Action Packed Week at SSPS

Even though we are experiencing the gradual shortening of the days with winter fast approaching at Syndal South we have enjoyed an action-packed week. Firstly, all the students have been actively engaged in some inspiring writing tasks that the teachers developed with Andrea Hillbrick last Friday. Our Years 4 to 6 students have completed the Attitude to School Survey today, the results will give us valuable information for our planning, particularly in the area of student engagement and wellbeing.  Our aerobics teams after weeks of training are excited about tonight’s performance for their parents and we have our District Cross Country Team heading off tomorrow to compete in the Regional Cross Country at Jells Park. Good luck to those students!

National Simultaneous Storytime

All our students participated in this year’s National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS). NSS has been held annually, thanks to the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). This year the book being read was "Give me some space!" by Australian-based author and illustrator Phillip Bunting. This book will be read simultaneously to over 1 million children across Australia and New Zealand. Better still, "Give me some space!" was read live – by NASA astronaut Shannon Walker – from the International Space Station! Further information regarding the event can be found at www.alia.org.au/nss. NSS aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, promote the value and fun of books, promote an Australian writer and publisher, and promote storytime activities. As a family, have your regular storytime to build excitement and passion about literature! 

We are incredibly lucky at Syndal South Primary School to have a community that willingly shares and gives its time, resources, and expertise for the support of our school – in particular the students.  Our recent Mothers’ Day Stall is certainly a great example of this.

Volunteering is not limited to organising events though, it is so much more.  It includes being a member of the School Council (including committees) and Parents’ Association, helping in the classroom, assisting with the Perceptual Motor Program, helping out at Sporting events including swimming, attending working bees, helping with the Second Hand Uniform Shop, attending camps and excursions, providing advice and support for specific activities, the Capital Works a good example of this.  It also includes keeping an eye on the school grounds over the weekend and school holidays, and so much more.

We would not be able to provide the rich environment, curriculum, and experiences without the support of our volunteers – THANK YOU!

A Growth Mindset

At school the staff are always working on developing a growth mindset in students. A Growth Mindset is when students know they can develop their skills and talents through effort and persistence, as well as being receptive to lessons and feedback. They generally believe they can improve through hard work and trying new learning methods.

We all play a part in supporting children towards a growth mindset because if you can shift toward a growth mindset, Carol Dweck writes 'you can improve the level and frequency of their achievements'. This is because mindset plays a prominent role in self-motivation. One way you can assist to instill a growth mindset in your child is to give feedback that highlights the values of planning and trying different learning strategies. Because praise and feedback can change the ways students view learning processes, your approach can push them toward or further away from establishing a growth mindset.

Understanding Praise 

Naturally, parents want to praise their children. But it’s important to understand that the way you praise your child has a significant impact on their growth and development, specifically as it relates to their ability to develop a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation. The most important thing to understand is that we should focus on praising effort versus outcome. Below is a list of specific phrases to incorporate into the feedback and praise you give to your child. You can watch Carol Dweck talk more about Growth Mindset at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiEeMN7vbQ.

Birthday Celebrations 

At SSPS we believe in celebrating students as individuals, and this may include the acknowledgment of birthdays. Classes may choose to acknowledge this in their way, such as singing happy birthday or wearing a birthday badge/hat in the early years. At times, parents may also wish to provide a special treat for their child’s class on this day. If you choose to send birthday ‘treats for your child’s class, we ask parents to adhere to the following guidelines:

• Please discuss this with the class teacher BEFORE the birthday.
• Bring the items to your child’s classroom before 9.00 am, to be left with the teacher to hand out at a time of their choosing. This may vary depending on the classes learning time and the most convenient time for the class on that day.
• Please provide only small, individually wrapped items, no nut or nut products. We appreciate your support with this.

Education Week

A reminder that all our Syndal South families are invited to attend a special evening next Wednesday 26th May from 7 to 8.30 pm. The theme for the evening will be ‘Passport to Learning’. The evening will begin in your child’s classroom, if you are a family with more than one child if you could begin in your oldest child's classroom.

Parents will need to register on the night using the QR code that is displayed around the school before attending and will need to sign in at the office before moving to the classrooms.

I am looking forward to seeing you next Wednesday evening.

Have a great week!

Helen