Primary

                                                                   Mrs Leanne Schulz

2022 Primary School Theme

What interesting things have been happening in the Primary School? 

It has been wonderful to see parents attending Chapel and Assembly in the Chapel and Performing Arts Centre every Monday morning. Fairview begins at 9am and Cumberland begins at 10am if you are interested in joining us. It has been a delight to have guest presenters at our Chapel services each week. The Fairview students enjoyed a ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ game conducted by Mr Chris Graham (Assistant Principal - Secondary) emphasising that God is always with us and can find us when in need. We have also had some excellent presentations during assemblies by the Year 1, Year 4 and Year 5 students over the last few weeks showcasing their learning. 

The following timetable outlines when classes present.

Year 4 Camp Student Reflections & Photos

Olivia C - 4J

Last week the Year 4 students got to go on camp! As soon as we all got off the bus, we had a lot of joy because we finally reached Camp Weekaway. We were all excited to go into our cabins and to find out who was in our room. My favourite activity was canoeing because you got to have a partner in your boat. My partner was Bailey. Another one of my favourite things was the flying fox because Mrs Steenkamp went on the flying fox too which was awesome. So did the paramedic Adam. The food there was the best! We got so much food. I had the best time at Camp Weekaway. 

Xavier C - 4J

Last week we had Year 4 camp. It was the best time of my life! We got to have all of our favourite activities. My favourite activities were the canoeing, flying fox and laser tag. Laser tag was good because you had to be vigilant and fast. Our team tied in the first game. In canoeing Judah and I went in the same canoe, and we rocked it! We went really fast. My paddle dropped in the water four times, but Judah helped me. The flying fox was so fun I went down it two times. Mr Munro went down it too, it was so funny! The food was really good. I loved the chicken wraps and pancakes. I also loved my cabin with my friends. I want to go again next year!

Maddie L - 4S

My favourite thing at camp was the zip lining. Let me tell you why, because it was so high up and we could go on it two times! What made me laugh was Mr Keegan did this superhero position and then nearly flipped.

Judah S - 4S

Today I will be reflecting on camp. So at camp there are 7 activities, flying fox (aka zipline), laser tag, canoeing, yabby man, damper and low ropes course. When we went canoeing, the water was really freezing so it was not my favourite. Low ropes was really fun! The maze had three games to play – hide and seek, crack the code and escape whilst blind folded! Yabby man – I can’t say anything about this – literally as we were told to keep it a secret! Top 3 activities for me were – the water balloon fight where the teachers got their revenge on us, laser tag which was lots of fun and lastly drum roll. The ZIPLINE! It was really fun so Year 3 I recommend you do it in Year 4 because sure it’s high, but it’s really fun. Also, you get two turns and I landed backwards both times.

Prep News

Mrs Natasha Radley (Prep AHOS)

As winter approaches quickly, please ensure your child has enough warm clothes for the day. We will continue to keep windows and doors ajar for fresh air. Students can wear jumpers in class if they are cold.

On Tuesday the Prep students walked up to the Aitken College farm on a glorious sunny morning and were able to experience seeing two calves, alpacas and sheep. It was the highlight of the week! The Prep students had much to talk about and also did some directed drawings of cows. How lucky we are to have our school nestled upon a farm!

Year 1 and 2 News

Mr Jevon Scandrett (Year 1/2 AHOS)

Welcome to Week 4! 

Last week, Year 1 students took part in an exciting excursion to Scienceworks. This excursion supports the learning in Integrated Studies for Term 2, as students are learning all about day and night. The students took part in a live show in the lightening room where they learned many new and interesting facts about weather and saw an amazing lightening display! Students also visited the planetarium where they were lucky enough to see two wonderful shows on the special screen above them. The teachers and staff on the excursion were incredibly proud of the wonderful behaviour of all the students on the excursion. I would like to once again thank the amazing parent helpers who came along and were such a wonderful support on the day. 

Elena J - 1R 

On Thursday we went to Scienceworks! We went with 1P and 1D for an excursion. We went to learn different things. I was in Mrs Russo’s group. I learnt about thunder. We went by bus, and I was happy. 

Ranumi  A - 1R 

Yesterday all of the Year 1 students went on a bus for a treat. The treat was a trip to Scienceworks, there were so many schools. My favourite thing was the Planetarium. We watched ‘Tyco goes to Mars’. We saw a constellation called ‘Ryan’. I also liked making the cars using the computer. We went there to learn lots of things.

In Year 2, students have completed some artworks using Indigenous symbols. In Integrated Studies, Year 2 students are learning all about the geography of Australia and their connections to special places. They will also explore Australia through an Indigenous perspective. Next week, Year 2 students will take part in an exciting excursion to the Melbourne Museum and IMAX to support their learning in Integrated Studies. 

As always, your first point of contact should be your child’s homeroom teacher followed by me as the Assistant Head of School (Years 1 and 2). 

Year 3 and 4 News

Mrs Anne Adams (Year 3/4 AHOS)

As part of the Cumberland Book Writing competition this term, the Year 3 and Year 4 students were lucky enough to have a guest author. Sue deGenaro and Andrew McDonald each showed the students how they brainstorm ideas, break down a book into manageable parts and how their illustrations complement the writing, often giving more detail to enhance the text. Andrew McDonald wrote the series “Real Pigeons” and spoke about how to begin with an everyday idea and exaggerate this. Many of his books have been shortlisted. Sue deGenaro has written many books including "Missing Marvin" and "Eddie Frogbert". She loves to write stories about being misunderstood. She is intrigued about how our actions affect others. 

Year 3 with Andrew McDonald

Year 4 with Sue deGenaro

In French class this week, the spelling sound was 'ch' as in chef and all our words were French, we decided in Year 4 to have croissants and the students could wear a beret if they wanted. See class of 4S below.

Year 5 and 6 News

Mr Nigel Keegan (Year 5/6 AHOS)

Our winter Interschool Sport season is underway with Aitken teams competing extremely well in our Round 1 fixture against Gladstone Views. Congratulations to students who have received MVP awards, which recognise outstanding contribution to the team. Well done also to students involved in our Friday morning school-based sport program for your positive involvement so far.   

The Year 5 students are investigating Space and the Solar System, particularly looking at the size of planets, their distance from the sun, and the various features of each planet. In Pathway to Federation, Year 6 students are following the journey of Australian history from early colonies through to a united Australia. The Peer Support program is going strong, and our Year 5 and Year 1 Buddies are enjoying catching up over shared activities.  

Term 2 assessment tasks have also commenced, which provide opportunities for students to demonstrate progress with their learning.

Aitken’s Got Talent! 

It was a delight to see so many talented students performing in the Chapel and Performing Arts Centre last week. A very big thank you to the Interact Club and Mr Michael Cooper for organising the event. Jasmine E from Year 11 and Rhiannon H from Year 10 did an outstanding job conducting auditions and running the evening. A total of $500 was raised to donate towards Beyond Blue to assist young people with their Mental Health. Congratulations to Andrew P from Year 6 for winning the Primary section with his spectacular performance on the drums!

EngGirls Ecodesign 

Students participating in the EngGirls Ecodesign project worked together for over six weeks to design and make products from recycled materials. The students from Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12 are aiming to sell some of their creations at a market during two lunchtimes on Tuesday 24 May and Wednesday 25 May at lunchtime. Products for sale will be priced at $1 or less and include scrunchies made from old school dresses, little pets and coin pouches made from vintage materials, wind chimes made from bottle tops, jewellery made from plastic bottles and baskets woven from flax. The students have gained so many skills from participating in the Ecodesign program so it will be exciting to see where their projects will take them. Primary students are encouraged to support the EngGirls Ecodesign project by bringing along some change to purchase some items of interest on Tuesday and Wednesday at lunchtime. Thank you in advance! 

NAPLAN 

As you are aware, our Year 3 and Year 5 students have been busy participating in NAPLAN over the last two weeks. They have completed reading, writing, grammar and punctuation, and Maths tests. Students can now relax as the pressure of the testing is over. Well done to all students for trying their hardest. There are many different opinions regarding NAPLAN testing. The following article by Dr Justin Coulson, outlines information as to whether NAPLAN helps children succeed academically. 

Does NAPLAN help children succeed academically?  

Parenting Ideas 

By Dr Justin Coulson 

‘NAPLAN is upon us again, arriving as it does every year, as Term 2 begins to build. And while many parents, teachers, and students are generally ambivalent and nonchalant about this “high-stakes” $100 million plus test, others take NAPLAN very seriously. 

For those who are focused on NAPLAN results, there are NAPLAN preparation books for sale in stores around the country. Learning time in class is being disrupted so students can practice taking NAPLAN exams. And to highlight how high the stakes are in some families, “I’m buying my daughter a puppy if she scores in the top band” one mother informed me. 

But is NAPLAN useful for understanding your child’s academic capability? How helpful is NAPLAN when it comes to your child receiving an excellent education? 

The short answer: not very.’ 

Dr Coulson also outlines ways to help your children thrive at school. 

Helping Children Thrive at School

The following factors generally matter most when it comes to your child doing well at school: 

1. Reading: If there is only one thing that you do with your children for their education, read to them.  
2. Be involved: Getting involved shows you care.
3. Relationships with peers: Children who enjoy a sense of school belonging, according to Dr Kelly Allen at Monash University, do better at school. They also have higher levels of life satisfaction.
4. A sense of progress and purpose: When our children make progress, they feel competent and capable. This increases their motivation, and makes school feel purposeful.
5. People who love them: There is no way of getting around this fact: kids do well for those they love. 

See full article attached: