Prep Term 1 Overview
Prep 2023 Term One
Welcome to Prep! What a wonderful start to the term we have had. The children have had such a positive start to the year and have demonstrated an eagerness for learning and play. This year our school theme is Gratitude. We will promote this concept throughout the year, in our curriculum, celebrations and as a word that brings us together. The Preps have been introduced to the expectations of school life and how we show respect to self, others and property. We have been learning the class routines, our classmates names, how we can ask to play with other people and how to use our manners at school. The children have begun their specialist lessons and learning the names of teachers, helpers and leaders in our school. We are beautifully supported by Sarah, our Learning Support officer, every day in the classroom.
I look forward to seeing you all at our ‘Meet and Greet’ interviews next Tuesday, 14 February, after school. On Wednesday, 15 February, we also welcome you to come to the Prep and New Family Dinner from 6 - 7:30pm.
The school newsletter is sent out on a Monday every fortnight. It will keep you up to date with all that is going on at St John’s. Please let us know if you have not received a Newsletter yet.
On the alternate weeks, on Monday afternoon, is the Whole School Assembly. This is at 2.50pm in the Mary MacKillop Space at the school and everyone is welcome to attend.
Food
The Preps enjoy eating a fruit/vegetable snack each morning around 10am. The fruit or vegetable should be chopped into small pieces as students do not have a long time for this snack. Please bring a named drink bottle to school every day for water only. Just a reminder that students need to have only four items in their lunch box as there are 3 opportunities to eat. Children are not allowed to share food from their lunchboxes at school and are encouraged to eat all of their lunch.
Please do not put sweet treats in their lunchboxes and use small containers instead of plastic wrappings. Anything the children do not eat they will bring home so you can see how much they have eaten and adjust quantities if required.
Please be aware that some children have severe nut allergies in our class and cannot come into contact with these foods. Thank you for your understanding on this issue.
Book Bags
Our blue book bags need to be brought to and from school each day. They are used for notices and reminders, so please check them each day when they come home. At school they live in our ‘Book Bag Tub.’
Hats
Hats will stay at school and be kept in the children tubs so they can be worn daily. Hats will come home at the end of Term 1 and will need to be worn again in Term 4.
Communication
Good communication between home and school is a vital aspect of your child’s learning. We regularly use email correspondence and are often available before and after school for any queries you have. Please come and see me at any time or send me an email to make a time to chat in person, online meeting, or over the phone if that is easier.
My email address is nwebb@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au. I will endeavour to answer emails within 24 hours during weekdays.
Please make sure that you have the Skoolbag App, as many school notices and reminders will be sent via the App.
https://skoolbag.com.au/web/?schoolid=22726
Our Weekly Timetable
Day | Activity | Remember |
| Each Day | Readers Changed | Book Bags daily |
| Tuesday | PE Lesson Chinese | Sports uniform and runners |
| Wednesday | Class Sports Lesson (from 1 March onwards) | Sports uniform and runners |
| Friday | Sports Lesson (until 24 Feb) Library Borrowing Visual Arts Performing Arts | Sports uniform and runners Book Bag with Library Books |
Preps will do Physical Education (PE) on Tuesday and Class Sports Lesson on Friday for the first few weeks of school. Once the Prep students commence full time, they will have PE on Tuesday and Class Sports on Wednesday. They will need to wear runners and their sports uniform (polo top and sport shorts) on these days.
We will go to the library on Friday where students can borrow 1 or 2 books per week provided they have returned their previous books.
On Thursdays they will also attend Visual Arts and Performing Arts.
Important Dates
Meet and Greets will be held on Thursday, 14 February. This is a great opportunity to meet with me and share any additional information about your child that you would like me to know.
Prep’s and new families Dinner, which is hosted by Year 1 families and the Community Association, on Wednesday, 15 February at 6pm.
Twilight Sports will be held after school on Monday, 6 March at Bill Sewart Reserve, East Burwood, at 4.45pm
Monday, 20 February - School Photos
Tuesday, 21 February - Curriculum Information Evening
Wednesday, 8 March - School Closure Day
Curriculum Overview
Literacy
In reading we will be learning to orientate a book, which includes finding the title, author, where we start reading and then retelling the main elements of the text. In writing, we will be orienting ourselves with writing conventions, where to write, writing across the page, using spaces, putting letters together to make a word. We shall also be starting our Smart Spelling program which focuses on the systematic teaching of phonics for reading and writing.
In Week 3, the children will begin to bring home their nightly Home Reading books. They will need to read with you and then record the title and date in their Reading Log Book. Initially the books will be quite short and the reading will take around 10 minutes. I understand that the children might be feeling quite tired of an evening, please let me know if the nightly reading becomes too difficult.
In Week 4, the children will also begin bringing home Spelling words in a Home Book. They need to practise reading these words each night, and they will have space in the book to practise writing these words also. More information will be pasted in the cover of their Home Book for you to read when the children bring it home.
Mathematics
In Mathematics, we will be focusing on counting numbers from 0-20, writing numbers, connecting numbers to various materials and subitising. The children will be introduced to hands-on counting tasks using materials, playing cooperative counting, number games and Mathletics. Later in the term we will be exploring 2D shapes, measurement of mass and then data collection.
Religious Education
Our focus for this term is on Gratitude. We will be exploring the meaning of gratitude and how it can help us build stronger relationships with God and others. Later in the term we will be exploring the season of Lent. Students will reflect on Lent as a season of waiting and connect this to things that they wait for in their own lives. We will also explore the events leading up to Easter Sunday and the significance of this celebration in the Church’s calendar.
Inquiry
"How Do I Keep Myself and Others Healthy and Safe?"
This term during our Inquiry learning we will be exploring healthy behaviours such as healthy eating and staying active to promote our own wellbeing. Students will identify and share their strengths and how these contribute to their personal identities. Students will also explore how to build healthy communities. We will learn how to include others and what it means to belong to a class community.
I am looking forward to a busy and rewarding term.
Kind regards,
Nicole Webb