Level 6: Connect

How is it Week 5 already? 

Hop over to the Level 1: Connect for some photos of our recent lunches and activities with Buddies. The Level 6 students are currently leading a maths activity once per fortnight. They are also sharing lunch eating time every Wednesday.

Being a Senior Student at SEPS 👌

The privilege of being a senior student comes with responsibility and, at times, additional pressure. This cohort of students is historically hard-working and conscientious. It has been exciting for us, as teachers, to receive them into our care knowing they have a positive attitude towards learning. It is our aim to refine these strengths and help each student to develop additional qualities that ensure they become the best possible version of themselves. Therefore, it is pertinent that minor behavioural matters such as class disruptions, tardiness, and antisocial conduct be resolved promptly. We will operate using a 3-tier system:

1. Student will have their behaviour noted and a verbal warning given.
2. Student will be asked to move.
3. Teacher will notify parent(s) and Leadership of incident.

In the event that an incident involves a safety concern, teachers may escalate the matter to Tier 3. An example of this might include making a weapon from stationery in their pencil case. Not only does this represent vandalism of property, but it also poses a safety risk to others.

It is our goal to contact parents for positive reasons such as celebrating effort during work time. We hope to be in touch with plenty of praise and shoutouts. 

Inquiry 👀

Our inquiry into what makes a 'healthy mind, body, and spirit' is well underway. This past fortnight we have examined how different types of drugs alter the way different body (bodily) systems function. For example, it was noted how caffeine can impact how fast blood is pumped around our body. We also delved into the world of food marketing, looking at how products use characters to influence children to consume them. 

Cyber safety 📲

The students have been looking at Social Media during our Cyber Safety lessons. This linked nicely to our inquiry topic because students have been curious about the health and wellbeing implications that excessive and inappropriate use of these platforms can have. None of our students meet the age requirement to be accessing social media platforms such as Tik Tok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Sadly, we have had some issues which reinforce why an age restriction of 13+ exists. We kindly ask that this age restriction be respected.

Literacy 📖

We are approaching the end of our novel 'Kensuke's Kingdom'. This week we used two sophisticated picture books, 'My Two Blankets' by Irena Kobald and 'Room On Our Rock' by Kate and Jol Temple, to make text to text connections with 'Kensuke's Kingdom'. The students identified themes of isolation, language barriers, friendship, and migration. They were able to discuss the ways each author chose to explore these ideas. It was impressive that students were able to lift examples of sentences from the texts as evidence of these themes. The depth of their comprehension puts them in great stead for developing their writing skills. 

Maths 🧮

The students have continued to work on their knowledge of the Place Value System, specifically comparing and ordering decimals. Much of this work has involved consistent use of the language used to describe or rename values of a number. We use the Place Value Houses below:

This visual helps students to identify the how many tenths, hundredths, or thousandths are within a number. When students are able to rename the values according to a specific house, they are ready to tackle more complex calculations with decimals with greater aptitude. 

Next week will look at factors, prime numbers, and composite numbers. 

Sport 🏀

Interschool sport has commenced, and the Level 6 students have done an exceptional job of modelling good sporting practices and conduct to our Level 5 students and opponents from Bayside schools.  A friendly reminder that training for OzTag, TBall, and Cricket will take place at Spring Street fields on Tuesday mornings from 8:15. After much deliberation, it has been decided that Lacrosse will not hold additional training sessions. This is because there are less team in the competition which leave gaps for training sessions during the regular interschool sport time, on Fridays. 

Homework 📚

Thank you to everyone that submitted their homework on Monday. The teachers are busy marking it, in time for new homework to be given out this Friday. Shoutout to the parents who ensured their child completed and submitted their homework. This simple measure will set up your child for future success as an independent learner, at high school. 

We're still seeking a parent representatives. If you are interested, please email the office to express your interest and availability. 

Student's Personal Devices 🔐

Just a reminder about devices, students must hand in all mobile phones and smart watches to the office before 8:50am. 

Laptops should be brought to school, fully charged, each day. 

Important Level 6 dates for your calendar:

• Camp Rumbug - Wednesday the 14th to Friday the 16th of August
• Market Day - Thursday the 12th of September 
• State Wide L6-7 Transition - Tuesday the 10th of December (tbc)
• Graduation - Wednesday the 11th of December
• Beach Swimming - Friday the 13th of December
• Final Assembly - Monday the 16th of December

Wishing you all a fantastic fortnight ahead,

The Level 6 Teaching Team