Prep News
Term 1, Week 2
Welcome!
Welcome to Prep 2025! It's been an incredible start to the year, and the Prep team would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all of our families for their amazing support. All of the Preps have been excited, happy, and are settling into their routines smoothly. This positive beginning wouldn’t have been possible without your care and encouragement. Whether this is your first experience with school, or the last child leaving the nest, take a moment to be kind to yourselves as you and your family adjust to the start of the school year.
What we've been up to in Prep
We've been having a great time in our new classrooms and on the playground. Each day, we play games to help us get to know one another and take part in activities about ourselves and life at school. We've also been learning our new routines and expectations to ensure we stay safe while we're here.
Key Dates
Monday 10th March: Labour Day
Tuesday 18th February: Prep Reading Information Night
Wednesday 19th March: School Photos
Important information and reminders:
Reading Information Night
You are invited to our Prep Reading Information Night on Tuesday 18th February at 6pm. This is a session for families that have been at SGPS for years, as much as it for new families! We look forward to seeing you all there.
Wednesdays in February
A reminder that Prep children have Wednesdays off for the month of February. These dates are as follows:
12th February
19th February
26th February
No peanuts at school for Prep to Grade 2
Please read the Compass News Feed post published by Brett Parkes on February 4th, if you haven't already.
Notes home
Wellbeing Dog and Swimming forms are due back to your child's Prep teacher ASAP.
Fine Motor Development
At this stage of Prep, we put a big focus on building our fine motor skills as we begin to use pencils, scissors and glue more regularly. During our transitions session last year, we sent home a small tub of playdough that can be used to complete these activities. Anything you can do at home in regards to this will be beneficial!
Below is some information that explains the importance of fine motor skills:
What are fine motor skills?
Fine motor movements are the actions performed with the small muscles in the hands, fingers and wrist. Whether your child is holding a pencil, holding a pair of scissors or putting clothes on their doll, they will require precise movements of the small muscles to accomplish the task satisfactorily. Fine motor skills are a child's ability to control their fine motor muscles.
How do they develop?
Fine motor skills, as with gross motor skills, develop only through practise and more practise. And as small muscles repeat motions over and over and over again, those muscles remember the movement (called "muscle memory") and the movements become automatic.
What is the importance of developing fine motor skills?
Fine motor skills directly impact on a child’s ability to learn how to properly hold and use a pencil and write. Using scissors correctly is another lifelong skill that is reliant on fine motor skills. Your child will need well-developed muscles in his thumb, index finger, middle finger and wrist to open and close the blades of the scissors.
Upcoming Fortnight
Over the next two weeks, we will keep playing games that encourage teamwork and a sense of belonging. We’ll also keep practising recognising our names and learning how to write them.
In Literacy, we’ll focus on the our first letters and their most common sounds—m, s, f, and a. Please find below a link to some information on building your child's literacy skills:
https://www.vic.gov.au/how-build-your-childs-literacy-skills-birth-grade-2
In Mathematics, we'll explore everything related to the numbers 1-4, including how to write them, count them, order them, and create collections with these amounts.
In Respectful Relationships, we will be exploring emotional literacy by noticing our own emotions as well as the emotions of others.
Through SWPBS, we will continue learning about our School Values and expectations!
And finally in Topic, we will be describing the people in our family and talking about what activities we do together.