Achilles Community Report

Welcome

We would like to welcome all our new and existing families to the AHPS school community. As well as a BIG welcome to all our new Prep students. You have all had an amazing start to school and are all settling in really well. Here are some of the things we have been up to so far and this is what the rest of the term will look like for us. Enjoy!

Developmental Play

Students have been participating in Developmental Play each morning. This is a range of different activities set up throughout the community with different focuses for each. Focus activities include literacy, numeracy, arts and crafts, fine motor skills, construction and building and sharing/taking turns. These activities also allow the students to get to know one another, build on their experiences and allow them to practise having conversations, building their confidence and oral language skills.

Literacy

In Reading this term we have been learning how to make connections with texts. We have been reading books to students in which they complete a follow up activity, making connections to what has been read to them. This term in Reading we will be learning different nursery rhymes in which the focus will be on sounds. Listening for rhymes and understanding the similarities and differences.

In Writing this term we have been focusing on pencil grip with a big focus on how to write our name correctly. The beginning letter being uppercase and the rest lowercase, trying to form letters correctly. This term we will continue to have a big focus on pencil grip and writing our names as well as drawing/writing to communicate our ideas. 

Speaking and listening is another big focus in literacy. Students have been learning how to do this in a school setting. Sitting in a group, raising their hand when they would like to contribute, listening to teacher instructions and peers sharing. Knowing how to take turns when speaking and responding appropriately in conversations.

Maths

In Maths this term students have been learning all about patterns. They have been practicing making and continuing simple patterns using a range of different materials. 

For the rest of term 1, students will be learning to make, name and record numbers to 10. They will be practicing counting forwards and backwards from 10. They will be learning to recognise the numbers to 10 in many different forms, including the numeral, the written word, using tens frames, unifix blocks and bundling sticks. We also be learning to recognise small collections without having to count all. 

Specialists

Each mentor group participates in 5 specialist classes per week. 

The table below shows which days each group has the 5 specialists, some days groups will have two and other days they will not have a specialist class. 

When your child has Physical Education or Performing Arts please ensure they have appropriate clothing and footwear for easy movement. 

Reminders

Each morning, around 10am, we take a quick Fruit Break. We use this time to refuel our bodies with healthy nutrients to get our brains and bodies ready for more learning. Please ensure you pack your child at least one piece of fruit each day. We recommend placing it in a separate container so that it is easy for your child to take out and eat. As discussed in class, some great options during this time include: bananas, apples, grapes, mangos, carrot sticks, celery sticks, peeled mandarins or orange slices, and watermelon. 

As part of our SunSmart policy, in Term 1 and Term 4, all students are required to wear a hat during outside play times. Please remind your child/ren to bring their hat to school. Please ensure that it is clearly named. If your child’s hat does go missing, we will endeavour to find it and return it to you. In the meantime, you are allowed to send any hat for your child to wear. If your child is not wearing a hat, they must stay in the shaded areas of the outside space.