Cumberland
Mrs Leanne Schulz
Happy Holidays
It has been a busy and eventful term. Students and teachers have worked hard and deserve a well-earned break. I wish all students a safe and happy holiday period. The teachers and I are looking forward to teaching and working with you all next term – we have much planned. I also hope parents get to spend some time with their children during this break and create wonderful memories to cherish for a long time.
Cumberland Dance Party
Last Friday saw many students venture out on a cold night to warm themselves up with some dancing. Fun was had by all at this well attended event. Thanks goes to the Parents & Friends Association and the parents who helped on the night to make sure the event ran smoothly. Also, a big thank you to our Year 9 DJ, Josh G, who kept the dance party lively.
Emerging Performers Showcase
Congratulations to the students who performed on Thursday; we certainly have some talent at this school.
AFL Gala Day
Last Thursday, students in Years 5 and 6 competed in the annual Footy Gala Day Competition. It was a fun and enjoyable day. Congratulations to all players on the day, you represented your school well!
AFL Gala day was an amazing experience. Our team played well but sadly lost the last game. The girls’ team tried their best and we definitely improved as the day went on. Thankfully, there were no injuries this year. I think all the girls did a wonderful job and they should be proud of themselves. The boys team played extremely well too! They were close to making the finals and I think they should all be proud of themselves. I wish the Year 5 students next year all the best.
By Lauren P
Kitchen Garden Update
This term, 4A have been having lots of fun at the Kitchen/Garden Program. In Garden, we have been enjoying weeding, snail hunting and seeing the cute new chickens. In Kitchen, we have been making delicious food, mostly out of pumpkin. Our favourite dishes were the olive and rosemary bread, the beetroot muffin and the pumpkin pastry. Overall, Kitchen/Garden was a great experience.
By Ronan K, Brandon S and Sibella C - Year 4A
Story Book Competition Reminders
Cumberland students have been busy drafting, editing and publishing their stories for the Story Book Competition. They have been using the Seven Steps To Writing Success guidelines that include: planning for success, a sizzling start, tightening tension, dynamic dialogue, show don’t tell, ban the boring bits, and ending with impact.
- The final draft without illustrations is due: Friday 14 June
- The published book with illustrations is due: Monday 16 July
Size and Format
Years 3-5: Maximum 16 pages and aim to spread the text throughout the book (500 words maximum). The book should have a hard cover (eg. made from a carton, recycle the cover of an old unwanted book, plastic pocket folder). Text can by typed or hand written. Make sure paragraphs are used to guide the reader.
Year 6: 500-1500 words. An illustration must be on each page; however, they may only use 2-3 pages. Students have the option of doing an eBook or a hard copy.
Illustrations
Illustrations are very important as they help tell the story. There are many different mediums that can be used to illustrate the book including:
- Collage (Jeanie Baker), Colour pencil, pen and water colour (Bob Graham)
- Pencil, crayon and ink (Emma Quay), photos and digital images
Students will have time over the holidays to complete the illustrations.
Presentation
Students are expected to read their book to the class and even perhaps other classes after the holidays.
Assessments and Reports
Teachers have been busy assessing students and writing reports. Reports will be uploaded to My Aitken during the holiday period. Parents will be notified when this has happened via an email. Questions related to student grades should be directed to the class teacher on their return in Term 3.
Anxiety and How to Help
Many children experience anxiety as it is a normal emotion. However, it can become concerning if anxiousness begins to disrupt family or school life and interferes with a playful, happy childhood. Michael Grose offers advice on how to help your child to better manage their anxiousness. He suggests beginning with the following three approaches:
- Learn how anxiety works
- A thorough understanding of the physiology and psychology of anxiety, the events that trigger anxiety in your child and how your child typically responds is the most important step you can take. This knowledge will increase your confidence which, in itself, will be a considerable source of calm for your child.
- Give your child the tools to self-regulate
- Anxiety won’t disappear on its own. Children and young people need tools to recognise and regulate their emotions so they are able to function when anxious moments appear. Self-management tools such as exercise, deep breathing and mindfulness will reduce their dependence on you, allowing them to manage their anxious states. These lifelong skills are invaluable for anyone who worries or who has a tendency towards anxiety.
- Develop a lifestyle that minimises anxiety
- A child’s lifestyle also impacts massively on their anxiety. Anxiety management tools will never be totally effective until it’s supported by a lifestyle that promotes a healthy mind and body. These seven lifestyle factors in their own way decrease the likelihood of a child experiencing anxiety: sleep, nutrition and gut health, play and movement, green time, knowing their values, volunteering and fostering healthy relationships.
While parenting an anxious child is an emotional rollercoaster, try to see each day as an opportunity to build greater awareness and resilience in your child.
See the following article for further details:
Day of Excellence: Film Festival
Today, Cumberland students participated in a 'Day of Excellence' focusing on film making. Students learnt about storyboarding, camera angles, script writing, editing, using audio effects and backing tracks, and team roles such as Director. Students created a short film or animation incorporating the theme ‘Thank you for the Music’, based on the ABBA soundtrack. The phrase 'Thank you for the music' had to appear in each group’s movie at some point. It could be spoken or sung by one of the actors or it could appear as words. A musical instrument was also expected to appear in the movie somewhere. The students enjoyed a creative and productive day of planning and film making. A big thank you to the teachers involved and Mrs Jayne Boon for providing the resources and inspiration. Such a fun and engaging way to finish Term 2!
Year 5 Waxworks Presentation
To celebrate the Australian History Integrated Studies Unit on Colonial Australia, the Year 5 students dressed up as people from the ‘Gold Rush Era in the 1800s’ and created a ‘Waxworks Presentation’. They researched and created a script from the perspective of a person living during this time. When family members and other classes visited the Library on Wednesday 19 June in the afternoon, the Year 5 students came alive and performed their monologue describing the hardships and living conditions of life on the goldfields. What an entertaining afternoon it was!
