Prep
Welcome to all Prep students and their families.
The Prep team are so proud of how seamlessly our Prep students transitioned into their first week of school and we are thrilled to have them join our Saltwater College community.
If this is your first child to commence school, please be assured they are in very good hands! We look forward to a very exciting and productive year in Prep.
The Prep Teaching Team:
PA - Natalie Young
PB - Steph Day
PC - Rosetta Krajsic
PD - Abby D’Souza
PE - Michelle Desa
PF - Jen Crooks and Alice Blue (co sharing for first term)
PG -Chloe Sach
PH - Marta Andrew
PI - Kayla Pietrapertosa
PJ - Yumeng Gui
PK - Amelia Funtuz
We are looking forward to an engaging, fun-filled year of learning and growth with all of our Prep students.
Over the next few weeks, the students will engage in developmental play when they enter the classroom each morning, which helps develop the fundamentals for their cognitive, physical, social and emotional growth. It also provides students with opportunities to take turns, make friends, make choices, communicate and be creative. The students have had lots of fun this week engaging with the different activities each morning, including Lego, puzzles, beading and construction tools. The students are encouraged to engage with texts from their classroom library and a writing table allows students to express their thoughts and ideas through drawing and/or pictures.
During this time the teachers are developing relationships with the students, supporting them and scaffolding students’ play by asking questions and prompting them to use their problem-solving skills to find solutions.
Literacy
In Literacy, we have been learning about the concepts of print such as: how to hold a book, where to start when reading, which way to turn a page and what an author and illustrator are. Students are given time to read books and practise good reading behaviours. We have started focusing on letters and the sound/s they make as well as correctly forming each of these. Students were also introduced to their Special Writing Book and how this book will be used.
Mathematics
In Mathematics, the Prep students have been learning about the maths resources available to them within their classroom and how to take care of these resources. Students have been investigating repeating patterns. Some of the patterns the students have been working on are: AB patterns like blue (A) green (B) and ABC patterns like red (A) yellow (B) orange (C), etc. This has been done through the manipulation of various materials such as coloured Unifix cubes, counters and paddle pop sticks. Students are working towards identifying the rule and continuing the pattern.
Class Agreements
While completing the ‘First 20 Days of School’ program, the students will continue to work collaboratively within their classes to construct essential agreements underpinning the rules and expectations around student engagement, which will build the foundation for a safe and supportive community.
The Prep team are looking forward to developing positive partnerships with the students’ families and encouraging open communication to ensure we all have the students’ best interests at the forefront of our minds.
We thank you for your support in creating a positive transition to school as we work together to make the students first year at school a memorable experience!
Kind Regards,
The Prep Team
REMINDERS:
Students are expected to bring their satchel to school EVERY DAY – If your child has not received one, please speak to your classroom teacher.
There is no school for the Prep students every Wednesday during February as assessment is conducted on these days.
Please ensure all your child’s belongings are clearly labelled with their first and last names.
Hats are to be worn when outside from August to April. Please ensure to put sunscreen on your child before arriving at school. We are unable to apply sunscreen on children, please practise this task with your child.
Prep students will begin using iPads in Term Two. Your child’s iPad will need to be configured by our IT team. Please look out for a notification detailing when to send iPads to school for configuration.
Snack and lunch times are 20 minutes long. Please encourage your child to eat their snack/lunch within a 20 minute period, as this will help them to follow school routine.
Please remember to pack a spare change of clothes for your child. Sometimes, little children can have toileting accidents as we transition into school.
Prep Assistant Principal
Welcome to Saltwater P-9 College! I trust you had a fantastic holiday. I'm excited to reacquaint myself as Taxia Katsouranis, your Assistant Principal responsible for the Prep cohort. Should you see me around the campus, feel free to approach, introduce yourself, and say hello. Fostering strong connections within our school community and ensuring successful transition to school is of utmost importance to me, and I eagerly anticipate getting acquainted with you all.
