Specialists Updates and Celebrations

Environmental Education (Prep)

This week the Prep students had their first Environmental Education lesson. Miss Bec had a great time getting to know the Prep students! They learnt about how to learn in the Environmental Education room and the different topics they will learn in the next Semester. The Preps also had a look at our school garden, which currently has lots of beautiful sunflowers growing in it.

Prep students will begin by learning about the Indigenous peoples of Australia and how they take care of the land. They will then learn lots about our local environment, including what animals and plants live nearby and at school. Well done on a great start to the year in Environmental Education, Preps!

Visual Arts (Years 1 and 2)

Throughout this week, Grade 1 and 2 students have been immersed in learning about Art Room expectations. It's crucial that every student understands what's expected of them in the Art Room to set them up for success throughout the year. By laying this foundation early on, we're equipping them with the skills they need to excel and achieve their goals. The students have been attentive and engaged, even creating their vision of 'The Perfect Art Room' through drawings. I'm thrilled that we've kicked off 2025 on such a positive note!

Physical Education (Years 3 and 4)

The Year 3 and 4s have started off their PE sessions being welcomed back by our new PE teacher, Mr Ryder. The program has started introducing some new routines to set the students up for success in 2025. These routines include how to be safe in the gym and what the structure of a PE session will look like. 

Students participated in the 'traffic lights' game, paying attention to colour cones that Mr Ryder held, signifying what exercise to perform; running, star jumps or freezing on the spot. The 3 and 4s also had a go at their first 'skill challenge' which is a new concept for students. They work through each level which increases in difficulty. The last level was throwing the ball and clapping as many times as they could before catching it! We are very excited about the skills students will learn in 2025. 

Music (Years 5 and 6)

During the first two weeks of our specialist program our theme is “Learning to Learn”. Here we establish the routines, procedures and expectations for our students in the Music Room. This will set us up to have a successful year and maximise our learning potential.  

In the Grade 5 and 6 music programs, our theme this term is “The History of Genres”.

Students learn the timeline of music genres, starting with the classical period. We will learn about important elements of the genres covered and pieces of music from those genres on various instruments. The genres include Classical, Jazz, Funk and Reggae. 

Auditions for the Grade 5 and 6 Rock Band and Grade 4, 5 and 6 Marimba Band start this week!

Performing Arts (Years 5 and 6)

This week, Grade 5 and 6 students have been learning about the expectations in the Performing Arts room, making sure they understand the space and how we work together. Understanding these expectations early on sets them up for success, while discovering dance helps students build their creativity and teamwork skills. We’ve also been diving into what dance is and exploring different styles and types of dance. The students have been really engaged, and it’s been exciting to see them start thinking about how they can express themselves through movement. A great start to 2025!

Library (Years 1 to 6)

The Year 1 to 6 classes have started to attend the library for their Learning to Learn session. This session covers library expectations, how to take care of the books, the library layout and borrowing rules. From February 24th, classes will begin attending weekly library sessions.

Borrowing

Each student is allowed to borrow two books from the library to take home. Students may keep the books for up to two weeks. Students must have a book bag in order to keep their books safe. Students are welcome to return their books at any time to the library.

Overdue Books

After two weeks, if a student has not returned their books, teachers will remind students to return their overdue books. If after another two weeks the books are still not returned then parents will receive a reminder email asking for the books to be returned. Students will not be able to borrow new books until the overdue books are returned.

Lost or Damaged Books

If a book is lost or damaged then parents will be asked to pay a $10 fee to cover the cost of replacing the book. If there are any questions or enquiries please contact Ms Zoe on Zoe.Danaher@smps.vic.edu.au