Reception class: Katie

Firstly, on a personal note, it is great to be back at Uraidla Primary School for 2025. I would like to thank everyone for welcoming me back so warmly.

In the Reception class, we have been busy learning about what we do at school and how to help ourselves and others. We have also been learning about each other and have done many activities that involve telling our classmates something about ourselves. We have been learning about the rules of the classroom and the yard and have had a great time exploring all the areas of the school. This week we have started swimming lessons which have been a lot of fun. We have been learning how to float on our fronts and our backs as well as how to safely enter and exit the pool. We are really enjoying getting to know everyone in the school and we are looking forward to the challenge of next week when the more formal learning begins.

Reception/ Year 1 class: Jaya

What an amazing start we’ve had to the new school year! Over the past two weeks, we have settled into new routines, built friendships, and welcomed our new Reception students. Our Year 1 students have been fantastic buddies, setting great examples and helping their younger peers navigate their first weeks of school.

This week, we made a splash at the pool during our swimming lessons! The students demonstrated resilience, bravery, and persistence as they learned essential water skills, including floating, paddling, kicking, and safe water entry and exit. Despite the heat, they had a fantastic time! The bus rides and afternoon activities provided even more opportunities to connect and strengthen friendships.

We’re excited to dive into the year ahead!

Year 1/2 class: Kelly

The children have shown a great start to the year. They have been so excited that they have their own pencils, ruler, glue stick, pencil pot and tray. They love having responsibility of their things! We have been focusing on classroom goals and expectations (what they look like, how they will sound and how they will feel in the classroom). We have also been focusing on discussing being kind, caring and respectful. We have been so lucky with the weather for swimming, they look forward to their lesson daily.

Year 2/3 class: Samantha

What a wonderful start to the school year! Our Year 2/3 class has been busy getting to know each other, playing fun maths games, and learning about classroom expectations, kindness and friendship. We have also had an exciting Swimming Week, where everyone has shown resilience and enthusiasm in the pool. Samantha is incredibly proud of the positive attitude and teamwork displayed by all students, especially during such a busy first few weeks. It’s been fantastic to see friendships forming and a love for learning growing already—we can’t wait for all the adventures ahead this year!

Year 3/4 class: Stephen and Emma

We have spent some time negotiating what our class rules will be for the year. We came up with explicit and agreed rules under six main areas: Communication, Movement, Learning, Getting Along, Conflict Resolution and Organisational. We also revisited our understanding of the Zones of Regulation and how we can move from zone to zone throughout the day and that this is ok. Swimming lessons were a great fun each day. - Stephen

It has been a pleasure getting to know all the students this fortnight and establishing connections in an exciting, new classroom culture. A fitting lesson that we began with in Health was managing anxiety through the empowering book by Karen Young, Hey Warrior. We discussed how this can be prevalent when starting a new class and touched on how to manage anxiety by learning it comes from a place of protective strength within our brains- the amygdala. Through understanding the physical science of anxiety, we can learn to master it as a positive, friendly superpower! - Emma

Year 4/5 class: Alex

We have had a very settled start to the year in our Year 4/5 class. During our first two weeks students have been setting up their classroom rules and expectations. They have been participating in discussions around which behaviours are acceptable and respectful in the classroom. They have agreed on ways the class should behave and treat each other in order for everyone to feel safe and focused on their learning. Students have co- written a classroom agreement, outlining these shared expectations.

Students have been using their Zones of Regulation check-in cards to reflect on and identify the emotion they are experiencing. They have been monitoring which zone they are in and what they can do to take action to self-regulate their emotions throughout the day. They have personalised their zones check-in charts this year by creating their own character to move along to each zone.

Year 5/6 class: Sallie

Welcome to a new year! I can not believe that we have finished week 2 already. In the first week we got to know each and set our class expectations. The main idea underpinning our classroom is "RESPECT" and the students got to write down what they thought that might look like in our classroom. The Year 6s made a display for the hallway and it showcases a picture of themselves and when you flip their photo you will find information about each of them. A great way to get to know our leaders! Aquatics camp (for the Year 6s) was fantastic and the students did really well in conquering their nerves and trying new things. I loved going to the pool and watching the Year5s. So much confidence! What a beautiful setting for the week. Well done to all the students in my class for demonstrating resilience and enthusiasm for the start of a new year!!!

Indonesian: Ibu Susan

In Indonesian we have been busy getting to know new students in the school as well as revising what we know about Indonesia. We have met our two teddies for the term- Ketut the orangutan and Gusti the elephant. Next week we will start our new topics so keep an eye out for the overviews that will come home.

Science: Jess

Science Teamwork Challenge: Building a Tower Without Touching!

This year, we’re kicking off an exciting exploration of physical science with our junior and upper primary students. Our focus for the term is all about push and pull for the younger grades, while the older students will be diving into the fascinating world of heat, energy, and forces. It’s going to be an incredible journey, and we’re starting strong with a fun and engaging teamwork challenge.

Over the last couple of weeks, students have been learning the importance of working together as a team, an essential skill in science. The first activity was a hands-on challenge where students had to build a tower using just 10 cups, 4 pieces of string, and 1 rubber band—without touching the cups with their hands! They had to rely on their language skills, communication, and collaboration to stack the cups on top of each other, moving them carefully using the string and rubber bands.

It was amazing to see students work together in small groups, problem-solving, and encouraging one another. The excitement and pride they felt upon completing the challenge were truly heartwarming. This activity was not just about building towers—it was about building trust, improving communication, and setting the tone for the year ahead.

We are thrilled to see how these experiences will fuel their curiosity and drive throughout the term. It's shaping up to be a fantastic year in science, and I can't wait to see what we will accomplish together as we explore the wonders of the physical world!

Looking forward to more discoveries, challenges, and teamwork as we continue our science adventure!

PE: Troy

For the last two weeks in PE students have been focusing on learning the different expectations in the gym. There has been a major focus on collaborative games with an emphasis on team work, communication and of course being collaborative. Games have ranged depending on year levels from hoop relays, secret agent tag, wall ball relay and many more. Next week students will begin invasion games and the younger years will begin their development of fundamental movement skills through small games.

Gardening: Jo

Gardening groups will begin with a focus on "Sustainability" this term as the Sustainability Fair is coming up in March. We are looking at what sustainability means, what sustainable practices we use around the school and how can the students be involved and support them.

Keep an eye on our Harvest Table for seeds, limes and zucchinis in a few week's time. Feel free to donate any excess fruit or vegetables you may have. If anyone would like herbs let me know we have plenty of thyme, mint and chives just now.

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