There are only 10 days left of 2024. It has been a relatively quiet week at Newlands. Well…besides swimming, the 3/4s trialing a new Tier 2 approach in Numeracy and 2025 teams getting together for the first time to begin the set up for 2025. So quiet…may not be the right word.

Next Tuesday – Whole School Transition

While our Grade 6s are off to their 2025 High Schools for a visit, the rest of Newlands will meet their new teachers, peers and their new classrooms from 9:00am - 11:00am. It is always a very exciting day and is the first opportunity for the new grades to continue building relationships as well as forming new ones. A few families have asked how are grades made. The leaders and teachers have spent countless hours considering the students friendship groups, levels of support and grade dynamics to form new classes. We thank them for their dedication to ensuring our students will be successful in 2025. Today, students were told who their teachers are in 2025 which is always a very exciting experience for the students. This is an opportunity to discuss transition changes including new teachers, peers and classrooms with your child over the weekend before our Tuesday transition session.

What’s been happening in the classroom:

Foundation

I sat with Eva who was reading sentences in Spanish and drawing pictures to show her understanding. It is unbelievable how much learning has taken place in the Foundation area this year and absolutely blown away by the level of Spanish reading and speaking that has taken place. The students were also learning about the different sounds the syllables make which all the students were doing so confidently.

1/2

I jumped into Rob’s Spanish Classroom where all the students have become ‘actores’. All the students are involved in Spanish Reading Theatre texts including ‘el reno perdido’ and how the birds lost it colours. The students were in absolute flow working together and they are all excited to share their stories with the rest of the class next week. The 1/2s are also learning about poetry and are currently creating a ‘hit’ limerick for our upcoming cultural week.

3/4

The 3/4s are trialling a new Tier 2 intervention model in maths this week. Students have been broken up into their facts on fire focus areas as an opportunity to receive strategies specific to their level. The 3/4s are trialling this for the next two weeks and will be measuring the impact that this will have on student outcomes. The initial feedback from teachers and students has been overwhelmingly positive. I spoke to Nancy, Lowri and Wren outside to find out what has been the most exciting events in 3/4 this week. It seems nothing else has happened besides swimming.

5/6

It was Specialist Day in the 5/6s. With the goal to go in every class I was stopped and enjoyed the drumming sounds as the Grade 6s as they continue to prepare for their graduation performance as well as had the chance to join Visual Arts where I enjoyed the sewing of the graduation bears in Visual Arts.

Next Week

Next week is packed with exciting events and activities! On Monday, Foundation A will visit Barry Beckett Kindergarten, where they will engage with the kindergarten students through play and storytime to build relationships. All Foundation students will have had a visit to the kindergarten by then, which has been an exciting mini excursion for the students. On Thursday, the Grade 6 students will enjoy their Big Day Out, celebrating the end of their primary school journey. Week 10 will also see out the final lessons of the swimming program.

Additionally, our 2025 teaching teams will be working together to plan out Literacy and Numeracy for next year. Students will continue with their whole-day specialist days, see the timetable below.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Foundation

Transition Morning

9:00 - 11:00

1/2 Students

5/6 Students

3/4 Students

Have a great weekend

Thanks, Luke

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