The Net

Arrunga

Leading Teacher Communication 

 

Dear Parents/Carers,  

 

We have had a busy week 6 with the start of Book Week! The students and staff at Arrunga marked the first day of Book Week by dressing up as their favourite book character and participating with the wider St Luke’s College during the Book Week Parade. 

 

During the week students  have had many opportunities to celebrate Book Week, explore different books and share some of their favourites with their teachers and peers. We encourage all our parents/carers to take some time especially this week to read or listen to an audio book together. Parents/carers can access further Book Week activities to try at home and join the Storybox 2023 book-week-reading-activity-challenge.  

 

 

 

 

 

Positive Behaviour Support for Learning (PBS4L) 

 

In St Luke’s Arrunga, teachers embed and explicitly teach through all KLA’S Positive Behaviour Support for Learning (PBS4L) skills and strategies to all students. During the second half of this term all Stages will be focussing on what it looks and feels like to be safe within their learning environment, at home and within the community. Students will have opportunities to further develop their social skills and demonstrate an understanding of PBS4L concepts through roleplay, community participation and PDHPE lessons. 

 

All staff consistently use the same PBS4L language/phrases that correspond to the expected skill. Through repetition, rehearsal and demonstration through modelling and visuals students are able to  understand, demonstrate and explain the key elements of what it means to be safe, respectful and a learner. Our PBS4L structures remain a positive addition to the behaviour and wellbeing of each student at Arrunga. We encourage our parents/carers to use the language of our school PBS4L Matrix at home as a continuation and development of social skills . 

 

Safe Arrival and Dismissal Reminders: 

  • Arrival and Dismissal times are between 8:20-8:40am and 2:30-2:50pm. Please ensure that you are on time in the morning and afternoon. Outside of these times you will need to sign in or collect your child at the main office. 
  • Due to safety regulations, parents/carers are politely reminded to remain inside their vehicles at all times and to wait for a member of staff to escort your child. 
  • Vehicles are not permitted to park or access the basketball courts as a turning bay. This poses significant safety risks to staff and students in Arrunga and the College grounds. 

 

Kind regards,

Mrs Catherine Goodwill / Ms Linda Drayton

 

Early Stage 1 & Stage 1

 

Dear Parents and Carers, 

 

Students have been hard at work exploring new content and revising old content. Students have shown development in all areas of their learning including literacy, numeracy and social skills. The Early Stage 1/Stage 1 learning team would like to congratulate the students on the positive learning behaviours they have been demonstrating and encourage them to keep up the hard work.

 

Over the next fortnight, Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 will be striving towards achieving the PBS4L learning goal of keeping safe in the learning space by focusing on keeping personal space. Students will continue to review our shared learning story in the morning to start our day as well as consistently reviewing key elements throughout the day.

 

Safe in the Learning Space

I keep my hands and feet to myself.                                                              I keep personal space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kind regards, 

                       

Mrs Natasha Narain    / Mrs Isabel Little  

 

FOCUS FOR LEARNING & ACTIVITIES THIS FORTNIGHT:

 

  • Literacy: Beginning from week 6, students in Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 will be exploring fairy tales during our literacy block. Through the learning of fairy tales, students will be developing knowledge and understanding of characters, settings and events of a story. We will begin our fairy tale unit by reading The Princess and the Pea, followed by King Pig (a retelling of the Emperor’s New Clothes). 

 

  • Numeracy:  In Week 6 students will be working on developing and extending their understanding of forming groups and equal sharing (division). Students will be learning how to distribute a collection of objects equally into a given number of groups one at a time to determine how many items are in each group. During the second half of term three Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 students will move to extending their understanding of the measurement strand. They will first be looking at calculating the area of object using informal units such as counters,

 

  • Science: Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 will be continuing their exploration of materials through an integrated approach with the learning of fairy tales during literacy. Students will be identifying the different materials that are presented in different fairy tale stories. Students will be challenged to create a new comfortable bed for The Princess and the Pea and will be exploring different materials used in clothing to help the King Pig learn what to wear.   

 

  • PDHPE:  During our PDH lessons, students in Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 have been learning about making good choices to keep our bodies safe and healthy. Students learned about the importance of good foods in giving our bodies strength and energy to play and learn. We will be turning our focus towards personal hygiene, including hand washing and brushing teeth. In PE lessons, students are working on developing their social-emotional skills such as team work and turn taking through playing games such as tag and rob the nest.                                                                                   

 

 

            

 

 

                                                             Stage 2 & 3 

 

Dear Parents and Carers, 

 

The students of Stage 2 & 3 have been working towards using various social skills during group work activities in the classroom. Students have been developing their understanding of the key learning areas and concepts by applying their own experiences and sharing their perspectives.  

 

We thank all parents and carers for your continuous support in supporting the students with their organisational routines and transition to school in the mornings.

 

Kind regards,     

Mrs Merlin Binu /Miss Eunice Rovero  

 

FOCUS FOR LEARNING & ACTIVITIES THIS FORTNIGHT:

 

  • Literacy:  For our shared reading block, the chosen story books highlight our PBS4L skills to continue to reinforce and model our learning stories. The comprehension skill in focus is cause and effect. Literacy learning groups will focus on expanding vocabulary and improving automaticity of sight words through a variety of activities. The students will also try to build their own sentences when given visual support and word lists.

 

Numeracy:  The focus of numeracy for this fortnight is the mathematical strand of Number and Algebra . Students are learning about Multiplication and Division using the language of “groups of”  through concrete materials and objects.Over the next two weeks students will be learning more about measuring, with a focus on Area.

  • Religion: As we continue to answer the question “What makes a hero?”, the students will look at the value of “COURAGE” for this fortnight. They will be reflecting on the bible story of David and Goliath and share their experiences where they’ve shown great courage. 

 

  • CAPA: Students of stage 2 & 3 have been learning different dance steps which has helped them to learn coordination and teamwork.The activities have helped them to develop their spatial awareness, essential for moving safely in their environment .

 

  • PDHPE: 

During PDHPE students have learnt how healthy food helps us build stronger bodies and muscles.Students also learn about  the healthy exercise routine that helps them keep them  away from different diseases. Over the next two weeks students will learn about different movement skills that will enhance their body development.

          

    

                                                                                    

 

Stage 4

Dear Parents and Carers, 

 

Stage 4 is continuing to earn their stars for being Safe, Respectful and Learners in their learning space. Students earned their second reward this week- Movie and popcorn. Students have adapted well to new activities which were introduced in literacy galleries to cater to their speaking and listening skills. We are trying our best and participating in all our activities. 

 

Kind Regards,

Miss Sheetal Tammal 

 

FOCUS FOR LEARNING & ACTIVITIES THIS FORTNIGHT:

 

Literacy:  Stage 4 will continue learning and deepening their understanding in various literacy gallery activities such as Viewing and Responding, Interpreting, and Speaking and Listening. We are watching current news, short videos on global issues and BTN news as a class and discussing our viewpoint. Stage 4 is learning to share their views and listen to others opinion on the topic with respect.  

 

Numeracy: The students are mastering their everyday numbers -ordering, sequencing and counting by 4,5 skills. We are also looking at elapsed time word problems which are based on everyday situations. Students are encouraged to apply their knowledge of telling time by hours and minutes to calculate time taken to complete a real life task. 

 

Religion: For next two weeks, stage 4 is focussing on “Understanding Buddhism”. We are watching videos related to Buddhism religion and identifying the symbol and places of worship. Students are engaging in discussions and sharing their opinion / wondering with the class. 

 

Science:  Science is getting “messy and explosive” with our Volcanic eruption experiment! This week we are learning about different layers of planet Earth and how Volcanic eruption takes up by engaging in interesting and safe experiment demonstrations. Students are using their senses to observe, record their findings and communicate them to the class. 

 

Food technology: Stage 4 students have been improving their cutting skills using various cooking utensils and equipment whilst preparing and cooking stir fried vegetables and rice. We are gaining confidence in and around the kitchen with various tools and following simple recipes with guided practice. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONTINUITY OF LEARNING AT HOME:

 

  • First Nations Bedtime Stories will be available early September for Early Childhood and Primary School families at home and present an opportunity to learn more about our First Nation People and their culture. Register now to receive 5 videos over 5 days, 11th -15th September. Each video contains a short Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Dreaming Bedtime Story. Each story is an invitation to share cultural knowledge, wisdom and connection.

Registration link: First Nations Bedtime Stories

  • Revisit and read through with your child at home the learning stories which have been uploaded to their Seesaw account. 
  • Review Seesaw alongside your child by using the photos and learning updates to support them with communicating and identifying what they have been learning or have enjoyed doing at school.

REMINDERS:

 

  • If you need to contact your child's teacher, please be aware that teachers are face to face with students during the day and will respond to your inquiries as soon as possible. For all urgent matters please direct your inquiries to the main college office on (02) 9854 3100. 
  • Please ensure that your child has a drink bottle and a hat every day.All items and personal belongings including lunchboxes and drink bottles need to be clearly labelled with their name. 
  • School drop off time is between 8:20-8:40am and collection time is between 2:30-2:50pm. Please ensure that you are on time in the morning and afternoon. Outside of these times you will need to sign in or collect your child at the main office. 
  • If your child is unwell they should remain at home. If they present as being unwell they will be escorted to the main office sick bay and you will be called to collect them.

 

  UPCOMING EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY:

 

  • Monday 21st August- Friday 25th August - Book Fair (Parents can purchase books  in the School Foyer)
  • Monday 21st August from 8:45am -Book Character Parade 
  • Friday 25th August- Meerkat Theatre performance:  ‘Frank’s Red Hat’ by Sean E Avery.
  • Monday 28th August - Cultural Day- Cultural Dress
  • Tuesday 29th August - Collective Shout Parent Information Evening 6pm
  • Thursday 31st August from 7.30am- Fathers Day Breakfast-  Please complete the Google form. 
  • Thursday 31st August from 8:45am- Father's Day Liturgy
  • Friday 1st September- Staff Formation Day (No students on site)

 

Term dates for 2023 are as follows:

  • Term 3 - Tuesday 18th July - Friday 22nd September
  • Term 4 - Monday 9th October - Thursday 14th December
  • Friday 15th December- Teacher/Parent Conferences (No students on site)

 

*School development days occur at the beginning of Terms 1, 2 and 3 and the last two days of the school year.

  • Term 3 - 17/7/2023, 1/9/2023  (No students on site)
  • Term 4 - 9/10/23, 10/10/23, 18/12/2023, 19/12/2023  (No students on site)
  • Last day of classes: 14/12/23

 

HELPFUL LINKS: 

 

Community Links: