Galilee Community

Dear Families,

What a wonderful Term 3 we have had in Foundation! It has been such a joy to see how much our students have grown, both in their learning and as individuals. We are so proud of the confidence, independence, resilience and enthusiasm they have shown throughout the term. It has been a busy term filled with lots of learning, laughter, special moments and wonderful memories.

We wish all of our Foundation families a very happy, safe and relaxing holiday. We hope you enjoy some special time together and have plenty of opportunities to rest and recharge. We look forward to welcoming all our smiley students back for another exciting term of learning and fun!

Term 4 begins on Monday 5th October. We can't wait to see everyone back! 💛

Please note: As we get ready for Term 4 and the beginning of our Foundation Swimming Program, we encourage families to practise having children dress and undress independently at home. This will help them feel confident and prepared for swimming sessions, as teachers will not be able to assist students with getting changed before or after swimming. Thank you for your continued support in helping our students develop their independence.

Learning for the term ahead

Religious Education:

In Term 4 Week 1, students will 

English:

In Term 4 Week 1, students will be reading 'Come Together Again' by Isaiah Firebrace. Through this beautiful story, we will explore the importance of coming together, connection and celebrating the people and communities around us. We will have opportunities to talk about what makes us feel connected and how we can show kindness, respect and care towards others.

Mathematics:

In Term 4 Week 1, students will be revisiting our counting and number skills. Students will practise counting and recognising numbers to 10, matching numerals to quantities, and comparing small collections to identify which group has more, fewer or the same amount. We will use hands-on activities and games to build confidence with numbers and counting. 

Social Emotional Learning (SEL):

In Term 4 Week 1, students will be learning about positive relationships and how we can treat others with kindness, respect and fairness. We will explore what it means to feel safe and respected, and how our words and actions can affect others. 

Auslan:

In Term 4 Week 1, students will continue developing our signing skills and confidence as we practise communicating using Auslan. Students will have opportunities to revise familiar signs and learn new ways to use Auslan in everyday classroom interactions. 

What you can do at home

Reading together at home is one of the best ways to support your child’s learning. Enjoy our focus book together by reading it at home or listening to a read-aloud online (many are available on YouTube).

While reading, you could:

• Talk about the main events and important messages in the story.
• Encourage your child to retell the story in their own words.
• Discuss the characters, setting and what happens throughout the story.
• Look for words that begin with our focus sound/s.
• Encourage your child to think deeply about the story by asking questions such as:
  • Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?
  • I wonder why...
  • What makes you think that?
  • Can you show me where it says...?
  • What do you think will happen next?
  • That didn't make sense to me. Let's read it again.

✏️ Supporting Learning at Home

You can also support your child's learning through everyday activities and routines. Some simple ideas include:

• Practise correct letter formation and handwriting.
• Bring our Mathematics learning into everyday life by looking for opportunities to talk about maths during your daily routines.
• Count everyday objects, such as toys, fruit, stairs or cars.
• Look for numbers on houses, letterboxes, clocks and number plates.
• Talk about shapes you notice around your home or neighbourhood.
• Compare quantities, for example, "Who has more grapes?" or "Which pile has fewer?"
• Use maths language such as more, less, bigger, smaller, before, after, next to, behind and between.
• Get your child involved in cooking by asking them to count, measure or estimate ingredients.
• Play simple board games or card games that involve counting, matching or recognising numbers.
• Practise number stories using everyday objects. For example, "There were 8 strawberries. We ate 3. How many are left?"
• Ask questions while shopping, such as "Can you find 5 apples?" or "Which item costs more?"
• Notice patterns on clothing, wrapping paper, tiles or fences and encourage your child to continue or create the pattern.

Important Classroom Reminders:

• Fidget Toys

  We kindly ask that students do not bring fidget toys to school unless their use is a planned adjustment in consultation with Allied Health Professionals. Students who bring fidget toys without an approved adjustment will be asked to place them in their school bag for the remainder of the day to take home. We appreciate your support in encouraging your child to leave fidget toys at home.

• Spare clothes/change of clothes

  Please pack spare clothes with a pair of socks and underwear to be placed in the front zip pocket of your child's school bag in case of a toileting accident or when they get muddy during recess and play time. 

• Please ensure that you are labelling all your child's belongings.

Important Dates to Remember:

• Monday, 5th October - First Day of Term 4
• Thursday, 8th October - Foundation 2026 Group Photos
• Monday 2nd November - School Closure Day
• Tuesday 3rd November - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday
• Monday 9th - Thursday 19th November - Foundation Swimming Program
• Monday 30th November - Athletic day at Casey Fields
• Tuesday 1st December - School Christmas Carols
• Friday 11th December - Last day of formal classes

Enjoy your weekend,

The Galilee Team

Contact us @ Galilee

galilee@cranbourneeast.catholic.edu.au  (all teachers) or