Primary School
From the Head of Primary
Last Friday morning, many of us enjoyed a relaxing and scenic end to the school week. Thank you to all the parents and staff who supported our first Walk or Ride to School Day in 2023, and I look forward to seeing families take the initiative of this beautiful path to school on a more regular basis.
Also on Friday, Mr Hardey’s Year Three class did a stellar job with our first assembly for the term, walking us through their inquiry journey with a short skit on surviving different climates. Snowboards, umbrellas and Ms Hitchcock’s fly swatter all made an appearance in an educational and entertaining share of their Term Two Inquiry: Location influences climate and climate influences communities. We will have two more assemblies this term, a Music Assembly in Week Eight and Year Six Osborne’s class assembly in Week Ten.
Year Six Service
Last week I spoke about our Year Six experience, an initiative that prepares our Primary School students for the transition to Secondary School but also for the challenges and opportunities outside of school. Our aim is to develop well-rounded students, prepared for school and life’s journeys, with the skills of leadership and service actively developed. Below is a table highlighting Year Six Osborne’s initiatives.
| Name | Service |
|---|---|
| Bo Anning | ECC playground peer support, Year One class helper, Food Bank drive and ECC class support, tech support at assemblies |
| Beatrix Darling | ECC playground support and Kindergarten class support |
| Koos de Jonge | ECC class support in Pre-Primary, touch rugby at lunchtime for Years Five and Six |
| Quade Deegan | ECC class support in Pre-Primary, touch rugby at lunchtime for Years Five and Six |
| Fernando Gatti | Lunchtime dodge game or soccer in the gym for Year Three to Six |
| Nicole Leveque | ECC playground peer support, Year One class helper, Food Bank drive and ECC class support |
| Blythe Marmion | ECC Service – Kindergarten support |
| Lani Marsh | Homemade craft sales – funds to the Year Six chosen charity |
| Oskar McSweeney | Primary School peer support – leading lunchtime activities |
| Lachlan Pages | Primary School peer support – leading lunchtime activities |
| Frances Plunkett | ECC service – Kindergarten support |
| Tyler Ravenhill | Sausage sizzle fundraiser once a term – money to a Year Six charity chosen at the end of the year |
| Ayrton Sedunary | Primary School peer support – leading lunchtime activities |
| Digby Skinner | Scouts volunteer after school, peer support in class for Pre-Primary and also doing touch rugby during lunchtime for Years Five and Six |
| Alexander Wright | Selling icy poles and Milo and giving the money to the Year Six charity. Cutting up wood and collecting pinecones to sell for charity |
Well done to Tyler and Harry’s fundraising initiative this week, providing the Primary School with a sausage sizzle for lunch. A huge learning opportunity embedded in service to the community and raising funds for charity. Well done to Bo, Harrison and Tyler who have already accrued ten out of their thirty hours of service.
Migration Morning Tea
As part of the Year Six’s inquiry: Where we are in Place and Time – Migration is the response to challenge and choice they held a migration morning tea. Members of the parent and staff community who were born outside of Australia came together to share their journeys with each other and our Year Six students over morning tea. It was a wonderful opportunity for learning and connecting and a valuable experience for the students.
Stretch and Challenge
Our vertical Mathematics grouping lessons began last week and this week we had the help of 80 Secondary students as part of their VACS programme. Based on Dr Paul Swan’s work around milestones and Di Siemon’s work, teachers have developed a unit of work to progress their group of students on a specific milestone, linked to a big idea in Mathematics. Our focus for the first half of the term is on the four operations and improving students’ fluency and understanding when using them. Students from Pre-Primary to Year Six have been placed in groups according to their position on the progress of these milestones and have almost one-to-one tuition with older peers. Each week, a class also has the opportunity to visit the school farm with Mrs Bradbury to learn about sustainability. The Kindy and Pre-Primaries had a great time yesterday collecting eggs and learning about sustainable waste sorting with their Senior School VACS group.
School Values
Our whole-school Values focus for Weeks Three and Four is 'Respect' – being considerate and kind. We have spoken to students about this Value and how we can show respect to ourselves, others and the environment. Well done to the following students who received Value certificates for 'Respect': Alexandra Schaefer, Ally Buxton, Pippa Daniel and Jax Brennan.
ECC Stars of the Week: Finn De Snoo, Louie Sutton, Gwen Elliott and Ally Buxton.
Reminders
OSHC
OSHC began this week and looks like lots of fun! We will require your support in sustaining this wonderful offering, either on a regular or casual basis. Please contact Ms Preity Dhaliwal if you would like to sign up your child/ren on a casual or regular basis. OSHC is based in our Kindergarten classroom and offers care for students after school from Kindergarten to Year Six, from 3.00pm to 6.00pm. For booking and enrolment enquiries, please contact Preity on 0466 080 593 or preitydhaliwal@gmail.com.
Grammar Playgroup
Grammar Playgroup operates on a Monday morning in our Kindergarten classroom from 9.00am to 11.00am under the guidance of our wonderful Education Assistant Mrs Kym Clifford. New faces are always welcome. Share a cuppa whilst your children play.
Wishing you a restful weekend.
Mrs Leah Field | Head of Primary