Amazing 5/6

Term 1 - Week 10

A Message from the teachers

We all can’t believe that Term 1 has finished so quickly, it feels like we only just were introduced to our students for the first time, began our routines, started our first topics and made summer sport teams. It has felt like a whirlwind and to everyone’s credit the kids have been fantastic; adaptable and flexible when programs and routines have had to change and kind and compassionate when things haven’t gone their way. All of the 5/6  teachers and ES want to extend our thanks and gratitude for their hard work this term.

There have been a lot of academic highlights this term and we have been proud of the amount and quality of work the students have completed. In literacy this term we have been producing some fantastic persuasive letters on a variety of topics, such as why Australia should switch to sustainable energy, how and why we should make changes at school and about a topic that is important to them. They have had to learn the structure of a letter, how to research relevant and effective evidence and to include a variety of persuasive devices. In spelling, we have continued to focus on base words and how and what prefixes and suffixes can be attached to the word to change its tense, context or complexity. So far we have focused on PORT, BIO, RUPT and Homophones. We have also adjusted the lesson format this term to include more spoken spelling, hand actions and sentence use; proven strategies that help students remember word patterns. In Numeracy this year we have split the 5’s and 6’s into their own cohorts to better focus on their specific curriculum areas and to better help repair areas of need, specific to their age group. Both groups have covered number values, decimals, addition and subtraction. The Year 5’s have then focused on partitioning, rounding and number facts, while the Year 6’s have spent time on fractions. All-in-all, we have been pleased with how the groups have adjusted to these changes and proud of what they have done.

We have had some amazing highlights outside the classroom as well. This year we have stressed a focus on being a role model and showing, rather than telling, what a good leader does for our younger peers at Le Page Primary. We have focused on our morning routines, lining up neatly and silently, transitioning quietly around the school and using our manners in our interactions with each other. We will continue to build on this next term, including our buddy program starting next term with North Cheltenham Preschool.

I, personally, have also been pleased with our performance and behaviour at interschool sport this summer. For many students, they have played a sport they have never done before, competed in a team with people they don’t normally play with and have been expected to show great sportsmanship at all times, and they have done this with flying colours. We have seen students win their first tennis match, learn to play as a team in volleyball, form partnerships in cricket and move on to District competitions in tee-ball. A big thank you to Mr Bradley for his hard work with this.

As always, our emails are below. We would appreciate that if your child is expected to miss an extended time away from school with a family holiday or similar, that this be communicated as soon as possible either to us or to the office so that we may plan accordingly.

Our emails are –

5/6A  Nick Duckett – Nicholas.duckett@education.vic.gov.au

5/6B  Gemma Baker – Gemma.baker@education.vic.gov.au

5/6B  Claudia Jenkinson - Claudia.Jenkinson@education.vic.gov.au

5/6C  Karen Dragatsikas – Karen.Dragatsikas@education.vic.gov.au

5/6C  Julie Taylor - Julie.Taylor6@education.vic.gov.au

Photos

Lighthouse Sports Day

Mock Parliament Day

5/6 Concert