Learning Support & Enrichment

NO HOMEWORK HELP NEXT WEDNESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER DUE TO STAFF MEETING

• Getaway Club
• Improving your son's comprehension
• Useful parent publications from the Learning Difficulties Coalition
• Disability Provisions & Adjustments Years 10-12
• Homework Help Program Years 5-12

GETAWAY CLUB

A reminder to Parents and Carers

The Lunchtime Getaway Program in the Junior School is designed to assist selected boys with the ongoing development of their social skills,  friendships and also building confidence and resilience. It is held on Tuesdays in the Learning Enrichment Room in the Junior School, and it provides a safe and supported environment where boys have the opportunity to learn and practise skills, bring along and eat their lunch, have fun and enjoy time out from the playground. This targeted  program is run by Ms Judy Gill, Psychologist and Meredith Leedham,Teacher’s Aide. As the term and the school gets very busy, we ask that you assist by reminding your sons about Getaway on Tuesday each week.

IMPROVING YOUR SON'S COMPREHENSION

Medical and professional staff at CHERI (the Children’s Hospital at Westmead – Education Research Institute) have developed a range of information sheets for parents, teachers, and students. These sheets provide information on a range of topics such as Developing Language and Handwriting Skills, Homework, and Improving Comprehension Skills. For your interest please see the following Parent fact sheet on Comprehension.

USEFUL PARENT PUBLICATIONS FROM THE LDC

The Learning Difficulties Coalition (LDC) is a coalition of individuals and parent support groups in NSW which provides support and information about children (5-18yrs) with learning difficulties and related conditions. The LDC, which is supported by the NSW Department of Education and Communities, also offers a range of affordable parent-friendly booklets and resources that may be of interest to parents and carers of children with learning or attentional difficulties. Please see the attachment for currently available publications and details about how to place an order.

 LSE REQUEST FORMS FOR DPAs (DISABILITY PROVISIONS AND ADJUSTMENTS) IN ASSESSMENT TASKS IN YEARS 10-12

For the interest and reference of Year 10, 11 and 12 students with approved Disability Provisions and Adjustments, please see the google docs link below to the newly-devised  LSE Request form – which MUST be submitted by your son in Year 10, 11 and 12 if and when he wishes to access his pre-approved disability provisions or adjustments for assessment tasks throughout the year. As an online writeable form, it can be instantly and conveniently submitted without the need for printing and signing. Please note, the form is required for the use of approved provisions/adjustments in timed written in-class assessment tasks only. It is NOT needed for exams held during the exam blocks which are pre-listed on the official school calendar.

Please do view and retain the link to the new LSE DPA request form at https://goo.gl/forms/OU2tkkt4N5WyBdCG2 and alert your son in Year 10, 11 or 12 to use it as needed. For any queries or concerns, about the new form or procedure, or about your son’s eligibility for disability provisions and adjustments, please contact me on JRaheb@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au.

Thank you to our IT team and our Innovative Learning and Knowledge Management Coordinator, Anne Gripton, for crafting the form and posting the link on the Portal, for the ongoing reference of students in Years 10 to 12.  Please note that hard copy forms will remain in the office, should parents or students wish to collect, sign and submit them to Ms Raheb-Mol one or more weeks prior to the date of a scheduled assessment task.

Homework Help Program

For All Students in Years 5 to 12

• Senior Library (SRC) 3.15 to 4.30pm every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
• Provides a quiet study space for students working on homework, assignments and tasks
• Supervising teachers are also available for one-to-one help with literacy and numeracy
• Students can attend on one or more afternoons per week, on a regular or occasional basis
• No need to make an appointment, just attend whenever needed
• Seminar rooms available for working with friends on group tasks and activities

Whatever the motivation, all students from Years 5 -12 are encouraged to come along to Homework Help, and be actively engaged in: staying on top of homework, making sure their bookwork is up to date, organising their homework and study schedule for the week ahead, catching up on missed work, working on an assessment task, researching a topic, making use of library books and resources, getting ahead on revision notes, using a range of interactive websites and online resources targeting literacy or numeracy, revising for a test, working on a group project, improving vocabulary or grammar and punctuation, or addressing specific concerns that were raised in a recent school report.

All years and levels of ability are welcome to attend, so please do encourage students in all years to take advantage of this free service.

Parents/ Carers or interested students may direct any enquiries about the Homework Help Program to Ms Joanne Raheb-Mol, Coordinator of Learning Support and Enrichment, via email: JRahebMol@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au

Ms J Raheb-Mol - Coordinator of Learning Support & Enrichment