Level 6: Connect

Welcome to 2025

A warm welcome to the families of our Class of 2025! Please feel free to come up the stairs and visit our Level 6 Learning space at any time. The teachers have worked hard to create welcoming decluttered and effective learning spaces for the year 6 students. We have focused these first two weeks on ensuring that these stay this way. Please also feel free to contact us at any time should you have any concerns or questions. 

Maths

Our students have hit the ground running with place value revision. The three classes are at various points over the first two weeks of school with establishment of routines and bookwork expectations as well as revising student response types. Some have been using dice and decks of cards to play maths games that reinforce key concepts. You may wish to ask them to teach you Double Double Cross or Factor Flood. Instructions for these games are included in the videos below. All three classes will begin tighter coordination of content next week.

Literacy

This term we are thrilled to announce our mentor text is Runt by Craig Silvey. The 2022 release is a multi-award winning novel. It picked up Dymocks Book of the Year for Younger Readers 2022, Indie Book Awards: Best Children's Book 2023, Indie Book Awards: Book of the Year 2023, Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards - Book of the Year: Younger Readers 2023, Australian Book Industry Awards, Book of the Year for Younger Children 2023, BookPeople Book of the Year Awards - Children’s Book of the Year 2023 and, Australian Book Industry Awards, Book of the Year for Younger Children 2024! 

The story centres around the Shearer family who live in the regional Australian town called Upson Downs. Once a vibrant and thriving cattle town, greedy landowner Earl Robert-Barren has selfishly claimed the towns water supply, pushing all other residents to bankruptcy by drought. Annie, the youngest Shearer hatches a plan for her beloved dog Runt to win the Krumpet's Dog Show in London so she can use the prize money to save her family's farm.

This is a heartwarming story of friendship, adversity, and community. We cannot wait to unpack the themes and Silvey's writing craft. Later this term we will also watch the newly released movie!

Technology

Today (Friday 7 Feb) we will finally establish the network structure for the continuing use of the Google platform for 2025. Last year, your children trialled this while in Level 5 and were the only level in the school using this platform. This proved to be an overwhelming success with the technology skills and integration into the learning program experiencing a huge leap. We surveyed the year level at the end of last year with regard to which platform they would prefer moving into year 6. The entire year level voted to move to Google permanently! So, as of this year, with the success of the trial, the entire school has made the decision to migrate to the Google platform from Microsoft.

Reminders

• Diaries must travel to and from school every day. Please encourage your child to be responsible for having their diary in their schoolbag. This is a valuable organisation tool which we are utilising to support their transition to more independent learning in high school. 
• Reading must be recorded in the diary and signed by a parent each day. Teachers will sight diaries each day and sign them once per week. 
• A fully charged laptop is required to be at school each day.
• No hat = students must remain in the shade, on the steps at the front of the new Grade 1 building.

Important Dates

• Interschool sport - every Friday morning for Term 1
• Competition commences from Week 4

February

• Tuesday 11th February - Parent Information Session and parent/ teacher meetings
• Thursday 13th February - District Swimming try outs (GSAC) 
• Friday 21st February 4:30 – 6:30pm - Twilight Games/ Welcome Picnic

March

• Monday 3rd March - Labour Day Holiday 
•  Thurs 6th March District Swimming (qualifying students)
• Wed 12th March - Division Swimming (qualifying students) 
• Wed 26th March - TCB House Cross Country

April

• Friday 4th April - Term ends

Wishing you a fabulous fortnight ahead.