Learning and Teaching
LS2 Junior Reading Update
We’re excited to share what’s been happening in LS2’s Junior Reading this term! Our reading program runs every day, with a different focus throughout the week to support and grow your child’s reading skills.
Mondays and Tuesdays
These days are all about three key parts of reading: Phonics, Partner Reading, and Home Group Comprehension.
Phonics
We start with phonics, where students focus on the sounds we hear in words (these are called phonemes). We also look at how these sounds are written using letters or letter combinations (called graphemes). For example, the sound /ai/ can be written as "ai" like in rain or "ay" like in day. Understanding this helps students become more confident with reading and spelling tricky words.
Partner Reading
Students read aloud to a partner. This gives them the chance to practice their reading fluency in a safe and supportive environment. They take turns reading and listening, encouraging each other and building confidence along the way. It’s a great way to celebrate progress and make reading a team effort.
Home Group Comprehension
We finish the session with comprehension activities in our Home Groups. Together, we explore different texts and talk about what’s happening in the story, who the characters are, and why things are happening.
This helps students deepen their understanding and learn to think more critically about what they’re reading - not just decoding the words, but really understanding them.
Wednesdays to Fridays
During the second half of the week, we run Reading Clinics. These are group sessions where students focus on different elements of reading. In Clinics, we work on different Reading Strategies. This encourages students to talk about what they’ve read, explain what’s happening in a story, and share their thinking with others. It’s a fantastic way to build comprehension and confidence in expressing ideas about a text. Students also get the opportunity to delve into Reading Learning Experiences, which are fun and interactive.
Thank you for your ongoing support at home. Listening to your child read, chatting about books, and encouraging a love of reading really makes a difference.
Sarah, Kristy, Matilda, Natasha & Andriana
LS2 Junior Teaching Team
Learning Space 2 Seniors
MORNING PRAYER
It has been wonderful to see this term that the senior children in Learning Space 2 have been taking ownership of morning prayer in their homegroups. After being rostered on to lead prayer each week the children have been coming up with new and exciting ways for our homegroups to pray together.
Teachers modelled different ideas on how students could lead prayer using a range of prayers, music, symbols etc.
It has been amazing to see the children take on this role with such reverence, grace and initiative.
In Homegroup AC, one of the students implemented a prayer jar that can be used throughout the term to write special intentions and then read a few out over the week to pray for.
Others have written their own prayers or come up with ideas such as passing around the cross and allowing children to share a special intention they have that morning.
We are so proud of the students taking initiative and showing our values of Responsibility, Respect and Kindness when starting our day.
Claire and Amy
LS2 Senior Teaching Team
Balancing Time Online
Alannah & Madeline Foundation, along with eSmart have released some articles to help navigate parenting in a technological world.
Click this link to the article about Balancing Your (and your child’s) Time Online
SENIOR SPORT
Inter-school Sport
On Friday our Grade 5/6’s played against Lynbrook Primary School. Towards the end of the term, a quite hectic and everyone is looking forward to the school holidays. Both schools played with great sportsmanship. We are very proud of our students, and it being harmony day, I commend our students in their competitiveness and showing respect to the other students from Lynbrook Primary School.
The schools we are playing, dates and locations for these events are as follows:
- Friday May 2nd, Lyndhurst Primary School - Home Game.
- Friday May 16th, Rivergum Primary School - Home Game.
- Friday May 23rd, St Kevins Primary School - Home Game.
- Friday June 6th, Coral Park Primary School - Away Game.
- Tuesday June 17th, Winter Lightning Premiership
Venues for each sport are as follows for Lightning Premiership:
- Soccer - Livingston Reserve
- AFL 9’s - Livingston Reserve
- Netball - Casey Stadium
- Volleystars - Casey Stadium
- Teeball - Casey Fields- Oval 3 (behind the Athletics Track)
For away matches and the Lightning Premiership students will travel to and from the venue via chartered bus with staff members attending.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION LESSONS
In our Physical Education lesson, I had the privilege of instructing the students in High Jump. St. Francis has not previously had the chance to enter students in high jump competitions at any level. Despite this, our performance has been commendable when compared to other schools. I would like to express my gratitude to all the students and parents for their contributions in acquiring the necessary equipment for teaching high jump at St. Francis DeSales Primary School. I believe the students are finding it enjoyable. These are exciting times in Physical Education, and I extend my thanks to Christine, all the students, and the parents' association.
Additionally, as part of the Physical Education curriculum, we have been concentrating on the fitness components of Strength, Power, and Flexibility. The senior students have participated in the Sargent Jump, an assessment that evaluates leg strength and power based on the height achieved.
We have also emphasised the significance of the Central Nervous System, which plays a crucial role in our daily activities. Furthermore, the students have been undergoing flexibility tests to assess their hamstring and lower back flexibility.
Flexibility is vital for overall health and helps decrease the risk of injuries. Greater flexibility contributes to enhanced strength and endurance.
Lulli Barbakos
Physical Education Teacher
lbarbakos@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au
SFS HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY & COLOUR EXPLOSION
Friday April 4th, 2025
The SFS House Cross Country is on the last day of this term, Friday April 4th and it will be held at school. Seniors will participate from 8.45-10.00 and Juniors from 10.00-11.00.
The track will start behind LS2 and go along the side of the basketball courts, down the front of LS3 and LS1, around the rainbow playground and out the gate near the front of the school. They will then run across the front of the school and through the gates near the hall, across the front of the hall and back to the oval.
Gates to the car park will be closed and there will be parents supervising along the track.
Foundation: One lap around the track
Grade 1: One lap around the track
Grade 2: One lap around the track
8 year olds: Two laps around the track
(This race will be mixed both boys and girls)
9/10 year olds: Two laps around the track
11 year olds: Three laps around the track
12/13 year olds: Three laps around the track
If parents need to enter the school they will need to use the pedestrian gate near the rainbow playground. Please use this gate only. Parents who are attending to support their child, there will be a designated area for you to sit behind the Hall or behind LS2 near the sandpit. This is a great spot to view the start and finish of the races as well as the colour explosion. Please feel free to bring chairs to sit on. We ask that parents remain in this area for the safety of our students.
There will be separate races for boys and girls in each age or grade level except the 8 year old race where girls and boys will run together. Students placing in the first ten will be awarded a ribbon and points for their House and those who are first in each race will have their names engraved on the perpetual school trophies that are kept in our trophy cabinet.
Students will be required to wear their sports uniform as they will be running, but we hope that they will wear a t-shirt that is in their house colour. They may also accessorise in their house colour. E.g. hair ribbons, socks, sweat bands, hair spray… They will also need to bring their drink bottle and hat and we suggest applying sunscreen in the morning before school. Please also remember to update your child’s profile on Operoo and acknowledge the Operoo for your child to participate in Cross Country.
Students will then also participate in the Colour Explosion. Please ensure your child is wearing a t-shirt you don’t mind getting colour on, though from experience I can assure you the colour does wash off. Please remember to register your child online for the Colour Explosion and donate to Parents & Friends fundraising.
Teresa House - Blue
MacKillop House – Yellow
Bosco House – Red
Patrick House – Green
We will then have assembly after 1st lunch to announce the winning house and the winners for each race. Mini Vinnies will also make their pledge to join and receive their badges. Sliming of staff will also happen at the end of this assembly.
If there are any parents able to assist with the House Cross Country and have their Working with Children Check which is registered with the school, please contact Giuliana on gfaiola@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au or complete the section for parent assistance on the Operoo form. Senior Cross Country will take place from 8.45-10 and Junior Cross Country from 10-11.
SCHOOL SPORTS VICTORIA
The first 6 students in each race from 9/10 year olds, 11 year olds and 12/13 year olds will also have the opportunity to proceed to District Cross Country in Term 2. Parents of students who come 1st – 6th will be notified in Term 2 via Operoo.
Lulli and Giuliana
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
JUNIOR SPORTS
SPORTING SCHOOLS CLINICS
Juniors had their final Athletic Clinic this week. They learnt about various field activities such as javelin, shotput and discus. We would once again like to thank DS Sports for providing the fantastic coaches that worked with our students. We are also very grateful to the Sporting Schools Program which provides the funding for these clinics.
YEAR 2 TAG RUGBY
A big thank you to Ali, the Game Development Officer from NRL for offering our Grade 2 a chance to play tag rugby. Students will be in teams and will get the opportunity to name their team. They will receive coaching from the coaches prior to playing friendly games against the other Grade 2s.
Parents a notification has been placed on Operoo. Please ensure you acknowledge and ensure your child’s profile is up to date.
WHOLE SCHOOL SPORTING EVENTS
AFL SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM
AFL Victoria and Melbourne Football Club are delivering an AFL School Holiday program near us these holidays. If you are interested in finding out more please follow the link: https://play.afl/play/school-holiday-programs
Giuliana
Extra-Curricular Coordinator