Welcome to IPS

What a Working Bee!

Our first working bee of the year on Saturday 24th February was a resounding success with lots of families and children attending.

We got so many jobs completed, such as; pruning, clearing drains of leaves, cleaning drinking troughs, clearing gutters, filling up the sandpit, whipper-snipping, gardening, re-painting hopscotch lines. Students were so excited to see new four square courts had been painted too!

Thank you so much to all the families who attended to make the school a tidy, clean, safe and fun space for our students. We can't do this without you and always need helpers.

All our students who came along received 50 house points each and quite a few snags on the day too!

Here's some photos of the action:

Curiosity and Authentic Learning

Our year 4 students have had the opportunity to explore and investigate life cycles in real life! As part of Biological Science, they have been studying a unit called 'Butterflies in Disguise'. The students have been amazed and wanted to share their experience with the community.

Over the past few weeks, year 4 have been extremely excited to witness caterpillars munching and growing before changing into a chrysalis and emerging as magnificent butterflies.

Squeals of delight were heard today, as the last butterfly emerged from its chrysalis. As the caterpillars underwent metamorphosis, students noticed that the chrysalis were changing colour and were wide eyed when they realised that they saw more than just black; orange could also be seen. They could see the butterflies in the chrysalises! Watching this process is a fantastic way to explore and investigate life cycles.

Literacy Tips

Families play a key role in developing a child’s language and literacy skills from birth.

A child’s understanding of the world and their capacity to learn is greatly influenced by how much their family values their literacy skills.

Some important information for parents and carers to consider:

Children who start school with greater literacy skills perform better in school, and not just in language-based subjects like English.
Literacy in the early years is a range of different activities and forms of communication, including music, movement, dance, storytelling, visual arts and drama, as well as talking, viewing, reading, drawing and writing. It is never too early to read to your child.
Literacy in children’s early years can always be fun. Excursions and playtime are great activities in which to engage and talk with your child. Fun activities are also the best opportunities to teach children new vocabulary and new ways of saying things.
Oral language skills are an important predictor of reading and writing skills, so the better your child can speak, the better their overall literacy skills will develop. Talk as much as you can with your child and engage them in conversation often.

Making the most of screen time

Screen time can be used productively to help develop your child's speaking and listening skills. You can discuss TV and other screen programs and games that you watch or play together. Asking questions that encourage children to form an opinion, to think about why something may have happened or why someone acted in a particular manner promotes good converstational skills as well as supporting deeper thinking. Understanding visual media is a key element of your child’s literacy.

There are also a number of great games on the internet to help engage your child in reading. Some of these games include:

Phonics games that improve reading and letter sound awareness. Phonics involves sounding out individual sounds in a word, and then putting these sounds together to make the word.
Grammar, punctuation and spelling games.
Vocabulary games.
Coding games

Here is a short list of good websites to help begin your online search for games and other resources:

FUSE (select Early Childhood or Primary Students tabs)
ABC Education
Play School Story Time
Australian Children's Television Foundation

Taking Small Bytes is also an excellent resource. It contains 100 digital technology activities for you to do and discuss with your child. It also contains tips about using digital technologies wisely and safely.

"Smart" watches

While it is wonderful to see students wearing watches, it is apparent that some of these "smart" watches can be used to make mobile calls. We have been advised that some children have been using their watches to make calls during school time. The Department of Education is quite clear on its mobile phone (and devices) policy. Smartwatches must have their capacity to make calls switched off (similar to flight mode) or not be brought to school.

There are three categories of exceptions (relating to phones/devices). They are:

learning-related,
health and well-being related, including:
(Example: A student with diabetes may use their mobile device to monitor their blood sugar and the administration of insulin)
risk related.

*https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/students-using-mobile-phones/policy

Please help your child set up their device so that they are not inadvertently breaking the rules.

NAPLAN

https://www.nap.edu.au/default.aspx?aspxerrorpath=/naplan/key-dates

The test schedule has now been set. Year 3 and Year 5 students will begin NAPLAN testing on on Wednesday 13th March and the test period will end on Friday 15th March.

On the 13th March, students will start with Writing assessments, on Thursday morning they will take Reading assessments and in the afternoon, Conventions of Language. NAPLAN testing will wrap up on Friday 15th March with Numeracy in the morning.

There will be a few opportunites from 18th March to 20th March for students to sit catch up tests for which they were absent for in the original testing period.

We just want you to know that these tests do not assess all of what makes each of you exceptional and unique.

The marks you get from these tests will tell you how you did on that day, but they won't tell you everything.

NAPLAN can't tell you that you have persisted and improved on something you used to find difficult.

NAPLAN can't tell you that you brighten up your teacher’s day but we know you do.

NAPLAN can't tell you how amazingly special you are but we know you are. The people who mark these tests don't know that you may love to sing, that you may love to draw, and that you help your friends when they need you.

They don't know that some of you can dance, speak another language, play music, are good at chess or can speak confidently in front of your class or at assembly. They do not know that you participate in sports or that you help your mum or dad or that you play with your little brother, sister or cousins.

They do not know that you are caring, and thoughtful and that every day you come to school to do your best, because these attributes cannot be tested.

So, when you come to school ready to do your best at NAPLAN remember, “There is no one way to test all of the wonderful things that make you, YOU!”

2024 Education Week 13th to the 17th of May

Ivanhoe Primary School will celebrate Education Week with an Open Morning on Wednesday the 15th of May.

Education Week is an annual celebration of education in Victoria.

In 2024, Victoria will celebrate Education Week from Monday 13th May to Friday 17th May.

The theme will be Spotlight on STEM, a chance for schools to celebrate and share how they bring science, technology, engineering, and maths to life in the classroom.

Parent Representative for classes

The role of the Parent Representative is to maintain a good communication link with our community and to provide support for the classroom teacher. Ideally, there is a representative linked with each class.

Expectations of Parent Representatives are flexible, taking into account the time each rep has to give to the role. Ultimately, how and when a Parent Representative is used within the classroom is decided by the classroom teacher. An important role for the Parent Representative is to develop a supportive relationship with other parents in the class. He/she is not expected to carry out all the tasks that may arise and hopefully, he/she will be able to engage most parents in the arranged activities and to share the tasks throughout the year. Parent Representatives may be involved in one or more of the following activities:

Contact with families in the class and any families new to the class/school.
Coordinating class support for the teacher for activities such as helpers for excursions or special activities.
Assist with raising interest in fundraising activities such as encouraging families to attend and organising class groups to participate in school social events.
Encourage working bee participation.

If you are interested in being a parent representative, please read the entire letter on the special Parent representative page of this edition of Inside Ivanhoe and then complete the slip (or email/dojo) and return it to your class teacher as soon as possible.

Volunteers and Parent/Family Helpers

Last week teachers sent home information on how you can support your child’s learning and how you can be involved in our school. Both teachers and students value the support you can provide. Don't forget to return the form letting us know if and how you'd like to get involved in the school program.

Second-hand uniform shop (Re-use Recycle)

The Ivanhoe Primary School Second-hand uniform shop provides an opportunity for families to buy quality second-hand uniforms, bags, drink bottles, library bags, and smocks for a reasonable cost. The second-hand uniform sales are held throughout the year. Please contact our office staff for any purchases. We accept cash only.

Secondhand uniform shop also provides an opportunity for families to donate these things that they no longer require. Please donate clean uniforms, bags, drink bottles, library bags, and smocks that you would be happy to buy yourself.

Prices of items are as follows:

Long Sleeve Polo Fleece Jackets -$5

School Bags - $5

All other items e.g. school t-shirts and shorts, library bags, drink bottles, and art smocks are $3 each.

We rely on parent volunteers who help us tidy up the Second-hand shop. Please feel free to contact our office staff if you wish to volunteer for the Second-hand shop.

We are still looking for parent volunteers with first aid training to be available between 1.40pm and 2.40pm each day to provide occasional first aid to students who hurt themselves on the school grounds. Generally, these are very minor injuries requiring little more than a band-aid and reassurance. If you have the qualifications and the availability, or would just like to discuss this further please contact our admin team on 9499 1880. Note that all volunteers require a working with children check.

Upcoming PFA Event

Our wonderful PFA have organised a Barefoot Bowls event on Saturday 23rd March from 3-8pm and would love to see you there.

It promises to be a fun afternoon! Come along and be part of what makes this community great!

Finally

Thanks to our wellbeing team, our staff were treated to a pre-school breakfast in the park on Tuesday morning. What a wonderful way to start the day! They soaked up the early morning sunshine and chatted about the day ahead. Ready to enthusiasticastically welcome students into school.

Have a fabulous week.

Pam Wright

Principal

http://www.ivanhoeps.vic.edu.au/

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Victoria and pay respect to the ongoing living cultures of First Peoples.

Student Voice

Year 6 Asia Project

Year 4 Excursion Predictions