Primary

                                                                   Mrs Leanne Schulz

Welcome Back

Welcome back to Term 4! I trust that you all had a chance to recharge and spend some quality family time together. Yes, it has been a long time of family time together during lock-down. We are so grateful that our Aitken community is so supportive and we have navigated our way through this challenging time together. It was delightful to see the students during Zoom Assemblies this week, full of enthusiasm at the thought of returning to school next week. The staff and I look forward to seeing all the students and teaching face-to-face once again! 

The focus in the Primary School as we transition back to school will be on student wellbeing. We plan to spend time re-establishing positive relationships and promoting a culture that fosters a caring, inclusive, collaborative environment.

A Few Reminders…

Drop-offs and Pick-ups

Staff will be there to support families as the term commences. We will be at drop-offs and pick-ups in the first few weeks to guide the Primary students as they return to school after such a long period of Home Learning. It is normal for students and parents to be feeling a range of emotions, ranging from relief to apprehension. After the first week, hopefully everyone will feel a sense of normality.

Please note:

• Parents of Prep to Year 2 park in the Gym car park (surnames A to J) or western car park (surnames K to Z)
• Students who are older siblings of Prep to Year 2 students may enter the school with them
• Year 3 to Year 12 students should be dropped off along the ring road or in the western car park; parents remain with cars
• 2:55pm finish for Primary students
• The canteen will be taking online orders only
• Drinking taps will not be available so your child must bring a refillable drink bottle.

Uniform

Thank you for ensuring that students abide by the College uniform requirements. Full summer uniform for Term 4; if it is a very cold day, students may wear the winter uniform (no mixing of summer and winter uniform items).

• HATS are needed for Term 4 (or no play)
• Parkas are only to be worn over jumpers and blazers during Term 2 and 3, so no parkas in Term 4 (unless it is exceptionally cold or wet)
• Students must wear their blazers to and from school, unless 25 degrees or over.

Some Updates from the Classrooms

Prep

Miss Gemma Jackson (AHOS)

Welcome to Term 4. We have many fun and exciting things planned for the return to school in Prep. In particular, we are looking forward to celebrating our 100 days of Prep in person. In Integrated Studies, we are focusing on all things Aitken College. The students will be participating in lessons about the history of the College and exploring its changes over time. We are also jumping into writing narratives this term which is always a Prep favourite. The teachers are looking forward to seeing their classes and getting ready for Year 1.

Years 1 and 2

Miss Hannah Petterson (AHOS)

Year 1 and Year 2 students are super excited to get back into the classroom and enjoy the final term together on site. 

In Year 2 Maths this term, we will be looking at fractions, collecting and displaying data (surveys, tally marks and picture/bar graphs), mapping and directions and 3D shapes. In English, we will be exploring recount texts, persuasive texts, poetry, comprehension skills and book reviews. We will also be exploring past in present and comparing our lives to the olden days.

For Year 1, we will be exploring shapes, money, mapping and directions and revisiting number and place value. In English, we will be looking into recount texts, procedural texts, and different comprehension skills. We will also be exploring our community and members of our community in our Integrated Studies unit.

Years 3 and 4

Mrs Anne Adams (AHOS)

Welcome back to Term 4. We are looking forward to seeing all the students next week. It will be a little strange at first and I know we may miss our ugg boots but we will establish routines quickly once again. A big thank you to parents for your support at home. It was great having photos emailed in as a record of this unprecedented time in history. Here are some photos of education in isolation.

Years 5 and 6

Mr Nigel Keegan (AHOS)

Well done to students and families for completing Home Learning so well – you got there! We look forward to welcoming back our Year 5 and Year 6 students from Week 2 as we take up residence in our new ‘Cumberland Village’.

During Term 4, Year 5 students will be engaged in many interesting and exciting activities across the various subject areas including revisiting fractions and decimals, and chance for Maths, poetry and narrative writing, reading comprehension activities and skills, and working through Integrated topics on Space or the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program.

In Year 6, students are working on persuasive texts for writing, reciprocal reading, BODMAS, algebra, chance, and describing probabilities using fractions, decimals and percentages for Maths and reversible and irreversible change during Integrated Studies.

We look forward to students’ continued progress during the term.

Assembly Roster

Classes are assigned to share some of their learning during Assemblies. Parents are always welcome to attend Assemblies via Zoom. See below for the roster.

FAIRVIEW

CUMBERLAND

Preventing Parenting Burnout by Michael Grose

https://www.parentingideas.com.au/blog/preventing-parent-burnout?goal=0_f488c60967-5ace9dfd8d-200570101&mc_cid=5ace9dfd8d&mc_eid=766e017b7e