

 Specialist Timetable

Important Dates

13/05: Special Food Day

14/05: Dingley Village Historical Society incursion

09/06: King's Birthday long weekend

19/06: Special Food Day

27/06: Past and Present Dress Up Day

01/07: Curriculum Day

04/07:Last day of term early dismissal 2.30pm

Parent Helpers

At CEPS we highly value working as a whole community and encourage the participation and involvement of our families. We will be looking for helpers on excursions and incursions. Please look out on Dojo for opportunities to help.

We also greatly appreciate parent helpers who assist with listening to students read in the afternoon. If you're available to help, please contact your child's teacher.

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 pass to present to their teacher on arrival at their classroom. 

Teaching and Learning

English

Reading

This term, we will continue to participate in daily phonics sessions. Our phonics program is designed to reinforce and build upon students’ existing knowledge, introducing them to new sounds (codes) representations such as ai, ay, oe, and oa. These sessions aim to enhance their decoding skills and support their reading development.

During reading sessions, teachers will work closely with each child to develop proficiency in fluency, accuracy, and comprehension. Students will explore a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts, engaging in discussions to deepen their understanding and make connections to their own experiences.

Additionally, your child will be read to daily, with high-quality picture books used to model comprehension strategies such as sequencing and retelling. These activities support the development of critical thinking and help students articulate their thoughts about the texts they encounter.

Writing

This term, our Year 1 students will continue to develop their writing skills through daily practice. They will be guided to form letters correctly, focusing on proper sizing and spacing, and to use appropriate punctuation such as capital letters and full stops. These foundational skills are essential for building confidence and fluency in writing.

Students will also be encouraged to expand their vocabulary and apply correct grammar in their writing. Our focus will be on composing personal recounts and narratives, where students will learn about the structure and language features of these text types. They will explore how to organise their ideas coherently, use descriptive language, and sequence events logically.

Through modelled and shared writing activities, students will have opportunities to collaborate and receive feedback, enhancing their understanding of the writing process. These experiences aim to foster creativity and support students in expressing their thoughts and experiences effectively in written form.

Speaking and Listening

This term, our Year 1 students will enhance their speaking and listening skills through various engaging activities. They will be encouraged to actively participate in class discussions, sharing their thoughts and experiences respectfully during group activities and Yarning Circles.

Each child will also have the opportunity to take the class bear home and later share their experiences with the class. This activity supports the development of oral language skills, including sequencing events and expressing personal experiences. Through these experiences, students will build confidence in their communication skills and learn to appreciate diverse perspectives. 

Mathematics

This term, our students will explore a range of exciting mathematical concepts, including Addition and Subtraction, Time, Place Value, Statistics and Probability and Measurement. To reinforce their learning, students will participate in daily review sessions that offer opportunities to revisit and strengthen previously taught concepts. Students will enjoy interactive Maths games and hands-on activities, which make learning engaging and fun. They will also take part in Mathematics Investigations, where they can apply their skills in real-world problem-solving scenarios, helping them to think critically and deepen their understanding.

Log-in details for Mathletics were sent home last term. Please encourage your child to complete some Mathletics activities during the week to reinforce their learning at school.

Humanities

This term, our Humanities unit will focus on how technology has changed our lives. As part of our learning, we visited Rippon Lea estate to explore what life was like in the past, before modern technology. If you have any old items at home—such as cassette tapes, VHS videos, early video games, or old mobile phones—we would love for students to bring them in to share and discuss.

Well Being

Students will continue their learning through the Respectful Relationships program. This term, they will explore important topics such as how to respond when someone doesn’t want to play, ways to manage worries, and how different emotions—like happiness, sadness, and excitement—feel in our bodies. We will also be learning about personal space: what it means, how to recognise when someone is in our personal space, and how to respond respectfully.

CEPS VALUES

COURTESY    RESPECT    CO-OPERATION    RESPONSIBILITY 

In addition, to engaging in Respectful Relationships lessons, we will discuss our CEPS Skill of the Week. These discussions will encourage the development of skills that promote our school values and the positive and personal growth of all students. 

In Year 1 we continue to give out weekly awards on a Friday afternoon assembly for students who have displayed the CEPS values.

Your child may receive a CEPS raffle ticket for displaying the expected positive behaviours! Award winners will be drawn and announced during assembly on Friday afternoons. 

Supporting learning from home

Please ensure you listen to your child read for at least ten minutes each night, and take time to read to them as well. Students will bring home one decodable reader and two free-choice books. A home reading roster has been provided for each class, indicating the days your child will be changing their reader. We also encourage students to practice the high frequency words sent home (this will commence in week 4).  A Dojo message will be sent when new words are sent home. 

Please continue to return library books on Wednesday. 

If you have any queries along the way, please feel free to contact us via Class Dojo. If any more urgent concerns arise, please organise a time to meet with your child’s teacher.

 We use Sentral to communicate School and Year 1 Information and Class Dojo to communicate the following: - 1:1 communication between teachers and families - Staff posting pictures to celebrate classroom learning.